Job interviews are a two-way process – your candidates are interviewing you just as much as you are interviewing them.

After all, candidates do not just want any job, they want the right job.

According to a recent survey over 70 percent of job seekers have experienced ‘new-job regret’ and one in five would quit within a month if their new job is not what they expected. 

New job regret is disruptive for both workers and employers, but what do job seekers view as the biggest red flags in an interview?

To find out, the data analysts at HR and leadership community People Managing People reviewed over 5,100 jobseeker reviews post-interview. 

The study reveals the number one red flag is the use of ‘Family’ to describe a company. What was once deemed as an attractive tagline by HR staff to entice candidates is now quite the opposite.

Almost one in five (18%) jobseekers from the study would now describe this terminology as a red flag if they were to hear it in an interview.

Job interviews and blurred boundaries 

In recent years, many have argued this concept endorses unhealthy norms like blurred boundaries, an exaggerated sense of loyalty and a lack of empowerment.  

The boundaries you have with your family are most likely quite different to those in the workplace and so creating clear boundaries at work helps to maintain a safe, supportive and favorable environment for all employees.   

Staff turnover rates are important

In second place, 14 percent of candidates would see desperation to hire or extreme staff turnover as a red flag. 

On average, every year, a company will experience an 18 percent turnover in its workforce. However, if you are seeing the same job posting over and over, it could indicate the company is having a hard time keeping someone in the role and questions should be raised. 

 A general rule of thumb would see most employees who are satisfied with their jobs stay at the company, so high turnover is usually indicative of a problem. 

When possible, candidates should ask in the job interview why the position is available and how long it has been open. 

Overtime

Mentions of overtime are the third biggest red flag for candidates during interviews (13%). It is one thing to be expected to work long hours during a busy season (tax time for accountants), but it’s another when you’re expected to work overtime all the time. 

For instance, if a potential employer explains most employees ‘stick around after hours’, it is normally code that overtime has been deemed an obligation and it is frowned upon to only work your contracted hours. 

Particularly, if you are a salaried and exempt employee, you will not earn any extra money for every hour worked over 40. Plus, a job that expects employees to work nights and weekends more than likely will not have any work-life balance or flexibility. 

Inappropriate questions (9%), low salaries (8%) and high or unrealistic expectations (8%) complete the top five biggest interview red flags. 

How hiring managers can set healthier expectations and avoid these red flags in the future: 

·        Ensure the job description is clear and jargon-free

·        You are transparent about salaries and financial compensation

·        The interview should feel like a conversation, not an interrogation

·        Follow up in a timely manner and offer constructive feedback

·        Learning, development and career path opportunities are clearly outlined

·        Offer transparency about why the predecessor left the role

Finn Bartram, Editor at People Managing People, comments on job interviews:

“This study should hopefully encourage potential interview candidates to be attuned to possible red flags in the interview process.

“It’s not to say they should go into the interview process overly skeptical, but rather to be aware as these ‘red flags’ can indicate larger issues with their potential boss, team or the organization as a whole.”

 

 

 

 

Amelia Brand
Amelia Brand

Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.