During the pandemic, the world saw massive changes in the working culture, wherein the Great Resignation became a very real thing, and people were no longer inclined to work nine to five for minimum wage. But before jumping ship and taking on a position at another business establishment, we have to reconsider several aspects of the modern corporate culture.
The hiring interview is one such chance for us to gauge the workplace, its culture, and attitude before we make the final decision. Here are some potential red flags we must look out for during the interviews:
Jargony language about their office culture
If your interviewer tries to sell you their work culture and environment using jargon and typical phrases such as‘100% transparency’, ‘work hard and play harder,’ then it’s best that you ask questions looking to problem for more clues with regards to their culture and expectations. If you can, try to meet the employees there to get an insight into the work environment at the office. Even a walk across the conference room or a trip to the washroom can give you enough information to make an informed decision.
Amy Hirschi/Unsplash. A job interview is a two-way street; any other form should make you wary.
The interview is not two-way
The best hiring managers realize the possibility of being questioned during an interview, and that the potential employee has an equal right to question them on the work culture, benefits, and any other relevant questions they might be mulling over in their heads. It shows that they value their employees as people and not just as members of their workforce.
If any interviewer is shying away from answering questions about their own company, this is a red flag. Wait for the right moment to ask your questions, and do not be too aggressive when approaching this matter. Alternatively, you can also wait until the next stage of the selection process to ask questions, or simply email them if you are not presented with an opportune moment during a face-to-face encounter.
Mateus Campos Felipe/Unsplash. A non-challenging workplace won’t help you grow.
There are no challenges in this workplace
If your interviewer is nothing but all praise about their company and its working environment, this might be too good to be true. No office is heaven on Earth, and any hiring manager portraying such an image could be an obvios red flag. Ask tactful questions to get to the bottom of the matter. You may ask about what the employees here love about this place, and the challenges they face, and the answer to this question would give you some much-needed information about your potential future workspace.
089photoshootings/Pixabay. The department you are interviewing for not being on the same page is a red flag.
The team is not on the same page
Though this might not be immediately evident, if you get an idea that an entire team of workers has ideas and objectives that are largely different from each other, this could not mean well for the workplace in general. The case could be that either they are projecting a front and failing at it, or that they are unaware of the environment and are really having major differences among themselves. Either of the two cases is a red flag.
