8 Warning Signs You Don’t Want to See in a Job Interview
After every job interview, someone (probably your mum) will ask you, “So, how did it go?” Sometimes it went well, sometimes it went badly and sometimes you just have no idea. If you’re not really sure how an interview went, there are a few signs that you can look out for. If you experienced any of the things on the following list, I’m sorry to say, it might be bad news.
1. The interviewer gave you job search advice
If they were going to give you a job, you wouldn’t need it. This is probably the nicest of all the signs on the list, because at least you’re getting something from the experience (assuming the advice is good).
2. The interviewer wasn’t paying attention
If they’re bored, they probably don’t want you to join their team. They may even have decided against giving the job before you even arrived and are just continuing to go through the motions.
You should still approach the interview as normal, though. It could also simply be a test to see how you react.
3. The interview was remarkably short
It’s definitely not a good sign if you were asked to plan a couple of hours for the interview but ended up being in and out in 20 minutes.
4. The interviewer wasn’t the person you expected to meet with
Another bad sign is if you expected to meet with the head of the team you’ll (hopefully) be joining, but instead got fobbed off with the HR intern you already did a phone interview with. This suggests that they felt too bad to cancel completely but didn’t want to invest too much time in the process.
5. The interviewer wanted something you don’t have
Perhaps there was something in the job description that you thought was minor and you could get away with not having, but that ended up being a major focus of the interview.
6. The questions were too easy
This is another potential signal that the interviewer was simply going through the motions. If you have a good shot, you should be facing tough questions that are designed to really understand what you can do and what makes you tick.
7. The interviewer didn’t ask when you can start
Unless this has already been covered, it’s not a good sign if they don’t want this information. If they are seriously considering your candidacy, they are also considering the logistics of starting you in the role.
This is a bigger warning sign the later in the hiring process you are.
8. The interviewer didn’t mention next steps
If they thought there would be any next steps, they would bring them up. If all you get is a vague “We’ll be in touch” with no mention of a time frame or what happens next, don’t hold your breath for a job offer.
In this situation, you should bring up the topic yourself. Whatever happens in the end, that information is important for you to plan ahead.
This post originally appeared on the StartupCVs blog, where you can find more tips and advice on startup jobs and recruiting.
Originally published at blog.startupcvs.com on April 13, 2016.
