To find and land a great job, it takes a lot of hard work.
After hours spent creating the perfect resume, searching job boards, submitting various cover letters…finally you land an interview. At this point, all that matters is getting a job offer, right?
Wrong.
It’s important to pay close attention to the interview experience to know if the job will be a good fit. Here are four red flags to pay attention to during an interview.
It’s not a culture fit
Not all cultures are right for everyone. Outgoing, team-based, and interactive cultures are not a good fit for introverts. Accepting an offer for a job where the culture doesn’t align with your personality or values could mean the job may not last that long.
Ask questions during the interview to reveal what the company’s culture is like to discover if it is a good fit, “Do different teams work together? Are there company outings? Does the company have an open-door policy? What characteristics do top performers here share? Does the company have weekly company-wide meetings?”
The work environment makes you uncomfortable
If you have an opportunity to tour the office, keep your eyes and ears peeled. This is a great way to gauge if the environment is a good fit. Is the office quiet or noisy? Does the company have an open-floor plan or does everyone have their own cubicle? Are people dressed in suits or jeans?
After taking a tour of the office, it will help to discover if this is an environment you’ll thrive in, or if it will make you incredibly uncomfortable.
The manager is not passionate
Pay close attention to how free-flowing and positive the interactions are with your potential manager. Are they excited and happy about their role at the company? Can they provide answers to questions like, “Who is the best person on your team and what makes them successful? What do you love most about working here?”
When a manager can’t give straight answers to these questions, this can reveal the manager isn’t very involved with their team or passionate about their role, or the company.
There’s no potential for growth
If growth is important, make sure to ask questions during the interview such as, “How did you get your job? Tell me about your career progression at this company. Do new employees go through a formal training process? Did the person in the position I’m interviewing for get promoted to a new position? Is upper management promoted from within?”
The answers to these questions should reveal if there is any potential to move up in the company.
Pay close attention to these four red flags during your next interview, but also trust your gut. If it doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t the best fit.
For additional advice on questions to ask during the interview, click here.
