I’ve conducted interviews for 12 years with various companies, WOW! During this time I’ve seen many a hiring managers come into conference rooms bumbling and fumbling, unprepared for interviewing. As a representative of the company, it really upsets me that people don’t prepare for interviews. Candidates take time off and sacrifice to interview so it’s only respectful for hiring teams to take time and review the candidate’s background and experience BEFORE they are in the reception area. Some companies really get it right and the rest well…Here are some things to look out for when evaluating a company and it’s representatives in an interview.
Illegal Questions
Due to lack of training, many interviewers have no idea that some of the questions they may ask are illegal. The EEOC has plenty of information on what constitutes a prohibited practice when it comes to hiring and employment. It’s important that you educate yourself and are able to tactfully handle these situations. In some cases, you may even respectfully decline to answer a question you know is illegal.
No Eye Contact/Distractions
This is a recurring issue in many interviews I’ve witnessed. The interviewer doesn’t make a concerted effort to engage in the interview. I get it, people are very busy and they could be doing other things besides interviewing candidates for positions in the organization. There is no excuse! If you see an interviewer with their computer or cell phone up, not paying attention or respecting your time, that’s a red flag. I would maybe ask a question or make a comment to get their attention. If that doesn’t work, this may not be a place you want to work.
Lack of familiarity with background/resume
What an embarrassment on the interviewer’s part, to come into an interview and ask where you work currently, or where you went to school. It’s obviously on the resume that he or she didn’t read. This could be a point of concern. I would encourage bringing copies of your resume to interviews, even if the recruiter or HR representative has the resume. You can’t trust it’s been distributed or reviewed these days. Be prepared for the unknown!
Disorganized interview panel
Ever been in an interview and random people come in and out or the team is trying to find people to meet you. This might be a red flag, that the team wasn’t prepared to meet you or initial interviewers passed on interviewing because they had something more “important” to do. I would always encourage candidates to ask for a list of people they might interview with prior to the interview day. This also gives you the opportunity to do research on the person and learn about their background.
It’s important that you look out for red flags in an interview to make an educated decision if and when an offer comes your way.
Tell us about your experience with bad interviewers in the comments!
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