What were some red flags you saw during interviews?

LeBroke

Just want to say recruiters don't really try to rip you off (as a general rule). The fact that a client pays a staffing firm $80/hour has no bearing on how much you get paid (let's say $40/hour).

If you know your market value and don't terribly suck at negotiating, the $40/hour should be close to your market wage as a contractor (i.e. you might get $30/hour in an FT/permanent role with benefits instead).

The client pays $80/hour for the convenience of being able to not have to deal with hiring/firing or paying someone benefits. They can have internal budgeting regarding headcount, i.e. they need an extra person and now, but their budget only allows 5 people on the team, but they have some leeway regarding a separate operations budget, which can go towards a contractor. They don't know how long they need an extra person for. This might be a temp-to-contract role, where they contract temps for x months at a time, and then make full-time offers to ones they like.

NavyMooseCCNA

Ten years ago I had an interview with a large financial services company in Boston. The position was just about perfect for me. I get there around fifteen minutes early and check in with the receptionist. Almost an hour later the guy comes down to see me. We talked about my experience for a bit and he refused to believe that contractors would be trusted with what my old team was doing at a company I was at for three years. He spent a lot of time on a personal call and then ended the interview.

I was more than pissed and said something like "Will I be meeting with someone more professional who knows how to interview?" and walked out. I called the HR dweeb and he was angry at how I was treated and I never heard anything back.

I made a promise to myself if an interviewer takes a personal call during the interview, I walk out. If I am kept waiting more than twenty minutes after the appointed time, I walk out.

Blucodex

NavyMooseCCNA wrote: »

I made a promise to myself if an interviewer takes a personal call during the interview, I walk out. If I am kept waiting more than twenty minutes after the appointed time, I walk out.

Absolutely.

GeekyChick

I had an interview once where I asked the hiring manager if I could meet the other people on the team. He agreed and I sat down with them and started out by saying, "I just wanted to meet you all and hear about what you're doing, etc". One of the team members was obviously upset that I even said that and fired back, "well, maybe we want to know about you". Fair enough, I was planning on doing that, but her attitude was so bad. I ended up taking the job and sure enough there was no working together as a team. I left there a few months later. I knew when I met them it wasn't going to work and I should have followed my instincts.

@N7Valiant - I'm very interested in hearing what happens with the job and whether or not you get it. I'm in the same situation as you are. I have an interview on Friday but I need clearance for it and I"m not sure if they will hire me based on that. My understanding is some companies will/can if they have a commercial side to them where they can place you until the clearance goes through.

thomas_

The company gave me an offer during the interview. I guess this could be a good indication, but the company was small and the job turned out to be the worst job I ever had. I guess what I’m trying to say is a quick job offer could be because you are hot sh*t or because the company is a steaming pile of sh*t.

Basic85

I've been on interviews lately where the employer/recruiter would ask me for my previous pay even though the pay range was already listed in the job description, the nerve. Part of the reason of listing the pay in the description is so both parties would be ok with the pay, so why would they ask for my previous pay anyways? To low ball. I'm never telling no one my pay ever, no clue and no hints.

Blucodex

Basic85 wrote: »

I've been on interviews lately where the employer/recruiter would ask me for my previous pay even though the pay range was already listed in the job description, the nerve. Part of the reason of listing the pay in the description is so both parties would be ok with the pay, so why would they ask for my previous pay anyways? To low ball. I'm never telling no one my pay ever, no clue and no hints.

I don't understand why this is so offensive. It's both parties responsibility to negotiate their best position.

Basic85

Blucodex wrote: »

I don't understand why this is so offensive. It's both parties responsibility to negotiate their best position.

First off, it's none of there business how much I previously made, 2nd it's also offensive because the pay was already listed in the job description and I was ok with it but yet the recruiter asked for my previous anyways, huge red flag. She even suggested that I be submitted at a lower salary so I would save the client money, what an insult to me.

Blucodex

Basic85 wrote: »

First off, it's none of there business how much I previously made, 2nd it's also offensive because the pay was already listed in the job description and I was ok with it but yet the recruiter asked for my previous anyways, huge red flag. She even suggested that I be submitted at a lower salary so I would save the client money, what an insult to me.

Recruiter's gonna recruit. I don't think it's worth getting upset over. State your requirements and move on--recruitment salary is usually open to negotiation anyway IMO.

jamesleecoleman

Well..

- Got there on time but told to wait because it would be a little longer.
- Waiting a little longer... had to wait some more. I think about 30 min.
- Got asked if going to a school in Russia where the name had 'state' in it meant that I got college credit.
- Got asked why I didn't apply for an infosec position compared to the helpdesk position (not sure if it counts)

... All at the same interview


Another interview, the HR person didn't even go over the resume. "Ooo I see that you studied in Russia (during the interview). Could you tell us more about that?"

N7Valiant

Basic85 wrote: »

First off, it's none of there business how much I previously made, 2nd it's also offensive because the pay was already listed in the job description and I was ok with it but yet the recruiter asked for my previous anyways, huge red flag. She even suggested that I be submitted at a lower salary so I would save the client money, what an insult to me.

Irony.

To me, discussing pay is a form of negotiation. The discussion is a bit moot if I don't have a strong bargaining position(i.e. experience, certs, a good resume, other job offers). Getting that first job is always the hardest.

I mean I suppose if people are very responsive to your job applications and you're doing 1-2 interviews every week then you can afford to be picky. But if I'm shooting out job applications left and right and maybe I might get a bite once or twice a month, then I'm going to answer their questions.

thomas_

@N7Valinet - I don’t completely disagree with what you are saying, but if you are already in a weak negotiating position due to lack of insight about how much they budgeted for the role, why would you further weaken your position by giving them the only piece of information they don’t have? The minute you give salary history they are *most likely* going to give $2,000 over what you were previously making and tell you that if you don’t like it to go kick rocks, regardless of what the market rate is for the position and regardless of the fact that they budgeted $20,000 more for the position than what they just offered you.

BradleyHU

Basic85 wrote: »

First off, it's none of there business how much I previously made

FACTS!!!!

I'm so glad it's illegal now in NYC to ask for prior salary history during the job application/interviewing process.

What I made before has no bearing...I could be coming from a different industry(non-profit, education, public sector) where they tend to pay lower than some other industries.

Masked_King

Those weren't redflags, and if you took the job, the red flag was you (and them too). This is a normal, millennial era interview and that is how managers talk to deal with and counteract how millennials talk. It is meant to be interpreted in LAMENS TERMS and this is a sign of the times. Not saying it is easy but these are the cards we are dealt in world that refuses accountability and is entitled.

Mike7

What about red flags for job postings?

Recently came across one that has numerous grammatical mistakes and phrases such as "setup full spectrum of IT", "[FONT=&amp]put on extra mile " and "willing to undertake additional responsibilities". [/FONT]

Basic85

Mike7 wrote: »

What about red flags for job postings?

Recently came across one that has numerous grammatical mistakes and phrases such as "setup full spectrum of IT", "[FONT=&amp]put on extra mile " and "willing to undertake additional responsibilities". [/FONT]

Misspellings and grammatical errors are huge red flags. I mentioned earlier that the employer had misspelled computer with "compuetr" in there job description and they are a computer consulting company. It's not that difficult to run a spell check. What would happen if you the candidate misspelled something on your resume? The employer would most likely use it against you and trash your resume so don't tolerate it from employers.

Masked_King

Back on topic: OP wasn't a good fit skills wise. It's the classic case, we all overestimate and overvalue our skills and employers see through it after some point. We've all been guilty as sin about this. Thanks god for second chances, third etc et al.

thomas_

I’m just going to leave this here...layman’s terms...their not there...

Masked_King

thomas_ wrote: »

I’m just going to leave this here...layman’s terms...their not there...

And you just devalued all your certs under your name by showing your lack of intelligence. Good job, next.

N7Valiant

jeremywatts2005 wrote: »

I know a lot of folks who got their start with Tek Systems. Nothing wrong with them at all. They are a great company and have a lot of opportunities because of their size. They got me in at a USCIS contract which I turned into working for the prime on the contract once they bought me out from Tek. It was a huge boost to my career and one of the reasons I now make upper 6 figs.

That's interesting to hear. 3 weeks after the interview and I haven't really had much of an update from them at all.

I suspect they only brought me in because they needed someone to install cables. In retrospect, with only A+ Net+ and an AS, maybe that's all I'm qualified for?

NavyMooseCCNA

Basic85 wrote: »

Misspellings and grammatical errors are huge red flags. I mentioned earlier that the employer had misspelled computer with "compuetr" in there job description and they are a computer consulting company. It's not that difficult to run a spell check. What would happen if you the candidate misspelled something on your resume? The employer would most likely use it against you and trash your resume so don't tolerate it from employers.

I see that all the friggin time...

EANx

N7Valiant wrote: »

3 weeks after the interview and I haven't really had much of an update from them at all.

I suspect they only brought me in because they needed someone to install cables. In retrospect, with only A+ Net+ and an AS, maybe that's all I'm qualified for?

That was my experience 20 years ago. I'm sure they have some good recruiters and valid positions but I never found either.

thomas_

Masked_King wrote: »

And you just devalued all your certs under your name by showing your lack of intelligence. Good job, next.

Wait, so you actually think “layman’s terms” is spelled “lamens terms”? You might want to crack open a dictionary or at least do a google search... Normally, I let spelling errors go, but when people are commenting on a thread about spelling errors in resumes, then they should make sure they spelled everything correctly.

I know you weren’t commenting on spelling in your post, but capitalizing the entire phrase made the spelling mistake much more glaring.

N7Valiant

Obvious ***** is obvious, just ignore it.