Top Signs of a Bad Employer During an Interview: Personal Experience
Introduction
When I was looking for a job in Germany, in August 2023, I attended dozens of interviews. During some of them, I had thoughts like: “What the hell is going on now?”
In this article, I will share my findings on how to spot a dubious employer at the interview stage.
Content
Introduction
Signs of an unscrupulous employer
Poor interview organization
They scold the employees
Unethical behavior
Irregular working hours and overtime
Ignoring questions about contract and payment
Unreasonable demands on the candidate
Strong pressure to make a decision
Hidden obligations
Contradictory information
Too general or inflated promises
Questions to ask in an interview
Conclusion
Poor interview organization
I remember a case when a recruiter scheduled an interview, to which he himself was 15 minutes late!
To make sure that it wasn't my fault and that I hadn't mixed anything up, I wrote to the recruiter and called at that moment. It turned out that it wasn't my fault.
I didn't go to work for that company.
If the first interview is chaotic (the recruiter is late, doesn’t answer questions, interrupts, or isn’t interested in the conversation), this is the first warning sign.
Imagine: you came to a meeting, and they forgot to introduce you to the team, someone is constantly distracted by other things, questions are asked incoherently, and someone is sleeping in the corner.
You might think, “so this is a description of my regular meetings with the team” 🙂
Why this is a disgrace in principle is a separate conversation, but when this happens at the first meeting, it is, to put it mildly, an alarming signal.
Obviously, this behavior indicates that something is wrong in the company.
This means that problems will most likely be everywhere – in setting tasks, in their implementation, and many other places.
They scold the employees
There was a case when I was negotiating possible consulting with a small business representative. The conversation took place with the owner.
To my question: “What do you want to change in the existing process?”
He replied: “Listen, you fix these morons on the team, but don’t touch me.”
I didn't cooperate with him.
What they say about others will be said about you when you are not in the room. In such cases, think about whether you want to participate in it.
If during an interview they start to speak negatively about former and current employees, this is a serious warning sign.
Most likely, there is a toxic atmosphere in the company where everyone is to blame but themselves.
Unethical behavior
Continuing with the previous topic, I will tell you about cases of unethical behavior during interviews.
I personally have not encountered such people, but from conversations with colleagues in the chat actively looking for workI know that some employers try to “get under your skin” during the interview with questions like:
When do you plan to have children?
Do you have any chronic illnesses or health limitations?
How much did you earn at your previous job?
If you are asked such or similar questions during an interview, it is a reason to think about what kind of culture and atmosphere there is in the company in general, if I receive such questions during the first interview?
Irregular working hours and overtime
I remember in one company, when I asked my potential manager about the work schedule, he vaguely answered that in my position the schedule was irregular.
At that time I didn't attach much importance to it. But when I got a job at this company, they started demanding that I perform tasks and activities outside of 8 working hours (I was hired for 40 hours a week).
At the same time, talks about compensation were, to put it mildly, reluctant.
In general, to “discover” this symptom, it is best to ask the members of the team you will be working in. Usually, this is possible, but not at the first interview.
If employees in interviews smile nervously when talking about overtime or constantly talk about how much they work, and do so with undisguised despondency, this is a reason to think.
Sprints are one thing, but a constant race for survival is another.
It's better to ask team members directly about overtime.
For example, like this:
Please tell us how often over the last 6 months have you had to work overtime to finish something just before the release / at other critical moments?
Who usually did this?
How and when did compensation for these overtime hours occur?
Ignoring questions about contract and salary
The candidate asks the manager about how the salary will be calculated and how employees are registered in the company? The manager says that he will answer later and does not answer.
When reminded later in the conversation about this point, the manager “backs out,” citing the fact that he does not have time to tell the story, and promises to send a written response.
In the future, there is either no written answer, or the answer only raises more questions than understanding.
This is a serious signal that something is wrong.
Opaque employment conditions mean unpleasant surprises: unofficial payments, unpaid overtime, and so on.
Do you need it?
If a company cannot immediately explain the conditions under which you will be hired, it is better to think about whether you are ready to agree without understanding how exactly you will have to work?
Unreasonable demands on the candidate
A tester who was looking for a job shared:
“A company that had not done any testing on the project before.
The first interview went well, at the end they said that there would be another test task, which would be sent by email.
In the evening an email arrives which reads:
– Cover 10 of our main features with tests (the project is small), test, introduce bugs.
I had doubts, the work was voluminous and it was not entirely clear to me what they wanted to understand with such a number of cases.
I suggested writing a couple of tests, and the rest of the checks as a checklist, so that my approach to checks would be clear – they refused.
Okay, fine, let me warm up. I followed the link to the stand – it doesn't work. I told HR. In the end, the stand was fixed for two weeks. I decided to give up.”
If you are asked to do a significant amount of work before being officially hired without a guarantee of payment (for example, a “test assignment” the size of a full-fledged project) – this is a reason to think seriously.
Strong pressure to make a decision
I remember being told a story about a case where, right during the interview, the candidate was already being pushed to give an answer almost this evening, since the person was needed “yesterday”.
This is an alarming signal that either everything in the company is already “burning out” or “burning out”.
The question is, do you want to go to such a place of work?
I wouldn't want to.
Hidden obligations
I remember during one of the interviews, when I asked how we would evaluate my work results, the manager, instead of answering, “poured me some water.”
At that moment I thought that it would be difficult for me to understand for myself after a year of work, to what extent I have made a result or not. How would I negotiate for a raise?
This made me feel sad.
Pay attention to the answers regarding the performance assessment: what criteria, how often, how clear and transparent are they?
Read the contract carefully, it may contain hidden clauses about unreasonable fines, additional obligations or impossible deadlines.
Contradictory information
There was a case when, during three interviews at one company, company representatives (HR, manager) gave contradictory information about the position, salary, and responsibilities.
Well, okay, regarding responsibilities, I can imagine that people have different expectations.
But as far as salary is concerned, it was very stressful.
Please make sure that during the interview the job conditions, expected salary, and work schedule remain the same as when you responded to the vacancy.
If any unexpected changes occur here, this is a reason to be wary.
Too general or inflated promises
To be honest, when I read some promises about “mountains of gold” in job descriptions, I immediately skipped such ads.
But from talking to the guys in chat I realized that not everyone is as skeptical as I am and some even went to similar interviews.
Typically, interviews at such companies promise too rapid career growth without a clear plan or skill development.
The company also actively praises itself, but fails to provide concrete evidence of its achievements (e.g. customer reviews, business growth indicators).
Questions to ask in an interview
An interview is a two-way process. The company is looking at you, but you are also looking at the potential employer.
I recommend asking questions to the employer from your side.
Answers to questions are a chance to “open up” or to find out what is being hushed up.
What to ask about:
wages;
about how success will be assessed;
working conditions;
probation;
education;
tasks and responsibilities;
company and atmosphere;
prospects and development;
team;
processes.
Pay attention to how they answer questions. If they are vague, incorrect, or avoid answering, these are signs of possible problems in the future.
Another important point: is there an opportunity to communicate with future colleagues and the manager? If the company refuses to provide such an opportunity, this is already a warning sign.
It would be a good idea to understand in advance who you will have to work with every day!
Conclusion
An interview is not only a chance to get a job, but also an opportunity to understand whether this company is right for you or not.
When you are in an interview, pay close attention to people's behavior.
You will encounter situations where the reaction to one uncomfortable question will open your eyes to what is happening around you, after which you will be able to calmly go look for a better option, and not be upset about unsatisfactory interview results.
Remember: a good employer is open and willing to discuss all the details.
So don't be shy about asking uncomfortable questions, observing the behavior of your interlocutors and making informed decisions!
