The interviewer looks like they’re barely awake. Or they keep checking their phone. Or they can’t even explain what you’ll actually be doing. You start wondering—is this a red flag?
Honestly? It probably is.
Interviews aren’t just a one-way street. You’re being judged, sure. But you’re also checking them out. And sometimes? The warning signs are loud and clear.
Here’s my take on the biggest red flags you should never ignore in job interviews.
The interviewer seems totally unprepared.
So, you walk in and the person doesn’t know who you are. They don’t have your resume open. They ask, “So… why do you wanna work here?” without knowing your background.
You think, “Wait, what?”
Yeah, it’s like they’re winging it. And honestly, that’s a bad sign. If the company can’t get its act together for an interview, chances are things aren’t much better inside.
I once had an interview where the interviewer literally asked me what I did last weekend instead of about my skills. Felt like a waste of time.
Job description sounds like a mystery box.
You ask, “What exactly will I be doing?” And you get something like, “Oh, lots of stuff. You’ll wear many hats.”
That’s corporate speak for “We have no clue what to do with you.”
Be careful here. Sometimes vague means flexible. But often? It means you’ll get dumped with everything nobody else wants to touch.
Rudeness or disrespect right from the start.
Interviewer’s late by 15 minutes. No apology. Keeps interrupting you. Rolls their eyes at your answers.
That’s a red flag waving at you.
I get it, people have bad days. But if it feels like they don’t respect your time or effort, what makes you think they’ll treat you better as an employee?
They complain about past employees.
“Oh, the last person couldn’t hack it,” or “We’ve had so many flaky hires.”
Yikes. That’s a big nope.
If they’re gossiping about former employees in your face, what will they say about you behind your back?
One place I interviewed at spent half the time trash-talking staff. I got outta there quick.
Everyone leaves quickly—but they brush it off.
Ask how long people stay in the role. If they dodge or say, “People move on fast here,” that’s usually code for “We have a toxic culture.”
Don’t ignore it.
I knew a company like this once—almost everyone lasted less than six months. The reason? Burnout, bad management, zero support.
Pressure to say yes right now.
“We need you to start tomorrow!” they say.
And you’re thinking, “Wait… hold on.”
Desperation vibes, right?
Good employers give you time to think. They know you’re making a big decision.
If they push hard for an immediate yes, it’s probably a red flag.
Dodging salary questions.
You ask, “What’s the pay?”
They say, “We’ll talk about that later.”
Or, “It depends on your experience.”
Come on.
Salary should be clear early. If they won’t say, they might be planning to lowball you.
They keep saying “We’re like a family.”
Sounds nice, huh?
But sometimes it means unpaid overtime, guilt trips to work weekends, and blurred boundaries.
One friend told me her company guilted her for not answering emails on Sundays because “we’re family.”
Family or not, you deserve boundaries.
They don’t ask you anything.
They talk non-stop. No questions about your goals or background.
Feels like a monologue, not a conversation.
Interviewed by someone who doesn’t know the job.
You get grilled by someone who clearly has no clue what your role involves.
Like, the HR person who keeps asking, “So, how do you like computers?”
Not a good sign.
It means no one in the company really understands the job or what they want from you.
They ask illegal or weird questions.
Questions about kids, religion, or age? Nope.
If they do that, it shows a lack of professionalism.
You can politely refuse to answer or report it, depending on where you are.
Your gut says “nope.”
No clear red flag, but a feeling you can’t shake.
Trust yourself. Your well-being matters more than a paycheck.
Final Thoughts
You’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you. It’s a two-way street.
Don’t ignore red flags just ’cause you need a job.
You deserve respect. Clarity. A place that values you.
Please do not forget to add your own exprience of a red flag in Job Interviewsin a comment section
