Let’s see what they are.
1. Being Late to the Interview
Time management is one of the key management skills every working professional should have. That’s why being late to your interview can make the interviewer assume that you are incompetent, lack discipline, and have a bad work ethic.
They may even find it disrespectful, as you wasted their time by not showing up when expected. While there are innocent reasons for being late to an interview, it’s a good idea to account for any unforeseen events and leave home a bit earlier.
2. Job Hopping
Job hopping is an instant red flag for employers because it indicates that you are not planning to stick with the company for the long term. If the interviewer spots any sign on your resume that you’re a job hopper, they will interpret that as your disloyalty.
Job hoppers are bad investments for companies because retaining them is a lot harder. Even if you get hired regardless, it’s very unlikely your employer will agree to give you a pay raise later on because they know you might leave the company soon.
3. Unverifiable References
Checking your references is a way for employers to ascertain that you have a good track record and were a diligent employee in your last role. Without verifiable references to back up your claims, you’re at risk of seeming unreliable.
A good reference is one that is highly responsive. If the hiring manager is unable to touch base with any of the references you’ve mentioned on your resume, they may assume those contacts to be fake. As you can guess, this will invite distrust.
4. Inconsistent Career Path
If you have changed your industry multiple times throughout your career, it’s likely that the interviewer will want to know why. To a company, your inconsistent career path signals that you’re not ready to commit to them and are still finding yourself.
Such a thing is expected and somewhat condoned if you’re in your early 20s applying for entry-level jobs. But if you’re an experienced professional or used to be a freelancer, companies may not allow you the same level of leniency and deny you the job.
5. Long Employment Gaps
An employment gap is a period of time in your professional career when you were unemployed. Gaps can occur due to all sorts of reasons. Maybe you were raising a child, recovering from an injury or illness, or couldn’t find a new job after your last one.
In most cases, employment gaps aren’t a big deal. That is, unless the gap is big enough to make the interviewer suspicious. A gap lasting a couple of months is usually fine, but one lasting a year or two will require some explanation to the interviewer.
6. Lack of Accountability
One common question that interviewers ask candidates is “Tell me about a time you made a mistake”. This question is a test to see how accountable you are as a person, i.e., how well you can own up to your mistakes without hiding them.
With this question, an interviewer is trying to spot evidence of your honesty and integrity. If your answer comes across as if you’re someone who refuses to take responsibility and blames others, they may deem you as likely to start conflicts at work.
7. Disinterest in the Role
It’s in the mutual interest of you and the company you’re applying to that you enjoy your work. This is because a happy employee who genuinely likes their work and the company culture is more likely to stay loyal than one only motivated by money.
This is why interviewers ask, “Why do you want to work here?”. This question is a test to see what drives you as a person. A good salary is a given expectation all candidates have, but if you’re not really interested in the role, that’s a red flag.
8. Having Too Many Demands
As a job seeker, you want a job that’s the most suitable for you. And sometimes, this means having benefits like work from home, flexible hours, retirement plans, etc. These benefits may be a necessity to you but are still expenses for the company.
While it’s recommended to negotiate in an interview and explore your options, you have to account for the company’s interest as well. If hiring you is less profitable for them in the long term than hiring someone else, you might not get the job.
9. Bad Mouthing Past Work Relationships
When the interviewer asks you “Why are you leaving your current job?” and you start revealing all of what’s wrong with your boss or coworkers, that’s a giant red flag. Your stories might be true, but that’s not what they want to hear as an answer.
Bad-mouthing your past work relationships can indicate a bad personality and lack of character. The correct way to dodge this red flag is to simply give your interviewer what they want: a work-appropriate answer. Something that doesn’t make them hesitant.
10. Playing the Victim
Continuing on the last point, playing the victim doesn’t work either. You might have been laid off from your last job because the company didn’t have enough resources or was downsizing, but trying to win a job out of pity is never recommended.
Just because you were dealt a bad hand doesn’t mean the company you’re applying to will happily pick up the pieces. Whatever the reason may be for you leaving your job, your answer must focus more so on the future rather than the past.
11. Not Asking Good Questions
In an ideal job interview, you screen the company just as much as they screen you. Remember, the company is not doing you any kind of favor by hiring you. They need your services too. So it’s recommended to exchange questions for more clarity.
The interviewer can interpret your inability to ask meaningful questions as your incompetence or disinterest in the role. Conversely, asking the right questions can make you stand out in the interview and seem highly conscientious and ambitious.
Learn Job Interview Etiquette
The general wisdom when it comes to spotting candidate red flags is to look at things from the company’s perspective.
How good a deal are they getting by hiring you? Are you reliable? How likely are you to switch to a new opportunity? Questions like this will help you navigate better.
