'We're all a family here': 25+ People share the most toxic red flags they've experienced at job interviews

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Jan 9, 2023 12:00 PM EST

Job interviews share more in common with a scene from Shakespeare's Macbeth than they do with a legitimate means of vetting a candidate for employment. Two players put on a performance for each other: one playing the part of an employable person and the other of an employer that a candidate would want to work for. Sure, there might be no regicide or kinslaying in a job interview — but the process can be just as ruthless.

On top of the complexity of the social performance of the interview, there's a lot that can go wrong with a job interview right from the get-go. Timeliness is of huge importance; if either of the parties is late to the interview, that can be a huge red flag as to the respective party's reliability. During the interview, an employee might be so nervous that they find themselves incapable of portraying an accurate portrait of their skills and experience. Despite being a better fit for the role, they may find themselves losing out to a more confident but less-qualified candidate. 

Despite an interviewer's best efforts to conceal the flaws of their management team or organization, there are cracks that can appear in the armor that can give insight into how things really operate. These 25+ people gathered on a popular r/askreddit thread to share their experiences and advice.

Keep reading to view the reader's answers. For more, check out this job seeker who sent a scathing email to a recruiter who was late for their interview.

Have you ever experienced any of these red flags? Maybe you have some of your own? Let us know!

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ask reddit jobs job work quit workplace job interview questions quitting employment
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