20+ Job interview red flags: 'If you pick up an extra shift, they pay in gift cards'

What's the biggest red flag you've ever been shocked to discover in the middle of a job interview? 

When searching for a new job, these people were surprised at the absolute state of some companies. Some workplaces don't take their workers seriously at all, and that results in a revolving door of workers who sign on, become frustrated with the way things are run, then quit. You'd think this kind of repeat behavior would inspire change, but it certainly does not. 

For example, some of these places will boldly play in applicants' faces, knowing that only the inexperienced workers will take the bait. There are a few things that reputable companies will never do. They should never require you to buy something or pay money up front — like if they ask you to pay for a required learning course or something, it's not legit. They should have an actual salary range allocated for the role (although not every state implements this). When a company shares that a role will pay a certain amount per day if and only if you actually sell a certain amount of product, that's also not going to be worth your time. Same thing goes for any company that cheerfully insists that "Our hours are 9-5, but a lot of people like to work later than that!" Uh, no they don't. They want to go home to their families or play pickleball with their friends, but instead, they're stuck waiting around, playing corporate games, since that job can't properly enforce boundaries. 

The people who know how to spot red flags will easily sidestep these bad opportunities, and meanwhile, young workers or those who are desperate to find a role will take these jobs. Sometimes you just have to learn from experience, and it does seem like some of the people below got such bad vibes from their interviewing experience that they didn't bother to pursue that role any further. When in doubt, go with your gut feeling! There's no need to entertain any hiring manager who can't give you straight answers, is impolite, or who keeps you waiting for a long time before interviewing you. On to the next job opportunity! 

Author image for Remy Millisky Remy Millisky
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