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Yeah, so the employment rate is currently at record “meh.” But while searching for a gig—even in the midst of *waves hands* all this—you can still at least try to avoid getting stuck with an evil manager. The truth is that good impressions should go both ways during the (virtual?) interview process. If they don’t, and you catch any of these red flags, consider reconsidering a working relationship with this maybe-kinda-probably awful boss.
They’re like, “Wait, who are you again?”
Everyone gets a bit of benefit of the doubt (especially in 2020), but if it’s obvious that the person you just put on makeup for hasn’t even glanced at your résumé, proceed with caution, says Lauren McGoodwin, founder and CEO of Career Contessa. Working for someone who doesn’t respect you and your time from the start: not ideal.
You suddenly know their life.
If by the end of the interview you’ve heard all about why their latest relationship ended, McGoodwin says they likely have no boundaries. Working for someone like that can make a job extra taxing once you fall into “Are they your boss or your friend?” territory.
They’re not clear about your responsibilities.
(1) You deserve to know what a job will actually entail before you take it. (2) When a boss can’t communicate the goals of the position, it does not bode well for day-to-day work stuff. “If their answers change or are all over the place, they’re also going to be all over the place when you work for them,” McGoodwin says.
They get weird when you ask about growth potential.
Look, everyone *should* want their career to go somewhere. So it’s a bad sign if your interviewer seems annoyed when you ask what could be beyond this role, says Shannon Taylor, PhD, an associate professor in the management department at the University of Central Florida. They might see you as “a robot that’s going to punch a clock.”
They act like they’re doing you a favor.
Yes, probably lots of people are interviewing for this job. No, the hiring manager shouldn’t tell you you’re really, really lucky you got the interview. “That’s an intimidation tactic that’s likely part of their leadership style,” says McGoodwin. Not cool, particularly if you’d end up dealing with it every day.
Oh, and also: Do some recon.
Just like your maybe-boss is sleuthing your socials, check out theirs. See if you align with their Twitter hot takes and look for hints of their work-life balance on IG.
