Four Reasons to Leave an Interview
Getting a job has officially become a separate job. Finding a new job takes about six months on average , and can take longer depending on a wide range of variables. And that’s just one part of the time-consuming job search that can be: The interviews themselves often have multiple parts .
Knowing the right time to look for a job and being able to spot problematic (or even fake ) jobs before you even submit your resume can save you some trouble, but ultimately, a few failed interviews are almost inevitable. Generally speaking, it’s best to interview even if you know you don’t want the job. You never know if there will be another job opening in that organization in the future that might be more tempting in the first place, and you might meet one of your interviewers somewhere else in the future and you don’t want them to remember you as a candidate . who excused themselves and went to the bathroom and never came back. But there are certain scenarios where you might not only walk away from an interview; you will have every right to do so.
Bait and switch
One amazing reason to leave an interview? If you realize that you are actually interviewing for a completely different job … Whether the interviewer is upfront and tells you that the position you applied for is filled but there is another position available, or you gradually begin to realize that the position The manager level job you were applying for somehow turned into a lower level position. level position, that’s a huge red flag. Of course, you can listen to them to see if it’s an equivalent position that might interest you, but the moment the bait and switch becomes clear is when you should be keeping an eye on the exits.
This also applies to bait-and-switch salaries, where the job is exactly as advertised but somehow the compensation was cut between your application and interview. Either way, the company is using the ” sunk cost fallacy ” against you: you prepared and went to the interview, so you’ll feel pressure to stay and make all that effort worthwhile. This shows disrespect and a culture of cheating in the office.
Inappropriate atmosphere
You don’t have to feel affectionate during an interview, but you also should never put up with an inappropriate tone or an overtly hostile atmosphere. If any of the following come up during an interview, leave:
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Insults. Questioning your experience is one thing. Making fun of your resume or answers tells you that this place is not worth your time.
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Too personal questions. Making small talk to build rapport is fine, but if the interviewer starts getting into political, religious, or very personal details, you have every right to lose your mind—and walk away.
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TMI. If the interviewer starts gossiping about people in the office that you’ve never even met, or tells you that they plan to fire the person you’re replacing, they’re obviously not running their business or department professionally, and rightfully so. It’s time to suddenly remember the appointed dinner.
Absurd timing
Interviews, of course, run late, and it’s appropriate to make reasonable adjustments for schedule hiccups or unexpected problems, just as the interviewing company should be aware of traffic or other issues that are causing you to be late for a meeting. But you should have a clear idea of the schedule before you even arrive for the interview. If you find yourself caught off guard by an unexpectedly long process—for example, the one interview you were expecting turned into six interviews that will take all day and no one bothered to brief you—this is a good time to simply wish everyone good luck in their search.
Fishing expeditions
Most companies schedule interviews for genuine reasons: they need to fill a position and you seem to be a good fit. But sometimes job interviews are used as an exercise in gathering information about competitors. If your interviewers start asking specific questions about your current (or even past employer) on your resume that go beyond the challenges you’ve faced and how you dealt with cross-functional teams, they may be looking for data in you that they can use it for competition, not for interviewing you at all. Not only is this offensive, but it can also potentially get you into trouble if you reveal confidential or sensitive information.