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'Oh, people like to work late': 20+ Workplace red flags that say, "Don't work here"

'Oh, people like to work late': 20+ Workplace red flags that scream, "Don't work here"

Don't accept that job until you've vetted the company well. I know it's hard not to accept the first gig that offers you a contract, but it's worth your time to spot red flags before signing on. One person mentioned another great one, which is having a lot of very young people who are running an older company. Young people are great, of course, but it signifies that the company can't retain their older workers, who probably left to find better wages . And it implies that they're hiring youngste…
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'She accused me of not having a true goal for my career': Job candidate pushes back after hiring manager goes from praising work experience to insulting it during interview

Job interviews can be nerve-wracking since, especially when you don't know what kind of person will be interviewing you. After all the hard work of job searching, updating your application materials, and researching companies, you finally get an interview. While it can be a relief to get an interview, sadly, the hard part is just beginning. If you're lucky enough to know the names of the hiring team beforehand, you can research them to mentally prepare yourself for the interview. Maybe...
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CEO revokes new employees' job contract, costs himself millions: 'He had a "bad feeling" about me'

CEO revokes new employees' job contract, costs himself millions: 'He had a "bad feeling" about me'

This CEO just made a huge mistake . Better still, he has no idea what he's done, or how colossal his mistake has become. When you finally get a job with a nice salary , it can transform your life overnight. You can pay off your debts, stop worrying about making rent, and have a little extra to treat yourself with. It makes it feel like all those years of working unpaid internships or minimum-wage jobs have finally paid off. This worker found a startup company that was willing to double their cu…
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Clever job candidate outsmarts potential employers who post job listings that don't exist so they can use their assignments, getting them to pay thousands of dollars in compensation

Clever job candidate outsmarts potential employers who post fake job listings to collect free assignments, getting them to pay thousands of dollars in compensation

Finding work is never an easy task. It would be an understatement to say that there are times during the interview process when it feels overwhelming—it appears like a never-ending process that only the lucky few are able to complete. The story that follows centers on a clever lawyer who happens to stumble upon a job posting seeking a research lawyer. The Original Poster (OP), a research lawyer by profession, applied for the job immediately. Upon submitting his application, he was requested to…
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'It was "bring your kid to work day"': Surprised job candidate reacts to being interviewed by an 11-year-old

'It was "bring your kid to work day"': Surprised job candidate reacts to being interviewed by an 11-year-old

You can be prepared for almost anything to happen at your job interview … Almost anything. Whether you're 16 or 61, interviewing for a job can be nerve-wracking. It helps to prepare beforehand by studying up on the company's history and rereading the job listing to make sure you can answer every question in the best possible way. After all, the more confident you feel about your skillset going into the job interview , the better you'll perform. Some companies like to throw you off by asking rea…
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'None of your candidates enjoy it': Candidate declines one way interview as part of job screening process, leading to dispute with HR

'None of your candidates enjoy it': Candidate declines one way interview as part of job screening process, leading to dispute with HR

One fed-up candidate who had the privilege of job searching while they still had a job snapped back at an HR representative over text after discovering that a ‘one-way interview’ was part of the screening process. What exactly is a one-way interview? Well, it can vary but it's usually a brief video recording that job candidates send potential employers to aid them in their screening process. You typically answer a few pre-selected interview questions. Awkward, right? Demeaning almost. This cand…
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'I read him the riot act in front of staff and customers': 20+ Job interviews that candidates walked out on

'I read him the riot act in front of staff and customers': 20+ Disastrous job interviews that candidates walked out on

These job candidates really needed a job, but they weren't desperate enough to stay at interviews that were totally wrong for them. Sometimes you can just tell right away that the job isn't going to be the right fit for you. Most of us would just stick out the interview and call it a loss after the fact. But these folks just walked right out, saving themselves both time and dignity. A major red flag during most job interviews is the ratio of how much you're allowed to talk, compared with how mu…
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'This girl told me how incompetent the receptionist was': 30+ Terrible job candidates who shocked their interviewers

'This girl told me how incompetent the receptionist was': 30+ Terrible job candidates who shocked their interviewers

How many chances should these interviewers have given their candidates? A lot of these interviewers were surprisingly lenient on their interviewees. Going for a job interview is one of those universally scary human experiences. Whether you're 15 or 55, it's still a nerve-wracking endeavor each time. You've got to print out your resumes, read up on the company, iron that business suit, and show up early with a smile on your face. If that seems like just the bare minimum for you, just read these…
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'Want me to work for my "interview"? Will do': Job candidate discovers their free writing sample was used in court case, sues the company that interviewed them

'Want me to work for my "interview"? Will do': Job candidate discovers their free writing sample was used in court case, sues the company that interviewed them

This job candidate was surprised when an interviewer asked for a free writing sample on an oddly specific topic. This person told their story to r/MaliciousCompliance, sharing the exact way they got back at this company who tried to avoid paying their fair share. You'd think a huge group of lawyers at a law firm would know better than to have shady hiring practices. When OP interviewed for a job there doing research and writing, they applied, but red flags began popping up almost immediately. S…
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'I'm an extremely patient person and have never done anything like this before': Interviewer over 45 minutes late for interview, candidate walks out

Sometimes, the games and manipulation start from the interview, with the hiring party pulling ticks, like showing up late, to “test" candidates, claiming to be testing for traits like “loyalty” and “patience” when really they're just looking to see how much of a pushover the candidates are. Really, if you're pulling stunts like this, you're probably discouraging the best candidates from working at your company, which you probably think is fine since you're obviously looking for desperate and pl…
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'I walked out of my interview today': Candidate walks out of an interview after interviewer is 15 minutes late

A job interview is just as much for a candidate to see if they want to work for a company as it is for a company to see if they want the candidate to work for them. The application and interview process can be so stressful and intensive for a candidate that this often gets overlooked, with candidates who are too desperate or eager to please get themselves into exploitative situations after missing extremely obvious red flags during interviews. Let us be brutally honest here, most of the time, a…
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'The call was brutal': Candidate reveals interview panel's incompetence, they all get fired

'The call was brutal': Candidate reveals interview panel's incompetence, they all get fired

Have you ever had this crushing anxiety that you shouldn't be doing the job that you're doing? That, although you're a consummate professional, really you're just a child inside of a giant robot controlling it with an off-brand controller. You fear people discovering this secret and revealing that you actually have no idea what the heck you're doing and don't deserve any of the success that has been handed to you. This is imposter syndrome, and many people suffer from it—and in part, it's true,…
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'I lied about how much I currently earn': Desperate worker lands a better job by exaggerating their current earnings

'I lied about how much I currently earn': Desperate worker lands a better job by exaggerating their current earnings

Sometimes you have to fake it ‘till you make it, that may or may not include your salary. I’m not sure you're on the right side of ethics if you do this.
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'The manager was wearing shorts and flip-flops': Candidate told to dress professionally by interviewer wearing shorts and flip-flops

When you make a request of someone to uphold a certain standard, do a certain thing, or act a certain way, there's a general expectation that you will uphold the same—acting in a manner that makes your request appropriate. It's called “leading by example,” and people seem to really struggle with it, with many leaders making no attempt or actively avoiding having to do so. This job candidate reported being specifically asked by the HR worker, who was setting up the interview, to ensure that they…
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'I was flabbergasted': Interviewer calls candidates current employer without asking

The usual decorum for interviews is that of subtlety—and for good reason. The fact that you're looking for other work is one that you'd probably prefer your employer wasn't aware of. Their gut reaction could very well be to fire you and secure the future of their business and the security of their company. Now, jobless, the job you were applying for now has much higher bargaining power over you than they held previously. For this reason, it's usually an unspoken rule that an interviewer As an a…
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'Coldest Regards': Job candidate's passive aggressive cover letter goes viral

The modern job application process is as dehumanizing as it's intended to be. Apply to 200 jobs, and you might hear back from five, eventually getting an interview with three, with (hopefully) one actually having a chance of progressing to employment. Long gone are the days of “Turn up at the office and chuck your CV at the nearest manager" to prove your gumption. I highly doubt that method was actually as efficient as we've been led to believe. Still, if your older relatives are to be believed…
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