Interviewing for a New Job? Watch out for These Telltale Signs of a Potentially Bad Workplace

Legal AdviceDecember 3, 2019

People who have plenty of experience with job interviews know that they can give applicants plenty of clues about what it would be like to work for the company they’re applying for. From the manner in which the interviewers conduct themselves, to the way that the process itself is done, these can tell you whether you want to work for a company or not.

If you’re currently going through a job interview process, read on and find out what signs you should watch out for before you regret accepting a job offer.

Outdated Technology

Watch out for companies or law firms that aren’t technologically innovative

Sahil Sahni of AllyO, an AI platform for managing human resources, advises applicants to take note of the kind of software and programs that a company is using for their application process. Sahni specifically mentions how telling it is if a workplace still uses a program like Internet Explorer or still rely on snail mail for sending and receiving documents.

These will also clue you in about their willingness to invest in new technology which could make work easier down the line. Working with old, outdated technology can potentially create problems if ever you get hired to work there. For example, simple processes like filing information requests or asking about your benefits or remaining off days can take longer than expected.

The AllyO co-founder also warned applicants about companies which would require them to download a software they don’t normally use or tell them to do offline tasks and have the documents mailed in. Sahni says that these are warning signs of a workplace having heavy administrative overhead which employees would have to deal with every day.

A Telling Anecdote

Sahni’s colleague immediately felt off because, despite the tech company’s position in the industry, they weren’t able to use the tech they have to their advantage

A company or law firm’s recruitment process can also tipoff applicants of the negative sides of working for that employer.

Sahni shares an experience of one of his colleagues who ended up turning down a more high-paying job at a major company because of how his interview was handled. Apparently, Sahni’s colleague committed to taking a day off from his current job just to fly to another state for an interview.

Once there, he was shown to a room where he was interviewed via three video conferences. The experience was upsetting and quite overwhelming for the applicant because he could’ve just stayed where he was for the conference or actually met the people he was speaking with in person.

Disorganized Processes

If a workplace’s recruitment process feels disorganized or inefficient, this might be the way they do things on the daily, too

Around 85% of applicants don’t hear back from the places they apply to, according to Sahni, and this is a sign of how they operate internally, too. So, during the application process be sure to take note of how long feedback or response is given to you after completing certain tasks. One can also speak with current employees when they come in for interviews and ask them about their workload and schedule.