5 Red flags you may be giving off in an interview

Red flags you’re giving off during the job interview

As a former recruiter, I've seen firsthand the common pitfalls and red flags that can really hurt your prospects as a candidate.

Below, I’m going to talk about five common ones. Let's break them down.

🚨Red flag #1 - You don’t know enough about what’s on your resume

This one is obvious guys and gals - you need to know what’s on your resume. Every job, every project, and every task.

Not only do you need to know it like the back of your hand, but you need to be able to expand on it when prompted.

In the past when I recruited for AECOM, I often didn’t move candidates forward because:

• They couldn’t coherently answer “Tell me about yourself”.

• They couldn’t remember duties/achievements in fine enough detail, which gave me the impression that either they weren’t prepared, or they just made it up.

For example, mentioning software skills without being able to discuss how you've used them practically is a red flag. A tip: practice articulating your experiences and skills with friends or through recorded practice sessions.

Example of a candidate not remembering enough detail:

“At my last job, I worked on some kind of data project, I think it was with Python or maybe Java... I can't quite remember. We used some cloud services too, but I'm not sure which ones.

My role? Well, I was involved in some back-end work. I just did my assigned tasks and moved on to the next project.”

Example of a candidate recollecting a project with enough detail

"In my previous role at Tech Innovations Inc., I was part of a team that developed a cloud-based analytics platform. My primary responsibility was to work on the back-end development, mainly using Python and Flask.

I also played a crucial role in integrating our application with AWS services, particularly leveraging AWS Lambda and S3 for data processing and storage.

One of our key challenges was ensuring the scalability and security of the platform. To address this, I implemented several optimization strategies and incorporated OAuth for secure user authentication.

The project was a success and led to a roughly 30% increase in data processing efficiency - it also had a huge impact on user data security."

🚨Red flag #2 - Not being able to explain gaps in your employment

Gaps in employment are normal, but you need to address them strategically. Whether it was a sabbatical, personal project, or further education, frame it in a way that shows growth or positive intent.

Transparency is key, and a well-explained gap can even be a strength, showing adaptability or dedication to personal development.

Example of how you’d address a gap in your work history

"I took a year off to complete a PMP in project management, which I think adds a lot of value to my skill set."

🚨Red flag #3 - Not showing enough interest in the job

There are lot of people in the job market that have no intent of taking a new job. You want to avoid giving off signs that make you look like these people, such as you haven’t done your research, don’t know enough about the job or company, ask very generic questions etc., which would cause the recruiter not to move you forward for consideration.

Also, if you look like you’re not interested in the interview (i.e., you’re slow to respond to interview requests or providing availability, you’re late, or need to reschedule multiple times), that’s also grounds for getting cut from the process.

🚨Red flag #4 - Being unprepared for the interview

This ties into the point above. Preparation is everything. Before an interview, research the company, understand the role, and align your experience with the job requirements. Unpreparedness can be easily spotted and is often a deal-breaker.

Let’s take the following scenario 👇🏻

The job description clearly states the need for experience in developing scalable web applications using Angular and TypeScript. The candidate, however, during the interview, primarily discussed their general experience in software development without touching on specific frameworks or languages they’ve worked with.

From the recruiter’s perspective, the candidate's response is too generic and fails to address the specific requirements of the job. They didn’t mention any experience with Angular or TypeScript, which are critical for the role. This lack of alignment with the job’s needs raises doubts about their suitability for the position.

Now let’s consider the same scenario, but with a few changes 👇🏻

Same job description as above.

Candidate: "At my last job at Digital Solutions Ltd., I was heavily involved in developing a large-scale web application using Angular 10. I was responsible for designing user interfaces and implementing them with TypeScript. One thing I think I’m proud of was optimizing an existing application, which cut load times by almost half. I also worked closely with the back-end team to integrate RESTful APIs."

From the recruiter's perspective, the candidate not only mentions the specific technologies required for the job but also provides concrete examples of how they've used these skills in a professional setting. This response clearly demonstrates their capability and direct relevance to the job's needs, making them a strong candidate for the position.

🚨Red flag # 5 - You’re unprofessional

Professionalism matters. Doesn’t matter what you may read online. Recruiters put a lot of weight on this issue, because the candidates that put forward are a reflection of them.

Examples that show me you’re unprofessional:

• Being late for interviews without a good reason or not letting anyone know beforehand.

• Showing up in clothes that are way too casual or just don't fit the vibe of the company.

• Talking with lots of slang, being too casual in emails, or interrupting the interviewer.

• Badmouthing previous bosses or coworkers – that's a huge red flag.

• Acting like you know it all or being dismissive towards the interviewer or the job.

• Using your phone during an interview, like texting or scrolling, unless it's super urgent.

• Cracking inappropriate jokes or making comments that could offend someone.

• Eating, chewing gum, or bringing in something like a coffee cup to the interview.

What topics do you want to see me cover in future newsletters?

I’d love to hear from you - let me know if you have topics or questions you’d like me to cover.