HOW TO SPOT A BAD COMPANY CULTURE STRAIGHT FROM YOUR INTERVIEW

Jeff Mignault • June 13, 2017

Working for a company with a poor organizational culture is not something you want, but it happens.

A job interview is as much an opportunity for you to assess the company as they are assessing you as a fit for their organization. One thing you should be looking out for are signs of a poor culture and other things that may cause you to question your desire to work for the company.

“You have to pay close attention on a job interview, because if you get into the wrong company you’ll be stuck. You don’t want to take a new job and then realize within a few weeks that you have to start job-hunting again,” says Liz Ryan on Forbes.

“That’s incredibly stressful, and you’ll have another problem in that case as well because you’ll have to explain to employers why you just took a new job and you’re already job-hunting,” she adds.

SIGNS A COMPANY HAS A BAD COMPANY CULTURE DURING YOUR JOB INTERVIEW

Your job interview is likely your first real interaction with a hiring company. It is your chance to assess what a company is really like, not just what they tell you in the job ad, over the phone or what you can learn from their website.

Here are some red flags to look for when assessing a company’s organizational culture:

1. NO ONE IS EXPECTING YOU:

The company schedules an interview with you, but when you arrive, no one seems to know about it.

2. THERE SEEMS TO BE HIGH TURNOVER:

If the company is always hiring, and the person interviewing you is relatively new to the company, it is a sign that the work environment is poor.

3. YOU HEAR NOTHING AFTER THE INTERVIEW:

You have what you would rate as a good interview, but then you hear nothing for a few weeks. Then the company calls and wants to interview you again.

4. LACK OF ENERGY:

You can learn a lot about company culture by simply walking into a room. Do the people in the company seem happy and energetic? Or do they seem lethargic? If you get a poor vibe, it is likely for a good reason.

5. THEY ARE TOO EAGER TO HIRE YOU:

While we all want to be swept off our feet, if a company is too eager to hire you and the interview is extremely brief, it could be a sign they have trouble finding and keeping good people.

These are some of the signs that you should look more into company culture before you accept a job offer.