Asking about a company's interview process up front can expose warning signs before it's too late
- When preparing interview questions, ask about a company's interview process to learn about what to expect during the hiring process, and what they're looking for.
- A company that moves too quickly can just be looking to get someone in the door as opposed to finding the right long-term fit.
- It's also smart to ask why the position is open.
When you go in for a job interview, there's one thing you'll want to be sure to ask about: the interview process.
Experts say companies that just want bodies in the door without a thorough interview process tend to hire the wrong people, leading to a bad employee experience and high turnover. You don't want that to be you.
Attorney and career branding expert Wendi Weiner told Business Insider, "it's important to know about the process. Meaning, are they going to make a decision quick? Are there going to be multiple rounds of interviews?"
A company that moves too quickly through their interview process might be looking to fill a position with the most immediately available candidate, as opposed to hiring someone that would be a great long-term fit.
"If they offer you the job on the spot at the conclusion of the interview, that tells you a couple of things," Weiner said. "One of them is that they're more interested in getting someone in the door than getting the right person in the door. This can lead to an upset employee that leaves after just a few months."
A company that moves too slowly can be equally telling.
"When a company moves too slow, calls you in multiple times, or has a lengthy delay when the interviews are finished, it's likely a sign that they are not well organized, or that something is in flux with the open role," said career expert Mikaela Kiner, founder of UniquelyHR.
You'll also want to know why the company is hiring for this position.
Kiner provided three answers you want to get when you ask why a job is available:
- The person in the job was recently promoted; shows career growth potential
- Someone's job became too big so they are splitting it in two, demonstrates that the company is supportive and pays attention to workload
- That person just left for his/her dream job; if a company tells you this then they understand it can happen and don't begrudge someone who leaves for the right reason
Look out for responses that could serve as red flags. "When a role is vacant due to an employee's medical leave, make sure the position at hand is permanent," Kiner said. "Also, look out for lots of turnover. For instance, two or three people cycling through a job over a period of several months suggests that something about it is untenable. Either the expectations are too high, the boss is unpleasant to work for, or the customers are impossible to please," she said.