Quite often when you start a new role you do not have the full facts of what you are getting into. During the interview there may be some clues and on the other hand there may not. So it is a case of being savvy, using your gut as well as listening and observation skills about what you can glean. As if the interview process is not stressful enough, you will have to be switched on and looking for red flags too!
You may not come across any that leave you wondering if you are doing the right thing and actually get the role because you want it. I advise caution yet again because despite your employer making it past this first hurdle to win your interest, there may yet (and likely are) hidden red flags that were concealed. If you have got your feet under the table when the reality of the landscape hits you, you have a choices to make, let the cards fall where they will and work through or move on, wiser.
It is a rare thing for a future employer to be completely frank and up front at the interview stage, they may choose to couch their language very carefully instead. So what do these oft heard phrases actually mean?
Suggesting they want a candidate that can “hit the ground running” or “we like to deliver code early on,” usually equate to the same thing. Hit the ground running usually translates as “you won’t get much training and hand holding here so you better be good or you will flounder and we might help you if you ask,” or words to that effect. Worse still it demonstrates that the onboarding process is weak and overlooked and you will be fending for yourself. When expectations of delivering work while your professional relationship has not yet been established, shows a similar lack of care or support.
Other red flag phrases include, “be ready for the challenge” which suggests there may be teething pains, unseen landmines or even bigger political or team problems at play that could test you. This flag is usually partnered with, “we are a bunch that likes to work a lot.” Reading between the enthusiastic delivery of this one, reveals that the management does not consider the emotional, mental wellbeing of its staff, that the union is one-sided where employee must delivery at all times without regard to what they actually receive in return. It does not bode well for those who consider a work life balance. Though this might appeal to a new candidate who is at the start of their career, it will not suit a seasoned professional who has already sacrificed their time for no extra pay. Sometimes working in different time zones is used as a scapegoat and results in an employee working all hours, it is covered by the catch-all statement, “it was explained at interview that putting in extra hours might happen depending upon the project.” Aside from resulting in burnout before it starts, this points to a bigger problem: the absence of strong leadership or project management and communication.
Let us discuss vague duties. Nebulous job descriptions might seem innocent enough but they point to a lack of identity on the behalf of the company. It is unclear even to them what they need but they know they need someone who can do everything and is similar to the leader of one issue. Where you must identify who your team will be, if this is not given a straight answer then you can rest assured a one-man-band is being sought for now, that the company structure is not defined and some flying by the seat of the pants is going on. Great if this is a startup but in that situation transparency cannot be avoided.
I won’t be the first person to have heard the “you need to be a hands-on coder initially,” phrase which equates to “whatever amount of coding you thought you’d be doing, triple it!” And don’t take the “initially” part as read because it will certainly be for longer than you think. Why? Because we don’t always know what it takes to stabilize an engineering team until we get there so placing a time-frame on how long you might need to be hands-on, is not measurable.
Career progression is a good litmus test and the absence of it is a big red flag, but this one is tricky because quite often it is used in a bait and switch, where it is offered and then retracted once established in the company. There is simply no way to know if you will be subject to change and the decision is very dependent on the character your boss. Factors that influence this are often out of your control and include personality clashes, different methods, carrot vs stick management styles, political machinations etc. The fact is if career progression is something you thought you were going to get and did not, by the time you know it, it will be too late.
So why do I mention these phrases? Simply to bring attention to the fact that being aware of what you are getting into. At the end of the day it is worth doing as much due diligence as you can to get ahead of any problems that can arise. Plus it is worth bearing in mind that negotiating power tanks the moment the terms are accepted.
Other things to keep in mind at a tech interview
- Too much trendy language, buzz words, cliches and word salad that does not say much
- No technical interview, or if there is one it is with a non-technical interviewer
- A non existent or vague company vision or goal
- An interviewer who seems overtired, distracted or distant
- Inability of the interviewer to say how much influence your role has?