By Stephanie Amos, Senior Recruitment Specialist

In today’s virtual recruiting environment, employer ghosting has become extremely easy—and increasingly common—among organizations. Gone are the days of formal rejection letters or emails; today, some candidates fail to even hear a peep upon completion of their interview.

Over the years, many job seekers have asked me: what are some red flags to beware of when going through the application and interview processes? To help candidates from getting their hopes up while awaiting word on an employment opportunity, here are the top signs that you aren’t getting the job.

1. The interview was too short.

Experts estimate that interviews should last anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour in duration. Studies also show that hiring managers often make their decision on a candidate within the first 15 minutes of the interview. If your interviewer decides to cut your interview short or abruptly end the meeting, this may be a sign that they don’t envision you as a fit within their company.

2. The interview was too easy.

Softball questions are always fun to knock out of the park, but an interview that’s filled with them could spell bad news. In my opinion, candidates should feel challenged by a portion of the questions that they are posed during an interview. Companies that show serious interest in an applicant enjoy learning about how the individual would think and react to a certain situation. If your interview is filled with easy questions, this could be a sign of trouble.

3. The interviewer gives off poor body language.

Being attentive and respectful is one of the unwritten rules of interviewing. Both the hiring manager and the candidate should be engaged and attuned to the conversation at all times. However, if your interviewer appears disinterested or distracted during your discussion, they may not consider you to be a great fit within their organization.

4. The interviewer fails to provide a clear timetable.

Companies often follow a pre-defined, multi-step interview process. Many organizations will look to schedule further meetings for you to meet and converse with additional key stakeholders, while others will request samples of your recent work. At the conclusion of your first interview, did the interviewer provide any information on the next steps in the process? If not, this could be a sign that your odds of landing the position aren’t high.

5. The interviewer seems distant post-interview.

Upon the completion of an interview, I always advise candidates to follow-up with their interviewees via email. This provides a practical opportunity to express their gratitude for the interview while confirming their interest in the job. However, if the response from the hiring manager is one that lacks enthusiasm or interest, this could be their way of subtly alerting you of your chances of landing the position.

6. The company neglects to contact your references.

When engaged in an application review process, some companies place significant weight on the conversations that they have with a candidate’s references. However, if the organization fails to even give your references a call, this could signify that they’ve already reached a conclusion on whether they are considering hiring you.

7. The company decides to re-post the same position.

Once you finish your interview with the company, keep your eye out for the organization’s list of job postings. If the company decides to re-post the same position that you applied for in the weeks following your interview, this may indicate that they are seeking another candidate for the role.

Summary

I often tell my candidates that throughout the job application and interview process, the most important thing they can do is trust their gut. If something feels off about an encounter you have or a message you receive, it’s probably a telltale sign that things may not pan out how you originally expected.

In my experience within the staffing and recruiting industry, the most successful job seekers that I’ve seen are ones who demonstrate resilience and persistence. If you stay the course and continue to put yourself out there, good things will come!

To learn more about Stephanie and her role at Acara, connect with her on LinkedIn. You can also email her at amoss@acarasolutions.com to discuss available employment opportunities in your area.

Interested in reading more employment tips and tricks from our Acara team? Check out our blog.