Remember, when interviewing, you are given an opportunity to check out the company as much as the company is checking out you! There are several "red flags" that I now pay strict attention to when interviewing and if ANY of them come up during an interview or while waiting for subsequent interviews, I RUN AWAY!

Here are some examples of when to run away and from whom to run away from:

While using an employment agency:

1. If the agency wants YOU to pay a "finder’s fee", run away. PERIOD. You are selling yourself to the agency, and the agency is selling you to a company. You shouldn’t have to pay for selling yourself.
2. You must be sure to have the undivided attention of the recruiter during your interview. I went to a "well respected, established" agency. The recruiter was late for our appointment, she accepted telephone calls while inquiring about my requirements for a position, therefore, she asked me the same question six times! Chances are, you are only a commission in her/his eyes, and they won’t care where they place you, just so long as they get their "pimping" fee.
3. When the agency asks what you will or will not do, make sure that the potential employer is also aware of your limitations. I always demand that the computer environment be IBM or PC – not MAC [sorry to all of my friends who use Macs]. One company that I fell in love with and really wanted a position with, turned out to be a Mac environment. Not only that, but when the company called the agency to say, "sorry, but we’ve already filled the position from within the company", the agency never told me and I left my current job early [see other stressful conditions] to fight traffic to get to a third round interview which turned out not to exist. It was embarrassing for everyone.
4. When the agency says, "well, it isn’t exactly what you want – the computer environment is not what you requested, the salary range is not what you wanted, the hours, or location are not what you requested, BUT you can learn, you’ll get a raise in a couple of years, we all have to work crappy hours, or so what if the commute is 1-1/2 hours one way – at least you’ll get your foot in the door." Run away! Believe me, there ARE jobs out there that will fill your needs.

So, now you are on an interview:

1. Ask why the person you are replacing left the company. Acceptable reasons: moved out of town, promotion, found their "dream job", better commute. Unacceptable reasons are: didn’t want to waste time generating ANOTHER sexual harassment suit, didn’t want to be on call 24 hours a day, did not have a sense of humor, or had a nervous breakdown.
2. If you are asked, "are you thick-skinned or thin-skinned, what would you NOT do for your boss or, how do you handle people with violent tempers?" RUN AWAY, especially if the interviewer takes notes.

The Waiting Game: You have gone through the first round interview, you know you nailed it, so just how long do you wait?

Time is relative so if you are desperate for a job (i.e., you are unemployed), then you may want to bite at the first offer. However, decide beforehand, if and how much of a salary cut you would have to take – this is common for Executive Daycare Providers [what I do].

1. If the salary is too low, don’t say anything at the interview. Wait until you get home so you can laugh out loud, then send a "thank you, but no thank you" letter, with a copy of the want ads to the prospective employer. Chances are they will meet or beat your salary requirements. If you want to work at a particular company, then this is a good thing. If they don’t want to bring you up above the poverty line, then run away.
2. Find out exactly when they are planning on having the position filled. I managed to get my foot into the Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley, back in early February. I played phone tag for a week, then received a 40 minute telephone interview, then I was scheduled to fill out an application lasting for a ½ hour, 1 hour testing (mental & common sense), ½ hour tour, then I was told that if I passed the testing, then I would be scheduled for 3 or more callback interviews, then would have to pass a physical and a drug test…. It has now been over 1 month since I passed the testing, I’ve yet to have been called for the 1^st round interview. When I called to inquire about my status in the interview queue (I was in contention against 85+ other applicants), I was told, "well, take any job now, our interview process takes a long time, so if you have to, you can work for another company, then always give 2 weeks notice." Tacky, tacky, tacky. Plus the position pays $3K below MY bottom line – no chance to raise it either. I had to choose to run away, albeit slowly, because it would have been my dream job.
3. If the interviewer calls you at home at 9:30PM and asks if you’ve considered any job offers, because they still have an open position – then you find out that you would be expected to still be working at 9:30PM EVERY NIGHT, thank them for calling, tell them you’ve found something else, and you will call them if you are ever interested in the future. Laugh profusely, after hanging up the phone

If you can find a job you truly LOVE, then great for you! If you can find a job you can do well, get a decent salary and decent recognition, then congratulations! If you are unhappy, cannot get out of bed during the week, but bolt upright on the weekends, cry when you get home from work, cry on the way to work, and have alienated your spouse or significant other complaining about your job – then it is time for you to find a new company to work for.

Other stressful situations:

1. If you have a current job, do not tell anyone at your work that you "are looking". If anyone in your current company knows that you are "looking", from the lowest paying position to the highest manager, you will be written off and any chances of improving your current situation will be lost. PERIOD. If your potential prospects do not pan out, your old job will be more miserable than before!
2. Make sure that the new company you are interviewing for does NOT tell a soul at your old company that you "are looking". I found out that a friend of an employee at a potential company (DEF Company) heard I was interviewing for the company – she called my company (the ABC Company where I was currently working) and asked what I was like to work with, because she heard I was interviewing at DEF! It made my life a living H*LL at the old company, and made me very leery about trusting anyone at the new company.
3. If the interviewing process is not successful, i.e.: the interviewer shows up late, they don’t know you’re coming, they haven’t read your resume prior to your arrival, your interview is constantly interrupted by phone calls or visitors to the interviewer’s office, or they do not contact you one way or another after the interview – run away. It will NOT get any better after you are there.
4. If the employees look like zombies when you arrive for your interview and state they haven’t been home in 18+ hours to shower, but food is brought in so they can keep working… Well, unless you like that type of environment, then run away. You will just be dragged into the ranks of the "Living Dead".
5. If the place smells like urine or if garbage is piled up in the office because they haven’t paid their janitorial bills, run away. They won’t be able to pay you either.