Red Flag I Encountered During My Interview as A Software Engineer

While it’s essential to prepare thoroughly for any job interview, it’s equally important to observe how the company handles the interview process. This can reveal a lot about their culture and how seriously they value potential employees. Sometimes, you may feel like just another candidate in a conveyor belt of interviews, or worse, that the environment may not be as enjoyable as it first seems.

Here’s my personal experience interviewing for a Senior Software Engineer role at a European bank, where I encountered several red flags.

Overview

This interview was for a Senior Fullstack Software Engineer position, which required at least four years of experience in software engineering. The job description mentioned proficiency in Java stacks such as Spring Boot, Java Struts, and J2EE, along with strong knowledge of AngularJS and experience in microservices and CI/CD implementation.

The interview took place on a Friday at 5 p.m., an unusual time since most people are already winding down for the weekend. The panel consisted of an HR representative, a lead from the department, and a developer.

1. They Are Not Really Prepared for Technical Assessment

During the phone screening, the HR representative informed me that there would be a live technical assessment where I’d share my screen and write code using my preferred IDE. I expected a structured set of questions, similar to what you’d find on LeetCode or another coding platform. However, the reality was far from my expectations.

When the interview started, only the HR and the lead were present, and the lead casually mentioned, “Let me find a developer to give you the assessment.” I was shocked—they hadn’t even prepared for the session and were scrambling to find someone to ask me questions.

The questions I eventually received were underwhelming for a senior role. The developer asked me to create an entity, repository class, and a simple GET query using Spring Boot. These are fundamental skills, not the advanced technical challenges you’d expect for a senior position. This gave me the impression that they weren’t clear on which project I’d be assigned to, and I feared I’d be placed on a random project unrelated to the technologies listed in the job description.

2. The lead Guy Left the Session Early, Didn’t Really Care About Me?

I assumed the lead and developer would stay for the entire interview, especially since the lead should assess not only my technical skills but also my soft skills and compatibility with the company. However, after asking me to introduce myself, the lead handed over the session to the developer and promptly left, claiming he had another meeting.

Two red flags emerged here:

• The interview was scheduled outside of normal office hours, yet the lead had another ad-hoc meeting to attend. This suggests an overly busy work environment where employees are regularly required to work after hours.
• The lead didn’t seem to care about my interview, relying solely on the developer’s feedback. This showed a lack of investment in the hiring process, which made me question the level of support I’d receive if I joined the company.

3. Lead Guy Being Rude, Saying Stack Required That is Different From the JD

Early in the interview, while I was explaining my frontend experience, the lead interrupted me abruptly:

• Lead: “Did you even read the job description?”
• Me: “Yes, you’re looking for someone proficient in Angular, right?”
• Lead: “No, we’re looking for React.”

This took me by surprise. I paused, double-checked in my head, and responded, “Oh, my bad.” But after the interview, I went back to the job description, and sure enough—it clearly mentioned Angular. I felt like I was being blamed for something that wasn’t my fault.

Additionally, the lead was quick to cut me off at other points, asking me to “simplify” my introduction when I hadn’t even finished explaining my previous projects. While I may have provided a little too much detail, a respectful manner would have gone a long way.

This raised another red flag: if I joined the company, I might be placed on projects that don’t align with the skills outlined in the job description. Instead of working with Angular, I could end up dealing with React, which wasn’t what I signed up for. Moreover, dealing with a lead who exhibited such unprofessional behavior would make the job unbearable.

Summarize

Here are the key red flags I noted during the interview:

• Overtime seems inevitable. The lead left the interview early to attend another meeting after hours. This suggests a high-stress environment where employees are constantly working overtime.
• Project mismatch. Despite the job description specifying Angular, the lead insisted they were looking for React skills, indicating a lack of clarity in project assignments.
• Undervaluation of senior talent. The technical questions were too basic for a senior-level role, implying that they may not value or properly utilize senior engineers.
• Lack of leadership engagement. The lead’s early departure and reliance on the developer’s feedback made it clear that leadership might not be fully invested in their employees.

An interview often gives you a glimpse into what life would be like at the company. Be cautious of red flags—they could be indicators of deeper issues. While working for a big bank with a decent paycheck might seem appealing, a toxic work environment can quickly diminish any excitement about the job.

Good luck, and I hope this insight helps you avoid making the wrong choice in your next interview.