Life

When Is It OK To Walk Out Of A Job Interview?

June 29, 2015

We've been over what you really sound like during a job interview and the sorts of questions you should ask your interviewer at the end — but when is it OK to walk out on a job interview all together? Because as unthinkable as it might seem, there actually are situations where it's not only acceptable to call it early, but moreover, even recommended that you do so. And wouldn't you know it? A recent AskReddit thread highlights exactly what those situations might look like.

Posted last night by redditor yukichigai, the thread is simply titled, “Job applicants who walked out of an interview before it was over, why did you do it?” Thanks to the fact that it's marked with the “serious” tag, the stories throughout the thread are all (presumably, at least) true — no Loch Ness Monsters here. And you know what? They're all an important reminder of the one thing about job interviews we all tend to forget: An interview isn't just about trying to convince the company to hire you. It's also about the company trying to convince you to work for them, too. If they fail to impress you due to shoddy interview techniques? Well, you might not be able to show them the door if you're in the belly of the beast, so to speak — but you can definitely show yourself out. And what's more, you can do it with your head held high.

If you ever find yourself in one of these 12 situations, it's A-OK to say your goodbyes and leave. Check out more over at AskReddit.

1. When the interviewer does this to you.

Admittedly, the interviewee in question probably could have asked the receptionist what was up before leaving — but if someone is willing to make you wait for that long after your appointment time, and follow it up with a rude phone call? You probably don't want to work there anyway. Your time is just as valuable as your interviewer's, and it's definitely not OK to waste someone's time that badly.

Not only that, but apparently this is a common occurrence in a huge variety of fields:

Shakin' my head.

2. The job is not at all what you were told it would be.

Ouch — literally and figuratively.

3. You get there and realize it's a multi-level marketing scheme.

Definitely an appropriate time to “nope” right out of there.

4. You get asked incredibly inappropriate questions.

Fun fact: Some questions are illegal for a prospective interviewer to ask. Furthermore, even if the questions you're getting asked aren't illegal, trust your gut — if they're making you feel uncomfortable, it's probably for a good reason.

Like this:

Yeah... no.

5. You get this brutally honest answer to the question, “Is this a good company to work for?”

Honestly? This one is just sad and depressing. I hope everyone at that company managed to get out and find better people to work for.

6. The money turns out to substantially less than promised.

Obviously salary negotiation is always going to be a thing (and a skill we should all cultivate) — but a full 40 percent less than what was previously quoted? Uh… no thanks.

But hey, at least they didn't pull this bait-and-switch:

Nopenopenopenopenope.

7. You realize you can't in good conscience support the company.

Nothing will make your job more soul-sucking than working for a place you with which you have huge ideological issues.

8. The interviewer can't put down the phone long enough to actually talk to you.

I mean, this would be bad enough if it was due to company-related phone calls, but at least then you know it's business-related. Being too busy derping around on your personal Facebook profile to conduct a job interview with a real, live person who is literally sitting across the table from you? See: item number one, wasting someone else's valuable time.