Applying for work, job application asks what I liked most, least about each prior employer. Seems like red flag. Is it? (employment, interview)

[AmericaBravoCharles]

I just started the application and stopped, and wanted to pose the question here before/if I continue. This seems like a red flag that this particular entity (a small government agency) might be one run by their version of corporate stooges. I've submitted a lot of job applications over the years but have never quite seen this. I expect such a question to be posed during an interview, but not during an application process.

[fishbrains]

It is weird, but I don’t know that you should eliminate this agency from your potential employer list because of it.

Somebody at one point thought it was a good idea. That doesn’t mean that person is still there, or if they are that they have influence at the organization beyond this idiosyncratic application requirement.

[Lekrii]

That's a pretty standard interview question. Why would that be a red flag?

I'm also not quite sure how you jumped from that one interview questions to 'corporate stooges'

[Taffee72]

Give bland generic responses. Don't tell the real truth how insane your old boss was, back stabby coworkers or the toxic work environment.

[ExpertAnalysis]

Originally Posted by Taffee72

Give bland generic responses. Don't tell the real truth how insane your old boss was, back stabby coworkers or the toxic work environment.

Yeah lying is your only option in this case.

[turf3]

This kind of interview question is intended to solicit information about you, not about your previous workplaces.


You need to tailor your responses to what the interviewing company will expect. I am NOT saying you should tell mistruths, but you can select which truths to tell. So, for "dislikes" you should mention things that are purely "mechanical/technical/unavoidable" and DO NOT mention things that are interpersonal in nature.


For example:


OK to say - Company location moved and commute became very long; although it was a good job and good environment, it was not really in my field and I wanted to pursue a career more in line with my training and education; limited chances for further advancement because to advance further I would need to transfer across country and my spouse couldn't move; etc.


Not OK to say - Work was too demanding [interpreted as "lazy"]; boss was a nut [has problems with authority]; interpersonal conflict with co-worker [can't get along with others]; etc.

[D. Scott]

Originally Posted by Taffee72

Give bland generic responses. Don't tell the real truth how insane your old boss was, back stabby coworkers or the toxic work environment.

This exactly. Provide something that wont raise red flags on thier part. Be prepared to explain further on some or all of them if interviewed.

A lot of job searching is just about public relations and selling yourself. Often just good rapport with the interviewer can be enough to get the job.

[Suburban_Guy]

Standard interview question?

Well, in my many decades of employment, I have never been asked what I liked least about a previous employer.

If any applicant speaks ill of a former employer or co-worker to an interviewer, of their own accord, that's a red flag on the applicant.

Anyways, I wouldn't necessarily count out this job, but standard rules apply throughout the job application/interview process. NEVER speak ill of your former employer or co-workers no matter how bad and true the situation may have been. Spin it so that it's not something that makes anyone look bad. For one example, one might say that the commute or hours were incompatible with family life, things like that.

[oh-eve]

I've encountered that many times.


If you have a problem with it, don't apply.

[selhars]

People! the OP is not talking about the question in an interview setting! One person misunderstands or misreads a question, and now every answer after that picks up on that misunderstanding and NOT the point of the OP's question.

I just started the application and stopped, and wanted to pose the question here before/if I continue. This seems like a red flag that this particular entity ..... I've submitted a lot of job applications over the years but have never quite seen this. I expect such a question to be posed during an interview, but not during an application process.

That's a pretty standard interview question. Why would that be a red flag?

I'm also not quite sure how you jumped from that one interview questions to 'corporate stooges'

The OP is talking about being asked this question on an application -- NOT during the interview process.

And, NO, this is NOT a pretty standard application question. Far from it.

I wouldn't NOT apply because of it. But it's not standard for applications.