Employer red flag?

[ohhappy]

Would you see it as a red flag if you went to be interviewed and the interviewer didn't have your CV/application in front of them during the interview and didn't know anything about you. For example, didn't know where you currently do for work or that you have children or what qualifications you have so it seems they haven't properly read through your CV/application?

Not necessarily. They’ve seen your CV / application to get you to the point of interview, they now want to see what you can show in an interview.

Yes I would see that as a red flag.

Not at all. I read all CVs but they don't really tell you anything at all. I always ask people to summarise at the start of an interview and then ask questions that are tailored to the role, rather than to their CV. If I'm honest, I don't really care about people's CVs beyond using them to initially sift applications.

No, I wouldn't. We use CVs to sift applications. At interview everyone gets asked the same questions regardless.

No ! In an interview I will always ask the candidate to tell me a bit about their current role etc. It’s a great test of communication skills and also whether the individual has embellished their CV. What is most important is how you answer the structured questions about the role so I can test suitability for the role, not what your CV says.

Why would they know if you had children? That's not something they should be asking or discussing.

Yes, it's poor. Takes minutes to ask HR for your CV. Clearly he wasn't involved in asking you to interview.

How on Earth can they interview you for a any meaningful professional job without knowing about your previous experience? Like, how would they even know that you are suitable for this job? They came to interview you without bothering to learn anything about you/ reading your CV? I would actually be offended and probably walk out/ leave as soon as possible. I actually declined an interview once when it was clear the person speaking to me was confusing me with someone else.

Children should not be discussed (none of their business) but your qualifications are definitely should be important.

I don't use people's cvs in interviews. There are set questions I ask and having the CV in front of me doesn't help that.

CV is only used to make the interview short list.

It's also surprising how many people lie on their CV and trip themselves up in interview.

But you at least read what hte CV says, and know about their qualifications?

What kind of industry is this - where can you lie on your CV to an extend that renders it unnecessary?...I understand "bigging up" your roles to some extent, but are you suggesting people also lie about companies they worked for?

I worked for a charity where the interview panel would be the hiring manager and two other people. Only the hiring manager would have seen your CV to decide who gets an interview. The other two would know nothing about you at all. There'd be set interview questions (that candidates get in advance) and a scoring framework. Answers scored independently by panel members and sent to HR without any discussion between panellists. HR would then inform the hiring manager who scored highest and therefore will be hired.

So no, not having CV in front of them isn't a red flag necessarily. We did explain it to candidates though.

Never have the cv in front of me but always read it shortly before the interview to refresh my memory. I often ask for people to summarise as it’s a good indication of which areas they think are important. It’s a red flag if they obviously don’t have a clue about any of your previous roles but it is possible that they just have standard list of questions that they ask each applicant (and much fairer).

employers shouldn’t know whether you have children or not and shouldn’t really be asking.

Childcare. Some lies include reasons why they left their previous setting and their role at their previous settings and the amount of time they've spent at settings

It's as though they they think I won't check, especially as I have to be on top of these lies for safeguarding

I think it's pretty important the liars are weeded out, don't you? Given the job role.

Well, definitely! Not only in childcare.

But you would need to have an idea where they worked before, even to ask the right questions? And to have an idea about their qualifications, or at least what they claim they have.

I just find it weird - how can you go into an interview without knowing anything about the person if front of you? Like, zero? In what kind of job would it be of any benefit?

I rarely look at the CV during the interview, the CV gets you through thr sift. I want to hear from you now.

@localnotail I've interviewed people before without knowing anything about them other than their name (usually because I'm stepping in at the last minute). I don't need to know it really though because our questions are standardised and we have to ask people the exact same questions.

I never put children on my CV. this is such an odd thing to say.

No not at all.

We blind interview so I'd never see your CV. Not a red flag at all but a great driver of diversity!

Children are completely irrelevant- they shouldn't be in your cv and you shouldn't be asked about the.

I don't have cvs in front of me at interviews. I want to concentrate on the answers candidates give to questions.

I might make notes from a CV and question anything specific like gaps in employment, but otherwise would ask direct questions and let employee explain themselves. Probably wouldn’t have CV with me.

I guess this approach works in your profession - though not sure how it could would work unless you hire for something like a call centre? I cant imagine it would be suitable in an industry where your previous experience/ your previous work place is the most important thing for the employer to consider and where each position has to have a specific skill set based on the project you are hiring for

Totally. Sounds completely disorganised, and I don't think I'd want to work somewhere like that. Did they ask you any relevant questions that pertained to you?

Exactly, and that you can talk to your experience

@localnotail This has been the same approach in a Big 4 / professional services firm and in my current role in a third sector organisation.