To be suspicious of job where the employer says at interview that they want you to 'hit the ground running'?

[TinselTarts]

It screams to me of 'we won't train you but will expect slave labour from you from day one'

Also, the interviewer at said interview also said as his first words to me at the interview 'Right, impress me!'

Hit the ground running wouldn't really concern me as I aim to do that in any new job I take on. But his attitude and his other comments absolutely would make me think twice before accepting that as it all reeks of toxic.

"Hit the ground running" seems in the range of normal to me, although (IME) maybe more standard in a US corporate environment. It may just mean they're very busy right now and want someone who'd able to cope with that and be proactive and independent as they acclimate to the new job. "Impress me!" suggests an arsehole, though.

Also don't understand the comment that he's not keen on employing anyone with children - is his entire staff childfree? No parents even if, say, there's a full-time nanny, or the children are over 18? It seems like it could very easily cross a line into discrimination. It's exactly the kind of comment that an interviewer with experience, training, and/or common sense would actively avoid.

I would not employ anyone who was not able "to hoit the ground running"
As for saying he is ugly if a guy had said that about a girl people here would be ranting about toxic masculinity

Good friend started a job as a manager at a corporate care home and she made it clear that she would need training with all the tech bollocks that they have in place.
She got zero training and couldn’t do the job .
Care was shit ,residents and staff treated like robots. She ran and didn’t bother closing the door behind her .

I couldn’t care less. He was ugly. Inside and out. I don’t think female interviewers would behave in that way, or at least I’ve never met any that have done!

Interviewer sounds like he has a strong personality, which could potentially be hard to work with. Or he’s a bit of a joker maybe?

’hit the ground running’ would make me not want the job because they would expect too much work out of me (but i’m lazy)

As long as you get the opportunity to review and access what’s going on, understand it properly before you attempt to change anything.
Even if you are specifically brought in to change things..

I agree that's it's not uncommon at senior levels.
I interpret it as being able to fulfill the role as explained to you, because you have relevant experience & haven't lied about it.

"Hit the ground running" - well, they're setting out their stall. The expectation is clear, if you don't think you could, you're not the person they want. It might turn out to be an unrealistic expectation but only time would prove that.

The rest of the behaviour sounds twattish - not sure I'd want to work for someone who barked 'impress me' and wittered on about people with children, even though I'm childfree - unlikely to show much flexibility to anyone.

'Course he did

“Hit the ground running” is jargonese for “this is a hellscape”

I used to work in HR and yes, that means they're too understaffed to spare someone to train you. Or they don't know what they're doing themselves. Expect hectic chaos when you start the job.

Other red flags in adverts are ones that overly emphasize the need for "independent working", a "self-starter" or "using initiative". These are all fine to ask for but if they really bang on about it then you know the job is insanely busy with very little support or teamwork.

Small company? Interviewer was the owner (or related to the owner)? If yes, RUN. Actually, run anyway.

Interviews are two way processes, if you didn't like them and you didn't like the interviewer you are well within your rights to drop out of the process

The jobs I’ve taken would expect this tbf. Not much training and client meetings straight away.

Hm… I wonder if he actually meant ‘anyone with children’ or if his discriminatory policy really only applied to mothers?🤔

Yep. I had this recently and ignored the red flags.

They dumped shitloads of work on me, didn't check in on how I was settling in and gave no feedback. Fortunately, during my probation, I only had to give one week's notice rather than three months. They are now in a worse position than when they first hired me, and I'm enjoying a little career break while I consider my next move.

Cannot believe that 24% of people think YABU. Unless they’re all the kind of dreaded middle management that says shite like “hit the ground running.” Generally means no training, and when you want to take holidays, we’ll guilt trip you. Is it an American company, by any chance? I feel like this kind of bollocks started with American corporate-speak and then has morphed to British corporate-speak, as in America, obviously loyalty to your corporation is more important than nationality. Unless you’re not white, and then nationality is very important there (see for reference ICE kidnappings).

Good god

Newsflash: everybody has stuff going on outside work children or not. He's looking for a slave, basically.

He also said at one point that he's not keen on employing anyone with children as 'they're always distracted and have got stuff going on in their personal life'

He's not alone in that, but was a fool to say so even though you could never prove it

The "hit the ground running" isn't too bad, especially if it comes from a place of experiencing too many slackers, but "impress me" sounds like an idiot who's watched too much of Alan Sugar and thinks him some sort of role model

Better luck with the next one

“Impress me!” 🤢 I can picture him now, man-spreading in a cheap, shiny suit. Imagine his seduction technique if this is what he’s like in work.

Do not accept a job offer from an utter prick!

If it was for a job with the SAS, the Parachute Regiment or as a stunt man/woman then yes, otherwise not ok.

Pretty sure they all say that. But yeah expect to work your arse off.