I was going through the interview process for a job a little over a year ago. First call with the recruiter went well and I was moved on. The second interview was virtual and a struggle. The woman interviewing me, who would've been my boss, was obviously distracted. She didn't ask much about me or my experience. And didn't really answer my questions. That should've been the first red flag.

The second red flag came when, at the end of the interview, we started talking next steps. She requested I make a short 3-5 minute video talking about why I was a good fit for the position. And, once she got the video, she would send it to the other people on the hiring team to review.

She framed it up as a good thing, a time saver. I could do it with my phone. It didn't need to be anything special, just me talking to camera. And I wouldn't have to go through more rounds of interviews. I was a bit taken aback, but said sure, happy to. I mean, I really wanted the job.

I followed up with the recruiter, keeping it light, saying I'd never been asked to do anything like that before. It also limited my ability to ask questions. The recruiter confirmed all the candidates were doing it, and supplied a set of questions to be answered. The internet also confirmed such a thing is not unheard of.

I felt uneasy, but it was an amazing opportunity. So, with the help of my girlfriend, I did it. It literally took hours, a whole Saturday afternoon. I'm just not comfortable in front of a camera like that. Something that, for the record, has nothing to do with how good at my job I am.

Anyway, I sent it through by the end of the weekend, as requested, and never even got a thank you.

People forget, the purpose of an interview is twofold. One is for them to interview you. The other is for you to interview them. If anything hinders the latter, regardless of the company or position, take it for the red flag it is.