avatarJanice Eastman

Summary

The article discusses the author's distressing experiences with a toxic workplace, highlighting the emotional toll of repeated interviews and unethical hiring practices.

Abstract

The author, an HR manager, recounts a particularly challenging day in their career, marked by the emotional turmoil of conducting an interview for a candidate who had already been through four interviews with the same person and had been offered the job without proper communication within the company. The experience leads the author to reflect on the toxic culture of their workplace, characterized by a lack of humanity, abuse, and poor communication. The article underscores the importance of recognizing signs of a toxic workplace, such as multiple interviews with the same individual, confusing hiring processes, and negative social media feedback, and suggests that job seekers should be cautious and conduct thorough research before accepting a position. The author emphasizes the need to avoid such environments for the sake of one's career and mental health.

Opinions

  • The author expresses a deep sense of frustration and sorrow over the lack of humanity and ethical practices within their toxic workplace.
  • The author feels that the interview process at their company is disrespectful and dehumanizing, both to the candidates and to themselves as an HR professional.
  • There is a sense of resignation and self-reflection as the author questions their role in perpetuating the toxic culture by not speaking up or taking action against it.
  • The author believes that job seekers should be vigilant and proactive in researching potential employers to avoid ending up in a toxic work environment.
  • The author advises candidates to consider multiple interviews with the same person and a confusing interview process as red flags indicating a potentially toxic workplace culture.
  • The author suggests that a company's social media presence and employee feedback can provide valuable insights into the company's culture and treatment of employees.
  • The author encourages readers to prioritize their safety and mental health by avoiding toxic workplaces and seeking out companies with healthier work environments.

Toxic Workplaces

Toxic Workplaces: I’m Torn Up In Tears Today

Toxic workplaces all have the same toxic traits, including a toxic culture.

Photo by Zachary Keimig on Unsplash

Today is one of the most formidable days in my career.

I’ve been through a lot and have endured a lot. I’ve been screamed at, called all sorts of names, and told where to go — at work. And, for the most part, I am resigned to it.

But today, I’m at a loss for words. I don’t know what emotion to grab a hold onto and embrace. Sadness, empathy, hurt, discouragement, confusion all fills my heart with grief.

I’m torn up in tears today because I have seen such a lack of humanity. A complete and utter lack.

Why? Because I’ve sat through one of the most horrific interviews in my career — even more, brutal than yesterday’s interview.

There is yet another victim of this toxic workplace.

For the love of God, how can people be so cruel?

I’ve been doing this job for quite a stretch. And I’ve seen and experienced so many horrible things; I can feel the emotional scars creating keloid-like scabs across my heart.

Today, I’m just wondering why I even bother. Why do I put up with the abuse, the humiliation, the hate, and the hurt? The toxicity. It’s like beating a puppy to death with a rubber mallet — but the puppy still has its innocence and deserves better.

We all deserve better.

The Tale Of A Toxic Workplace

This morning I came to work bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I even made a list of things I was looking forward to accomplishing, and I had so much going for me. Then it all crumbled like a sandcastle in a hurricane. Leaving in its wake a hole the size of the Grand Canyon.

As I settled into work, my boss handed me a resume and asked me to look it over. As I did, I said to myself; this applicant is a very bright person. A brilliant and educated person. Someone that has all of their life ahead of them.

Interestingly, I am the HR manager, so why don’t I know this applicant or haven’t I seen this resume. But, understanding how to navigate a toxic workplace, I thought nothing more of it and went about my day.

At this point, I had no information about the position we were interviewing for, and frankly, I didn’t bother to ask. These things are a reoccurring event at this company, and it’s just part of the culture. At this point, I am so numb to it that I don’t even know what to think about it. Except I feel sorry for the candidates applying to work here.

Perhaps, I’m a part of the problem.

Regardless, I accepted the resume as is and sent it back to my boss after I reviewed it and jotted down some notes for consideration.

About 30 minutes later, reception informed me that a candidate was waiting.

Blindsided!

I’m confused!

I’m so stunned into a state of boneheadedness. I’m even more confused now. “Why was a candidate brought in for an interview without my consent. “Why was a candidate brought in for an interview without my knowledge. “Why was I not briefed about it, and why was it so hush-hush?” “Why!” “Why!” “Why the hell, why!”

I gathered my thoughts, went to grab the resume from my boss’ office and hurriedly glanced it over once more. There was no doubt in my thinking I would only go through the motions of the interview. Emotionally and mentally depleted, I just wanted it to be over and done. I honestly didn’t care how the interview went or to see the applicant again.

Because of previous experience, I was not surprised that this transpired. I’ve had some outrageous tales from my toxic workplace happen before.

Imagine my shock when the candidate told me she was starting on Monday — a different person from the one I wrote about previously. I was taken aback by it, again!

Two candidates in a row? So why am I interviewing her? Something is amiss.

My shock turned to amazement.

The candidate now turned employee told me that she had interviewed four times already; this is her fifth. I immediately asked her the only question that came to mind. “With Who?”

Come to find out, with the same person, all four times.

After the fourth interview, they informed her that she was hired and given a starting date. Except nobody mentioned this to me, and I was dumbfounded. How much longer can one person go on without being offered the position?

My interview was brief. I think I only stayed a few minutes. After interviewing with the same company on four different occasions, there is no other question left for answering. Neither the applicant nor I knew where to go from there. There was nothing left to ask, and nothing was left to answer. It was a waste of my time, and hers as well.

“Where do we go from here?”

Between A Rock And A Hard Place

I did the only thing human that was left to do, apologize. Profusely.

I have to confess, it caught me off guard, and my first reaction was to be upset about it. I even thought to myself, saying to the applicant, girl, this is your cue. Run for the hills. This workplace is toxic as heck, and you should run as far away as you possibly can.

I’ve learned my lesson, and I will never make the same mistake again. I will be careful the next chance to hire someone because I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes.

Photo by Stephane YAICH on Unsplash

Here are the lessons to learn from toxic workplaces if they want you to interview with the same person multiple times.

Toxic workplaces all have the same toxic traits.

1. Don’t go for multiple interviews with the same person. That’s the first sign that something is off. It’s unethical, and it’s not the right way to treat a candidate. Just take the interview and don’t bother going back. It’s better to be safe than sorry. It might just be a bad situation, and it’s better not to take a chance. You might learn a lesson.

2. Before the interview, carefully research the business and the job. You don’t want to squander away your time, and you want to know the company has a successful track record of hiring and knows how to treat a candidate. The applicant should go through the same research about the company, and it will save time for both of you and help you decide. The decision-making process is a two-way street, and you have a choice.

3. If the process is confusing from the onset, it might indicate the culture. The company might have poor processes, or it might be a toxic company. Avoid it at all costs. It’s a red flag, and you should not ignore it. You want a place where you can progress without feeling like you’re in the twilight zone. If the company is a toxic place, you will feel that way. A toxic workplace is the source of many unhappy employees, and disgruntled employees are the source of many problems in the workplace.

4. Before the interview, be sure to read their social media and company website and talk to people that worked there. It’s your chance to see what people say about the company and how they treat employees. If there is negative feedback, it’s better to avoid the company than work there. Even if the input is from a year ago, or if there have been no other complaints. You don’t want to work at a company that has a toxic culture.

5. Always be ready with questions that will help you decide. Be sure to ask questions about the job itself. You want to know if the position has any challenges that might be stressful. You might ask about the company’s future and if the company is growing. You might wish to ask how long the company has been around and the size. If the company has been around for more than 20 years and has not grown, stay clear. If they have been around for a while but have not grown, that could mean they are stagnant. If this is the circumstance, you don’t want to waste your time and energy there.

6. Be sure to ask why the position you are interviewing for is vacant. It might be something that is common knowledge. But it might be something that you wouldn’t expect. It could be a red flag, and it might need addressing. It’s an excellent way to ensure that you are not interviewing for a job at a toxic company. In fact, if the company is a toxic workplace, people are likely already looking elsewhere or have started to make plans to leave the company. If you have received multiple interviews with the same company with the same person, it’s a serious red flag, and you should probably look elsewhere.

Where Do We Go From Here

We all have different experiences and learn from them in different ways. It’s all about finding a suitable job for you. Finding that job is part science and part art, and it takes some time and effort from both you and the employer.

This process is time-consuming, so we don’t want to make it longer by choosing the wrong company.

Keep your safety and mental health in mind. And avoiding a toxic workplace is the right move if you’re able to do so. Other companies are not toxic for you to work with, and these companies will not kill your joy. So if you can avoid the poisonous companies, then you should. It will allow you to find the right job and build a successful career.

It’s easy to get distracted by the process of finding a job. We are all on a different journey, and we all learn from the experiences that we go through. So, I’m not suggesting that you avoid toxic companies. But I recommend avoiding the poisonous companies if they are harmful to you.

It will allow you to find the right job to foster your development as an employee and your growth as a person.

Before you go, here is a list of other articles with great tips for those who want to get a job or want to know what to look for in a toxic workplace. There’s no reason to let a toxic workplace affect your career; you can take a look at the articles below for some great tips.

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Toxic Work Culture
Toxic Work Environment
Personal Development
Life Lessons
Insecurity
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