I got an offer for an in-person group interview on Tuesday. In reality, the devil will need a parka and a heating pad before I agree to a group interview. But sometimes, it's fun to play with your food.

(The recruiter refused to tell me the name of the client, but that's not always a red flag because companies can have totally legit reasons for keeping things on the dl. It's rare, but it's not impossible.)

So, I countered that I am available for a 1-on-1 interview by phone on Tuesday. But I can't attend an in-person group interview because "Those are always a waste of time for the candidate".

The recruiter said the client prefers doing group interviews because "that approach saves time, plus you can learn about our company from them, rather than reading the lies about them online".

The only flag redder than that is the one flying in Beijing. If people are badmouthing your company online, odds are there's a good reason for that. So, I declined the group interview.