Watch out for this disturbing new trend in job interviews

Watch out for this disturbing new trend in job interviewsWatch out for this disturbing new trend in job interviewsAre you willing to work weekends? Holidays? Through the birth of your child? Until you collapse?Its the hot new thing in job interviews Testing whether candidates are willing to sacrifice everything - their home lives, their families, their health - for the good of their company.The Muse recentlywrotethat we should be aware of work-life balance tests during interviews, highlighting the chief executive of Barstool Sports, Erika Nardini, who reportedly texts job applicants interviewing with the company on weekends. Nardini said she does this just to binnensee how fast youll respond,in an interview with The New York Times. She expects to be contacted back within three hours, she elaborated. Its not that Im going to bug you all weekend if you work for me, but I want you to be responsive. I think about work all the time, Nardini said. Other people dont have to be working all the time, but I want people who are also always thinking.It was also reported recently that Vena Solutions CEO Don Mal asks candidates if theyd leave their family at Disneyland to do something that was really important for the company? He expects them to say yes.Needless to say, both of these questions would be a big red flag for anyone considering a job at such a company. While certain jobs may require your attention during time away from work - being on-call can be part of the job as a doctor or nurse or a systems administrator, for instance - most really dont. Whats more, vacations and other moments recharging away from work are critical for a variety of reasons, including yourhealth. And downtime may even help your wallet.So, heres how to protect your private time.Find out what your boss wantsIf youre getting nightly communication from your manager, you shouldsee whats required from you. It might just be a convenient time for them to send you something you might not have to c ommunicate back at that time.But you should see what they want you to do, and communicate clearly if whats being asked of you is unreasonable.If a text from your boss comes your way this weekendAn article by The Muse provides a potenzial response to a text your manager sends you on a Sunday (as inspired by Nardini) Ill review this first thing tomorrow morning and send on my thoughts by time on Monday.The article suggests you could follow up, as such Then, when you do share more on Monday, you can intro your work with a line that says, Im always happy to answer as quickly as I can during the workweek, however I reserve weekends for time with family/recharging/etc. With that saidBe flexible, but upfront about your timeIf youre interviewing, show dedication to your work, butremember to demonstrate that you strongly value moments outside the office, too.A LiveCareer article features potential responses to an interviewers questions about working on weekends or during holidays.Heres oneIm an efficient worker, so though I will gladly put in extra time as needed, I find I can get the vast majority of my work tasks completed during the regular workweek. Although, I have no problem with the occasional long work weekend or holiday.Set your schedule well ahead of timeWay Up also shows you how to make your availability off-hours clear to an interviewerin this video.Consider how much you want the jobRemember, being asked about working during time off during an interview doesnt mean youre guaranteed the job - or that you have to take it. You still have a choice to make.If a potential future employer makes it clear they dont respect your time, perhaps its not the company for you.