When a job offer comes to you, it can be hard to say “no,” even in the face of obvious signs that it’s not a good fit for you.
Executive and career coach Anna Bray from Jody Michael Associates says that ignoring red flags during your job search, however, will only hurt you down the line.
“In the short term, having somebody want you might feel really good,” Bray told Career Tool Belt. “But if you’re looking for another job in four to six months and you didn’t pay attention to those red flags, it will take more effort to untangle.”
It’s critical to be extremely thorough when considering a job, whether you’re reading the listing, scheduling an interview or signing the contract.
“You’re interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you,” said Bray. “There’s a lot to be said for investing that time up front.”
Watch Out for These Red Flags When You’re Job Searching
These 9 red flags are worth noting during the hiring process – not after.
The job does not align with your personal values.
Most red flags are subjective and dependent on your individual values. Bray suggested asking yourself questions like:
- Do I want full flexibility, or lots of structure?
- Am I willing to commute an hour, or would that make me miserable?
- Am I willing to work over 40 hours a week, or do I draw a firm line?
- Do I want to be a part of a fresh startup, or an established company? Big or small?
- Is an HR department very important to me, sort of important or not important at all?
- What are my non-negotiables when it comes to work-life balance?
- Do I want a sociable or non-sociable job atmosphere?
- How important are my boss’s credentials to me?
- How important is gender and/or racial diversity to me?
- Is a retirement plan a must, or a nice-to-have?
- Is a no-dog policy a deal breaker?
- Does none of this matter as long as there’s a good paycheck and health insurance?
These are just some of the endless questions you could ask yourself, depending on your personal values. Some people may have strong opinions on certain boundaries, while others may be more flexible. No job is ever going to be perfect, however, knowing your personal values may save you grief in the long-run, according to Bray.
“Know what’s important to you, because red flags are going to be different for everybody,” Bray said. “Know your hard stops. Someone might just want a job. They might just want money and work is work… but wherever you stand, be very clear and realistic with yourself about your intentions regarding work: what you want, and what you are able to do.”
There’s sketchy or overwhelmingly negative information online about the company or CEO.
Always research a company that might potentially hire you. Thoroughly peruse its website and any media surrounding it. Feel free to look on employee review sites like Glassdoor, but Bray advises job seekers to take some of your research with a grain of salt.
“Maybe you find something in the media about the company that doesn’t align with your values,” said Bray. “Remember that sometimes there are bad apples who get written up in the media, and on places like Glassdoor, remember that people tend to write negative reviews more than positive ones. But of course if there is an overwhelming amount of bad press and bad reviews, stay away.”
While you’re on the lookout for negative press, also steer clear of anything that sounds too good to be true or falls into your lap too easily.
“Look out for ads that say things like ‘you’ll earn $5,000 a week!’ or anything that’s overpromising,” said Bray. “If they’re promising something elaborate, it’s probably to divert attention from something else.”
You can look up official complaints about a company through the Better Business Bureau, the Equal Opportunity Commission or the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration.
There’s a lack of transparency about the job.
If you’re having trouble finding information about the company or your position either online or during the interview process, that’s a surefire red flag. You should be able to get most of the details you need in advance, unless the job is classified in some way.
“You want to know as much as you can up front,” said Bray. “If they’re being sketchy or evasive, or if they’re unwilling to give more depth to the details, I would take a hike and go somewhere else.”
The management doesn’t respect your time.
Schedules change and delays happen, but if a company seems to routinely disrespect your time during the interview process, that is a red flag. For example, if the management drags out the interview process indefinitely without cluing you into the process, if they’re unresponsive or if they are constantly late for your meetings without apologizing, the work environment is probably not much better. At best, it’s disorganized, and at worst, the management is disregarding your needs.
“People are on their best behaviors usually during the interviewing and onboarding,” said Bray. “If they’re not providing their best behavior at that time, it’s a true look into what you’ll be experiencing if you work there.”
The interviewer doesn’t want to know that much about you.
As the interviewee, it’s easy to fret about your answers above all. However, it’s equally important to pay attention to the interviewer’s questions.
“How thoughtful are the questions they’re asking you? Are they genuinely, sincerely trying to get the best person for the position, or are they willing to settle and just bring in a warm body?” asked Bray. “Are they curious about you?”
Depending on the position and what you want from the job, a disinterested interview could be a red flag. If your boss doesn’t care about whether or not you’re a good fit, you could be walking into a very, very wrong one.
They’re totally, completely inflexible on the offer for no apparent reason.
Negotiations can be tricky, and sometimes, great jobs offer non-negotiable packages. However, if you have reasonable requests that align with your values and the company is completely inflexible on those terms, that might be a red flag.
Negotiations could impact your salary, but you may also have other requirements like specified hours worked, non-compete agreement terms, remote capabilities or stock options. A company may have a legitimate reason to say “no” to your requests, or they may want to discuss it with you further. However, if a company is rigid or hostile when you express your needs, that is not a company you want to work for.
“This is the only time you have that power. You have most power right before you sign. You can ask for a lot of things,” said Bray. “If they’re completely inflexible, I would call that a red flag.”
High turnover for your position.
If you happen to have inside knowledge about the company and notice a lot of turnover for your position, that’s a clear red flag. However, it’s worth finding out why there has been a lot of turnover, according to Bray. It could be because the position is universally undesirable, or it could be chalked up to individual preferences.
“Ask what’s going on, ask what’s been the problem in the past? Because again, it might not be a big deal to you. Someone else’s value system isn’t necessarily your own,” said Bray. “It can be an opening for a conversation to learn more. Otherwise, you’re just making assumptions.”
You sense strange, sneaky or illegal behavior.
Some red flags are subtle, but sometimes they’re clear as day.
If you sense strange, sneaky or illegal behavior during the job hunting process, stay away. This might include anything from uncomfortable, boundary-pushing interviews to all-out discriminatory practices. For example, it’s illegal in some states to ask an interview subject for their previous earnings, or to ask for their age. Also beware of nontraditional employment arrangements that might be exploitative, such as non-disclosure agreements that go too far or official, full-time work with zero benefits.
“The people doing the interview should know some basic HR rules and laws,” said Bray. “If they’re trying to get around it and you get the sense that they’re trying to get too much out of you, that’s definitely a red flag. Some people just don’t know. Maybe they’re a small shop and you can let certain things slide, but if you get the sense that they’re trying to do it maliciously in a sneaky way, run.”
You are bending over backwards to be okay with the job offer.
Finally, do a gut check. You’ll probably have to compromise in some way to accept a job, but if you find that you’re completely downplaying your values, that could be a red flag.
“If you’re bending and contorting to the place you don’t even recognize yourself anymore, or if you’re really compromising what you stated at one time was a hard boundary, ask yourself, can I really work here for at least a year?” said Bray. “Similarly, I think it’s a red flag if you are over-eager and you’re not paying attention to red flags. That could be a red flag that you’re not looking critically at it enough.”
