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Whether you’ve been looking for a job for months and are desperate for any sort of employment at this point, or you’ve just been casually interviewing and are in a position to take your time and entertain many possibilities, it’s always exciting when you get a job offer. Maybe my job hunt could be over, you tell yourself. Maybe this is a place where I could really make a difference, you start to dream. Perhaps I could be really happy here, you imagine. You brain begins to turn on what it would be like to truly work at that place. But, don’t let the flattery of the offer—or the attractiveness of the salary—blind you to the facts.
Taking a job, just to put an end to your job search, is never worth it if that position—or the entire company—will just go down in flames. Most companies will put on a pretty face when you come in for your interview. They will tell you that the company is thriving and that the workplace culture is awesome. They’ll list all of the accomplishments and accolades of the company—possibly elaborating a bit—to make you feel like this is a place you really want to work. And the staff will be on their best behavior, of course.
But if you dig a little, you may be able to find that perhaps things aren’t as shiny and perfect as they seem there. Like I said, taking a job just to end the search isn’t always worth it. It’s important you do your research, ask poignant questions—both of the person interviewing you and the current employers—to get a sense for how the company is really doing, and what it would be like to work there. Here are red flags that should tell you don’t take that job.
A lot of people are new
It seems that half the staff—if not more—are new. Everybody is in training, just getting their desks set up, and looking a little lost. That’s weird because the company itself isn’t new. This could be a sign that people quit or get fired often. This company struggles to keep people on staff, either because they’re too demanding, or aren’t well funded.
