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22 Red Flags to Look for When Applying for a Job

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As you search for a job, it’s important to keep in mind that you aren’t just looking for a salary from a company. You have value as an employee, and you can contribute meaningfully to a company and its culture.

Know your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as what you hope to gain from the job, and keep those things in mind as you read job listings and research potential places to work. Also, be alert for these red flags. They don’t necessarily mean that you need to avoid a company, but they can provide you with a reason to look a little closer and see if the job really would be a good fit for you.

Because, you know, nobody wants to be miserable and scrambling for another position only a few months after taking one.

1. Vague Job Description

Check for a job posting that offers insight into what skills and background are necessary for the job. When reading the description, you should be able to figure out what you’ll be expected to do and whether you qualify.

In many cases, a vague job description is an indicator that the employer might be looking for an all-purpose employee they can assign multiple responsibilities — all while underpaying that person.

2. Culture of Work, Work, Work

Will you be expected to be on call on evenings and weekends? Does the hiring manager say things like, “Many of our employees stay later” or “Don’t be surprised if you take some of your projects home with you”?

There’s nothing wrong with working hard and putting in a little overtime. But if it looks like the normal state of operations is for most employees to be coming in early and/or staying late, you might find it hard to strike the work/life balance you want.

3. Unprofessional Communication

Pay attention to how the hiring manager and other people in the company communicate with you. Do they send you texts with important information, rather than sending an email? Perhaps they call late at night or contact you at other unusual times.

Even excessive communication can be a problem. Yes, you want to be updated, but is the communication overdone and is the hiring manager always sending you follow-up emails because they forgot something?

This could indicate that your potential employer doesn’t have a sense of boundaries and could begin making unreasonable demands once you’re on board. Additionally, it could be an indicator that you won’t have any real time off, if you’re expected to answer phone calls and texts at any hour.

4. Lack of Communication

Sometimes a lack of communication can be a red flag to avoid a job. If a company says they’ll get back to you in a few days and several weeks go by, that could be an indication that they aren’t going to provide you with adequate resources and support.

Not every job is going to be able to respond to each email or each resume. However, if you’ve been brought in for an interview, you should at least be brought somewhat up-to-date on the process. If the company makes an offer, and then doesn’t get back to you about actual onboarding and next steps within a reasonable time period, that’s also a major red flag.