Just like employers are vetting out the best applicants for their open positions, job-seekers must vet potential prospects too. Being more selective about the jobs you pursue can help you avoid working for a company that stunts your career trajectory and overall work satisfaction. Thankfully, there are some ways to tell if the job isn’t right for you before you accept the offer and are filled with regret.
We talked with Executive Career Coach and Founder of iPropel YOU, Tamara Williams, to get some insight on spotting red flags on job listings and during the interview process to avoid working in a position that is toxic for your career and mental health.
Sketchy Company Information
Before you even consider applying for a job, you first need to confirm its legitimacy. A primary way to determine whether or not a job is legitimate is by the company website or email. Williams recommends looking up more information about the domain by researching the domain ownership.
You should also check to ensure that the emails are connected to the company domain. Emails attached to personal accounts such as gmail.com or yahoo.com could potentially be a red flag.
Another way to verify if a company is legitimate is to seek out the hiring manager. “Check those details, check them out on LinkedIn, and see how long they’ve worked there,” Williams says. “If it looks like something they just established, that’s a red flag.”
Seems Too Good to Be True
Some job listings lure applicants with good benefits, high salaries, and vacation time. But if the reward is far greater than the qualifications you need to be hired, be hesitant with how you proceed. This could be a major red flag and an indication that the listing is a scam.
“Trust your gut. If it sounds too good to be true, then be a lot more skeptical about sharing your information.”
Unclear Salary
Everybody wants to get paid their worth. So, getting a clear explanation of pay is something you should always seek when applying.
“If a prospective employer is not willing to give you direct information about compensation…. that’s a potential red flag,” Williams says.
Tamara also explains that some companies will use phrases such as ‘unlimited earning potential’ or ‘no cap on salary’ to attract applicants but these are still red flags. You’ll always want to seek full transparency on compensation before accepting a job and ensure a base salary is established.
Unconventional Work Schedule
While the 9-5 lifestyle is the norm for most jobs, some might expect you to work unconventional hours. Flexibility can be ideal for some people, however, if the company wants your dedication for more than 40 hours a week or on weekends and holidays, this is a major red flag and an indication of poor work-life balance.
“If they say something like you must work your eight-hour shift within these 12 hours, that’s fine. But if they’re saying you need to be available from 6 am to 6 pm, that’s unrealistic.”
Vague Job Description
The job description can tell you a lot about the job before you accept it. If you are still unsure of what exactly the job is after reading the description, be cautious.
“A vague job description is a definite red flag that you may not be able to live up to [the job’s] expectations because it doesn’t even seem like they know what their expectations are”, Williams says.
“So a very vague job description that doesn’t tell you how you connect to the customer and how you connect to the goal… That’s going to definitely be a red flag.”
On the other hand, if the job description has a long list of responsibilities, this can also be a red flag. Listings like this can also include buzzwords like ‘ninja’ or ‘superhero’ without really saying what is expected.
“They’re looking for a jack of all trades, and that definitely means you’ll be a master of none,” says Williams. “Entry-level pay and title, but managerial or executive responsibilities. That’s a red flag.”
Poor Diversity
Another critical essential to keep an eye out for when looking for a new position, especially as a black woman, is a lack of diversity on the team.
“What is their diversity lens? Are they calling out a specific group of people, whether including them or excluding them? Whether it’s, gender, race, any of those things, you want to make sure there’s no discrimination,” says Williams
Tamara Williams has worked with thousands of individuals and coaches professionals across 25 countries to advance their careers. You can pre-order her book iPropel My Career here or get in contact with her through her website ipropelyou.com.
