Red Flags To Watch Out For In Job Postings
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There are a lot of job openings out there right now. If you’re looking for work, you can afford to be selective. But even at times when the job market is a little tighter, you should proceed with caution. Take it from someone who has been duped by job postings in the past.
No matter how anxious you might be to find employment, you don’t want to end up in an situation that is more workplace nightmare than dream job. Fortunately, there are ways to tell if that will be the case just by reading the job posting. BuzzFeed asked folks to share some obvious red flags in the verbiage that will let you know if you should skip the application process. Here are a few of them:
- “Too much jargon. If the posting has a lot of buzzwords but nothing of actual substance about what the job actually is, that’s a sign it’s time to run.”
- “Not including the salary is a big red flag that they don’t pay much. Not including a salary and using the phrase ‘gain experience’ is a red flag that they expect you to work for free.”
- ‘Willing to take on responsibility and leadership roles within their team’ in a non-managerial position means they want a manager for the salary of a non-managerial employee or they want all the employees to overwork to prove that they should be in charge.”
- “Language like ‘high energy’ and ‘highly motivated.’ It should be a given that a potential candidate would be motivated to perform their duties well. If the employer feels the need to point this out, you can bet they have a history of high turnover with unhappy former employees.”
- “‘Schedule TBD.’ Nope, nope, nope. If you’re considering me for a position, I’m considering you as a potential employer as well. We’re BOTH interviewing each other.”
- “When a job says they offer flexible hours. They don’t mean flexible for you. They mean that they want you to have no life outside of work, and that they’re planning on absolutely wrecking your sleep schedule.”
- “‘Urgently hiring’ usually means they have a high turnover rate and can’t keep employees very long.”
- “‘Clock watchers need not apply’ — usually means they’ll frequently expect you to stay later than your contracted hours.”
- “‘We’re not a company, we’re a family.’ It’s almost guaranteed to be a toxic environment. Cliques, guilt trips, crossing professional boundaries, and favoritism.”
You can see some more job posting red flags HERE.
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Phil Harris is 50% of "Phil & Mel in the Afternoon" on K104.7. He has been with the station since 2013 and on the air in Charlotte since 2000. Before coming to the Queen City, Phil worked for radio stations in Pittsburgh, Austin, and Seattle. In addition to the weekly "Throwback Threesome" music video feature, Phil writes about things that matter to Charlotte sports fans and pet owners. He happens to be both.
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