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Sometimes you can see something’s off with the company even before joining it. Whether it’s a comment the hiring manager makes during the interview or an odd bullet point on the job listing—or any other suspicious-looking detail, for that matter—it can be enough to make a potential applicant wary or lead to them skipping applying altogether.
Members of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community have recently discussed things that raise suspicion after one user asked them to name the biggest red flag about a company that screams "Don't Join Us". Netizens had plenty to share, so if you’re curious to see what they consider the biggest warning signs, scroll down to find their answers on the list below.
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#1
"We work hard, and play hard!"
Look...you're my employer. I have no desire to "play hard" with you outside of work. You are literally paying me to hang out with you during work hours, but when I'm off the clock and you're not paying me?
You can f**k off. I'm going home.
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#2
"Fast Paced, ever chagning, multi task environment! "
Means they're gonna over work you or make you do s**t that isn't in your job description.
#4
We are a big family, usually means a disfunctional family, that only the senior people reap the true benefits of the profits . the underlings are expected to be loyal, but when its time for budget cuts, it is not meritocracy.
#5
At one interview they asked "are you tough enough to work here?".. That's not a red flag or anything.
Šimon Špaček 6 months ago
Unless you are looking for a boxer (or volunteer for a most probably suicide mission during war).
#7
Just 1? In no particular order…
*”Competitive Salary”* - But kept secret.🤫
Wild salary ranges - *”75k to 750k”*. 🧮
Any mention of “*Family*” in a JD or otherwise. 🧑🧑🧒🧒
*One way* interviews.🪞
*Pseudo-Science* based assesments. 👨🏻🔬
More rounds of interviews *than the CEO position*. 👨🏻💼
An over abundance of outdated *motivational posters*. 🏞️
“*Do not apply*” unless (insert list of questionable demands). 📋
Requesting *hours of free work*, ‘as part of the hiring process’. 💸
I could go on, but…🤦🏻♂️.
#8
The interviewers scowl when you say one of your priorities is "work-life balance".
#9
Competitive wages and flexible hours...
Means they are offering minimum wage with little negotiation beyond it and the hours are "flexible" for them the schedule you anytime within your availability - some weeks can be filled to the brim while others only have a few hours.
Page intentially left blank 6 months ago
If they don't list the wage/salary range, I'm not applying.
#10
When employees are leaving in droves, it's a strong signal that something's amiss. It could indicate poor management, a toxic work culture, or lack of growth opportunities.
#11
This might be a German thing: There are quite a few companies advertising a "fruit basket" (fresh fruits for employees) as a benefit in job ads. Many see that as a red flag because if a company is offering this little and even bragging about it then it's misleading. Offering fresh fruit is certainly not a bad thing per se but it can be a red flag if it's overemphasised.
#13
If you’ve seen the same job ad come up before, (in the last 12 months) it can indicate there is high turnover for the role and people aren’t hanging around. It must be a real s**t show. Speaking from my own personal mistake on that one!
Flaky motherhood statements are also a flag that they are more show than go.
Upstaged75 6 months ago
Yeah, I made that mistake too because I was unemployed and desperate. One of the worst decisions ever! If they are hiring an entire department you should probably ask why.
#14
On Glassdoor, every review must have a Pro and Con. If the Con is "if you can't thrive in a fast paced environment, this job isn't for you": that is a red flag that all positive reviews were written by leadership.
ColdSteelRonin 6 months ago
On Glassdoor the con for one of our reviews is: One of the owners, the sister is bat sh!t crazy. I don't disagree.
#15
They’re looking for a “rock star”.
Dreaming Spirit 6 months ago
The company I'm working for was looking for someone with "killer abilities" in their ad. I applied, got hired, but I keep wondering why they asked for them since I never got an assignment that needed them.
#16
My current job has issues where management tends to fire people once their three months probation period ends because that's when they are accepted into our union and then it's super difficult to fire someone. Every person we've hired over the past six months has been fire just before their three month.
Also my current job. The OGs of the workplace bully the s**t out of new hires. It's always the elderly women who have worked at the place for like 40 years too. They talk so much s**t. And they tend to influence management on their firing practices by sowing discontent about certain employees. I'm so glad that I work in a clean room by myself all day where I don't have to deal with them.
Bambi 6 months ago
My last job trained 4 days and put us on phones. I was called into meeting the second week and let go due to only taking 49 calls a day when it is 80. We were told they don't expect us to be experts right away. I was so relieved im starting new job 7/1 with actual training and reasonable metrics.
#17
A permanent "Now Hiring" sign or Job Listing.
Michael Largey 6 months ago (edited)
Some businesses should rename themselves "Now Hiring & Son".
#18
In France, there is a bunch of mandatory avantages like meal tickets, transportation card... If it's mentioned as a plus it's a big redflag.
#19
Passionate self-starter.
Means they want you to work extra hours without being told to with no direction.
Danish Susanne 6 months ago
I suppose that a Passionate self-starter would start his own business rather than work for yours.
#21
More than three interviews.
Tessana Nemenski 6 months ago
i cannot upvote this enough. As a recruiter I *cannot* stand the interviewing processes I have seen lately. 6+ interviews for an ENTRY LEVEL ROLE!?!? It is a waste of everyone's time. (*exception to this statement is that I can see 3+ interviews for a C-Level role and/or that involves high security clearances)
#22
I f*****g hate all the b******t fake questions and hoops you have to jump through when you're job searching and interviewing. BUT, if a company essentially does the bare minimum to vet you, the interview process is a breeze, and they hire you, they probably have a very high turnover, and it's because they f*****g suck.
#23
Their GlassDoor reviews.
#24
Unlimited PTO. Never held a job with that, but Ive heard from many people who have that its code for 'We will work you so much that you will never have time to take PTO"
I actively avoid all job postings that say Unlimited PTO unless the pay is ungodly.
Laurie Schmid 6 months ago
Unlimited means zero when you quit and they have to pay for unused PTO.
#26
Lists 35 different duties you will be responsible for, then finishes it off with "Other duties as assigned.".
#27
One time, I was leaving a company because they were a bunch of racist f***s. There was an expose written about how discriminatory they were a few months after I made my first complaint because it was baked into the company culture.
But the company was too dumb to understand that I hated the company and was just biding my time for the stock vest, so they made me conduct interviews.
I just told the candidate that this company was a toxic wasteland, to look up the article, that everything in the article is true, and good luck.
If an interviewer basically tells you all this during the "do you have any questions for me" phase, then it's probably best to not join that company.
#28
When you ask about the training period during the interview and they say "we're still figuring that out"
Been at my job for almost a year and I have access to 10% of the systems I was "trained" on. Three of us were hired for this position, mid level IT stuff. They have almost no documentation, and they keep having to pull people from other teams to handle the systems we don't have access to yet. We've asked over and over again about getting access and everyone seems to think someone else is handling it... sometimes they say "checking" and then don't respond for a week.
I currently have maybe an hour of work a day because of this, so I'm not complaining. Still getting paid for 8! Working from home, so I have too much free time. But if you want a fulfilling career, this is certainly not it.
Elvira394 6 months ago (edited)
I am probably one of the rare people in the United States at least they can say I love my employer. I do high stress work, but that's the nature of my profession it doesn't matter who you work for. Working in mental health is just stressful. But I have an employer that when their contract ended unexpectedly and they had no work for me... literally paid me my full-time salary for a month knowing I was not working until they got a new contract designed specifically for me to put me back to work. And the first three months was like an hour or two of work a day per 12 hour shift, also worked from home. They finally got things balanced and now I'm busy on my 80 hour weeks. but they balance that out by giving me a seven on seven off schedule so I get 23 weeks off a year without using PTO. I have PTO on top of that. Great employer.
#29
I interviewed to be a lecturer for a university. They sought me out and wined and dined me for a couple days and did a few presentations on the university. The presentations were on a TV hooked up to a VHS. This was in 2014.
#30
I agree with everybody saying that "We're a family" is a huge red flag for any company. Hell, sometimes when it's the literal truth it still sucks. My cousin used to work for my uncle's company back when he was in college and he'd always complain about never being off the clock because his dad would ask him about work stuff when they were at home and if he complained or refused he'd get offended.
yo mama's cookie 6 months ago (edited)
The last job I worked every family member was part of the company. The boss was the CEO, his wife the accountant and their three sons were there too. It was the most toxic enviroment I ever worked in. They fought, yelled and emotionally abused the s**t out of each other and of the coworkers too, when they were in the way. Sometimes I wonder how I survived that s**t.
#32
Literally everything in the restaurant industry.
Even when I worked fine dining, it was still a s**t show.
ConstantlyJon 6 months ago
The industry is a mess, but if you're good at it, you make a s**t ton of money in that s**t show.
#33
Boss fondles your breasts instead of a handshake.
Nano Iders 6 months ago
Oh, no. Not a red flag at all.. I think that may be, I don't know... a fücking crime!?
#34
Hiring you on the spot during first interview.
ColdSteelRonin 6 months ago
Was hired after the third. However, they all took place consecutively with the vice president, president and then the owner. Was on my way out the door when the president offered me the job. The titles were mostly a formality as the owner and president were brothers that owned the company, the "owner" just had more of a controlling interest and the VP was just the most senior project manager behind the president. Has worked out pretty well for the last 14 years
#35
They don't respond to resumes. After a month they get put in my "do not apply" list.
What do you think ?
Jack Burton 6 months ago
I had a "i'm not sure about your motivations". What motivation ? Dude seriously.
Papa 6 months ago
My motivations are to keep food on the table and a roof over my family's head.
Load More Replies...
Corinne Wheeler 6 months ago
The interview takes place in a coffee shop, but not to work there. So, the interviewee is forced to buy something to drink...
Jack Burton 6 months ago
I had a "i'm not sure about your motivations". What motivation ? Dude seriously.
Papa 6 months ago
My motivations are to keep food on the table and a roof over my family's head.
Load More Replies... Corinne Wheeler 6 months ago
The interview takes place in a coffee shop, but not to work there. So, the interviewee is forced to buy something to drink...
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