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Someone Asked People To Share Red Flags From Employers That Potential Workers Might Not Immediately Spot, 30 Deliver
The Great Resignation is alive and well — nearly 4.3 million people quit their jobs in January trying to run away from toxic culture, entitled bosses, and burnout. Although it’s a difficult time for businesses, some workers also feel quite stressed while looking for better opportunities, fearing ending up in the "same company, different name" kind of situation.
Luckily, the internet is here to lend a helping hand. User taylortaylortaylorrr decided to ease the pressure for people on their job hunting journey. They asked members of Ask Reddit to share the signs from an employer that people might not immediately recognize as a red flag. Two months later, more than 18.4K people voiced their precious knowledge.
From asking "Do you plan to have children?" to saying "Nobody works here for the money", Bored Panda wrapped up some of the things people should be on the lookout for before signing on the dotted line. Scroll down to read these pieces of advice, upvote your favorites, and share your own experiences with us in the comments!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Interview question someone actually asked me: "What would you do if I told you at 3 PM on a Friday that I really needed something done by Monday morning that would take 36 hours of coding?"
I told him "I would tell you to find someone who works weekends and walk out the door."
RELATED:
#2
A couple old senior partners, lots of young employees and nothing in between.
That means there’s no opportunity to move up, they can’t get people to stay, and can’t get lateral transfers. They work young folks for as long as they can, and the young folks leave once they figure out the company sucks.
#3
The phrase “we all wear a lot of hats” it’s corporate speak for we are cheap bastards that make you do things outside your job description
#4
Is money the only reason you work??????
Yes. Yes it is.
Susan Green 2 years ago
No, most people don’t work for the money, they just work because it’s so much fun.
#5
Had an interview somewhere they offered 20-23 starting. Being new in this field, when they asked how much I was expecting to be paid I said "well you guys are offering 20-23 starting and being new in the field I think 20 would be good."
Their response was "oh....well that's kind of a red flag for us....usually when someone starts with us they'll say 'I'll take 17 dollars until I can prove to you that I'm worth the $20' so you'll see why we're hesitant."
My response "then why would you offer $20 at your low end?"
I didn't get a call back.
#6
"Competitive pay" but they wont tell you what the pay actually is in the posting or even the interview
Mary Rose Kent 2 years ago
It’s certainly not competitive if they’re unwilling to reveal it. Just a Big Red Flag!
#7
“The company doesn’t pay for coffee, employees chip in if they want it in the office”… yeah if you are too cheap to provide coffee, I will never get a raise.
#8
Anything that the manager says in the interview that doesn’t line up with the job description..
“yea we posted it’s a manager level position, but this is actually a coordinator role”.
“yea the description says travel is 25% but it might be closer to 50 it just depends”.
“We did post it as a remote job, but we prefer people to be in the office X days a week”
“Yea we phrase it that way in the job description because corporate says we have to”
All of those are red flags. ANYTHING a company is vague about should be a red flag.
Kate Jones 2 years ago
Amazon does this a lot. They always have positions open starting at 17 an hour but when you get there it's always 'that position has been filled but we still have starting positions open'...yet mysteriously the ad remains open for months. It's so misleading.
#9
Asking if you are somebody who's "willing to put in the time to make sure deadlines are met/work is done" or if you're "the type of person who leaves when the 'workday' is finished?".
This is generally corporate speak for "we will be forcing you to work unpaid overtime".
Mary Rose Kent 2 years ago
I would have told them I’d be willing to stay, but I would definitely be expecting 1-1/2 pay for my time after the legal eight hours.
#10
When you don’t get a review until you ask for a raise. Then, all of a sudden, you work is being questioned and you’re being berated.
#11
'Nobody works here for the money.'
Why should they work there, then?
#12
Whenever an ad says "Flexible schedule", it never ever means that you can work when you want. It always means that they can schedule you any time week to week without giving you any consistency.
#13
When they refuse to tell you what your starting salary would be or when they just avoid the question all together. Like I didn’t apply to the job to be apart of some “family” work culture, I came here to get a job and be paid.
Rosemary Probert 2 years ago
Say, "I need to know what you will be paying me to compare it my other job offers."
#14
"We're a family here"
No. We're co-workers. I don't love you. I wouldn't do anything for you. We have boundaries.
#15
Asking if I planned to have children in the interview (I was 19)
#16
Old Machinists: Why doesn't anyone want to work, we can never keep any of these lazy millennials!
Also old machinists: I'm not gonna teach you anything, you little s**t, you're just gonna leave in a month anyway
Young new hire: Wow, this is a terrible place to work, buhbye
#17
I always ask the question "why is this role open? Is it a new role, or am I replacing someone? Why did that person leave?" This really helps you seeing their reaction and if they look nervous it's because the person who left did it because they were not happy.
I also like asking how "senior" my team members are, if there's noone there more than 2 years I would also be concerned.
Final question, as I work in sales, I always ask "what's the KPIs and how many are actually hitting their quarterly and annual target?" This also reveals if they set their targets too high and you can expect to enter a grim working culture where you're never "good enough" and can always "do better".
Last one, I like asking about how they are working to establish a team culture as well, since this will tell you a lot if people at work are "friends" or just there to do their job
Devan LePage 2 years ago
I'm 16 and looking for a job. I was reading through this to help me find the "red flags" but I was just wondering what KPI's are
#18
Overall poor ratings from bad employee reviews on Glassdoor. Seriously - that site exists to give employees a place to review their employer anonymously. Use that info.
Mary Rose Kent 2 years ago
I worked at the same law firm twice…I told them when they hired me he first time that I would be moving abroad when I turned 50, so after 3-1/2 years I left, and then a year or so later I moved back to San Francisco and ended up working for them a second time. The corporate culture was good, and I liked nearly everything about my job. During this second stretch I came to realize that the company’s founder was an inveterate liar. She told both little and big lies, and I finally posted this anonymously on the firm’s Glassdoor page, but many, many months after my leaving there.
#19
"Sorry no money for your annual raise due to the pandemic"
It's a lie.
#20
There's a misery wall when walking into work. When you pass a certain point in the building the feeling changes significantly. If you know, you know.
Kathryn Baylis 2 years ago (edited)
I work for myself, from home, so have joyfully left this b******t behind. But I do remember that misery wall materializing the minute I walked out my own door, sometimes even before. I have worked places where I literally threw up from the stress of working in such a toxic work environment, while I was just getting ready to go into that same toxic work environment. Those were jobs I quit the millisecond I was offered another. I. Do. NOT. Miss. That.
#21
MULTIPLE MANAGERS TO REPORT TO*
If you’re being interviewed/hired and they tell you have/will have multiple managers to report to. Basically if there is not a clear chain of command. What’ll happen is eventually one manager’s directions, goals or instructions will conflict with the other’s, and you’ll get caught in the middle of it. And one or both will use it against you in performance reviews.
#22
The quality of the Toilet paper in the bathroom. There are minimal if any cost savings to 1 ply and it just shows they couldn't care about you at all.
No you can't have my name 2 years ago
Exception to this is in rural areas where plumbing and buildings can be 60+ years old and still working fine. Old pipes don't always handle the fancier TP. Also anything above 2ply is horrible for septic systems and the plumbing.
#23
I know people (rightfully) like to hate on HR, but if a company brags about "not having an HR department to deal with," expect them to be very disorganized at a minimum.
Phyzzi 2 years ago
That doesn't mean "no HR" is better. If someone wears a condom for their protection it doesn't mean it would be better if they didn't wear it.
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Powerful Katrinka 2 years ago
Not sure that I agree with this one. I worked for 2 different companies that were in the same business, has roughly the same number of employees, and the same number of clients. One had a big HR department, one didn't. The one with HR was horrific beyond belief. HR lied to the employees, lied to cover their own asses, interfered with our ability to take care of our clients by inserting themselves into EVERYTHING, and on and on. The other company was a little disorganized at times, but a real joy to work at (I only left to go to grad school.)
Earl Grosser 2 years ago
I worked at a company where HR called a woman in and told her that but she was wearing it was inappropriate for work. The HR lady look like she came from a club however she had a short skirt and a low shirt half her breasts were always hanging out. There is also a rumor going around that she was caught with the operations manager in the office once, doing....well you can imagine. Of course anytime we came to a problem between management and a worker, management always seem to win! That was a red flag for the company I was working at.
Trevor Nicholson 2 years ago
The HR lady at my old job was the only one in the management part of the company who I actually trusted. She was the only one I truly felt was sincere in listening to our concerns.
Leo Thomas 2 years ago
The company I work for goes through HR people like water. Seriously one lasted 11 months and we threw her a party... She quit 2 months later.
DennyS (denzoren) 2 years ago
I agree that HR is there to protect the company but it is also there to make sure policies and procedures are in place. If the HR person isn't doing that then they aren't doing it well.
Sherena Doxtator 2 years ago
HR came in to the new hire orientation to introduce himself and then he told us that if we didn't do everything exactly perfectly like the corporation asked and our employment came to an end in any way or any reason that he would make sure they never get unemployment. Then he told us that he never lost a case. After that HR disappeared and a little sign told us that they were not in the building and the company didn't know when they would be back. The company told us that they had a 73 billion dollar profit last year and has to continually hire to replace the people who are leaving.
Darcy Marie 2 years ago
I feel like there needs to be too departments. HR - handles all the legal stuff and helps with insurance coverage, sick days, corporate stuff. And then Employee Relations - which solely deals with making sure the employees are satisfied and okay. With resources to reach out when employees are over stressed and to just make sure the employees aren't going to snap or break down. Work on employee morale.
AngelWingsYT 2 years ago
Do NOT work in a place without HR. If you get hurt in a place without one youll most likely end up paying for the costs! I got hurt at a job without one. Got a hospital letter 1 year later staying they couldnt reach anyone at my (at that point) former job to pay for it and I had to get a hold of them or pay it myself. That job was 30-35 mins ONE way....on top of 30 mins standing there waiting for some sorta answer/result only to be told to "come back another day" that was a roughly 1-2 hr trip for nothing....that lasted 2-3 weeks. By week 4 of the hospital wanting results i told them i have been given the run around at the place and brushed away and was in the process of threatening my former job with a lawyer. That seemed to of got them to pay but it was weeks of stress/gas dealing with that. MAKE SURE THERE IS AN HR!!!
AngelWingsYT 2 years ago
There was no HR/corporate number to call and the store runner wouldn't "wasnt allowed to" give us the # for the owner or DM
Load More Replies...
RedOphelia 13 2 years ago
You don't want to work for that place unless you enjoy the idea of experiencing what 1800s slavery was like.
Rylan Birch 2 years ago
I worked for a company with no HR, and I can confirm that means nothing but bad things. To their credit (though I'm loathe to give them any credit whatsoever) they didn't brag about it, but neither did they look sheepish at all when I asked about it.
Stephanie Foldy 2 years ago
This is a huge red flag. Been there. Done that. Won't do it again. No HR department means management will have no boundaries, no consistencies, and favoritism runs rampant.
#24
If the job description has a nondescriptively massive salary range
($25,000-$100,000)
Rosemary Probert 2 years ago
"So, how many are working for $25,000 and how many for $100,000?"
#25
Listing something like "fast-paced environment" as a benefit
Rosemary Probert 2 years ago
Or to put it another way, you'll drop with exhaustion at the end of every shift.
#26
The job title says they’re looking to hire “rock stars.”
Magpie Magoo 2 years ago
Worst job I ever had had this in the description when we were hiring newbies. I cringed when I read it.
#27
Additional s***ty law firm red flags:
The firm gives you a free dinner from a nice restaurant if you have to stay after 7
gym in the office
free daycare services
You need to keep an extra suit in the office.
Free laundry service
unlimited time off
Translation: you will never leave the office.
#28
They claim that overtime isn't mandatory and workers stay longer by choice.
Mary Rose Kent 2 years ago
Once someone’s in the sixth grade, they’re going to see through that!
#29
Two or three really nice cars in the parking lot, and the rest are beaters.
#30
Everybody is very young in a very old company.
What do you think ?
Glirpy 2 years ago (edited)
I can give you some red flags before you even have an interview and save you some trouble: 1. The ad says, fast-paced environment. 2. The ad says, Looking for a self-starter with 2 years of experience that knows (follows with a list of 50 different software apps, programming languages, and skills that have nothing to do with the job). 3. The ad says, We work hard and play hard. Unless the ad is for a game development company, this is complete BS. They just work hard and way more hours a week than should be allowed. 4. The ad says, We are looking for someone who lives and breathes [insert skill here]. This means they expect you to be available even on weekends. 5. The ad says, You will wear a lot of hats in this company.
rn42 2 years ago
"We work hard and play hard" = you can expect 60+ hour weeks but there's beer and Xbox on Friday evenings.
Load More Replies...
Micah 2 years ago
Another red flag is when the title sounds more important than the job, and sounds like something beyond your experience. For instance, being hired for an "Account Executive" job when your only previous experience was in customer service. Then, it turns out to be a door-to-door sales job.
Sunny Day 2 years ago
I used too much "truth in advertising". I told candidates "you will be working in an office with several middle aged women who WILL ask you where your coat is, bring you chicken soup if you're sick, and ask what happened to that nice boy/girl you were dating. If you have an issue working with a bunch of Moms, think carefully before taking this job.". (Most recent hire has been here 6 years)
Darcy Marie 2 years ago
...where is this? Are you hiring? I'm interested.n
Load More Replies...
Michael Gilbert 2 years ago
Other red flags... NDAs, and rules against disclosing your salary to other employees...
Ry Guy 2 years ago (edited)
In the US there are old, old labor laws that make it illegal for companies to discourage conversations about compensation unless an NDA was signed. It's the most broken law in US history lol. Most people don't even know it exists.
Load More Replies...
Tom Hanlin 2 years ago
Welp, I worked for a company that used to make about all of the software for every point-of-sale terminal at every fast-food joint. They had me fill out a proficiency exam to make sure I knew what I was doing. The second side of the exam turned out to be black, and the interviewer just waved it off. But, they were offering a very good salary and said they needed me immediately, so I gave notice at my old job and started work. Tried to start work. They didn't have a computer available for me and didn't manage to dig one up until the next day, when they gave me a machine that was so old that it couldn't be connected to the network, and I had to beg coworkers to copy the files onto floppy disks. This was a problem, because no one could identify the files I needed. When they found them, I figured they screwed up, because the compiler put out pages of warning errors. The manager assured me that this was normal... it got worse...
Tom Hanlin 2 years ago
Anyway, I finally walked out when I'd gotten back from lunch (nice Mexican place, and I really needed that margarita) and the company turned out to be having another mandatory meeting to... keep up morale, of course. Never mind that we wanted to actually be working.
Load More Replies... Rosemary Probert 2 years ago
Can we ban posters like Daisey662? They are trying to con people. There seem to have been a lot of them lately. Maybe we could have a "report" button?
A Dasher Panda 2 years ago
If on mobile, slide the menu at the top all the way to the left until you see "More" with a down arrow. Scroll down that list to "Contact" near the bottom. There's a Report Post button there.
Load More Replies...
Ronnie Beaton 2 years ago
Another red flag for me is if a company is coy to the point of secrecy about where it's based.
HK Hoel 2 years ago
Have to reenter the job hunt because the job I applied to and got an offer at, they bungled my paperwork, then called me and got mad at ME for them not having it despite me doing everything on my end... I went in, redid the entire process, they bungled it AGAIN and then just never contacted me back. Absolutely ridiculous. I'm upset that I didn't get that job but also I wouldn't want to work somewhere with such a disorganized and awful hiring process, huge red flag for the job itself.
Eepe 2 years ago (edited)
I’m in search of a new job and at an interview recently with 5 people in an accounts receivable department -They were unable to tell me how much their average monthly receivables were. They also kept saying they were “locally owned” - which at one time they were. But the owner now lives in Washington state and they make items for Disney and several other high profile clients… while wanting to pay a CFO $45K/year. It was hard not to laugh and walk out.
Cami Brown 2 years ago (edited)
I was interviewed at a place that asked how I felt about overtime. I said I was open to it. I accepted a job and 3 days into it had someone ask if I was informed of the mandatory overtime. The schedule was officially 9-6 but unofficially you were required to come in 2-3 hours early most days and stay until ALL the work was done. So really some days it'd be 8-8. I quit after a week but they were used to that. As a brand new hire they didn't require me to do the overtime but I hated the job enough doing the regular schedule I knew I couldn't handle that much OT.
Glirpy 2 years ago (edited)
I can give you some red flags before you even have an interview and save you some trouble: 1. The ad says, fast-paced environment. 2. The ad says, Looking for a self-starter with 2 years of experience that knows (follows with a list of 50 different software apps, programming languages, and skills that have nothing to do with the job). 3. The ad says, We work hard and play hard. Unless the ad is for a game development company, this is complete BS. They just work hard and way more hours a week than should be allowed. 4. The ad says, We are looking for someone who lives and breathes [insert skill here]. This means they expect you to be available even on weekends. 5. The ad says, You will wear a lot of hats in this company.
rn42 2 years ago
"We work hard and play hard" = you can expect 60+ hour weeks but there's beer and Xbox on Friday evenings.
Load More Replies... Micah 2 years ago
Another red flag is when the title sounds more important than the job, and sounds like something beyond your experience. For instance, being hired for an "Account Executive" job when your only previous experience was in customer service. Then, it turns out to be a door-to-door sales job.
Sunny Day 2 years ago
I used too much "truth in advertising". I told candidates "you will be working in an office with several middle aged women who WILL ask you where your coat is, bring you chicken soup if you're sick, and ask what happened to that nice boy/girl you were dating. If you have an issue working with a bunch of Moms, think carefully before taking this job.". (Most recent hire has been here 6 years)
Darcy Marie 2 years ago
...where is this? Are you hiring? I'm interested.n
Load More Replies... Michael Gilbert 2 years ago
Other red flags... NDAs, and rules against disclosing your salary to other employees...
Ry Guy 2 years ago (edited)
In the US there are old, old labor laws that make it illegal for companies to discourage conversations about compensation unless an NDA was signed. It's the most broken law in US history lol. Most people don't even know it exists.
Load More Replies... Tom Hanlin 2 years ago
Welp, I worked for a company that used to make about all of the software for every point-of-sale terminal at every fast-food joint. They had me fill out a proficiency exam to make sure I knew what I was doing. The second side of the exam turned out to be black, and the interviewer just waved it off. But, they were offering a very good salary and said they needed me immediately, so I gave notice at my old job and started work. Tried to start work. They didn't have a computer available for me and didn't manage to dig one up until the next day, when they gave me a machine that was so old that it couldn't be connected to the network, and I had to beg coworkers to copy the files onto floppy disks. This was a problem, because no one could identify the files I needed. When they found them, I figured they screwed up, because the compiler put out pages of warning errors. The manager assured me that this was normal... it got worse...
Tom Hanlin 2 years ago
Anyway, I finally walked out when I'd gotten back from lunch (nice Mexican place, and I really needed that margarita) and the company turned out to be having another mandatory meeting to... keep up morale, of course. Never mind that we wanted to actually be working.
Load More Replies... Rosemary Probert 2 years ago
Can we ban posters like Daisey662? They are trying to con people. There seem to have been a lot of them lately. Maybe we could have a "report" button?
A Dasher Panda 2 years ago
If on mobile, slide the menu at the top all the way to the left until you see "More" with a down arrow. Scroll down that list to "Contact" near the bottom. There's a Report Post button there.
Load More Replies... Ronnie Beaton 2 years ago
Another red flag for me is if a company is coy to the point of secrecy about where it's based.
HK Hoel 2 years ago
Have to reenter the job hunt because the job I applied to and got an offer at, they bungled my paperwork, then called me and got mad at ME for them not having it despite me doing everything on my end... I went in, redid the entire process, they bungled it AGAIN and then just never contacted me back. Absolutely ridiculous. I'm upset that I didn't get that job but also I wouldn't want to work somewhere with such a disorganized and awful hiring process, huge red flag for the job itself.
Eepe 2 years ago (edited)
I’m in search of a new job and at an interview recently with 5 people in an accounts receivable department -They were unable to tell me how much their average monthly receivables were. They also kept saying they were “locally owned” - which at one time they were. But the owner now lives in Washington state and they make items for Disney and several other high profile clients… while wanting to pay a CFO $45K/year. It was hard not to laugh and walk out.
Cami Brown 2 years ago (edited)
I was interviewed at a place that asked how I felt about overtime. I said I was open to it. I accepted a job and 3 days into it had someone ask if I was informed of the mandatory overtime. The schedule was officially 9-6 but unofficially you were required to come in 2-3 hours early most days and stay until ALL the work was done. So really some days it'd be 8-8. I quit after a week but they were used to that. As a brand new hire they didn't require me to do the overtime but I hated the job enough doing the regular schedule I knew I couldn't handle that much OT.
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