People Share 30 Professions That Are Red Flags

Bored Panda got in touch with career coach and hiring specialists Divya Kataria to learn a bit more about not getting into a job that you will end up hating. We also asked Rosie, from Badasscareers.com to learn more. First and foremost, we wanted to know what red flags people should look out for when applying in the first place. 

“When I see words such as detail-oriented, family-like culture, bonuses are great culture, weekly barbeques, etc. These terms in the job description depict toxic work culture and show that companies don't give monetary or KPI-oriented bonuses but prefer to have pizza Fridays. Or when they mention they are looking for someone who is committed, punctual, organized, go-getter, and personable. These terms are generic, overly used, and old school and mention nothing specific about what the requirements are from a potential candidate,” Divya shared with us. 

Rosie, from Badass Careers also suggested to look out for a few things. “The job description is extremely vague, indicating that not even they know what the person will be doing. The job description sounds like a 3-person role in 1, for example expecting you to be the Marketing Manager, Head of Communications, PR specialist and why not chuck a bit of Human Resources in there while we're at it?”

“They're looking for a "high energy self-starter" to work in their "fast-paced environment" aka they'll have you running towards burnout in no time with a lack of support anchored in a hustle culture. Too focused on what they need / what you can do for them vs. how it feels to work there "We're like a family" - no one wants the in-built expectations of loyalty and unprofessional levels of commitment and emotional involvement required by actual family members.”

We also wanted to hear what they thought were good questions to ask while interviewing. Divya shared some examples she thought would be useful. “How would you describe the company culture? What will be my first 30,60 and 90 days' goals? How do you measure performance in this role? What does a typical day look like in this role? What is the biggest challenge you are facing in your business?”

Similarly, Rosie suggested “What are some of the things you have put in place to empower your team recently? When was the last time you made a change based on feedback from a direct report, and what was the impact it had? How do you help your team to grow professionally? How are you developing yourself right now?”

Divya left us with some parting thoughts. “One thing I would add would be that if the job description is detailed and showcase what exactly are the requirements for this role clearly demonstrates that they know what they want from you and they have spent considerable time drafting the job description. Another bonus is if they are clear on the salary range and can justify during the interview how will they assess your expected salary based on your experience level. Communication is the key.” You can find her Instagram here to learn more. 

Rosie also shared some personal experiences with difficult job conditions. “I personally left a job after just a few months because the role they sold me wasn't at all the day-to-day job I was doing. I thought I was going to be a Leadership Consultant and they had me translating slide decks from French to English as it was a slow period. I quit while I was still on my trial period and explained that the role they sold wasn't the day-to-day reality and I needed my challenge and stretch to feel like I was achieving my career potential.” You can find her Instagram here, Youtube here, and website here.