5 Warning Signs That Show You
Shouldn’t Take The Job
As common as choosing the wrong job may be, it’s also
something that can be prevented. If you’re thinking about accepting an offer,
and you’ve noticed any of the warning signs below, then the job you’re so eager
to take is not all it’s cut out to be.
That is a question no employee wants to ask himself two or three months into
a new role. Unfortunately, choosing the wrong job is a common mistake that
young job seekers make when they focus more on getting a job offer than on
finding a good fit.
1. Lack Of Learning Opportunities
If you find that there are no learning opportunities in place, and you’re
just expected to sink or swim, consider if you’re prepared to fight through
your new role alone.
As valuable as it is to discover your career survival skills after being
thrown into the deep end, your manager and the company should be setting you up
for success through learning and development opportunities–especially if you’re
a young employee. Whether it’s bringing in influential professionals to speak
to team members or setting aside a budget for employees to take courses outside
of work, you should feel like your new company is investing in your development.
2. Taking The Position Is A
Step In The Wrong Direction
Even if you have a nebulous view of your career path, there are clear signs
that a role might be a step backwards instead of forwards. For example, if you
want to hone in on your problem-solving skills, and you’re taking on a role
that only requires you to go through the motions, that job isn’t aligning with
your career goals.
Some employers will even hint
that the job might not be what you’re looking for, saying, “I just want to
be transparent with you since other candidates have been disappointed in the
past” and even, “This role might be a step down for you.” If your interviewer
is telling you to think twice about taking the job, it’s a definite red flag:
He or she already knows you won’t be satisfied in the role
.
3. High Turnover Rate
Once you receive a job offer, ask the employer direct questions like,
“What’s something employees wish they could improve about this company?” or
“Has the business experienced any recent growing pains, and if so, how was that
handled?” If you don’t receive an adequate response to your questions–as in,
the employer makes excuses or begins to bad mouth former employees–start
looking for a new job elsewhere.
High turnover is a troubling sign, especially if the business isn’t a young
one. It could be indicative of poor management or a toxic culture.
4. The List Of Responsibilities
Is Increasing (But The Pay Isn’t)
You’ve read the job listing a couple of times, and you’re prepared to
explain how your qualifications–strong communicator who can make extremely
complex concepts simple–match those in the job description. But as you listen
to your interviewer talk about the role, the list of responsibilities is
getting longer: Some of the additional tasks seem to have nothing to do with
the core job itself. The expected salary, unlike the responsibilities, hasn’t
increased at all.
Though most job descriptions will indicate that hires are expected to perform
“other duties as required,” you always want to know what you’re signing up for
before you accept an offer. Are the new responsibilities simply a chance for
you to gain new skills? Or is the growing list indicative of the fact that your
role may become a dumping ground for “other duties as required”? You also
have to ask yourself if the additional tasks seem better suited for a
completely different position at the company, and if so, why hasn’t that
position been created to fill the need?
Ask the employer more questions about how he or she views this role, how
some of the extra responsibilities fit into the bigger picture, and how you’re
expected to divide your time amongst the tasks. If you feel that the role you
are applying for has gotten lost in the other responsibilities–or that you
aren’t being fairly compensated for taking on several roles at once–this may
not be the job for you.
5. No One Asks About Your
Long-Term Career Goals
For young job seekers who want
to rise quickly through the ranks, it’s important to know that there is a
long-term plan in place for your role. If your interviewer isn’t asking
questions like, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” or “What are your long-term
career goals?” take control. Ask questions like, “How do you see this role
evolving six months or a year down the line?” or “What do you think success
will look like in this role a year from now?” If your interviewer can’t give
you an answer different from what the role is today, you could be signing
yourself up for a dead-end job.
While it’s important for young job seekers to make an
educated decision about a new role, choosing the wrong job can also help
you to better understand what to look out for in the future. Reflect on the
signs you missed and use your hindsight to position yourself for a far better
offer next time around.
