Last two years have been quite hectic as switching jobs was pretty common. 53 % of Americans have gone through some kind of career change in 2021 and the numbers are expected to remain in 2023 as well.
Whether you’re applying for a new job opportunity or it’s going to be your very first one, you are very well aware that you will be going through an interview process. But have you ever found yourself in a position where something feels wrong about the way the interview process is going; yet you can’t put your fingers on exactly why?
Here in this article, we are going to go through 6 signs that your next job might be the wrong one.
1. Long Interview Process in Career Life
It’s pretty much given that there are going to be at least two stages of your interview process and that much is easily understandable. But you might find yourself going through six or seven stages that take weeks for you to finally take the position. This is a huge red flag.
A very long interview process indicates that your position is not an urgent one, and probably you will not be prioritized when providing feedback or support. It can also indicate that the company is on the search for other candidates and they are waiting for other applications by prolonging the process. Why should you wait for weeks for a position that you’re not considered to be a matching candidate?
2. Unclear Job Definition
None of the jobs today have a single duty and there are usually additional responsibilities that come with your position. The alarms start ringing beyond this point.
Unclear job definitions can come in two ways. First, you might find yourself asked to handle a little bit of everything when you only applied for a specific position.
For example, let’s assume that you applied for a marketing position. But in the interview, they tell you that you will be doing a little bit of HR, a little bit of sales, a smidgeon of finance and it wouldn’t kill if you’d also deal with some operational issues as well. This is a definite red flag and you should quit the process as soon as possible.
The second version is the abundance of qualities that the company is looking for. For a junior consulting position, they might ask you to have excellence in problem-solving, being a team player, communication skills, work ethic, productivity, creativity and the list goes on. This is your sign to skip to the next available job opening.
At the end of the day, as much as being talented and resourceful is important, you’ll be building most of your skills on the way of your career. So, you should stay away from jobs that’s all demanding.
3. Lots of Tests for Your Career
You’re applying for a job but you find yourself going through tests over and over again. First you’re asked to take a general proficiency test, and then you’re asked to complete two more and when you think that it’s all over, another task pops up to measure your “skills” for the position. This is a no go.
After all, you’re not getting ready for the Olympics and one or two tests should be enough to make an assessment about a job candidate. Companies that go beyond this number and ask you to do some “sample” work for them, they might be chasing some free workforce covering it up as a test. Be aware of these kinds of companies.
4. Uncomfortable Interview
A job interview is setting an environment where both parties make an effort to get to know each other. It’s the epitome of an opportunity to learn about your potential employee, but sometimes interviewers can see themselves as a jury.
When in an interview, if you feel like you’re expected to prove your worth or you’re getting asked personal questions that have nothing to do with the position you applied for; you should think again about moving forward with this company. Because the odds are that you’ll not be happy working with them.
5. High Turnover in Career
Sometimes actions speak louder than the words and that’s the case for companies with high turnover rates.
In the interview you can be told they’re accepting and accommodating towards their employees. But a high turnover rate means that there are things that push people to quit their position and look for a new job. Whatever the reason might be, a high turnover rate usually raises a huge red flag.
To learn about the turnover rate in the company, look up for people who worked there and how long they stayed, especially in the position you’re applying for. Because interviewers tend to conceal this information.
6.So Much Flexibility
Flexibility is the new keyword in the remote work era, but there are two ways flexibility can go and one is highly dangerous.
You might encounter job postings that emphasize flexibility over and over again. This usually amounts to the flexibility they demand rather than they provide. In a minor key, by emphasizing on flexibility too much, they tell you that you’ll be doing overtime more often than not and your weekends can be occupied as well.
In conclusion, there is not an exact guidebook for your job seeking process but by paying attention to these six points, you can filter some job positions that can take more than it gives.
