Empty promises: Be on the lookout for warning signs of bad jobs

Does the job listing seem too good to be true? Does the recruiter make your next potential assignment sound like the gig of a lifetime? Do the LinkedIn comments promise the best company ever?

You know the answers to those questions, for the most part. The job might be great but it’s probably just OK, another stop on your career path that hopefully ends in the opportunity you’ve been working toward your entire life.

But what if the potential job isn’t good or OK? In fact, what if it’s just bad?

When you hear about an unbelievable opportunity, be sure to look for red flags. And then trust your instincts. Most times, they’ll tell you that these jobs should be avoided at all costs.

In addition to misleading listings, warning signs can pop up in ads that are in danger of being offshored, farmed out to countries other than the United States with a plentiful supply of workers who will work for much lower wages.

“Today’s worker needs to stay abreast of the off-shoring trend and develop marketable skills that can’t easily be off-shored, such as team management and leadership skills,” says San Francisco-based career expert Christine Tanner. “And when you add AI to the equation, there may be jobs that will be transformed in months, if not weeks.” Bad boss

Tanner also says to try to avoid any job that comes with a difficult manager. Job seekers should look beyond the compensation package when looking at a job opportunity.

“It is said that people often take a job for the salary but leave because of problems with a boss,” says Tanner. “What is the boss’s management style?

Is it compatible with your own work style? Failure to perform due diligence ahead of accepting an offer can mean that you are back in the job search market sooner than expected.”

Tanner also says it’s important to make sure there are clear guidelines of the employer’s work-fromhome policies. “If you accept a job that allows you to work from home three days a week, check with current employees. If they’re required to be in the office full time, there’s a good chance you’ll be asked to do the same.

Beyond boring

Be sure to avoid any job that you feel won’t offer you a significant challenge or opportunities for growth. Tanner says one way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to highlight the skills you want to emphasize in your next job on your resume, not just the ones you’ve been using.

“You may be the perfect candidate for a job because your previous job was nearly identical to it, but you will be bored in three months because you’re not being challenged,” says Tanner. “Also, look for an employer that invests in its employees by providing access to training and continuing education.”