- A job posting is often one of the first things you come across when looking for a new position.
- But some come with red flags – if you know how to spot them.
- Experts told Insider what they look for in job postings that may signal problems with the company or position.
Job postings can tell you a lot about what to expect, whether good or bad.
If you know what red flags to look for in a job posting, you may be able to save yourself the pain of dealing with a bad job or employer.
Here are the red flags you should look for in job postings, according to experts, and what they can signal about a potential employer or position.
Is the job offer really real?
Before you even determine if the company or position is right for you, you first need to make sure the job exists. Of course, it’s easier said than done, but there are signs that you may be looking at a fake job posting written by a scammer.
If the contact details don’t match those of the advertised employer, or if there is vague, inaccurate or downright missing information about the company in the job advert, that should raise suspicion, said Keirsten Greggs , talent acquisition consultant, career coach and founder of TRAP Recruiter. Also be on the lookout for glaring spelling or grammatical errors and remember that no one should ever ask you for personal information like a Social Security number or banking information in order to be considered for the position.
Along the same lines, you should also be wary of what Katrina Kibben, job consultant and founder of Three Ears Media, calls “the sea of sameness.”
“You know that feeling when you start reading the exact same wording on a job title at three or more companies? That’s what happens when people use ChatGPT to write a job posting instead of tailoring it to what they’re actually looking for,” Kibben said. In these cases, the job offer and position may still be real, but be careful, “employment may not reflect what is advertised in these scenarios.”
Missing payroll information
One of the most important aspects when considering a job is compensation.
“When people ask me if they should include salary in a job offer, I ask them, ‘Have you ever accepted a job without knowing how much money you would make first?'” Kibben said. “It’s simply a basic human choice. We would never take a job without knowing how much money we would make. We cannot make a decision without this essential information.”
So when a company skirts around the subject or makes no mention of it, it’s worth noting.
“Look for vague terms when it comes to compensation,” Greggs said. “They should be able to give you a fork.”
In practice, this means monitoring phrases like “competitive salary” and “based on experience,” but also pay ranges that are too broad.
Going too far with the must-haves
Meanwhile, listing too many can be a problem in other areas, especially in the requirements and qualifications section of a job posting.
“Laundry lists are a huge red flag,” Greggs said. “This indicates that they don’t really know what they are looking for. When the lists are very long, it means that they have thrown everything out to see what they can get out and it is possible that the position will not be not noted correctly.”
It can also take the form of “inflexible tests, projects, and work requirements that turn into unpaid work for the candidate” or “strict, harsh, or aggressive language” that discourages potential candidates from applying if they do not meet meets all requirements. qualifications listed, Greggs said.
Possible signs of a burnout culture or lack of support
Certain particular phrases in job descriptions may also suggest that there might be headaches later with the employer or role.
Saying your company has a “work hard, play hard” attitude, for example, can often be “an indication of a burnout culture,” Greggs said.
Highlighting a “fast-paced environment” can also signal burnout or that the employer is “going to put too much on your plate,” Kibben said. “It’s usually also a clue that someone else couldn’t keep up and, rather than adjusting the workload, blamed the person,” they added.
By saying the company wants a “self-directed” business, an employer may unintentionally convey to candidates that it might be too careless, Greggs said. “This could mean there is no training and development available,” she said. “It could be an indication that the group doesn’t support you, and it could be an indication that they don’t know what your job is.”
Go beyond the position
Of course, these elements are not always indicative of problems. In many cases, “the job descriptions are just not well written,” Greggs said.
“Be alert for red flags, but don’t necessarily exclude yourself or the employer based on one thing,” she added. “People should seek authenticity and look beyond the job description, the same way I encourage employers and other recruiters to look beyond the resume.”
Besides the job posting, do your research about the company and the role elsewhere to make a more informed decision on how to proceed.
“It’s not necessarily that people are insincere or trying to deceive you in any way,” Greggs said. “It’s about asking yourself: ‘Why am I attracted to this work?’ If you come across a job description where you say, ‘Yes, I feel like I could work there,’ then those are the jobs you should pursue.”
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