5 potential red flags in a job posting to watch out for

When you’re desperately looking for a new job, it’s tempting to respond to everything lost and stuck. But be careful not to end up in a job that makes you unhappy. These potential red flags in a job posting can indicate that.

The last thing you want is to waste your own time because you haven’t studied the job posting enough.

Red flags in job posting

Do you spot any of these potential red flags? Then think a second time about the job.

Vague job descriptions

The vaguer the job description, the louder your warning bells have to go off. So after reading a job posting, ask yourself if you have an idea of what your day-to-day work at the job will be.

Is the job description very vague and very broad? Then the company itself does not know exactly who they are looking for (in other words: chaos in the company), or they are looking for someone willing to take on a whole shitload of responsibilities.
Too many requirements

Of course, the other way around is also possible: that the vacancy lists a whole book of requirements. Expectations from this company are likely to be sky-high, even once you start on the job.

What’s in it for you?

There should be a laundry list in which the company describes what they need and information about what they can offer you. If not, that’s a clear red flag in a job posting: the company probably has a bad culture and isn’t willing to invest in your development.

Lack of work-life balance

When the vacancy suffices with terms such as ‘flexible,’ ‘no 9 to 5 mentality, ‘stress resistant’ and ‘fast-changing environment,’ that is certainly a red flag; of course, companies are not looking for someone who eagerly awaits until the clock strikes five o’clock and a long day is sometimes part of it. But this should be the exception and not the rule.

Too good to be true

The above red flags are potential red flags because sometimes vacancies are written by people who are not very good at them. If the company really appeals to you, then it is your job to determine whether or not it is a red flag during the interview.

But the other way around is, of course, also possible: that someone can sell a position in a vacancy very nicely. So always use common sense when they promise you the whole world. Is this a case too good to be true?

Before responding to a vacancy – whether you’ve spotted any of these red flags or not – it’s always good to do your research. For example, search LinkedIn for (former) employees. For example, how long have they worked with the company? What kind of news items can you find? Finally, you can also find reviews of former employees of larger companies on the internet.