A record number of Americans quit their jobs in September — 4.4 million people. Experts are calling this time the "Great Resignation," and as workplace turnover continues, it can actually be a great time to be looking for a job.
If you're in the market for a new job, you've likely spent more than a few days looking at listings until your eyes glaze over. But it might not always be clear from the ad if a job sounds like a great opportunity or a totally toxic dead end.
To find out what red flags you can glean from a job posting, we asked members of the BuzzFeed Community and scoured this excellent Reddit thread for all the telltale signs that a job will probably suck. Here are some of the top responses:
1. "If you read the listing and realize that the job title is inflated to sound more impressive, run away screaming."
2. "'Looking for a rock star' = 'We should’ve hired two people but won’t.'"
3. "If I need to submit my résumé and then reenter the same information on some online application, it's a no for me, dog."
4. "'Clock watchers need not apply' — usually means they’ll frequently expect you to stay later than your contracted hours."
5. "'Work hard, play hard.' Another one I just encountered was, 'We run a lean organization.' You mean you’re cheap and overwork your staff."
6. "Job ads with 'creative startup atmosphere' = 'We are badly organized, expect you to do any random task, and pay a terrible salary.' Often paired with 'free coffee and fruit basket' or even 'free foosball table in the hall.'"
—kaa
7. "'Able to multitask and work in a fast-paced environment.' In other words, 'We are short staffed and want you to do the work of two to three people.'"
8. "Language like 'high energy' and 'highly motivated.' It should be a given that a potential candidate would be motivated to perform their duties well. If the employer feels the need to point this out, you can bet they have a history of high turnover with unhappy former employees."
"As for the 'energy' thing, when I see this, I can’t run away fast enough! It’s the biggest red flag I see. Someone’s personal energy levels have nothing to do with performance! We’re all different, and someone being 'on,' extroverted, and running around all the time does NOT make them a better performer than the quiet, low-key types. In fact, the opposite is far more often true."
9. "Not including the salary is a big red flag that they don't pay much. Not including a salary and using the phrase 'gain experience' is a red flag that they expect you to work for free."
10. "A local restaurant wrote in a public Facebook post, 'Don't apply if you're a sack of shit,' and I think there was some other stuff in all caps. I've worked food service and understand that people can be awful, but seriously? Nice to know you're looking down on your potential employees before they even walk in the door."
11. "'Able to work in a highly competitive environment.' Life is too short to spend your work life worried about being the best on your team. You’ll be burned out before the ink dries on your offer letter."
"Find a team that are genuinely supportive of one another and that build their members up. It really makes all the difference."
12. "When a job for a developer requires knowledge of programming languages, test automation, analysis, management systems, bug recording, and many more. That's not a developer, that's a whole IT department."
13. "If it's commission-based pay, do a nope dance right out of there. Commission pay is fine only if you're getting it on top of a good, stable salary."
14. "A job description that sounds more like a Tinder profile or emphasizes a cultural fit tells me they don't value diversity and have poor work-social boundaries."
15. "'A challenge-accepted attitude is a must.' WTF does this even mean? Who am I accepting the challenge from? Who is a worthy opponent to challenge? Because I own a lance and will meet any manager with my trusted steed at a moment's notice."
16. "The job title and requirements don't align, e.g., 'Looking for an entry-level admin with 10 years of experience and an MBA to file papers and get coffee.'"
17. "When a job says they offer flexible hours. They don’t mean flexible for you. They mean that they want you to have no life outside of work and they’re planning on absolutely wrecking your sleep schedule."
18. "An enormous list of desired skills across a range of areas, and topped off with a minimum-wage salary."
19. "'Competitive wages.' If they were competitive, you'd just say what they are."
20. "Any snark, like, 'Can you keep up?' The business is probably run by a narcissist who will expect you to prove yourself worthy enough to join their oh-so-awesome team. Expect condescension."
21. "'Schedule TBD.' Nope, nope, nope. If you’re considering me for a position, I’m considering you as a potential employer as well. We’re BOTH interviewing each other."
"Don’t let them have all of the power, guys! You have a right to know what the expectation of your hourly commitment will be, give or take a few mutually agreed-upon changes after the fact. Please, please, never accept a position with a 'TBD' on the end."
22. "'Urgently hiring' usually means they have a high turnover rate and can’t keep employees very long."
23. And finally, "'We’re not a company, we’re a family.' It’s almost guaranteed to be a toxic environment. Cliques, guilt trips, crossing professional boundaries, and favoritism."
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Is there anything we missed? Share your biggest job-posting pet peeves and red flags in the comments!
And for more stories about work and money, check out the rest of our personal finance posts.