You are about to graduate from college, and let’s face it, you are freaking out. Most of your friends already have jobs lined up, and you are STILL interviewing. It seems like you always make it to the top 5, but then something happens to boot you from the line-up. You’ve got great interview skills, and a great resume, and you are, to put it bluntly . . . desperate. At this point, you will take ANYTHING!
Well, hold on. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t accept a job offer just because it was made.
5. All Job Offers are not Created Equally
Do you think that employers don’t know how desperate recent college grads are? Trust me, they do. A recruiter’s job is to find the best talent available, at the lowest cost. What does that mean to you? It means they often “sell” a job to potential prospects. Do they outright lie? Occasionally, but more often, they simply share all the positive aspects of the position, without really highlighting the negative aspects. For example, they might really stress the fact that you will get 3 weeks paid vacation every year, but neglect to inform you that you will be working 80 hours a week just to keep up. Ask for a realistic job preview so that you can avoid this type of situation.
4. During the Interview, Some of the Questions Make you Uncomfortable
Perhaps the interviewer is touchy-feely. Maybe they asked you questions about your parents, or children, or spouse. What if they asked you if you have any physical defects? If you are asked questions that are illegal, this is not an organization you want to work for. If this kind of behavior is tolerated in an interview, imagine what it will be like as an employee! Don’t know what questions are legal or illegal? Check out my blog on the top 7 illegal questions to be aware of in an interview .
3. The Organization Has a Questionable History
There is only one way to determine if an organization is legitimate and has a good track record, and that is research. If you are not THOROUGHLY researching a company before you interview, you are wasting an opportunity to discover whether or not you are a good fit, as well as a way to find out what type of questions to ask during the interview. Is the company socially responsible? Do the values of the organization fit with your personal values? For example, if you feel it is very important to recycle, and this organization does not, would you be happy there? Or, what if you are vehemently opposed to abortion, and the organization funds pro-choice agendas? It takes a little time, but most organizations can be researched sufficiently so that you can determine if they are the right fit.
2. The Organization has NO Identifiable History
New start-ups happen, and we get that. However, most of the time, an organization has some sort of history that can be discovered with a little digging online. Are they registered with the Better Business Bureau? What about the State Comptroller? Do they pay their taxes? All this is a matter of public record, especially for publicly traded companies! Dig a little deeper. If you can’t find any type of records for an organization, tread carefully. They may be brand new, but if so, they should tell you that up front. If they tell you they’ve been around for 10 years, there is a record. Find it.
1. They Ask You to Pay for Something
Legitimate jobs don’t ask you to pay, they pay you. If you are asked to pay for training, sales kits, or anything else, RUN. Legitimate employers will never ask you to pay for training materials, sales lists, or anything else. You should be paid for training time, too. If any of these things are asked of you, walk away.
What do you think about this? What other warning signs do you look for during a job interview? Let us know in the comment section below.
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