red flags

Nearly four years ago, I went in for a job interview I was a little skeptical about. It seemed like a good job that would utilize the skills I learned in my previous position, but the pay was much lower than what I had been getting. Still, I went in, hoping the other benefits would outweigh the low salary.

The first thing my interviewer asked me was how much I was making at my previous job.

Be warned that employers are NOT allowed to ask this question. However, I did know that and answered.

The next five minutes consisted of my boss very convincingly and enthusiastically telling me that my previous salary was very high, especially considering what kind of job the previous position was and the fact that it was my first job right out of school.

I took the job and worked at the company for two hateful years. By the time I left and started a different position, I realized something I wish I had known during my interview: my boss's little speech about my high salary was her way of getting me to settle for the low salary her company was offering, instead of negotiating for a better one.

Unfortunately, between some employers being really good at talking their "perks" up and potential employees being new to the workforce, a lot of things that are red flags don't register as red flags at the time.

That can lead to hated jobs with no benefits and little to no new skills learned.

Redditors know this all too well and are eager to share what should be taken as red flags to save the rest of us from this fate.

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Man rolling his eyes
Dorrell Tibbs on Unsplash

When conversing, it's generally a good idea to make sure both you and the person you're speaking to get equal time.

So, if the focus has been on you for a fair amount of time, it's perhaps wise to ask your conversation partner a question and pivot the subject to them.

Unfortunately, some people have trouble talking about anything other than themselves and take every opportunity to pivot the conversation back to them if they sense it veering away.

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restaurant
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

There is no feeling more frustrating than saving up for a fancy, expensive dinner at a restaurant everyone's been talking about, which you had to book months in advance, only to sit down to a very underwhelming meal.

What makes this all the more infuriating, is that there was absolutely nothing to suggest that this might happen, as the five star yelp reviews and sky-high prices suggested you were in for a treat.

Thankfully, there can be signs that certain restaurants aren't worth spending your money at.

Be it a grungy facade, a menu that seems a little too eclectic, or a less than welcoming greeting from a host, sometimes it's clear that you're bound to have a much better meal at your local greasy spoon than you are at certain restaurants.

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Four men in a boardroom read over a document
Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash

Everyone needs a job and hopefully a career down the line, but we shouldn't have to achieve these life requirements through desperation.

Too many places of employment are riddled with secrets.

There are reasons places are constantly in need of staff.

THEY CAN'T KEEP ANY!!

When we're interviewing, we have to read between the lines and do company research.

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Two men at computers taking notes
Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash

A resume is so much more than just a simple list of your work experience.

Indeed, your resume is the first step in getting your foot in the door to your dream job, highlighting not only your past experience but your skill set, as well as things about you that will make recruiters want to get to know you more.

On the flip side, sometimes there are things on your resume that will automatically send you to the reject pile.

Of course, this is bound to include common, careless mistakes such as spelling and grammar errors or missing vital information, such as a phone number or email.

However, no two hiring managers will have the same set of red flags they look for on a resume. This can make finding a format that will please everyone something of a fool's errand.

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