5 Green Flags to Look for When Applying for a New Job
What are the positive signs that indicate a prospective employer or a new job is genuine and reliable? We’re so used to looking out for red flags and things to avoid when applying for a new job that we tend to forget to look for the good โ green flags. So, what are these green flags to look for when applying for a new job?
๐ญ. ๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ, ๐ท๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ผ๐ป-๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ท๐ผ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
If you’re an applicant, a job description is a window into what the next chapter of your life will look like. You want to be able to look through this window and tell what you’ve signed yourself up for.
A study done in 2021 found that 38% (out of millions) of job listings across multiple industries contain empty and confusing words such as “team player”, “dynamic”, and “proactive”. But what exactly do these words mean? You want to read the job description and be able to understand immediately what the company stands for and what your job is going to entail. Look out for a summary of the company that’s brief but clearly states the company’s values and employee benefits. The list of job requirements provided should be concise, containing only the qualifications that are necessary for the job and identifiable during the hiring process.
๐ฎ. ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Look for jobs that indicate a salary range in their job descriptions. Being upfront about how much they’re willing to offer will allow you to determine how much they value the credentials and qualifications specified in the job requirements. Publicising their salary range also shows that the company is committed to pay equity, and they’re not just seeking to pay only as much as they need to for the hire. It’s even better if the job description details employee benefits that are “not” included. This shows the company’s sincerity in not making false promises about the compensation you might receive. Be wary of enticing employee benefits that are both vague and non-specific.
๐ฏ. ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐-๐๐ฝ๐
After you’ve submitted your job application, It’s a matter of waiting to hear back from your prospective employer. At this point, it’s a good sign if you receive an email from the company that doesn’t just acknowledge the receipt of your application and informs you when to expect a response from them. Large corporations tend to include a disclaimer stating that only shortlisted applicants would be contacted. While this isn’t exactly a red flag, the lack of personable follow-ups indicates that you could be expecting a fairly hierarchical and rigid company culture.
๐ฐ. ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐
The type of working environment you can expect from a prospective company is often reflected in the tone of communication with employees and prospective employees. If the follow-up interview feels like a fluid conversation instead of an interrogation through a checklist of prepared questions, that’s a green flag right there! Interviewers who willingly spend time on small talk and asking โnon-essentialโ questions are showing an interest in you as a person rather than just urgently trying to fill a role. Bonus points if there are people you’ll most likely be working with among the interviewers speaking to youโthis shows that the company values compatibility and communication between team members and staff.
๐ฑ. ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐ผ๐๐๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐
Too many job ads make empty promises that prospective employees will be rewarded with promotions, pay increments and development opportunities when, in reality, they are far between.
Thus, it’s a green flag if these career development opportunities are elaborated on and clearly outlined during your job interview. Ask about up-skilling and development opportunities if the interviewer does not bring it up voluntarily, and double-check the details that need to be clarified.
If you leave the interview with a clear vision of your career development path and the skills you’ll need to work on after getting hired, that means you’ve found a company dedicated to the growth of its employees.
If youโre still unsure of what job suits you best, simply submit your resume to us, and People Profilers will connect you with reliable and humane companies that will treasure your skills and qualifications!