19 Signs That Job Is Going To Ruin Your Life

In today’s world it’s exciting to get an email or phone call from a potential employer, let alone an actual interview. In a world full of rejection it’s no wonder so many of us feel like we’re almost whoring ourselves out to potential employers. It’s way too easy to have our rose colored glasses on and think that that job , the job is the end all be all. The dream. It’s just what you wanted. It’s what you’ve been working for. It’s the job.

Just hold on there, kiddo. Not so fast. Many of our “dream jobs” are actually situations that are not what we think, and I don’t mean that in a good way. There are signs to pay attention to behind those rose colored glasses when going through the “dating” phase of interviewing. Here’s 19 signs that job is going to ruin your life. #fail

19 Signs That Job Is Going To Ruin Your Life

1. Oh hey, you’re new too!!? Pay attention to the turnover in a company. If it’s not a start-up, yet everyone is new… run.
2. Drama Queen… If the management is dramatic then you can bet their organization is. Pay attention to the drama level of who you’re meeting with. If he/she is already telling you about how long their days are, their car broke down on the way to work, and the coffee shop was  out of Espresso so they’re ready to kill… run.
3. What a Mess! If the office is messy, that’s a bad sign. External clutter is a sign of internal chaos. No, it doesn’t have to be nice and neat like a museum (unless, of course, it is a museum), but the surroundings should be clean and fairly neat.
4. Someone read their thesaurus… Be aware of buzzwords and sales phrases. If someone is telling you about what a unique opportunity to live the life you imagined or some string of phrases that’s a bad sign.
5. Trainee or Intern? If either of these are used in the description, run. It’s just code for work your ass off for free for zero benefits of anything.
6. Own your own business now!!! Anything that’s a pyramid scheme… run. Sorry, pyramid fans. Denial is not a river in Egypt. Get it? J
7. I just LOVE it here! If the hiring manager or someone you interview with is trying to sell you the company, walk away. If everything is just sooooooooooooooo wonderful, that’s a bad sign.
8. We wear lots of hats! Yes, it can be appealing to work for a “start-up” but be wary of this phrase. It just means there’s zero organization or direction so you’ll probably be flailing your arms all over the place doing everything from buying coffee for the boss to scrubbing the toilet to fixing the Wifi. #BeenThere
9. Can you start…umm, now? If someone hires you on the spot or same day, watch out. It’s not only totally disorganized it’s also creepy. Get ready to be living on a shotgun schedule if that’s how you’re hired.
10. Come visit! If you’re applying for a job in a location that requires you to travel there for an interview, watch out for how they handle the trip. If they book you on a Greyhound bus leaving at 3 am with 12 stops until you arrive at the glorious Motel 6, watch out. If they don’t care enough to give you a nice trip out (or at least one that’s not total hell) then they sure won’t care about your life as their employee.
11. You’ll spend today with Jenny, Bobby and Sue… If you never see your new manager and they dump you on everyone else to train you… watch out.
12. You’re not too sensitive, are you? If the hiring team wants to make sure you are tough and have a thick skin, watch out. That just means they’re going to cuss you out and yell at you on a regular basis.
13. Goodmorning to you! Take a look around at the people there. Are they energized? Are they smiling? If the people in the organization look like they’re ready to fall asleep or jump out the window… run.
14. Ask… Take time to ask people in the organization about why they like working there. Ask them the best and worst parts. You can tell if they’re being genuine. And, if they tell you the management is the best and there’s nothing in the worst category (as they bite their nails while warding off a vicious eye twitch), the run.
15. You’ll just need to buy this first… If you have to spend your own money on stuff to even start the job (clothes, equipment, etc), then run.
16. We’re so amazing you’d be lucky to work here… If the organization is so focused on them that they hardly even ask about you. If they make it seem like you should thank your lucky stars to be part of their organization… run.
17. Dumb rules… Pay attention to rules that are stupid or weird. Some organizations will even post “rules” in employee areas.  Read them. Ask around. If a place has a rule that  your heel height has to be 2.75 inches or lower… run. Unless, of course, you want to be written up for wearing Louboutins.
18. Written notes… On the subject of rules, pay attention to notes that are written or typed and where they are placed. This  is passive aggressiveness 101. If you see something like “Please take your food out of the refrigerator on Friday or we THROW IT OUT :-)” … run.
19. Is your boss a dick?  You should be able to tell this one pretty easily. If not, ask around. If you ask employees if their boss is a dick, believe me, their expression will tell you all you need to know.