"How to Spot a Bad Employer Before You Accept"

Spotting a bad employer before you start is better than discovering it after you’ve resigned from your current job.

Here are the warning signs to watch for.

During the Process

Disorganised recruitment:
Missed calls, confused interviewers, changing job descriptions, weeks of silence. If they can’t run a hiring process, imagine working there.

Too fast:
Offering the job in the first interview without proper assessment isn’t flattering – it’s a red flag. Good companies are thorough.

Too slow:
Months of delays, endless interviews, cancelled meetings. Shows poor decision-making or internal problems.

Pressure to accept immediately:
“We need your answer today” without good reason suggests desperation or manipulation.

During Interviews

Badmouthing the previous person:
“The person before you was terrible.” What will they say about you?

Can’t explain the role clearly:
If the interviewers don’t know what you’ll actually do, the job probably isn’t well defined.

No questions about you:
If they’re not curious about your skills and fit, they might not care who fills the seat.

Warning you about the culture:
“It’s intense” or “not for everyone” or “we work hard, play hard” – these are often coded warnings.

Research Red Flags

High turnover:
Check LinkedIn for how long people stay. If everyone leaves within a year, why?

Bad reviews:
Glassdoor and Seek reviews aren’t perfect, but patterns are meaningful. One bad review is noise. Fifty similar complaints are a signal.

News and PR:
Is the company in the news for bad reasons? Legal issues, layoffs, scandals?

No online presence:
If you can’t find much about the company, that’s odd. Good companies build reputation.

Practical Red Flags

Unclear salary:
“Competitive” with no numbers even late in the process. Probably not competitive.

Benefits that seem too good:
“Unlimited leave” often means no leave. Check how it works in practice.

Everyone is “like family”:
This often means poor boundaries and expectations of overwork.

Urgent start date:
Why can’t they wait for your notice period? Are they desperate?

Trust Your Gut

If something feels wrong during the process, pay attention.

You’re seeing them on their best behaviour. If it’s already uncomfortable, imagine how it’ll be once you’re locked in.

Ask the Hard Questions

Before accepting:

• Why is this role open?
• What happened to the previous person?
• What does success look like in 6 months?
• Can I speak to someone on the team?

Their answers – or reluctance to answer – tell you a lot.