5 signs that you're interviewing for a bad job

All of us, at one point in our life, have interviewed for a bad job. You know that gut-sinking feeling you get when you realize 10 seconds into the interview that this job definitely isn't a good fit for you. You ultimately leave with nothing but wasted time and a bad taste in your mouth. To avoid taking a job you'll regret, and to save yourself some time, take note of these dead giveaways that the gig you're interviewing for might be a bad job.

(Photo Credit: David Blackwell/Flickr)

When the Job Advertises What You Could Earn Instead of What You Will Earn

If the job you're interviewing for was advertising pay like this, save yourself some time and move on to the next. If the selling point of a job is what you might earn, it's generally a red flag that you don't want to work there. The exception to this would be sales jobs that are commission-based but also provide a base salary or hourly wage. The entire point of getting a job is to have income you can count on, so why bother with "maybes"?

When You See Employees Blatantly Ignore the Boss

Sometimes when you interview for a new job, you get an opportunity to tour the office and experience a small taste of what day-to-day life could be at your new workplace. But pay close attention to what is happening around you. If you see the CEO or the boss making an announcement or speaking, are the employees listening? Or are they looking down and trying to act like the boss isn't there? A positive work culture is one where employees are actively engaged. If everyone seems miserable, it's probably because they are.

All the Employees Seem Really New to the Job

You won't be able to know this just by reading about the company you're applying to, but you can take advantage of your interview time to ask what the job turnover rates are. If a company has a high turnover rate, that typically indicates that most people who work there are not happy with their job. With that said, a great way to approach the question is to ask what happened to the person in the position before you. Use that information and the interviewer's behavior to determine what your next move will be.

When the Hiring Manager Has to Sell You on the Job

Unless you've informed the hiring manager that you're in the stages of picking between their job offer and one job offer from another company, the hiring manager shouldn't have to actually sell you on the job. If you're on an interview call and it starts to feel more like a sales pitch, it's a good sign that the job is probably terrible.

You Only Interview With One Person

If the company you're interviewing for only has one person interview you, you can't really get real insight into what it's like working on that team. Before your interview, research the company organizational structure for your team. Who would you be working with? You don't want to accept a job on a mystery team and end up in a toxic work environment.

Related: Weird jobs that pay surprisingly well

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