5 reasons to avoid applying for that job

Going through job descriptions and finding a suitable role can be one of the most daunting tasks. Yet, according to recent studies, over 9 million employed Brits actively job hunt each day. With the average search time ranging between 5-8 hours per week. Most searchers successfully secure a new role within, roughly, 5 months. Investing as much as 170 hours in total. That’s without taking into consideration prep time, resume re-edits, travel time, interview time and needless to say stress eating in front of that couch till early hours of the morning.

But fear not, you can easily cut this invested time by a third, simply by training yourself to skip pass the minefield of alluring traps some companies strategically place with cheap salesman tactics to capture as many candidates as possible. Most experienced professionals have learned how to avoid said traps, but most inexperienced young professionals continue to fall victim, wasting hours and energy either on a process that keeps dragging or getting catfished by a company whose toxic environment maintains a high staff turnover.  

Having fallen for a countless number of these tricks, in my younger years, I now share my top 5 reasons why you should avoid applying for a particular job. In order to save yourself the head/heart ache and help yourself from losing faith in the professional world. As there truly are some amazing companies out there.

1. Undisclosed Salary – A.K.A competitive salary

The pushback from companies, for a very long-standing period, has been that they withhold salaries from job ads, as they wish to withhold it from competitors. It is 2024 and one of the world’s greatest vices, in this day of age, is transparency. So, this argument has fast become dated and furthermore should only raise the suspicions of applicants. According to XpertHR’s studies, only 50% of firms include salary details on all of their job ads. Circa 29% of employers include salaries on ‘some’ job ads. However, the NFP and public sectors are leading the way with 83% of companies including salary details in advertisements.

But what other reasons would companies have to avoid disclosing salaries within advertisements? Especially when it helps ensure they are getting informed applicants. Helping to focus on quality over quantity.

The reasons can vary, but one of the following are probably the most accurate:

• The advertised salary is higher than the remuneration current employees receive

• The budgeted salary is far less than market value so the company hopes by making you jump through hoops you will feel pressured into accepting the role by the end, when your fatigued from the journey. Also known as the ‘Sunk Cost Fallacy’

• Negotiation advantage. By choosing to not disclose the salary upfront, the employer can utilise the process to save on the final salary. Or, they agree to award the candidate the requested salary at the expense of additional responsibilities and expanding the scope of the role.

• Lastly, the role is new in the company and they got lazy and failed to research the marketplace to assign a competitive salary. Which in turn can easily suggest the role itself is not important enough, so why on earth would you want to be their guinea pig?

2. Vague Job Description

Vague job descriptions could be a red flag. If the job responsibilities, requirements or expectations are unclear, it may indicate a lack of organisation or communication within the company. It is estimated that nearly one in five new starters fail their job probation, every year. Unfortunately, it is impossible to say how many of those would be down to misleading job descriptions, because since April 6 2012 employees require 2 years continuous service to be eligible to claim unfair dismissal. So, ‘the why’ simply gets lost.

From experience, I have noticed most companies actively choose to water down the responsibilities in some job ads, to secure candidates for a role that is less than appealing on paper. If you come across a role you are interested in but dubious about the description, it is imperative you get the answers you need before accepting an offer.

3. Excessive use of buzzwords and non-committal promises

In the context of job descriptions, buzzwords refer to popular and trendy terms commonly used to describe skills and attributes sought in candidates. These terms are strategically used to make the job description more appealing, whilst effectively omitting the actualities of the overall requirements from successful candidates. It is your typical magic show, where the prestige definitely leaves you a little, if not, very much surprised. Not in a good magical way neither.

So, what are some examples of frequently used buzzwords and what are the intended meanings of these buzzwords versus what they actually mean?

1. Self-starter

• Intended: You will have professional freedom, where your ideas and opinions will truly be considered and you will be your own boss.

• Actuality: You will receive no training as the company is already pressed for time and has limited resources available to help you. Your tasks will be assigned and you will be expected to get them completed by yourself.

2. Fast-paced

• Intended: moving fast is fun and enjoyable and subconsciously makes you believe that time will fly by quickly. This position is not boring at all as the speed will keep you excited.

• Actuality: Be prepared to walk into a burning house where tasks are never ending and most likely repetitive.

3. Growth Opportunities

• Intended: The sky is the limit and your professional career will progress however you want it to.

• Actuality: Don’t hold your breath waiting for a promotion.

Non-committal promises, the sibling to buzzwords, holds a carrot out for candidates, with no intention of ever letting them take a bite. It is a smart tactic used predominantly by SMEs to draw in talent and retain them long enough to achieve their own objectives, before the candidate realises the promise was a great illusion. Always be weary of any description promising you ‘natural progression’ or the opportunity to build a team or department. If it’s too good to be true, then rest assured it most likely is.

4. Terrible employer reviews

Now this you will need to take with a pinch of salt, as some companies have fallen victim to ex-employees who had their contracts terminated for whatever valid reason and decided to get their own back by claiming everything under the sun on Glassdoor. However, if you are noticing a trend within the company reviews then you probably should think long and hard about your decisions.

My favourite follow-up action, to review surfing, is to check LinkedIn so see if any of my close contacts have ever worked for the company. I would then reach out to get their feedback. Now remember to only ask those who you trust, as we all carry heavy biases and you really want someone who is known for being objective.

5. No process deadline and ad has been running longer then two months

Every job ad should have a clear-cut process with a deadline. Yes, you are right, things go wrong. That does not mean that the assigned date cannot be amended. But it is essential for the process to have an intended end date. An ad without an end date, that has been running for longer than 2 months, means one of two things, to me. One, the role itself has not been signed off by senior members, therefore the hiring manager is building a database of candidates. Two, the company is constantly hiring for the advertised role, which means a high turnover rate, therefore the working environment is toxic. Trust me, you do not want to work for a company that focuses on acquisition strategies over retention ones.

Some other areas to consider when reviewing job ads are:

• Undisclosed working hours or expectations. Ensure this is promptly discussed and agreed before you waste anymore of your precious time.

• Overly demanding on qualifications and experiences. Unreasonable and unrealistic employer looking to hire talent well below market value.

• Unclear company benefits. Usually quoted as ‘Great company benefits’ then ensure you find out what these benefits actually are before accepting any offers.

• Circa £70,000 salary. When you come across an ad like this, make sure you very quickly ascertain what the salary range is. Some companies use this method to simply motivate applicants, knowing the offered salary could be as little as 30% less than advertised.

Note: some recruitment agencies advertise pseudo jobs with a high salary intending to grow their database of job seekers. I have had the pleasure of running into a few of these, in my earlier years.

Special mention

Any job ad that mentions company bonus over discretionary bonus, request additional details. The details you’re looking for are:

• The value sum of the bonus

• If the bonus is performance based, then request the metrics used to determine the percentage paid.

• You also want to know what the drawn-out process is for bonuses and timelines

Make sure to have this in writing. If the company uses the bonus as a bargaining chip, during salary negotiations, ensure the salary sacrifice is met with a larger increase in bonus awarding, as no one ever gets their full bonus. Well almost no one.

Conclusion

A small portion of companies use the tactics mentioned above to trap candidates. By educating yourself you will help safeguard your time and energy and side step this, very large, professional pitfall. Remember, companies who proudly stand by their retention strategies do not fear being transparent and most importantly answering your questions. Research will only take you so far, you will need to trust and depend on yourself to ask the right questions and make a well thought-out and calculated decision, when the time comes.

Remember an advertisement is a communication tool used to promote products, services, ideas or in this case a job. It aims to capture audience attention, generate interest and persuade individuals to take action, such as making a purchase or applying for the role. Effective ads employ persuasive techniques, visual elements and compelling messaging to convey their message succinctly and convincingly. Your task is to look beyond the distracting language to get the answers you need to make the ultimate decision, do I apply?

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