'Our employees are like a family': 30+ People share their biggest job application red flags

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Dec 26, 2022 11:00 AM EST

Job searching is an exciting and frustrating experience for many folks, but luckily, some Redditors are sharing their best tips to avoid working at a shady business. There is some really good advice here in the comments under this post from r/recruitingh***. For example, if a company advertises a job as "remote" but then requires you to be in a certain city? Bye! Others suggested phrases to stay away from, like "additional duties as assigned." You really could dodge a bullet by following this sage advice. 

Up next, check out this guy who ordered a McNothing from a burger joint, just to see what would happen! 

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  • 01
    Font - r/r/recruitinghell. Posted by u/Opposite_Bridge_8564 20 hours ago What's one thing in a job description that gets an immediate skip from you the second you see it?
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  • 02

    Commenters replied with their biggest red flags, including phrases like "Our employees are a family"

    Font - ajay_ac 20 hr. ago "Our company/ our employees are like a family"
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  • 03
    Font - refloats 19 hr. ago Companies who do have a 'family culture' don't have to say this. They make you feel it by their whole employer website and social posts. 166 Reply Share Continue this thread → Adonais 19 hr. ago A colleague from my last job (which I left due to how toxic it was) publicly called the company a "dysfunctional family" in an article that was published in a widely read magazine for our field. Said like it was a good thing.
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    Font - whorgans 20 hr. ago I hate the one about being willing to work long hours and the weekends. I don't want to work weekends or long hours. But I especially don't want to work weekends. My current job had me work one Sunday so far and it wasn't too bad because my boss told me to leave early or come in late to make up the time. And all I had to do was come in, do what I needed to do, and leave. But most jobs want you to work the week AND a full weekend day. That's a nope from me.
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  • 05
    Smile - atunasandwich_. 13 hr. ago "10+ years of experience" for an analyst role..
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    People noted that companies will try to take advantage of you with vaguely phrased job descriptions

    Font - - 20 hr. ago References to things like "must be willing to work long hours or weekends as needed." I'd have to be super desperate. Also "on site" if the job is in a suburb outside my city. I'm not buying a car to commute out to the burbs for some company that wanted to cheap out on office space.
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    Font - whorgans 20 hr. ago I hate the one about being willing to work long hours and the weekends. I don't want to work weekends or long hours. But I especially don't want to work weekends. My current job had me work one Sunday so far and it wasn't too bad because my boss told me to leave early or come in late to make up the time. And all I had to do was come in, do what I needed to do, and leave. But most jobs want you to work the week AND a full weekend day. That's a nope from me.
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  • 08
    Font - hobbit_life 16 hr. ago Or the "must be willing to work long or odd hours to see projects through to completion". The occasional OT is fine, but when this is put into the job description, as a project manager I know it means they are understaffed and expect you to pick up the slack without paying you overtime. My current job gives me a decent amount of overtime and I'm non-exempt, so I don't give a s since I make bank on it. If I'm an exempt employee, I'll be dif you're getting a minute of
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  • 09
    Font - I've worked in places where things did sometimes have to be done outside typical working hours because it was a location open to the public, so final installs would be done before or after hours if the area couldn't be closed off. Those were something you could plan weeks in advance though and it was usually a one day thing.
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  • 10

    Some people just love remote work and won't even consider working in person anymore

    Font - refloats 18 hr. ago 'On site' even when it is in the same city to be honest. I love the freedom of being able to choose where to work from: home, office or a cute little coffee shop. As long as I get my work done...
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    Any kind of silly buzzword to describe the job makes these commenters do a double take

    Smile - Bulky_Cartographer - 20 hr. ago The word "rockstar" 313 Reply Share vws8mydog 20 hr. ago Or unicorn.
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    Font - Puzzleheaded_Fold466 16 hr. ago Or "ninja". 8 itallgoesslomo. 13 hr. ago Came here to say this. Or 'superstar'. Immediate close tab.. حدود Or guru Annual-Intention-215 15 hr. ago 6 Reply Share • Reply Share Or superhero. sisterhavana 11 hr. ago Reply Share
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    Font - Aspect58 18 hr. ago Does that mean that If they send you on business travel, you get to trash your hotel room? 23 Reply Share ohgimmesomewindows 16 hr. ago If they want a rockstar, you are allowed to show up shirtless in leather pants holding a fifth of Jack Daniels. If they want a ninja, don't show up and tell them the just couldn't see you.
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    Font - tiredoftrust 20 hr. ago Actual job duties may change with needs to the business. Either they don't know what they need from a person or they are short staffed and want you to do multiple jobs.
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    Do you need someone who works well under actual pressure, or are you just looking for someone to do 5 people's jobs?

    Font - Sea-Professional-594 20 hr. ago Many hats 212 Reply Share ImaBiLittle Pony 10 hr. ago "Looking for someone who excels under pressure" "Fast-paced environment* F ▶gag me, I'm not killing myself for a job that I guarantee doesn't pay s
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    Font - sametho 3 hr. ago . This is the worst in creative roles. So many companies think they can just hire "an entry level creative or two" to do graphic design, motion graphics, video production, photography, and copywriting. Where do you think you're gonna find a recent grad with experience across FIVE fields???
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    Font - PublixHouseCat. 18 hr. ago When I upload my resume, then they want me to type it out separately. No, look at the de I uploaded already. 136 Reply Share pdf b-rar 2 hr. ago When I get that far I just type "See resume" in every field and submit
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  • 18
    Human body - CaptainBaoBao 20 hr. ago resistant to stress = fup management and low pay
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  • 19

    Just tell us the salary if it's so great!

    Font - Dcobra31 20 hr. ago "Competitive salary" ...From my experience, that usually means you wanna low-ball me.
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    Font - Adonais 19 hr. ago Two connected things for me. "Attention to detail is vital" while the description is peppered with careless mistakes. I've received a document before that still had suggested revisions marked up by HR on it. 100 Reply Share refloats 18 hr. ago God this is so unprofessional. Get your s together!
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    Font - Pengtingcalled me 20 hr. ago 'can-do attitude' What does that even mean?! Reply Share 82 FATBEANZ 19 hr. ago Do whatever we say with no complaints
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    Font - Accomplished_Trip_ 19 hr. ago "We need a superstar" no, you need time management skills, and to have your expectations realigned with reality. 73 Reply Share Ophidiophobic. 12 hr. ago I'd be willing to work like a superstar if they would compensate me properly. Unfortunately, they're usually below market rate.
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    Human body - dsdvbguutres 20 hr. ago "Additional duties as assigned." It's like putting your signature on a blank piece of paper.
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    Font - TheHungryBlanket · 20 hr. ago Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment. I'm fine with fast pace...but we all know that means short-staffed and poorly managed. 150 Reply Share Emotional-Thunk - 17 hr. ago . "Everything we do is done in a perpetual state of panic. To quote our latest new hires, AAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
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    Font - ZestycloseSoftware31 20 hr. ago If it's WFH and i'm required to be on camera for training. I'm not about to be chained to my desk all day in my own de house. The best was when I worked for a bank and the trainer demanded we have our company provided webcams on (mine kept getting "lost" in the mail) while she didn't have hers on.
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  • 26

    The "play hard" part is an immediate no for most of us

    Font - Cam2410 19 hr. ago Word hard, play hard. What it actually means is that you have to do loads of unpaid overtime and are then forced into 'going for a few drinks' after work with your colleagues. 112 Reply Share BoredGombeen · 18 hr. ago This is my most hated. It suits the young, new to the job, employee that doesn't have many commitments. I don't want to spend 40-50 hours a week with people working and then be forced to go on the not compulsory but really it is drinks. I have other things
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  • 27
    Font - Dry_Heart9301 - 18 hr. ago No salary range listed
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    Font - madscoot 20 hr. ago Flexible working from home - this just means come into the office and shut the fup. 89 Reply Share klockensteib 15 hr. ago It actually means come in to the office 9 to 5, but we will let you work at home after hours and in the middle of the night.
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    Font - missheraux 17 hr. ago "Don't apply if..."
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    Font - CameraObfuscia. 15 hr. ago Can we talk about the listings looking for someone who is 'passionate' about whatever the job is? No one is passionate about customer service or sales or marketing or whatever.
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  • 31
    Font - Used Competition4345 18 hr. ago . My current job is full of the most catty women ever. Noticed today that we have a notice up that we are hiring for more day shifts, and the sign says something along the lines of, "must be reliable, dependable, flexible, and must not cause or bring drama into the workplace." if that isn't a red flag screaming run I don't know what it lol
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  • 32

    Entry level pay for a middle management job, ugh

    Handwriting - organiclawnclippings 18 hr. ago "Associate /Entry Level" "10+ years exp"
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  • 33
    Font - Imaginary-Vanilla839 · 17 hr. ago. edited 9 hr. ago 'Competitive salary' If it was good, you'd have it in the ad. It shouldn't be allowed that companies can advertise jobs without mentioning the salary/hourly rate. It's a waste of peoples time.
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  • 34
    Font - Flow-n-Code 14 hr. ago When references are required to apply. Sometimes you won't see it until you start the application though. Either ways, it's bad enough sending your own contact info to hundreds of employers let alone other peoples' contact info.
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  • 35
    Font - LadyBogangles14 18 hr. ago "Uncapped commission" or a draw Ohhh. You are going to try to pay me nothing then?
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  • 36
    Font - sisterhavana 10 hr. ago "Sports-minded," "student mentality," "no seniority," "everyone starts at the entry level and we only promote from within," and "entry- level management" - all dead giveaways that it's a Devilcorp company.
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  • 37
    Human body - _r_u_i_ 19 hr. ago curse words (true story) .
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    Human body - racoongirl0 12 hr. ago "We want someone who can wear many hats and thrive in an exciting fast paced environment"
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