The Red Flags I Ignored Before Starting a New Tech Job

Photo by Bernd 📷 Dittrich on Unsplash

I’m pretty unhappy in my current position.

There are a number of issues, my boss will not give me the time of day for example

Yet I should have been aware of problems before I even started.

Here are the red flags that I merrily drove through in my quest for a tech job that led me to my current misery.

Recruiter Warning 1

I asked about the probation period and the recruiter said, “You’ll be going some to be fired here.” 

This statement was meant to be reassuring, but it actually suggested that the company had a low bar for performance (and this is something that turned out to be true). I later found out that incompetence was also tolerated. 

A place where it’s hard to get fired usually means mediocrity is the norm, and that certainly is the case in this particular firm.

Recruiter Warning 2

The recruiter on a video call wore a sports top with his favorite soccer team, seemingly unaware of the partisan rivalries such attire can bring. 

This might seem trivial, but it indicated a lack of professionalism. If the recruiter doesn’t take their job seriously, why would the company be any different?

Since starting I’ve noticed that we always keep cameras off, so I do continue to wonder what people are wearing in the comfort of their own homes.

Collect Laptop

“Why don’t you come in the week before your start date to pick up your work laptop?” they asked. This was an issue, as my previous employer was paying my salary and assumed I’d be turning up for work as usual.

This request was a clear sign of poor planning and a lack of consideration for my time. It suggested that the company might have a lax approach to employee onboarding.

Little did I know how lax that approach turned out to be.

First Day

Nobody arranged to meet me on my first day. I arranged to meet the IT support guy to give me my laptop. He was late, so I missed my first induction call. 

I waited in reception because I had no keycard, and nobody from my team was in the office to meet me. I sat on my own with a new laptop in an empty office.

If this sounds like a horror story, it should. My first day set the tone for what was to come. Disorganization, lack of communication, and isolation became the recurring themes of my job.

Conclusion

I need a new job. I need a new job. I need a new job.

Wish me luck in my next interview, I’m damaging my mental health here.