Signs You Should Not Take That Dev Job

By August 7, 2018For Developers

One of the challenges of being a developer is that sometimes you have to switch jobs just to keep current with technology. Unfortunately, it’s possible to be so eager to jump into an opportunity that we ignore our gut instincts, or are blinded by the veneer of a cool tech stack. This is one time that online research is only going to go so far. Glassdoor, for example, is not necessarily a good place to check for employee reviews, since theirs are unverified.

There are times when the signs are clear. At one interview, the manager to whom I would have been reporting experienced an unrelenting facial tic throughout the entire interview. That could have been the result of any number of issues unrelated to work, but it was hard not to think that the universe was giving me a hint of what the job would be like.

It’s a red flag when someone on a first date complains about their ex the entire time. By the same token, your interviewer should not spend their time complaining about past employees or throwing current ones under the bus. If complaints are bubbling through into an interview, you can expect to see a lot of blaming and excuse-making in the organization.

Company culture reveals itself in subtle details. Office plants may not seem like a priority, but they are easy to take care of. If an office can’t even manage to delegate the task of having someone regularly water the plants, the operation clearly isn’t in order. Dead plants also signal that a company lacks self-awareness. If you notice that they overlooked something so trivial, what will potential clients and investors pick up on?

For developers interviewing at an ISV, redditor ImNoSheeple’s advice can be helpful: “If it is a smaller company, like somewhere below 200 employees, look beyond the front of the building and see what people are driving… if you see BMW, Mercedes, etc. parked in front of the building, and nothing beyond that, chances are the pay is shit.”

A job interview is somewhat of a marketing pitch for potential new hires. As such, you can expect a little exaggeration or embellishment in some areas. But if incentives or project expectations sound unrealistic, they probably are. If they claim they have such-and-such company as a client and you know for a fact they’ve only submitted prototypes, you can expect them to also stretch the truth when talking about employment policies, hours and compensation.

How can you tell that an interviewer is not being truthful? This is a fun article on some signs the CIA instructs its operatives to look for, like face touching, awkward pauses and body shifts. And of course, steer clear of anyone who uses these clichés when speaking about the company:

  • “We work hard and we play hard.” (Hours are insane; you will get some free pizza.)
  • “We’re a family here.” (Hope you like drama, because we are completely dysfunctional.)
  • “We’re looking for a rockstar.” (We will be paying you one salary to do the work of three developers.)

Finally, every position should have concrete responsibilities and roles outlined. If an interviewer cannot clearly tell you what you’ll be doing in the role, it’s a sign that part of your job will be helping the company get its act together. Take a hard pass on that type of job, as it will be less about learning the tech and more about herding cats.

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