Mindy Thomas

How Job Seekers Can Avoid Joining A “Bad” Organization

I think you will agree that life is too short to work in a toxic atmosphere or for horrible bosses and bad coworkers. More times than not, job seekers will leave an organization in the hope of finding a better opportunity. In fact, the most common reason (other than a layoff), is a bad boss or toxic coworkers.

Here are some of the top tips for avoiding bad bosses and bad coworkers:

Research the organization, its people and the job in advance of the interview.
Talk to people that work there. Get the inside scoop on everything.
Check out www.glassdoor.com to find out what people are saying. This is a phenomenal resource that gives you the inside scoop from the “insiders” at companies.
Search for relevant information on LinkedIn and on the Internet.
When you interview, take note of the organizational culture (dress code, office layout, communication style, technology, public documents, employee orientation materials etc.) and ask questions to probe issues that you may be concerned about.
If you are given the opportunity to talk with other people in the organization, go for it.
There are many challenges in transitioning to a new company if you are unhappy with the direction your company is taking or if you suffer with toxicity in the work environment.

Be scrupulous about your next steps. Move ahead carefully with your due diligence to save yourself a worse heartache of jumping from the frying pan right into the fire.