5 Questions to Ask to Avoid High Turnover Jobs

Avoiding high turnover jobs may not be so cut and dry, and companies can be intentionally misleading with their job postings in order to attract as many applicants as possible. There are certain patterns to look out for in order to spot these job postings. Luckily in the age of technology we have the means to do plenty of research before accidentally committing to the wrong opportunity. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Below is our expert advice on how to spot suspicious job ads by asking five questions before you apply.

1. Are there scary phrases in the job description?

Sometimes job descriptions can be downright scary, and it’s important to recognize red flag phrases. Job descriptions that seem unreasonably demanding of their applicants should generally be avoided. For example, the description might ask that applicants have the ability to work overtime, nights/weekends, and holidays. Jobs that require personality traits such as “thick-skinned” or “able to handle high levels of stress” are always questionable, along with bad buzzwords such as “can-do attitude”. It’s also best to avoid job descriptions with negatively worded phrases like, “Only candidates with x experience will be considered”. It can also be telling if a job requires knowledge of how to operate outdated technology such as fax machines. Often these intimidating job descriptions do little to describe the actual benefits of working there. If after all that the most they have to offer is something like “experience working in a fast-paced, dynamic team setting” it’s probably best to take your job search elsewhere.

2. What do the company reviews look like?

We recommend checking Glassdoor and Google for reviews of a company before you apply. If there are multiple bad reviews that are written clearly and come from different people with the same recurring issues, it’s a good idea to take notice. If multiple people post bad reviews about the CEO, you should also take notice. This is the one person who dictates the company culture most. It’s a good idea to do research on the CEO before you join a company with attitudes and ethics that might not align with your own. Don’t believe every review at first glance, however. It is fairly easy to spot reviews coming from employees who were terminated for performance. Often these reviews are written in a more accusatory or vengeful tone without many facts to prove claims. In certain cases you can ask employers about these reviews during an interview.

3. Are there reoccurring job postings?

Jobs that are reposted over and over again on the same job sites are often reposted because the first and perhaps second candidate did not make it in the position. This can be an indication of a high turnover job. Look for identical jobs that have been posted a month or so apart, and learn to recognize which jobs keep turning up a suspicious amount during your job search. Identical job postings under varying titles are also something to watch out for. If you notice the same suspicious job ad under different categories such as Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, and HR, you should look more into it before you apply. This lack of clarity is often intentional. The company is trying to attract as many applicants as possible and consider the applicant’s background to be less important.

4. What is the longevity of people at the company?

It is not uncommon to see companies with jobs that have a 300% turnover rate. This means a new person starts the same job every 4 months on average. However, it is perfectly reasonable to expect a decent amount of longevity from employees within a good company. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average tenure in the United States is 4.6 years. This has increased since it was first recorded in 1983 at an average of 3.5 years. Before you apply, do some research and find out how long employees of the company stick around. LinkedIn is a good tool for getting a sense of a company’s turnover rate. If there are a lot of employees jumping ship after a year or less, there is probably a reason for that, and it may not be pretty. These patterns can be big red flags that indicate high-turnover jobs, and you should steer clear.

5. Is the salary range accurate?

Before you apply for a job it’s important to do some research on the market rate salary for the role. Certain companies put very low salaries on job descriptions with high levels of responsibility. Either the company doesn’t have the correct market salary information, or they don’t have the budget to pay someone. If the salary range is very wide, this is also a concern. The company is often reaching to hire many different levels of candidates for a vague or undefined job description. They are less concerned with the background of their applicants and more concerned with the quantity of the applications they receive. Any employer seeking quantity over quality should often be avoided.

When it comes to high-turnover jobs, there are certain tells that can be identified with a little bit of investigation. Always take caution when applying for jobs. An application is an investment, and you want to invest in the right places. If there’s something about a job posting that tells you to back away, follow your gut instincts. Remember: Doing the research now could save you a lot of time and energy in the future.

Bradley Staffing Group is a full-service staffing firm based in Wayne, PA. We are committed to matching A-level talent with best-in-class businesses. Our knowledgeable and well-trained staff brings a combined 70+ years of staffing experience to our clients and candidates alike. http://useful-sock.flywheelsites.com/contact-us/