Thinking of a switch in jobs? Read this before you resign!
Switching jobs: how to avoid swapping a toxic boss for a chaotic open space
Honestly, all that’s missing is a swarm of locusts and we’ve got the full bingo card for “Most Delightfully Appalling Era of the 21st Century.” Companies are downsizing like it’s a B-grade horror movie, while CEOs float away on golden parachutes—or just vanish into thin air. Meanwhile, geopolitics is currently airing Season 12 of Game of Thrones, minus the dragons but with the same gut-wrenching anxiety. And in the middle of all this? You, trying to switch jobs.
Or worse: trying to land one.
In this grand theater of economic absurdity, messing up your next move is a luxury few can afford.
So here’s a non-exhaustive, home-brewed, field-tested (and sometimes deeply regretted) checklist of signals that should make you say “wait a minute” before signing a contract.
1. The Fully Virtual Hiring Process: “We’ll meet once you’re hired. Or never.”
Sure, Zoom is convenient. Sure, video calls are efficient. But when not a single person bothers to meet you IRL—not even at the final stage—beware. There’s a big difference between “remote-friendly” and “we don’t want you to see our depressing office.”
Happened to me. Seemed like the perfect opportunity, right when I was looking to switch jobs. Everything flowed smoothly: polite emails, smiley calls, totally pro. Except… no in-person meeting. No face time with the team. Just this weird, lingering tension—like warm milk that’s almost turned but not quite enough to prove it.
I turned it down. Thank goodness. Post-mortem research revealed The management of the accounting firm in question had been trained at Darth Vader & Co.
2. The Job Mirage: Looks great on paper, hollow inside
Another job-switching classic: the golden ad, the tin-foil role. It’s “exciting,” “evolving,” “unique”… yet no one can explain what you’ll actually be doing. The job title reads like a marketer’s fever dream, and when you ask for details, they hit you with vague phrases like “agile dynamics” and “value co-creation.”
They flatter you, rush you, make you feel like this is your one shot, and that you’re “just what we’ve been looking for.” If it sounds too perfect, it probably is.
I fell for it. Signed on the dotted line. Then found out the “rare pearl” of a job was actually an empty shell. The meaningful tasks were already taken, and guess who got stuck with the grunt work? Hi there, it’s me again.
3. No HR? No lifeline.
In a company, HR is the person no one cares about—until your manager loses it or your bonus mysteriously disappears.
So if there’s no HR at all? No buffer, no structure, no one to turn to? That’s not “lean,” it’s “lawless.” And lawless = hazardous.
I was deep in job-switching mode and made it to the final interview round with a payment terminal company. Seemed solid. Then I asked to talk to someone in HR. Crickets. They proudly called it “lean management.” I call it: “you’re on your own when things go sideways.”
The office? Had all the warmth of an airport at 3 a.m. Sterile. Quiet. Even the plants looked depressed.
4. Look at the Numbers (and not just the salary)
Yes, reading financial statements is boring. But getting laid off three months in because your company got bought by a Latvian investment fund? Much worse.
Check the books. Ask that cousin who’s good with numbers. Use sites like company databases or financial reporting platforms to dig deep before you walk into a financial disaster in disguise.
Google the company. Look for leadership changes, mergers, buyouts. Nothing says “instability” like a firm swapping captains mid-flight.
I passed on a job with a company whose main activity was… processing mail. In 2010. Email was already a thing, folks.
When I asked about future strategy, the recruiter gave me that pause. You know the one. Full of dread.
5. The Startup That Says “Anything’s Possible Here”
When they tell you “Anything is possible,” hear: “Even the impossible: like working 12-hour days with no recognition, no roadmap, and a CEO who smiles vaguely while promising the moon.” They offered me an “assistant role with strong growth potential.”
Translation? Photocopies today, maybe HR tomorrow, and if you behave, a branded coffee mug with your name on it.
They even had a robot that greeted you at the entrance. Cute, until I realized it probably had better data on my bathroom breaks than I did. Best part? The HR director actually called a former colleague of mine to “get intel” on me.
Spoiler: the startup got bought by a Japanese investment fund a year later. The CEO who talked about our “shared future”? Booted. Bye-bye.
And then… there’s that little voice
You know the one. That tiny whisper during the interview that says:
“This guy looks like he’s hunting something.”
“Why is she already calling me by my first name like we’re BFFs?”
“Wait, why is everyone Slacking each other even though they’re all in the same room?”
This isn’t snobbery. It’s not paranoia. It’s your reptilian brain picking up signals before you consciously clock them.
You don’t have to bolt at the first red flag. But do take notes. Watch closely. And choose with full awareness—even if you still decide to dive in, at least you’ll know if you’re walking into a lion’s den, with nothing but a “kick me” sign on your back..
Switch jobs wisely — avoid the “regret in 3 months” package
Switching jobs isn’t always easy. Don’t make it harder by walking straight into a trap with “career dead-end” stamped in fine print.
These aren’t minor gripes—they’re survival instincts. Trust them. And if an offer feels suspiciously shiny, check out this guide to decode the true story behind that oh-so-perfect job description.
Because sometimes it’s better to stay on the lookout than to end up stuck in a job trap—especially when the economy feels like a game of Jumanji with no pause button !
