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Pre-hire yellow flags

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Anonymous

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Pre-hire yellow flags 

Need your thoughts: in this extremely challenging job market, I recently accepted a new position. Knowing how difficult it is to land a role today, I am grateful to have this role. At the same time, however, there've been a number of yellow flags that are bordering on orange for me at this point:

1. The recruiter fumbled the salary. When I initially told the recruiter my salary requirements, he said he didn't think it would be a problem. However, they came back with a lowball offer which we eventually negotiated to closer but still less than my current salary. I didn't like the bait and switch at all but put a nice face on it.

2. The company requires extensive pre-boarding before the first day of work including hours of training that could be done once the person is hired like every place else.

3. I informed the hiring manager that I would be on vacation with my family prior to onboarding. The hiring manager still continued to send me emails during the time I clearly told him I would be away which felt like an uncomfortable boundary issue. I chose not to respond until I returned.

4. Finally, I am supposed to lead a new team that the hiring manager is rushing to fill (several roles) BEFORE I come onboard. Part of my concern here is that the hiring manager does not have the expertise to fully assess skills in these areas for which he is hiring for my team. That's why they're bringing me in because they recognize I have a specialized skill set that is not present on the rest of the team. It's also important for me to have people on the team with good hard skills as well as soft skills for teaming and compatibility.

Am I overthinking this?? I have had some nightmares with scenarios that have started like this in the past so I'm trying to keep an open mind. But there's a lot that's starting to make me feel really uncomfortable.

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  1. Anonymous

    The first one - your offer - were you in a hurry to get out of your old position? If not, I would have stuck to my guns if I were you with regards to salary.

    #2 - they are looking for you to complete training before you are a paid employee? No. If they are requiring this training, then they need to get you on the payroll first.

    Your vacation - looks like you were not yet an employee. Was the hiring manager sending you emails expecting you to respond? When you were on vacation? Prior to you being onboarded?

    Also, the fourth point - you are supposed to lead a new team - that's not hired - and someone else is rushing to make those hires - of the team you are going to lead - before you start? Do they think they are doing you a favor by doing that? Are you the team lead or the manager of the team? If you are the team lead and someone else is managing - then fine, I get it. But if you are managing the team, and they are trying to fill these positions before you start, not a fan.

    Your yellow flags are more like orange...possibly read when you put them all together.

  2. Anonymous

    You are correct on 2-4 which is why I'm starting to get anxiety about this role. For the first one, I was not rushing but they claimed that they didn't have the budget to bring the salary up higher. The gap isn't that large but it's the principle. #2

  3. Anonymous

    I don't like how this sounds AT ALL. this will be reflective of your employment experience with them and your experience will likely be worse. I would only advise taking a lower paying opportunity for some other substantial benefit - you are currently unemployed or about to be, you are pivoting to a new industry, gaining some new valuable skill, benefits/full work from home/flex schedule, etc.

    i agree with a comment below - these are closer to red flags. if you are actually managing this team - it is your right to hire them. if they are pre-hiring, it sounds like a micromanager that can't let go to me. this means you will have little authority over those you lead...whether or not you hire them. The rushing to hire is the tell. but this also depends on you - would you PREFER a manager that takes on your load as well?

    if you had talked prior about it - "would you like us to hire together as you onboard or we can get a head start" that would make it a healthier environment....

    also the bait and switch on pay as well as training pre start?

    why are you interested in this job again...?

  4. Anonymous

    ALL of this! Thank you!!

  5. Anonymous

    Lots of things are terribly off.
    Since you have am income, keep it but I'd start to look elsewhere.

    Did owner send to your personal email while on vacation? Am I understanding correctly? If you were working, I'd use it only and only check in working hours I draw a hard line with company Teams and emails on my personal phone. My phone, my bill, my guidelines.

  6. Anonymous

    Yes, my personal email because I don't start work for another 3 weeks. I ignored it and didn't even read it. I will open it on the day I communicated to him that I would return from vacation. Boundaries.

  7. Anonymous

    Definitely boundaries. These people have SERIOUS issues.

  8. Anonymous

    This is a bright red flag ?

  9. Sue Gordon- retired Career Coach

    This doesn't sound like they know what they are doing- especially from an HR perspective- your onboarding should be paid.

    And yes, you should be part of the hiring decisions for your team. I foresee problems with your future boss.

    His emails during your vacation are okay only if he was okay with your delayed response. Email is an asynchronous method of communication and he may have felt the need to write while he was thinking about it, and didn't mean to have you reply.

    Technically, though it sounds like you are not yet an employee so he really should wait.

    Pay attention to these flags. You are not overthinking this.

  10. Anonymous

    I have 3 words “Run away fast”!

  11. Ryane Paige Strange

    RUN don't walk. I think it's probably best to keep looking and wait it out at your current organization. Those flags are all BRIGHT red to me! Best of luck.

  12. Sandy Pochapin

    You're totally not overthinking this. They are obviously cheap or at least trying to make you work for less and in the case of the onboarding -- no pay at all. The lack of concern for your opinion by the hiring manager is a foreshadowing of what working for them will be like. These are not yellow flags, they're red flags. Be prepared to start job hunting again because it doesn't sound like a good move at all.

  13. Anonymous

    Yes, very much so, way too much overthinking, IMO. yikes.

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