So you’ve decided to take the metaphorical plunge into hunting for a new job. Congratulations, this is super exciting! Against the backdrop of the current Great Resignation it’s a great time to be searching for a more fulfilling role, or career direction. However, with so many job vacancies right now it can be easy to be distracted by all that's available. One great way to make sure you’re selecting the best next step for your own personal journey is to have a list of red flags and green flags.

Creating your Lists

Take a moment to consider: what do I want? What matters to me? From there you can create a checklist to reflect what you truly want in your career. You, not your well-meaning friends or family members. You! 

Now that you know what kind of job you’re after, it’s time to look at companies hiring. This is where your red and green flags come in handy. A red flag is anything that you don’t want; that doesn’t align with the kind of company you want to work for. A green flag is anything that you find either during the online search or during the interview that shows you the company aligns well with what you want.

Some common red flags to look out for are:

• A company with high turnover. Scroll through LinkedIn and see how long their people have stayed. Do employees tend to leave after 6 months? If so, big red flag!

• When the interviewer can’t clearly outline what the job is during the interview. This is a tell-tale sign that their processes are a mess and if you prefer structure this role won’t be for you.

• A lack of flexibility. This is a red flag as the company may not be able to accommodate any flexible working arrangements you would like.

Some green flags to look out for:

• Great leadership. Are employees writing positive reviews online about their managers?

• Good communication. Watch out for how those conducting your hiring interview interact.

• Healthy work life balance. This is so important, there is more to life than work!

• A supportive culture. Are staff looked after? What is the office culture? Have a look through the company's social media pages and any recent news articles to see if anything positive or negative pops up.

And remember, trust your gut! Happy job hunting!

Amie Duignan from A.D Connects is shaking up how candidates seek jobs, by helping them establish what their dream role may be, and then helping them land that dream job. Her success comes from aligning a candidates personality to their perfect role with a business that shares your values and/ or coaching a candidate to help them realise their career goals.