Employees work in the Middle East for an average of 8 hours per day and that comprises a huge chunk of their lives. It is therefore important to get a deeper understanding of the employer before accepting any job offers. Although gauging a bad employer isn’t a simple process, there are certain warning signs which can help you make a better decision. Here are five major warning signs to help you spot a bad employer:
1. Unprofessional conduct The way the recruiter treats you during the hiring process is a major giveaway as to how they are as an employer. You must check if they are being courteous, professional and polite throughout the interview process and after. Clear signs of lack of professionalism include when the hiring manager doesn’t explain the role properly, fails to describe the hiring process well, or when he or she refuses to give you any feedback on your application status. The Bayt.com ‘Hiring Practices in the Middle East and North Africa’ survey, June 2015, has revealed that phone call (38%) is the most popular way of informing unsuccessful candidates for non-managerial positions, followed closely by emails (34%). According to this survey, almost 3 out of 10 firms do not inform a candidate at all.
2. How they conduct reference checks Over 80% of employers conduct candidate reference checks before hiring. However, the way they conduct these checks can be a crucial indication as to how they are as an employer. If they do these in an accusatory and distrustful manner then they are not worth joining. Showing doubt and distrust in the initial stages of the hiring process means that that they do not trust their employees or give them the benefit of the doubt and such a workplace isn't somewhere you'd want to be.
3. The work environment 90% of the respondents in the Bayt.com 'What Makes a Company an Attractive Place to Work?' poll, February 2014, are attracted to companies that offer supportive and great work environments.When you go in for an interview, always make sure to check the status of employees around you. Do they look happy or sad? In fact, you should even try starting a casual conversation with an employee and ask general questions about the workplace and the overall culture. Other things to look out for are how disorganized the workplace is, how open the office environment looks like, and if you think you will get along with fellow coworkers.
4. A bad reputation Several websites online have ex-employees reviewing companies and sharing their experiences (see Bayt.com Salaries for example). You must always research a company before applying to make sure that their reputation is good. In fact, the Bayt.com 'What Makes a Company an Attractive Place to Work?' poll shows that 7 in 10 professionals wouldn’t work for a company they aren’t proud of; 6 in 10 give importance to an employer’s brand name when judging a new job offer. You could reach out to former or current employees through dedicated professional platforms, such as Bayt.com Specialties, and chat with them about the workplace culture, salaries, and so forth.
5. Hiring you right away Although it might seem like great news that the employer wants you on board right away, it could be a sign of something being amiss. The hiring process usually takes between 1 and 3 months, according to the Bayt.com ‘Skills and Hiring trends in the Middle East,’ February 2015, and there should be certain steps and procedures to follow before making a hiring decision. Trust your gut feeling. If your instinct tells you that the employer is only hiring you because they're desperate, then it’s better to avoid taking up their offer altogether.
