I’ve never been a traditional hire. I started my career as an independent contractor.
I was lucky because I had the freedom to:
- Choose
- Experiment
- And grow
But I’m aware that not everyone is so fortunate. The reality is, most of us have bills to pay. And the current market can make it feel like you have to take whatever’s available – even when it doesn’t feel quite right.
The importance of finding the right fit
The right company helps you thrive. The wrong one can slowly wear you down.
When you find the right job – one that matches your values and gives you room to grow – you feel it right away. You can:
- Build great things
- Develop your skills and management style
- Make decisions
- Make mistakes
- Fix your mistakes
- And help the company, yourself, and your team grow
I’ve worked with clients and teams where I felt trusted and given the autonomy to do my work – and I try to recreate that environment with my own team. Again, I know I was lucky.
Not everyone gets to find the right company. And sometimes, what looked promising at first turns out to be something else entirely – full of dysfunction, bureaucracy, or misalignment.
When that happens, you start to feel it in your day-to-day. You lose energy. You grow resentful. You stop investing in the work. And your career can start to stall without you realizing it.
Eventually, the stress seeps into other parts of your life, and not just during working hours.
That’s why spotting red flags early is so important. They’re not always obvious at first. But if you learn to recognize the signals, you can avoid stepping into a role that pulls you in the wrong direction.
Five red flags you shouldn’t ignore
So how do you protect yourself from the wrong fit? You start by noticing the signs. These red flags aren’t always loud or obvious. But if you know what to look for, they’re there.
Here’s where to start.
Red flag #1 - bad interview
We tend to think of interviews as performance – your chance to impress the company. But interviews work both ways. It’s also your chance to assess them.
Now we all know that during the interview, candidates and companies are on their best behavior. But there are subtle signs you should pay attention to, such as:
- They dodge your questions
- They don’t elaborate on the company culture
- They gossip or speak poorly of former teammates
- Or ask more about your personal life than your leadership style
If someone’s rude or unprofessional in the interview, don’t expect things to get better once you’re on their team.
After the interview, ask yourself: “Would I be happy working with these people every day?” Then trust your gut feeling – it’s usually right.
Red flag #2 - lack of direction
I’m a big believer in agency. As EMs, I believe it’s our job to chart our own course – to take initiative, not just follow instructions. That said, aligning with your manager and upper management is an essential step in doing your job well, especially at the beginning.
In our company, we usually hire EMs from within. This way, we can get to know the person better and understand what to expect from them. It’s also easier for managers to feel a sense of ownership and leadership right from the start, as they’re familiar with the way things work.
It’s another story when you, as an EM, start working in a new company. You need time to understand the lay of the land and find your way around. If your higher-ups don’t communicate clearly and you’re left guessing about your:
- Priorities
- Goals
- Roadmaps
- And expectations
You can’t form effective routines and workflows. And it’s going to be hard to lead your team with confidence.
Red flag #3 - mismatched values
When we’re hiring new people, we put a lot of energy into emphasizing our company values.
Our values are central to how we work with clients and how we handle daily tasks. But a values mismatch doesn’t mean someone’s in the wrong place. It just means we aren’t the right fit for each other. And that’s okay.
For example, some companies have core social values. They regularly organize events and get-togethers, and thrive on high levels of community and collaboration. If you’re an introvert or someone who likes working alone, you might find that kind of environment draining – even if the work itself is great.
But it’s when you know there’s a mismatch – and take the job anyway – that the red flag becomes real.
Let’s say your job search has been fruitless, and a large corporation reaches out to you to invite you for an interview. However, you swore to yourself you’d never work in a large corporation because of lengthy procedures and bureaucracy. Should you take the job? That’s up to you.
It might solve the short-term problem. But it can create a longer-term one — working in a way that contradicts your values and stifles your growth.
Red flag #4 - toxic culture
I want to begin by saying that "toxic" is a relative term. What feels uncomfortable to one person might seem normal to another.
However, there are some universal things that no workplace should normalize, like:
- Gossip
- Putting each other down
- Public shaming
- Bullying
- Cliques or mobbing
- Or aggressive and disrespectful behavior
If you join a company where these behaviors are considered normal or promoted, it wears you down over time. You might try to avoid the conflict, or you might find yourself caught up in it.
While a toxic culture often only reveals itself after you take the job, early signals are usually there if you look closely.
Pay attention during your interview or trial period. Usually, the people involved in the hiring process can’t hide their lack of professionalism well. If they badmouth previous employees, make inappropriate jokes, show up later or never follow up – it’s not just unprofessional. It’s a preview.
You deserve to be in a workplace that offers respect as a baseline, not a bonus.
Red flag #5 - no freedom
One thing I’ve always valued in the companies I worked with is the freedom they gave me to develop and realize my ideas.
As an EM, you need freedom to make decisions, shape direction, and lead your team effectively. If you aren’t given that, then you’re not really a manager. You’re just a middleman.
Over time, it wears you down. You’ll get tired of offering solutions when they all bounce like a paddleball off a glass wall. And, eventually, you’ll just stop swinging.
Imagine a situation where you decide to use a new tool. It’s more modern, efficient, and faster. But your direct manager shuts it down. Not because of budget constraints or major concerns but because they’ve “already got something” or “onboarding is too much effort.”
Once or twice? Maybe. Every team has budget limits or a different direction in mind.
But, when it becomes a pattern and all your ideas are constantly shut down – that’s a red flag. A team can’t work effectively if the leader isn’t able to lead.
What happens if you still take the job?
Spotting a red flag doesn’t always mean you can walk away. I know the reality of the current tech job market isn’t what it was a few years ago.
The unemployment rate reached 5.7% in January this year, up from 3.9% a month before. So, you might find yourself taking a job even though you noticed some red flags during the interview or the trial process.
It happens. And if it does, it’s not failure. Sometimes we take the best option to stay afloat. But it does mean you’ll need to adjust your expectations and actively protect your energy.
Next week, I’ll share five ways to make a difficult job more bearable – without burning out, losing yourself, or giving up on your bigger goals. Because even if the role isn’t perfect, there are ways to make the most of it while you build toward something better.
The short version: red flags aren’t stop signs, but they are a warning
The wrong job can do more than disappoint you. It can drain you. It can seep into your thinking, your energy, and even your confidence.
That’s why it matters to spot red flags early – and trust what they’re telling you. If you notice:
- Uncomfortable interviews
- A lack of direction
- Mismatched values
- Toxic culture
- Or no freedom to do the work you were hired to do
Pay attention. These are signs that something’s off.
But sometimes, taking a job that’s “not quite right” isn’t failure – it’s what you do to stay afloat. And there’s nothing wrong with that. The key is to shift your mindset. Know what you’re gaining and stay clear on what you’re missing.
Finding the right fit might take time. It might require new skills, multiple rejections, or adjusting your priorities. But it is possible. And it’s worth it. Because you deserve to find a place where you’re able to learn, grow, and thrive.
Want more tips on leading effective software engineering teams?
Join my newsletter if you’ve found this content useful
Originally published on Medium.com
Content in this blog post by Alex Ponomarev is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
