Scenario: you are thrilled that you have a job offer and are excited to start your new position. What’s wrong with this picture? Nothing really, except that sometimes executives are so ready to jump into their new job, they may ignore the red flags that exist. Of course no company is perfect, but before you accept that job offer, look at these issues that could spell disaster.
 
Bad vibrations.You know when you walk into a building or approach a group of people what the energy level is by a feeling you get in your gut. You think you can overlook this feeling because once you get on board you can change the work environment to one of high energy and productive employees. However, you may not be able to rescue the company from failure because of the existence of lack of confidence, mediocrity, fear of success and other factors that are beyond your control.
 
Drama queen mentality. Oh, you know who they are. You might have even worked for one in the past. Example: the CEO stomps into work each day overwhelmed by “whatever” and their crisis soon becomes everyone else’s. They may be known to make impulsive decisions or flirt with crucial deadlines. That’s because, in some cases, the CEO creates this drama, thrives on it in fact. Not always the best way to run a company.
 
Indifferent executive leadership. If you are an executive you know how important it is to be engaged with the company and employees on many levels. Without dedicated and consistent leadership, there can be frequent power struggles, which lead to employees feeling insecure about their roles and the company’s future. These are muddy waters for an executive stepping onto the executive team.
 
Secrets and mistrust. Companies that manage employees with intimidation, micro-managed authority, and rule “by the book” belong in another century. Right off the bat that should open your eyes to what may lie ahead working for this type organization.  Sad thing is some companies like this still exist today. Beware if the firm exhibits such constrictive control.
 
Obsessive-compulsive.Working for a company or executive team that is reluctant to delegate authority may be difficult to work with. Formal organizational procedures are certainly beneficial, but some companies just go overboard. These organizations often are not open to change or a different way of doing things, so creativity or innovative ideas may not be readily accepted.
 
Fortunately, most companies are not this dysfunctional, exhibiting all five of these characteristics. Troubled companies can be impossible to work for, no matter how great the job may seem at the time of the offer.  Be careful to examine these issues before accepting that offer!

This article was written by Louise Garver (CJSS, CJSTC, CPBS, COIS, CITC, CPRW) of BlueSteps Executive Career Services. As a Certified Job Search Strategist and Career Transition Coach, Lousie has guided executives across industries and disciplines to land their ideal position in less time while maximizing their compensation.

About BlueSteps
BlueSteps is the exclusive service of the AESC that puts senior executives on the radar screen of over 8,000 executive search professionals in more than 75 countries. Be visible, and be considered for up to 75,000 opportunities handled by AESC search firms every year. Find out more.