Here Are The 5 Red Flags In Tech Job Listings

Tech job postings are often guilty of over-selling and under-describing a job on offer: you’ll be asked to be a wizard or guru of a particular discipline who is not afraid to blaze a trail and break things in a fast-paced environment. Oh, and after you work hard, you’ll play hard too, of course.

While job advertisements can often feel clichéd, and some of the language used can raise a smile, there are other things that can be read with a bit more caution.

If you spot any of the below, perhaps think twice about hitting the “apply” button.

1. A rambling job description

If you can’t get a clear sense of what the job description is from the listing, or if the job title and responsibilities don’t match, this is a sign of a company without a clear focus or forward planning. It also means your role won’t be properly defined, and you may find yourself overwhelmed. 

2. A laundry list of responsibilities

You like the look of the job, but when it comes to the responsibilities, wow. If some of them are out of the scope of what would normally be expected, or if it looks like you’ll be expected to do tasks that are the remit of a different job, think twice. It either means that the employer doesn’t really know what they are looking for, or they are expecting far too much from the role.

3. Overused phrasing

We all know tech companies adore buzzwords, and it’s easy for your eye to breeze past them. If you see any combination of the following, think twice. “Whatever it takes,” “No two days are the same,” or “must be willing to switch lanes or directions quickly,” and the ubiquitous, ”fast-paced work environment'” can mean that the day-to-day is chaotic and taking time off may be a non-starter.

4. Fast learner

If you see “Self-starter,” “Fast learner,” or “Able to manage your own time,” take a beat. What this really means in this context is you won’t be given much direction, you’ll have to figure things all out on your own, and your workload will be so intense you’ll be managing it into the night, every night. Yes, that’s what “your own time” means in this instance.

5. Sneaky tactics

Unless you’re going for a management position, where you’ll be managing a team and providing feedback to staff, this is a red flag. It essentially means that the company will expect you to manage your colleagues, and provide feedback and mentoring on top of your actual job, but they won’t be paying you a management salary to do so.

Do you feel sufficiently prepared to go ahead and job hunt? If so, we have three great roles to check out below and many more to browse on the Fossbytes Job Board.

Senior Software Engineer – Cloud Infrastructure and Development, NVIDIA

NVIDIA is looking for a Senior Software Engineer to help design, build, and scale new distributed system infrastructure powered by kubernetes and other open-source software. You’ll design, build, test, deploy, and maintain software infrastructure APIs and services and collaborate effectively with peers and partners through brainstorming, review sessions to produce high-quality design, code, and documentation and review.

You will require five or more years’ of experience with software engineering in one or more programming languages, and with data structures/algorithms, as well as three-plus years of experience testing, maintaining and/or launching distributed systems, and experience with distributed system design and architecture. Apply now.

Quantitative UX Research Manager, WhatsApp

As a leader in WhatsApp, the Quantitative UX Research Manager will lead a talented and experienced team of quantitative and qualitative UX researchers. You will define a clear strategy and vision for keeping WhatsApp users safe on the platform, and you will co-lead the design of WhatsApp’s Customer Satisfaction measurements and top level success metrics with Data Science as outcomes of successful prevention.

To do this role, you will require over eight years’ industry experience in management or leadership roles leading large teams, an MS in HCI, cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, human factors, cultural anthropology, survey science, data analysis, behavioral modeling, trust, and safety or a related field, or equivalent years of experience in the industry. Apply now.

API Security Architect, PayPal

PayPal is looking for an API Security Architect who is responsible for protecting and defending PayPal. This role will be responsible for developing and providing the technical strategy to securely develop and operate global APIs to serve all of the company’s products and services. You’ll collaborate to deeply understand the challenges and problem statements related to API security and governance, and you will make high-level design decisions and frame technical standards. Interested?

You will need a minimum of 10 years’ of software engineering experience in a consumer-based service delivery company, demonstrated experience in leading a nimble engineering team through rapid prototyping and delivery methodology, and can demonstrate a breadth of experience across multiple technology domains. Apply now.

Ready to apply for a new role now? there are thousands to discover on Fossbytes Job Board

By Kirstie McDermott, Senior Content Manager, Amply