Instead, when you’re searching for a new job, you should be looking for one that’s a good fit for your skills and personality. And you should also always be on the lookout for these 5 red flags:

1. A step down.

Be cautious if a potential employer wants you to take a big step down. Not only will this hurt your career, but it will also impact your quality of life. You’ll likely be making less money doing work that isn’t rewarding or is flat out boring for you. What’s more is that in the future, a prospective employer looking at your resume will question your wisdom in accepting a big demotion from a previous position.

With that said, if taking a small step back in your career will help you land a job at a Spokane firm you’ve always wanted to work for and there’s room for career growth, by all means, go for it. The bottom line is that it’s important to look at the big picture when planning your next career move.

2. An immediate offer.

If an employer makes you an offer on the spot, at your first interview, be wary. You may have knocked their socks off with your impressive skills; or they may be experiencing high turnover and be desperate to fill the position. If you’re uncertain, ask them questions about their turnover rate and how many jobs they currently have open or unfilled.

3. Vague answers.

To truly assess whether a job and an employer are a good fit for you, you should be asking lots of questions during the interview. But if the interviewer is giving you vague answers in return, that could be a sign of trouble. They could be trying to conceal a problem with the company or the fact that the job opening isn’t really what it seems to be. Reputable employers will give you clear and specific answers to your questions about their company and the job opening.

4. 11th hour changes.

If you’ve verbally accepted a job offer and the employer wants to make changes right before you sign a contract, this could be an indication of what’s to come in the future if you do accept the job – unpredictability and frustration.

5. Gut feelings.

When you leave a job interview, you will probably have a good sense of whether the job is right for you or not. Either you’ll feel a sense of elation at the prospect of landing the position, or a sense of doom at the thought of being offered the position. If it’s the latter, then go with your gut. Too often, candidates accept positions that they know aren’t right for them just so they can get back to work – only to wind up miserable in the end.

And if you need help finding a job that you love, please contact Provisional. We are an experienced and award-winning Spokane employment agency that has put more than 20,000 people to work since 1994. Contact us today – and you could be next!

Consultants.
Your company hires a consultant to come in to help redefine the strategic direction or mission. Recommendations typically include restructuring or downsizing.

Closed door meetings.
These can be another sign that layoffs are on the horizon, especially if your boss typically has an open door policy.

Mergers & acquisitions.
Your company is in negotiations with another company that will probably result in an acquisition or a merger.

Cost-cutting.
Your boss has announced drastic cost-cutting measures such as hiring freezes, and cuts in salaries and travel budgets.

Competitor lay offs.
Your company’s competitors are laying off people. If your company is publicly traded, and the market responds well to layoffs from another company in the industry, your company may follow suit.

Outsourcing.
Your company is looking into or has decided to outsource some of its major functions.

Communication changes.
Your boss or co-workers are treating you differently. For instance, avoiding eye contact or choosing to communicate with you through email instead of in person.

Responsibilities are assigned to someone else.
Your workload has suddenly lightened – and you don’t get new assignments, even when you ask your boss for them.

In this economy, getting laid off isn’t something you should hang your head over. If you think your Spokane job might be in jeopardy, you need to take action. Start polishing your resume and connect with your network to see if there are any job opportunities that would be a fit for you.

And if you need help finding a job in Spokane, or in the Northwest, please contact Provisional. We are a leading employment agency and can offer you access to jobs in a variety of fields, including accounting, law, healthcare, administration, and IT.

So how do you know when it’s the right time to hire? Ask yourself these questions:

• Over the past few months, how many times have I had to extend deadlines in order to meet demand or complete a project?
If you answered “every day,” or “every week,” then you may be understaffed.

• How many times have employees called in sick over the past month?
If you’ve noticed a recent rise in sick days among your staff, it may be due to stress and burnout. Your employees could be over-worked and over-tired because they are trying to do too much.

• Have your employees taken advantage of their time off and vacation days?
Many times, in a bad economy, employees become fearful of taking any time off. They think their employer will see it as “slacking” and they will therefore be the next person on the chopping block. But this can lead to burnout and less productivity. So encourage your employees to take an appropriate amount of time off.

• Are your overtime costs consistently on the rise?
Another sign that you are understaffed is rising overtime costs. It means simply that you don’t have enough employees to get the work done during the workday.

• Have you had to turn down new business ventures or opportunities because you don’t have the right talent?
If you don’t have employees on staff with the skills you need to take on new opportunities, then you’re going to lose your competitive edge.

• How much are you using temporary or contract employees?
If you are consistently using temporary employees for the same tasks in the same departments, it may be time to consider hiring a full-time staff member to perform those tasks.

• Are you implementing ideas from your business plan or marketing strategy?
If not, then lack of time and energy may be to blame. There’s a reason you create a plan and goals for your business each year, and if you’re not able to execute those plans or meet those goals because you have too much to do, then it may be time to hire additional staff.

By asking yourself the above questions, you should now have a better idea about whether or not you need to hire more people. If you have any questions – or are looking to hire more temporary or full-time employees – please contact Provisional. As a premier Spokane employment agency, we can take on the task of sourcing, screening, and hiring, so you can focus on other priorities, like running your business.

So how can you improve your job fair performance? Here are some tips:

Tip #1. Do your homework.
Get a list of the companies who will be attending and do some research beforehand. Hone in on the companies you would most like to interview with and make sure you go to their website and read about who they are and what they do. Don’t waste your time interviewing with companies you don’t want to work for.

Tip #2. Dress for success.
This should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised by the number of candidates who attend job fairs dressed inappropriately. So two words: Business suit. You can’t go wrong in a suit. Plus, it’s better to be overdressed, rather than underdressed.

Tip #3. Bring enough resumes.
Count on handing out at least two resumes for each company that interests you, plus bring some extras, just in case. Also, if there are different positions for which you qualify, make sure you have multiple versions of your resume. For example, if you’re in sales, bring resumes for positions as both a sales associate and a sales manager.

Tip #4. Create a plan of attack.
This step goes hand in hand with the research step. Once you have a list of companies you want to interview with, find out where each is located at the job fair. Decide who you want to interview with first, second, etc. You may want to interview with your top choices for employment in the morning, then stop back at the end of the day to thank them for their time.

Also, be sure to check to see if any new companies have registered that you’re interested in. You don’t want to miss out on any exciting opportunities.

Tip #5. Make a great impression.
You only have a few minutes to make a great impression. So be prepared with your “30- to 60-second commercial.” This way, when a potential employer asks you to “tell me about yourself,” you’ll know exactly what you want to say to position your skills in the best possible light.

Also avoid common interview pitfalls, such as chewing gum, not making eye contact, and fidgeting. Once the interview is complete, be sure to have some questions prepared to ask the interviewer.

Tip #6. Network with others.
Job fairs are all about networking. Obviously, you want to network with the decision makers and recruiters at companies you’d like to work for. But it’s also important to network with other candidates. They may have tips for job leads and could be a great referral source for you in the future.

Tip #7. Make sure you follow up.
Send a thank you note or email to the person you interviewed with the following day. In your note or email, restate your qualifications and reiterate your interest in the position. Also enclose or attach another copy of your resume.

As a leading employment agency in Spokane, WA, Provisional knows what employers are looking for during job fair interviews. If you’re searching for a job and need helping preparing for a job fair, please contact Provisional today.