Delays in receiving a formal job offer.
An offer of employment outlines important aspects of the job role. Any offer should specify the job title, job description (responsibilities), pay, company benefits and other relevant details.
Companies are bound by law to outline an offer of employment to successful candidates. Any offer of employment is a pre-cursor to signing a contract. Failing to receive a contract (documents) could show wider issues with the company such as inefficiencies or administrative failures (unprofessional?)
Feeling pressured into accepting a role
A good company will allow sufficient opportunity to consider a job offer. If feeling pressured into accepting an offer ask for more time. Should the company not allow sufficient time to consider options, then consider the motivations of the company.
It could be perfectly innocent where the company sees an ideal candidate and wants to secure their services. Conversely, it could be a company is desperate for someone to fill the role.
Also, should the company offer a package less than the market-rate, it could be the company hopes to secure someone quickly and who has not done any wider research.
Feeling pressured before accepting a role could indicate how much the company could exert pressure on its employees on a daily basis. Think of the wider picture – it might be worthwhile speaking to a current employee (discretely) to get a better picture of the management culture (management style).
Lack of organisation – recruitment process taking too long
Employers will do everything possible to find the right person. Good companies have a fairly efficient recruitment processes, only taking a short time to complete.
Delays could relate to technicalities of drawing-up a formal job offer or contract. For instance, there could be legal complexities or work permit issues. A good employer should proactively keep candidates informed of any employment issues and set expectations accordingly.
Exceptional delays and inadequate excuses are unacceptable. It is important to consider whether there is a viable job opportunity and whether there are wider problems with the company (i.e. problems budgeting for the role). Look on the Internet and search the company to see if there are any wider concerns about the company.
Be careful about continuing with this process and whether it is worthwhile concentrating efforts on finding another position elsewhere.
The job offer differs from interview discussions
Sometimes companies will change some contractual terms so it is up to the candidate to scrutinise the job offer very carefully. This could be a simple oversight and the company should take reasonable steps to correct any discrepancies. Failure to amend the job offer will highlight warning signs and a potential mistrust issue.
Accepting a job out of desperation
There could be circumstances where candidates have little choice but to accept a job role that is not quite suitable. Instances could include being out of work for a considerable period of time, a lack of opportunities or someone lacking good skills and experience.
