Not every offer is worth taking. Watch for warning signs.
Red flags:
- Pressure to accept immediately ("Offer expires in hours")
- Vague job responsibilities
- High turnover mentioned casually
- Salary well below market with equity-heavy compensation
- No clear onboarding plan
- Interviewer badmouthing previous employees
- "We're like a family" (often means poor boundaries)
Ask: "What happened to the last person in this role?" and "How do you support junior developers?"
Trust your instincts. If something feels off, the job probably won't be better. Walking away beats taking a job you'll leave in months.