Skip to content

This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some are essential to make our site work; others help us improve the user experience. By using the site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Read our privacy policy to learn more.

Close
AICPA-CIMA
  • AICPA & CIMA:
  • Home
  • CPE & Learning
  • My Account
Journal of Accountancy
  • TECH & AI
    • All articles
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
    • Microsoft Excel
    • Information Security & Privacy

    Latest Stories

    • Incorporating prompt engineering into the accounting curriculum
    • Create a dynamic to-do list with Excel’s checkboxes
    • Another way to manage authentication texts
  • TAX
    • All articles
    • Corporations
    • Employee benefits
    • Individuals
    • IRS procedure

    Latest Stories

    • Paper tax refund checks on the way out as IRS shifts to electronic payments
    • IRS keeps per diem rates unchanged for business travel year starting Oct. 1
    • Details on IRS prop. regs. on tip income deduction
  • PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
    • All articles
    • Diversity, equity & inclusion
    • Human capital
    • Firm operations
    • Practice growth & client service

    Latest Stories

    • Paper tax refund checks on the way out as IRS shifts to electronic payments
    • Practice mobility update: New NASBA tool tracks changes for CPAs
    • IRS keeps per diem rates unchanged for business travel year starting Oct. 1
  • FINANCIAL REPORTING
    • All articles
    • FASB reporting
    • IFRS
    • Private company reporting
    • SEC compliance and reporting

    Latest Stories

    • SEC accepting Professional Accounting Fellow applications
    • SEC names new chief accountant
    • SEC ends legal defense of its climate rules
  • AUDIT
    • All articles
    • Attestation
    • Audit
    • Compilation and review
    • Peer review
    • Quality Management

    Latest Stories

    • AICPA unveils new QM resources to help firms meet Dec. 15 deadline
    • 8 steps to build your firm’s quality management system on time
    • Auditing Standards Board proposes a new fraud standard
  • MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING
    • All articles
    • Business planning
    • Human resources
    • Risk management
    • Strategy

    Latest Stories

    • Business outlook brightens somewhat despite trade, inflation concerns
    • AICPA & CIMA Business Resilience Toolkit — levers for action
    • Economic pessimism grows, but CFOs have strategic responses
  • Home
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Podcast
  • Topics
Advertisement
  1. newsletter
  2. Cpa Insider
CPA INSIDER

Job seeker beware: Signs you may not want that job

Be mindful of these red flags during your job search.

By Beth A. Berk, CPA, CGMA
November 20, 2017

Please note: This item is from our archives and was published in 2017. It is provided for historical reference. The content may be out of date and links may no longer function.

Related

November 1, 2017

New scams target accounting job seekers

October 17, 2017

Email mistakes that could derail your career

TOPICS

  • Professional Development
    • Communication

For many CPAs, career opportunities abound. Many organizations are ready to offer them good money and a great title.

However, how can you know whether an employer will be good to work for? Sometimes, red flags crop up during the interview process that should signal you to proceed with caution before accepting a job offer. These warning signs don’t necessarily mean that an organization won’t be a good fit, but they do tell you that it’s a good idea to get more information before moving forward. Here are some of them:

No follow-up: After an interview, two weeks pass and you do not hear anything at all from the organization. You send an email or leave a voicemail and still hear nothing. If you’re working with a recruiter, he or she hasn’t heard anything either.

Why it’s a concern: As a recruiter, I try to move the process along even if the message I have to deliver is not a positive one. I place value in the process—so should you! A good employer will appreciate the fact that you’re interested even though you may not be the right fit, and will follow up with you promptly. My suggestion in this case would be to apply elsewhere and not to try to follow up further.

Rigidity: The organization doesn’t seem very flexible during the interview process and doesn’t want to work around your schedule.

Why it’s a concern: I find that organizations that are inflexible during the interview process tend to be less flexible in other areas. If an employer is not willing to make reasonable accommodations to your schedule—especially now, when CPAs are in high demand—it can be a sign that the organization doesn’t place a high value on prospective employees. If an organization seems too rigid at the onset, probe further about how it operates (e.g., does it offer flexible work schedules and have realistic expectations of employees?)

Not valuing your time: It’s a bad sign if an organization makes you wait for more than just a few minutes past your scheduled interview time without saying anything to you or apologizing to you.

Advertisement

Why it’s a concern: Although unforeseen circumstances can cause delays, if hiring personnel don’t acknowledge your inconvenience, it can be an indication that the corporate culture condones discourteous behavior.

Turnover: A more obvious sign to beware of is if you find out that there has been a lot of turnover—in the role you’re applying for, in the accounting department, or in the organization in general.

Why it’s a concern: It could mean that employees are leaving because they aren’t happy with their jobs.

Ask why the position is available, how long it has been open, and how long the previous person held it. Also, ask why he or she left the role. If you find out that the position was newly created, or that the person who held it was promoted internally, great. If he or she had other reasons for leaving, though, you may need to learn more about the role itself, what the expectations are, the supervisor’s style, salaries and raises, etc.

Note that you will likely be the one to bring up the question of turnover. Many times, the hiring professionals or HR staff will not offer this type of information.

Lack of upward mobility: The organization has little turnover and no one is expected to retire anytime soon. Another warning sign could be that there aren’t any levels of staff between staff or senior accountant and partner, CFO, or controller (though this may just be because the organization is small).

Why it’s a concern: Either of these two signs could mean that it could be hard for you to advance, if that’s your goal. Ask questions about the role’s growth potential, such as what the responsibilities and duties are, what kind of training is available, and whether you’ll be able to learn management skills such as supervising staff and reviewing others’ work. Inquire about what opportunities for advancement might be available, such as individualized career paths.

Advertisement

Salary mismatch: You are offered a role similar to the one you’re leaving for either a lot less or a lot more money than you would have expected. 

Why it’s a concern: A salary mismatch is not necessarily an indication of a bad employer—it just means the employer might not be right for you. For instance, if you’re offered less money than expected, it could be because you’ll be working fewer hours in the new role or because you’re moving to an area where salaries and the cost of living are lower. Depending on your career goals, you may be willing to make such a tradeoff. Or it could be that you are being paid more than the market rate in your current role. However, it could also mean that the employer isn’t keeping up with competitors or is not investing properly in its employees. You may want to compare the employer’s offer to the figures listed in a salary guide.

If you’re offered more money than you expected, it may be that the organization has lost several staff and is desperate to hire. Again, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but be sure to ask questions about how the firm operates, its values, the types of clients it has and services it offers, and why others left.

Another thing to keep in mind: Some organizations will pay more than you expected in hopes of hiring you and keeping you (the “golden handcuffs” phenomenon). That can be fine, if the organization is a good fit. But if it’s not, you may find yourself reluctant to leave because you may not get the same salary elsewhere.

Questionable reputation: You Google the organization’s name and learn from a reputable source that the organization or a member of its senior management has been associated with some type of lawsuit or has a criminal record. Or you discover a smaller blemish on its reputation—perhaps an executive was called out for posting offensive content on social media.

Why it’s a concern: It’s always a good idea to do some research on a potential employer’s reputation, just to be on the safe side. Being associated with an organization known for unlawful acts or some other ethical lapse can damage your reputation, even if you had nothing to do with its misdeeds. Should you find out anything that is questionable about an organization or its senior management, ask more questions and carefully consider whether you want to be aligned with it.

If you’re not sure about an organization, even after getting an offer, ask the hiring professional to schedule a time to meet with others whom you will work with and report to. Ask more questions, then go with your gut! Hopefully, though, you will interview without experiencing any pink or red flags during the interview process. Good luck!

Advertisement

Beth A. Berk, CPA, CGMA, is an independent recruiter based in Maryland. To comment on this article, email senior editor Courtney Vien.

Advertisement

latest news

September 24, 2025

Paper tax refund checks on the way out as IRS shifts to electronic payments

September 24, 2025

Practice mobility update: New NASBA tool tracks changes for CPAs

September 23, 2025

IRS keeps per diem rates unchanged for business travel year starting Oct. 1

September 22, 2025

Managing teams, managing time: The importance of setting expectations

September 19, 2025

Details on IRS prop. regs. on tip income deduction

Advertisement

Most Read

MAP Survey finds CPA firm starting pay on the rise
IRS finalizes regulations for Roth catch-up contributions under SECURE 2.0
NASBA, AICPA release proposed revisions to CPE standards
Congress passes act allowing tax relief when a state declares disaster
IRS releases draft form for tip, overtime, car loan, and senior deductions
Advertisement

Podcast

September 25, 2025

Professional liability risks related to Form 1065, CPA firm acquisitions

September 18, 2025

‘We’re still the thinkers’ — a reminder for tax pros in the AI era

September 11, 2025

Strong storytelling helps speakers deliver ‘medicine’ without the aftertaste

Features

Calming nervous clients nearing retirement
Calming nervous clients nearing retirement

Calming nervous clients nearing retirement

7 retirement tips for small firm CPAs
7 retirement tips for small firm CPAs

7 retirement tips for small firm CPAs

Building a better CPA firm: Stepping up service offerings
Multi-colored plus signs

Building a better CPA firm: Stepping up service offerings

2025 tax software survey
Smiley, frowney, and neutral faces for Tax Software Survey.

2025 tax software survey

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Flip out with the latest Tech Q&A

The September Technology Q&A column shows how to create dynamic to-do lists with Excel's checkboxes and also how to set up multifactor authentication texts that don't rely on phones. Flip through both items and view a video walkthrough in our digital format. 

From The Tax Adviser

August 30, 2025

2025 tax software survey

August 30, 2025

Are you doing all you can to keep the cash method for your clients?

July 31, 2025

Current developments in S corporations

July 31, 2025

Paid student-athletes: Tax implications for universities and donors

MAGAZINE

September 2025

September 2025

September 2025
August 2025

August 2025

August 2025
July 2025

July 2025

July 2025
June 2025

June 2025

June 2025
May 2025

May 2025

May 2025
April 2025

April 2025

April 2025
March 2025

March 2025

March 2025
February 2025

February 2025

February 2025
January 2025

January 2025

January 2025
December 2024

December 2024

December 2024
November 2024

November 2024

November 2024
October 2024

October 2024

October 2024
view all

View All

http://JofA_Default_Mag_cover_small_official_blue

PUSH NOTIFICATIONS

Coming soon: Learn about important news

CPA LETTER DAILY EMAIL

CPA Letter Logo

Subscribe to the daily CPA Letter

Stay on top of the biggest news affecting the profession every business day. Follow this link to your marketing preferences on aicpa-cima.com to subscribe. If you don't already have an aicpa-cima.com account, create one for free and then navigate to your marketing preferences.

Connect

  • X Logo JofA on X
  • facebook JofA on Facebook

HOME

  • News
  • Monthly issues
  • Podcast
  • A&A Focus
  • PFP Digest
  • Academic Update
  • Topics
  • RSS feed rss feed
  • Site map

ABOUT

  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Submit an article
  • Editorial calendar
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms & conditions

SUBSCRIBE

  • Academic Update
  • CPE Express

AICPA & CIMA SITES

  • AICPA-CIMA.com
  • Global Engagement Center
  • Financial Management (FM)
  • The Tax Adviser
  • AICPA Insights
  • Global Career Hub
AICPA & CIMA

© 2025 Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. All rights reserved.

Reliable. Resourceful. Respected.