Worst Companies to Work For?

Is there a list of the worst companies to work for? Maybe, but it will be a very subjective list. What’s bad or good for one person might not be as bad or good for someone else, but there are some general rules to follow when evaluating companies.

As a professional recruiter, before we start recruiting for a company, the number one thing we need to do when evaluating companies is to make sure they are a reputable, stable, and most importantly respect their employees! Just like when we are evaluating candidates, they should have a good track record. What are the worst companies to work for? Good question, and it can be very subjective, but if a company has been bought/sold/bought/sold moved locations several times and seems to have an employee revolving door, that’s a big red flag. In other words, do people want to work there?

When you’re evaluating companies for employment it’s very important for you to do your homework. Make sure you do your research. On everything! Some companies can be “big” companies or “well-known” in their industries but those things aren’t enough for you to make a sound decision. I know a lot of “big” companies and “well-known” companies that are horrible companies to work for and I have no idea how they stay in business.

A bad company can mean a lot of things to different people, but generally, it can be anything from the fact that they don’t pay their bills, they treat employees badly, they don’t have any advancement opportunities, they treat their customers poorly, they have a bad reputation in the industry, they have a lot of office politics, they make a lot of false promises, they are cheap, and the list goes on.

The good news is if you work for one of these horrible companies you can change it! You can remove yourself from the situation and join a winning company. A good company for your career! Life is too short to be miserable in your life and your career. These bad companies have to live with their situations, you don’t! If you’re unemployed you certainly do not want to join one of these firms. If you do, you might find yourself unemployed again, quickly, because you will be so unhappy.

Another thing, if you work for one of these horrible companies a future employer might view you negatively, just because you work, or worked, there. Working for one of these companies can ruin your reputation. At our firm when we are faced with these situations we always explain to our clients “There are good people that work for bad companies” and that will usually solve this issue, but guess what? Not always. I have had clients that will not meet with a candidate because he or she works, or worked, for a particular company. Believe me, this happens.

So, if you are currently working for one of these companies the sooner you get out-of-there the better. And, please do your research on all of the companies you are looking to join. Don’t be fooled, just because a company is “big” or “well-known” doesn’t mean they are right for you and YOUR CAREER. I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Mike Palumbo

Business owner, executive recruiter, author, radio talk show host, blogger, motivational speaker and career consultant! My goal is to help you find that dream career you’ve always wanted!

Tags: Research Opportunities