4 Sketchy Phrases Toxic Companies Love Sneaking Into Their Job Descriptions
Roman Samborskyi | Shutterstock It feels like everyone's looking for work right now, but did you know the nature of work has changed significantly? Especially job applications. If you don't read them carefully, you could land yourself in hot water and end up boiled in a toxic job.
Sketchy phrases toxic companies love sneaking into job descriptions:
1. 'Perform other duties as assigned by manager'
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When you see this statement on a job application, run. This means you'll do your work plus someone else’s, and the application often won't mention extra compensation.
This happened to me many years ago when I was a substitute teacher. I arrived half an hour early, but when I got there, I was told I should have arrived even earlier to get the children off the bus. Also, during lunchtime, I had to monitor all the classes (basically, I was a cafeteria monitor too). I don’t remember ever having a lunch break. The teacher I subbed for wore too many hats.
There’s no way to navigate this aside from trying for the job if it is your dream job. If you do find yourself doing the job of ten people, review the job assignment again, because the company may have the right to ask for these jobs if they used the statement above.
2. 'Preferred but not required'
I see this statement on applications, too. This essentially means you don’t necessarily need the credentials to be hired, but the company still finds them desirable.
I worked in insurance for three years without a business degree and mostly relied on education and customer service skills, but the job got difficult during my last two years there; the training was horrible, and the stellar workers always had business backgrounds.
Would I still take a job that requires skills I don't have? Probably not. I wouldn't tell you to disregard these jobs (I know work is hard to come by), but if the company wants it, they need you to have it. Hopefully, if the company is known for hiring at certain times, you can upgrade your skills on Udemy, edX, Alison, or other sites, earn certifications, and then reapply.
3. 'Hours of availability'
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If we are desperate for a job, we may indicate we are open all week just to get the phone call. That’s admirable. I’ve done that before.
A few years ago, I was trying to work at a retail company and left Sunday off the application. However, I never got a call back. I was confused. I indicated I can work all hours for six days! That should be enough!
When I thought about it longer, I realized, “Oh, it’s retail.” So, I left all days and all hours open.
I got the call back. I did not get the job, though, because I was “overqualified. So, there’s that.
How do we navigate this, though? Two ways: Through self-reflection and respecting your time. If you have a family (or even if you live alone), your time is your time. Be selective about the jobs you apply for.
Second, if your availability may change, note that in your cover letter; cover letters are still very important. I know it seems optional on most job applications, but upload one anyway.
4. 'Do you have loved ones or other distractions in your home?'
Remote work is the norm. Although some offices want us to trade our pajamas for a suit again and come back, remote work is here to stay, so when you apply for a work-from-home job, you may see different versions of this question.
“Do you have loved ones, pets, or any other distractions?”
On the surface, this question seems normal. If I were the hiring manager, or even the owner of a company, I’d want my employees to have a quiet place to work. That’s logical. That’s business.
How much quiet is too quiet?
For example, it’s just me and my husband. No children. No pets. The room I use for writing and remote work is pretty quiet. You can hear some lawn mowers through the windows around this time. A book may fall and land with a soft, audible thud in the back of the room.
At times, nature calls, and like any normal human being, the bathroom calls. Another time, I remember I was waiting for a delivery that was supposed to arrive later that week. It arrived while I was on a call, so of course, there was knocking at the door (and other sounds).
Most companies issue noise-canceling headsets these days, and you can order them online to eliminate background noise. The kind I used at my last job was perfect. The customers couldn’t hear a thing in the background.
My gripe was how they asked the question. Families are not “things” (no matter how much they may irritate us). Sounds will eventually happen. Life happens.
That’s life. But yeah, grab those noise-canceling headsets. Looking for work shouldn’t be a hassle. Be strategic about choosing work, and if a job seems horrible, choose one you know you can handle.
Erica Jean Smith is a writer who explores the intersections of culture, class, and capitalism. Her work critiques the polished fantasies of work life and the narratives fed to each generation, revealing the hidden privileges and pressures beneath.
