Here are some things to look out for. If one or more of these warning signs are present, you need to be doubly careful about joining that organization.

1. The company is in midst of mergers and acquisitions, or there is a major reorganization taking place, staff cutbacks are on anvil or some other major flux is occurring.

2. The company you are considering is not undergoing problems like those described above, but many other companies in that industry are. That could be an indication that trouble may spread to your prospective employer sooner or later.

3. The person who will be your boss has a bad reputation. This is something you should find out about from your network.

4. Your prospective boss has joined organization very recently and his or her reputation is generally not known.

5. You asked to meet with and speak to your new colleagues and this request was refused. What are they afraid existing employees will say to a prospective new hire?

Let me give you an example. I overheard a guy telling a group of friends, over drinks, how he had become fed-up with work. Guys being guys, they immediately started to come up with options to fix problem – ideas like changing company and changing jobs. That was when guy got all logical…

‘Yeah, but I need to pay mortgage and my kid’s education and we’ve got a holiday planned for Bahamas and…’

I interrupted. ‘How much do you need?’

‘A hundred grand a year,’ he replied.

‘What’s more important,’ I asked, ‘your happiness or money?’

Of course he said happiness. Then he got all logical again. ‘But I can’t be happy unless I can pay mortgage and give my kids best and have great holidays.’

‘How many hours do you work?’

‘Around fifty.’

‘And how do you feel when you get home?’

‘Tired.’

‘What would your kids prefer, a father who is worn out for forty eight weeks of year but has four weeks to entertain them per year or a dad who is a real Dad all year round?’

The conversation went on, me questioning, him justifying what he perceived as logic.