Whether you’re working a part-time job in between your classes, looking for a co-op placement or searching for a job post-grad life, each has one thing in common…workplaces.

Your workplace is somewhere you spend a lot of your time, so you want to make sure the company you are working for has a good workplace environment. Here are IGNITE’s green and red flags you need to look for when checking out a new workplace.

Red Flags

High turnover rate

Talk to past employers and do research on the company’s turnover rates. See if people stay at the job for a while or just a short time.

If people are leaving after only a few short months, it could be a reflection on a bad working environment.

Lack of smiles

Take a look around the workplace when you go in for your interview.

Are there people smiling or laughing? We hope so because we believe a workplace should be enjoyable even when there’s work to be done!

If everyone is straight-faced and serious, maybe it’s not the creative environment you were looking for.

No work/life balance

Although it seems as if work takes up a majority of our time, it shouldn’t be your entire life. Ask current employees about their experience with their work/life balance and make sure it’s up to your standards.

Green Flags

Smiles all around

Of course, people don’t have to be grinning at all times (that would be creepy) but smiles show that employees enjoy their job or workplace. So seeing a few smiles is definitely reassuring!

Ability to move up

If moving up in the company is important to you, you should ask around and see if it’s possible.

So, talk to others in the company that were once in your entry-level position. It’s great to hear from those that were once in your same shoes.

The interviewer or employees show interest

You can tell when you aren’t being heard. A good sign when checking out the company is seeing if the interviewer is really interested in your words. There’s no point in working for a company that won’t let your voice be heard.

We hope you can use these red and green flags next time you are checking out a new workplace. Just remember your worth as an employee and ask many questions to make sure it’s the right place for you. Best of luck job hunting!

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