The Job That Looked Perfect—Until I Dug Into the Company’s Reputation

A cautionary tale about toxic workplaces and why recruiters (and candidates) should always do their due diligence

I thought I’d found a great client.

They were hiring for a senior role, and on paper, it all looked very appealing. Well-known brand. Competitive salary. Strong benefits package. The kind of job that would attract high-calibre candidates.

So, naturally, I did what any recruiter would do—I started thinking about who in my network would be a great fit. I mentally ran through my list of top performers, the ones I knew were quietly open to the right opportunity.

But before I started making calls, I did something every recruiter should do.

I dug a little deeper.

And what I found? Well… let’s just say they were not going to be my next client.

Why Due Diligence Matters—For Recruiters and Candidates Alike

There’s a misconception that recruiters will work with any company as long as they’re hiring. That’s simply not true—or at least it shouldn’t be.

A recruiter’s reputation is built on more than just placing candidates. It’s about placing candidates in roles where they’ll succeed. And that means doing due diligence on the companies we work with.

I don’t just look at what a job pays or how impressive the title sounds. I look at:

?? Company culture – Is this a place where someone can actually thrive?

?? Retention rates – Are people sticking around, or is it a constant revolving door?

?? Leadership reputation – Are they respected in the industry, or do they have a history of burning through employees?

?? Exit stories – What are ex-employees saying about why they left?

Because the last thing I want is to place someone in a role where they’ll be updating their CV again in six months, wondering why they ever said yes.

The Company That Looked Great—But Was Anything But

So back to this potential client.

I started with the basics—Glassdoor, LinkedIn reviews, a few quiet conversations with people who’d worked there. And it didn’t take long for the cracks to show.

?? Glassdoor was a disaster zone. Page after page of brutal reviews, all saying the same thing:

• “Toxic leadership.”
• “No work-life balance.”
• “Micromanagement on steroids.”

?? Retention was abysmal. A quick LinkedIn search showed employees barely lasting 12 months before jumping ship.

?? Ex-employees had stories—and not the good kind. Some of them weren’t just leaving; they were actively warning others not to apply.

?? The leadership team had a reputation. Not for innovation, not for building great teams, but for overworking and undervaluing people.

It became very clear, very quickly, that this was not a company I wanted to work with.

Because here’s the thing: recruiters are only as good as the businesses we represent. If I place a brilliant candidate in a toxic work environment, they won’t blame the company—they’ll blame me for sending them there. And rightly so.

Why Candidates Need to Do the Same Due Diligence

But here’s the bigger issue—most candidates don’t do this kind of research.

Too often, job seekers get swept up in the excitement of a big salary or a fancy title and completely skip the part where they check whether the company is actually a good place to work.

And I get it—when you’re job hunting, it’s easy to assume that if a company is offering you a job, they must be decent, right?

Wrong.

A study by MIT Sloan found that a toxic corporate culture is 10.4 times more powerful than compensation in predicting employee turnover. In other words, no salary is high enough to make up for a bad work environment.

How to Spot a Company You Should Run From

If you’re considering a new job, don’t just rely on the shiny job advert or the well-rehearsed pitch from HR or perfectly crafted by ChatGPT.

Dig deeper. Look for the signs.

1. Read Between the Lines in Job Descriptions

Some phrases should make you suspicious. For example:

? “We’re looking for a self-starter.” (Translation: There’s no training, and you’ll be left to figure everything out yourself.)

? “We work hard, but we play hard.” (Translation: Expect 12-hour days and ‘fun’ mandatory team bonding after work.)

? “Fast-paced environment.” (Translation: You will have no work-life balance.)

If a job ad sounds too polished but lacks detail on support, development, or work-life balance, ask questions.

2. Do Your Research

?? Check employer review sites. Glassdoor, Indeed, and LinkedIn reviews are great starting points.

?? Look at how long employees stay. If no one lasts more than a year, that’s a red flag.

?? Ask around. If you know people in the industry, get the inside scoop.

And most importantly…

3. Ask the Right Questions in Interviews

Interviews aren’t just for companies to assess you—they’re for you to assess them.

Good questions to ask:

? “Why is this position open?” (Has someone been promoted, or did the last person flee?)

? “What are the biggest challenges people face in this role?” (Watch how honestly they answer.)

? “What’s the typical career progression here?” (If they dodge the question, there probably isn’t one.)

? “How would you describe the company culture beyond what’s on the website?” (See if their answer matches the reviews you’ve read.)

If a company is truly a great place to work, they’ll welcome these questions. If they get defensive? Run.

Final Thoughts: Not Every Client (or Employer) Is Worth Saying Yes To

I decided against approaching that company to be a client. Because no amount of money is worth representing a business that treats its employees like disposable assets.

And job seekers need to take the same approach.

?? A big salary doesn’t fix a bad culture. ?? A fancy job title doesn’t make up for a toxic boss. ?? And a slick interview process doesn’t mean the reality of the job isn’t a nightmare.

The best opportunities aren’t just about what you get on paper—they’re about working in an environment where you can actually thrive.

Over to You

Have you ever taken a job, only to realise the company was not what it seemed? Or have you ever dodged a bullet by doing your research first?

Drop your stories in the comments—I’d love to hear them!