Read the Job Description for Risk, Not Just Opportunity

Everyone notices the exciting perks and growth promises. Fewer people read between the lines for warning signs: a role that covers three positions, phrases like "fast-paced environment" that mask chronic understaffing, or a requirement for "flexibility" that means no boundaries. Train yourself to spot what's missing -- clear reporting structure, realistic scope, work-life expectations -- because what a company doesn't say often matters more than what it does.