Hardly a bigger red flag out there than “We’re a family”
I wouldn’t say a red flag at this point, every fucking company says it now, regardless of size. But it is something to take note of and watch closer. Just wait until you see what kind of family before really committing.
Is it a dysfunctional family that expects everyone to go above and beyond for nothing on return and punishes you for not? Or is it a family that pays attention to when things are happening outside work to help in any way because they actually get that happier employees work better?
I’ve worked for both personally.
Keep your expectations low enough and you’ll never be disappointed.
In my experience that is not a true defence against disappointment.
My expectations weren’t low enough to guard against my boss’s husband getting drunk, shoving his kid around in front of me then driving like a lunatic with us both in the car. When I quit over it I didn’t get my last paycheck or even an email back.
There had been red flags in the hiring process which these days I would absolutely bounce over, especially since they’d taken so long to get my contract in order, but you just don’t expect people to be complete monsters.
When I emailed again a week later to ask what was taking so long the second business partner’s email bounced. Apparently she’d left in that time. The business is still somehow running because you don’t need to be competent to get startup capital and run a business, you just need to talk fast enough to get the bag.
We work hard so we can play hard
“Come on, be a team player”
- Guy on Opposing Team
I’ve worked for a number of “family businesses” in my career and the pattern is always the same: a company founded by someone who is technically competent but a complete asshole, who then has kids who are complete assholes and also complete idiots and who then take over the business.
I like my work family exactly how I like my own family.
They can all fuck off and leave me alone.
Nobody pisses you off more than family. Nobody tries to take advantage of you like family, because you’re family and obligated, 24/7. Yeah. Companies be like that.
Probably already knows you applied to 30 other families and just making sure you feel shitty about it instead of offering a reason to stay.
