You join the company with great enthusiasm only to realize that things are not like they were painted before you.  You have invested a great deal of time and effort in preparing for this new job. After you join you realize that you have been handed a raw deal and your previous workplace was actually much better!  You have given up a perfectly good job to end up in a corporate jungle with ogres for bosses and trolls for colleagues. Your "in-hand" salary is actually lower than your previous salary. You are missing your old boss (who now seems like a fairy godmother) and your friends from your previous organization. However, it’s too late now.

You live and you learn. However, not all mistakes need to be repeated to learn a lesson.  You can always from other’s mistakes. I am not proud to say that I have worked with some of the worst employers. However, I have learned from my mistakes and noted some observations to avoid this mistake in the future.  If you are planning to settle down in a company then there are some key indicators that we need to look at.

1. Understanding the reason for change is very important. There are certain factors why we would leave a company. These are the same factors why we join another company.  They would be:
   1.  Employee benefits (insurance, education loans, home loan subsidy, stock options),
   2. Work culture (Friendly and approachable colleagues and bosses, occasional lunches or outings to foster camaraderie within employees, skip level meetings, a 360 degree appraisal)
   3. Growth (performance benefits, promotions)
   4. Your immediate boss (All goes down the drain if this does not click)
2. Complete your homework before you join. Does the company have interesting projects? Will you have a chance to work on cutting edge technologies or work processes? Does it add value to your current profile? An insider is a more reliable source of information than the H.R or the company website.
3. Study the company hierarchy. A flat hierarchy means that the management is more attuned to business and employee requirements. A long structured hierarchy generally leads to inefficiency and waste of time. A “sir” or “madam” culture means that the organization is stuck in a time warp and you will probably have to spend more time apple polishing than actually working. It is best to steer clear of these organizations.
4. Many employees get starry eyed by the company certification. However, the company certification (CMMI, ISO) is not much help from the employee perspective. Good work processes does not mean a good work environment.  Also, certified work processes are not necessarily always “good”. They probably suck up time and cause inefficiency but the auditor was too tired to look that deep.
5. Read the fine print. This is extremely important. Your appointment letter can be a one way ticket to heaven or hell. It will probably not hit you till you have completed a month or two in the organization.  It will be too late by then.
6. A bond is generally  a bad idea. A company with a good work culture and employee benefits will never need a bond to control attrition.
7. Never trust web reviews. They can be bought and manipulated. However, check the employer website if they have a separate section for employee testimonials  and career path.  These employers are mostly serious about their employees. Most importantly, check if they are having fun.
8. Check the toilets. The toilets can tell you a lot about the existing workplace. Check if they are clean and maintained regularly. If you see footprints on toilet seats, then these are not the kind of people you want to work with.  You may also catch up on some gossip while you are in there.
9. Talk to the existing staff. They will not tell you directly that this workplace is hell. Look for hints they drop in their conversation.
10. Do not trust the H.R sweet talk. They are devils advocates.  Take your time, especially when they are rushing you to join. Understand that they have their performance targets too. However, it is not your responsibility to achieve them.
11. Understand the deductions and various components completely. Factor in the tax to understand its impact on your net salary. If the organization does not provide you a detailed salary breakup in the offer letter then it is a red flag!
12. Remember the basic rule of negotiation. Always, ask for more money than you actually expect. Chances are that you will always receive lesser than the amount you have demanded.
13. Check if the company has a policy to promote from the inside. If they hire from outside then it is probably not the best for your career.
14. Use all your networking resources to understand the company from the “inside”.  Find someone who has worked with the company for a while and knows its functioning.  A minimum of two reviews is a must.
15. For the extra cautious, read the company reports. If the company is listed on the stock exchange and has been unethical, then you are bound to find some dirt on it. If they have a history of scamming the tax department or the stock exchange then they will scam the employees too.
16. If you are looking for a long term career then a public listed company with a board of directors is always better than propreitor company. Propreiter or family owned companies are generally authoritarian in nature and the employees have bow to their every whim and fancy.
17. Study the demography. The average age in the company and the women to men ratio is a tell tale sign about the company culture.  Some professional networking sites like www.linkedin.com can be helpful here.  A company that is “older” has a more formal environment and is less adaptable to change. A “younger” company means a vibrant work culture with a bit of uncertainty. See what works for you.
18. Last but not the least, trust your instincts. If you have that “sinking” feeling when you enter the office, do not ignore it!!

Best of luck with your new job !