By Aisling O’Toole
We’ve seen recruiters ghost candidates and employers catfish new hires, but now beige flags are the latest dating trend to cross over into the workplace.
While a red flag is a screaming sign something isn’t right and a green flag reflects the opposite, a beige flag, according to Urban Dictionary, is something that’s neither good nor bad and while it isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, it will make you pause for thought when you notice it.
If ignored completely, it can result in problems down the line. In a professional context, ignoring beige flags at recruitment stage can result in career stagnation or demotivation as you realise that maybe this wasn’t the right role for you after all. Here’s how to spot them.
Vague Job Descriptions
If a job description doesn’t clearly state what the role is responsible for, and what it looks like on a day-to-day basis, it’s probably because the company themselves don’t know.
While an all-hands-on-deck approach is common within the beauty industry, lack of clarity around role responsibilities can result in career stagnation as it’s not clear what’s needed to move forward.
It also can indicate that a company is run in a chaotic and reactive way, which isn’t conducive with a healthy work life balance.
Obvious Perks
Hybrid working is no longer a perk, it’s considered a standard when it comes to desk-based beauty roles.
Listing fluffy benefits is a beige flag as what employees really want are tangible, and financial, benefits, for example pension contribution, health insurance, parental support and flexible working, in the true sense of the word.
If a company is listing free coffee as a benefit in its job description, consider this your beige flag warning!
Family Environment
Your workplace is not a family and shouldn’t be treated as such – it needs clear boundaries and rules to function correctly.
Families run on unconditional love and constant sacrifice, companies run on top tier performance, hierarchy and consequences.
Quirky Titles
Office Ninja anyone? Like dating, if an employer is at pains to make itself sound cool, the reality is probably the opposite. Beauty professionals don’t need quirky job titles to feel important, they need their work to be respected and valued.
To help you weed out some of the beige flags from the green, Professional Beauty’s job board is full of genuinely great opportunities across all sections of the beauty industry.
Some of the companies currently hiring are highlighted below, but be sure to explore the job board for yourself to pursue your green flag opportunities.
Dyson
True innovators, Dyson is scaling up its Australian operations and currently recruiting for a number of roles including Head of Media, Sales Manager and Senior Commercial Analyst. Focused on solving problems, Dyson offers employees medical insurance and a generous vacation policy.
The Body Shop
Founded in the 1970s on the principle of using business for good, The Body Shop is known for developing its staff through ongoing training and upskilling opportunities and offers medical insurance and pension contributions to staff. The company is currently hiring for a number of open vacancies across its Australian operations, including management roles and sales advisory positions.
Sephora
From floor staff to management opportunities, global beauty giant Sephora is always on the hunt for talented beauty professionals and recruit consistently through the Professional Beauty job board. The beauty giant offers staff onsite training and upskilling as well as embracing a truly diverse workforce. Sephora is currently recruiting for a number of full-time and part-time roles across its Australian operations.
Browse the Professional Beauty job board to find your perfect fit
This article was produced in partnership with Jobbio.
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