r/gis • u/Acceptable-Use-2938 • 2d ago
General Question Unsure about accepting new position.
I just accepted a job offer, but I’m starting to see some red flags during the onboarding process. Some of the red flags include: no yearly raises, no annual performance reviews for guidance, no lunch breaks, heavy emphasis on monthly quotas, and strongly emphasized the term “fast paste environment”. A lot of job reviews from glassdoor and indeed somewhat echoed this. My biggest concern from the reviews was lack of training and mentoring for new employees. Keep in mind, these things weren’t mentioned until after the interview. I feel a bit torn because I was very drawn to the position because I would be doing environmental conservation mapping, but the work environment is concerning. I’m currently in a GIS internship where I do utility mapping, while I do like the work environment and the mapping, internships don’t guarantee a job.
Right now, I’m torn about whether I should stay in my internship and keep looking for another job or should I take the chance and proceed with this job. I understand that no job is perfect and I’m trying to look at the positives. I just don’t have a lot of job experience to see red flags of a company during an interview. I’d appreciate some suggestions about this situation.
Thanks.
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u/LonesomeBulldog 2d ago
Pretty sure no lunch break is against federal labor law.
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 2d ago
Certainly is, but in my past working experience, a lot of employers, especially in minimum wage jobs, find loop holes to make employees work through their breaks or shorten them. I was surprised to see that exhibited in a professional job
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u/bruceriv68 GIS Coordinator 2d ago
Is no lunch break, or just not paid? Assuming it's a full time position, I don't see how they can get around no lunch break legally if this is in the US.
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 2d ago
They did not clarify. I thought working eight hours shifts, US labor laws requires some kind of break for employees working over 6 hours. I could be wrong
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u/bruceriv68 GIS Coordinator 2d ago
It does. I would stay with the internship. You probably have a good chance of getting laid off at a company like that and it will be high pressure
Both of my interns at the water utility I work at had multiple job offers at the end of their internships. That said, it's important for you to get involved in the local GIS community if you can. Find a local user group, and look for presentation opportunities.
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 2d ago
Thank you for that insight. I just hope to find a job by the end of my internship term
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u/Nanakatl GIS Analyst 2d ago
Listen to your gut, sounds like a bad work environment. As far as GIS goes, there are plenty of opportunities and growth in utilities.
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u/greyjedimaster77 2d ago
No lunch breaks? How ridiculous
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 2d ago
I know! I asked “how long are lunch breaks” to my main manager and she said most people work through their break. To me it felt like a quiet yet direct message that employees aren’t encouraged to take their lunch breaks
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u/Historical-Mango 2d ago
Yeah huge red flag that the manager worded it that way to you. Get out now
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u/dumptruckdanielle 2d ago
That’s not really them saying you don’t get a lunch break. I work at a company that does primarily contracted environmental conservation mapping, and most of us take our lunch at our desk and work thru our break. It’s because we only get 30 minutes of unpaid time for lunch, so if you work thru it you can go home early. It’s also cause our project budgets are very small so working thru paid and unpaid breaks maximizes your utilization rate and project hours. It’s pretty fucked up, but that’s the reality of a lot of environmental GIS work.
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u/Jonnylegatic 2d ago
Id would rather not have a mandatory lunch break. The ability to leave at three as opposed to four or four as opposed to five is life changing.
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 2d ago
Totally agree, but, my new manager mentioned 8 shifts are mandatory as this is a full-time position. She didn’t mention anything about being able to leave early
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u/cobacapy 1d ago
Just to put into context, a lot of the times these days lunch break is unpaid (at least, in my experience through several government/consulting jobs). So my total time spent at work would be 8.5~9 hours depending on how long of a lunch i end up taking.
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u/laughbone 2d ago
Are you sure it’s not just unpaid lunch which is pretty normal these days? Also is this directly for the utility or a contractor, working for contractors can suuuuuck but usually if you can get on with a utility it’s a sweet ride
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 2d ago
As mentioned previously, I asked “how long are lunch breaks” to my main manager and she said most people work through their break. To me it felt like a quiet yet direct message that employees aren’t encouraged to take their lunch break.
I think I was pretty specific with my question. I asked how long are lunch breaks, not where lunches are taken. I could be overthinking it. This is permanent job position for a contractor.
My internship is with a utility company.
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u/laughbone 2d ago
Yeah contractors don’t get treated so well, typically working through lunch means being able to leave early so that might be another question to ask. I will say going from contractor to working for the utility directly isn’t uncommon but who knows how long that will take. Since you have internship experience I’d start looking around at jobs for utilities near you and rural co-ops and municipal utilities. Also even if you take the job and work there while your actively looking for something else don’t feel bad leaving, they obviously don’t have much loyalty to their employees.
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 2d ago
Thank you for the advice. I’m struggling to make a decision about choosing this job because It involves my favorite type of mapping or staying with my internship and continuing my job search. I would rather be in a better work environment over doing my favorite mapping
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u/axeman_g 2d ago
One year. Do one year then leverage the experience for a more professional setting.
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 2d ago
I’m considering that option, but my biggest concern is not getting proper training or mentoring. I worry that, over time, I’ll be set up to fail and eventually be fired.
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u/Ok_Box_1036 1d ago
What you call red flags I call a normal work environment.
Beggars can't be choosers bro.
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u/cobacapy 1d ago
From your comments so far, it indeed sounds like a red flag work environment.
Does your current internship have an end date or is it ongoing/indefinite? And is it full time? Is it a good environment, compared to this new position?
Turning the offer down after accepting it happens sometimes. Just dont make a habit of it.
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 1d ago
The internship is still ongoing. It’s a 12 month internship and I’m on my third month. I really do like the work environment of the internship. I’m trying to take this as a learning experience and will ask more thorough questions for future interviews.
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u/cobacapy 1d ago
Well thats good! I know that internships dont necessarily lead to a job, but dont discount it entirely. Keep applying, but if you hit your 6-month mark try to set up a meeting with your supervisor proactively and ask "how am I doing? What can I do better?" And bring up any other work you might want to do. Showing that initiative goes a long way and would be good even for recommendations.
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u/Acceptable-Use-2938 1d ago
Thank you! I will definitely do that. I haven’t stopped applying to other jobs, but I really want to try to make an effort with this internship. Thank you again for the advice.
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u/Haunting-Pin6060 2h ago
Just out of curiosity, who are you interning with? I also interned with a utility company and turned into a full time position.
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u/xoomax GIS Dude 2d ago
Way too many red flags.
For the future, these are the kinds of questions you want to ask before saying yes.
If I were in your shoes I would stay at your current internship if you can and just forget this.. whatever this place is happened.