This hasn't been my experience at all.

I think it speaks to how each person approaches the interview process. A work relationship is like any other relationship: There are red flags to watch for before accepting an offer. Frequently we ignore them, just like we do in personal relationships, because something is more important than acknowledging the red flags and moving on.

In work, the most common reason to ignore red flags is simple: I need a roof over my head. But the flags are still there, and they will grate on us and cause us to lose interest in supporting our coworkers, who also ignored the red flags, paid for it, and lost interest in supporting us.

I was able to work as a contractor regularly back when contract-to-hire was a thing in California, and that gave me the opportunity to acknowledge the red flags and walk away to another gig.

It may be harder now. But if you keep the discipline of noticing red flags, and remember that you're interviewing them as much as they're interviewing you, you stand a much better chance of avoiding becoming another Dilbert.

When you can do that, you end up finding yourself surrounded by other dedicated people who put the work in and support you to do the same.