When searching for a new job, it’s important to be vigilant and watchful of what the recruiters, hiring managers and others involved with the hiring process say. As a recruiter, I’ve heard too many horror stories of misalignments between how the job opportunity was presented and the reality of what the person will be doing on a daily basis.
It may be too harsh to say that companies outrightly lie about the role, boss, corporate culture, work-life balance, compensation and upward mobility. It’s more likely that there are some omissions by neglecting to mention certain pertinent matters, putting a pretty spin on the opportunity or “inadvertently” misrepresenting the nature of the opportunity.
Why You’re Being Pitched And Pressured
In a hot, tight job market, there will be pressure exerted by senior leadership on human resources, internal talent acquisition recruiters and hiring managers to quickly get bodies into seats to help with the overload of work. If there is too much work and not enough people, there is a high likelihood that the employees will start feeling overwhelmed and resentful that they are tasked with more than was said to them when hired. Over time, if help in the form of new hires is not on the way, the workers will grow despondent and disengaged, causing productivity to plummet.
To avoid this situation, the overall zeitgeist of management is to not so subtly let managers know that they need to do whatever it takes to get candidates in the door. Some managers may push things a little too far. Others, afraid of disappointing their supervisors, may cross the line by overhyping the opportunity, presenting everything positively and neglecting to mention all the downsides of the job and joining the organization.
You Need To Be On Guard
You must watch out for yourself and can’t solely rely upon the representations of the people working at the company, as they have their own agendas and self-interests. If you feel that your recruiter or hiring personnel are overstating or exaggerating the potential total compensation, inclusive of salary, bonus, stock and other benefits, don’t be afraid to dig deep, ask the tough questions and get everything in writing in an offer letter. Don’t accept the line, “We can’t put it into the offer letter, but don’t worry. We always deliver, and you’ll be happy at the end of the year!”
Like a stereotypical used-car salesperson who claims the car is in mint condition, drives like a dream and will last for 20 years, you can’t blindly expect everything to be wonderful and have no flaws or problems. Just because the interviewers say, “There is great growth potential,” you can’t accept it at face value.
You need to have them define the career track, how long it takes to get a promotion, the turnover rate, the history of promotions for this type of role and where the people are now who were once in the position you’re in right now. You also need to know about your direct supervisor. What is their backstory? Are they known as a good boss or a toxic, narcissistic micromanaging bully?
Inquire about the corporate culture. Is it as positive and nurturing as they claim? It’s easy for the company to say that they offer remote and hybrid work models, but firms that previously promised remote work are now pushing for everyone to come back to the office.
People Say And Do What’s In Their Own Interests
Everyone has their own vested interest. An outside, third-party recruiter wants to place the candidate and receive a fat 25% fee for introducing the applicant and getting them hired and onboarded to the company. The hefty financial incentive may entice some headhunters to inflate and overstate things to woo the applicant and get them to accept the job offer.
They may purposefully forget to mention that the boss is toxic, the so-called happy corporate culture is a facade, the firm’s financial situation is in dire straits, and its reputation is negative within its sector.
A manager may tell the job seeker that everything is wonderful, you will be fast-tracked to a senior role within no time, there will be frequent raises and promotions and promise that they’ll look after your career and help in every way possible.
The prospective boss will flatter you, say everything you want to hear and downplay any issues you raise. They’ll neglect to share that this role has been filled numerous times, as staff members only stay a short while and leave.
There are many executives who are honest and fulfill their promises. Unfortunately, too many bosses are whispering sweet enticements to join the firm because they need bodies and don’t really care about the person.
Stand Up For Yourself
Don’t give in if you feel pressured to make a quick decision. Take as much time as you need. You don’t want to accept a role only to discover that you were misled.
Your best defense is to be on offense. Ask the hard-hitting questions. Be highly skeptical. Keep a lookout for cues that conflict with the verbal promises made. Trust your instincts; if the opportunity looks too good to be true, there’s a catch. Before you make any decisions, do a lot of due diligence by researching the company, look on LinkedIn to see the turnover in the position you’re applying for and ask co-workers and others if they are familiar with the company and their opinion.
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