Have you ever been through a job interview that takes months? It feels like you’re going through a full inspection process from head to toe. Then, you may learn the employer was hiding something from you all along.
This is a common experience, one employers should avoid.
It’s not uncommon for job seekers to go through 10 rounds of interviews for one job. Along the way, the job seeker might be asked to take a personality test, an IQ test or do a homework assignment.
They are asked to submit references who can speak to their character. They are expected to go through a thorough background check. And, often, they are expected to volunteer personal details about their family situation, including whether they have a spouse and children.
There is an expectation that a candidate should be comfortable disclosing every detail of their personal and professional life. But, strangely, the employer does not feel the same sense of responsibility to share the same level of transparency with the candidate.
For example, on multiple occasions, the hiring manager who hired me is not the hiring manager I’ve ended up working for. In one instance, my hiring manager quit on my second day. He knew in advance of hiring me that this would be the case, but never disclosed it to me. In another situation, the person who hired me switched me to another manager just days before starting.
Why does this matter? When you interview, you agree to a certain situation. Everyone has had a bad boss. Your boss can make or break your work experience.
Similarly, some companies hire remote employees. Then, after the fact, ask those same employees to move in order to be close to the office so they can begin coming in every day.
There also are companies with open floor plans. Because most employees do not like an open floor plan, the companies who have them often do not disclose the setup in advance of the employee’s first day. Many people need either an office or a cubicle to focus and to produce their best work.
In these cases, it seems the employer knows a candidate might walk away if they learn it is an open office. So, the company waits until the first day to disclose this critical information.
Companies want a candidate to show up as the person they represented themselves to be during the interview process. Similarly, candidates expect the company to show up in the same way on their first day.
When you surprise a candidate with unforeseen circumstances, you might be setting that new employee up for failure. And, at a bare minimum, you are breaking their trust.
Transparency is a two-way street, even in a tight job market.
Angela Copeland, a leadership and career expert, can be reached at www.angelacopeland.com.