What to Do When the Job Isn’t What You Expected

It’s a fear for many: you’ve gone through the interview process, met your new boss, and all seems well. You’re excited to start your new role, preparing for day one like it’s the first day of school.

But when you get there, things aren’t exactly what they seem. The role differs from what you spent hours talking about during the recruitment process; maybe the processes and tools you were promised don’t exist. Perhaps the company aren’t doing things exactly the way you had expected.

In any case, here’s what to do when the job isn’t what you expected:

1.???Don’t panic

We’re all human, and we make mistakes. We’re also then sometimes open to the danger of hearing what we want to hear. Before approaching your new boss, all guns blazing, about mismanaged expectations, ask yourself: have I been mis-sold the role, or did I miss something at interview?

This isn’t about finding someone to blame, but ensuring that you’ve explored all areas for potential miscommunication.

2.???Work out where the miscommunication happened

If it seems there was in fact a miscommunication, you need to understand whether the expectations were miscommunicated intentionally or not. In many cases it’s an honest misunderstanding of the role what it entails from the person doing the recruiting, who might not be directly involved or necessarily have all the information themselves.

Once you’ve identified how and where things became skewed, it’s time to ask yourself a few important questions.

What is it about the job being different to the one advertised that’s bothering you? Has it left you unable to perform as you’d have liked? Overqualified for the position? Underqualified, for that matter? Simply now doing a job which you wouldn’t have chosen had you known?

All of the above reasons – and myriad others – are entirely valid. But, that doesn’t mean they’re unsolvable, nor do they mean it’s time to up sticks and leave the role before you’ve truly gotten started.

3.???Find a resolution, one way or another

If trust has been broken, it can be difficult to come back from. But these things can often be resolved, and it all begins with an open conversation.

Here’s how to approach your new boss about the miscommunication about expectations:

• Keep things friendly and make it clear that this isn’t an attack. A miscommunication is exactly that – two people who have interpreted the same situation in a different way. It’s likely that a simple chat can explain, if not fully resolve the situation.
• Have your points ready to discuss, with clear examples of what was outlined or promised pre-start date vs the reality of the job.
• Explain the key things you’ll need to see happen in order to continue with the role. Know where your limits are, with the understanding that there will always be a period of learning and adapting in a new job, but also be able to draw the line as to what’s acceptable and what’s not.
• Listen to what your employer has to say and try to see things from a well-rounded perspective. Explain how you’d like to move forward and come to a decision together.

Sometimes, it simply isn’t the right fit.

Being mis-sold on the job itself is one thing; a personal fit another altogether. Unfortunately, when it comes to expectations around company culture, all of the above is irrelevant if it just isn’t a good fit – there’s simply no use trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. And these things are difficult to get a true measure of at interview. So, without using it as an excuse, do know that it’s possible for a job to simply not work out – and part ways as friends.

As a licensed recruiter and staffing agency, it’s our job to inform candidates about the jobs we have available – honestly, transparently, and with integrity at every turn. That means higher success rates at hire and, importantly, a proven increase in staff retention for the businesses we partner with.

If this is something you could benefit from, we’d love to talk more.