Are you jumping too fast?

It’s Friday evening and I am eagerly waiting for my friend at one of our favorite restaurants. It has been over 4 months since we met last. She has taken up a new job and when we met last she was extremely excited about this job transition. As I sipped my drink, I saw my friend Anita walk in, however something was different…she didn’t look as cheerful as she always is. We greeted each other like old times and she slumped into the chair. We chatted for a while, but she kept complaining about the restaurant, the music they were playing, their service, their food, literally about everything. She looked tired and agitated. I politely asked her, “Is everything fine, Anita?” After a long pause, she replied, “I am not happy…I don’t feel good in my new job. You know I have been a very high performer all through my career and I have always given 100% to my job and did very well. But, I think I made a huge mistake in jumping too fast to take up this new job. During the interview my hiring manager and the team presented well-orchestrated pitches and painted the company in the best possible light, but this is far from reality. This is not what I was told, nor I expected to be working like this. Almost everything about the job is a lie or an exaggeration. Should I look for another job?”

• What possibly would have gone wrong here?
• What could have the hiring manager done differently?
• What measures could Anita have taken before accepting this new job offer?

Sadly, this scenario is not uncommon. This is the consequence of a wrong hiring decision.

Studies reveals that several hiring managers avoid telling applicants the truth about a job. Their reasoning is that if applicants find out the unpleasant side of job for example, how hard they will work or how boring the job is, they will walk away. However, this sort of mindset can lead to a huge hiring mistake.  

To hire effectively and to ensure you have a genuine match for the job, it is very important to be honest about what working at your company is like and what it takes to be successful. If an applicant doesn’t think they match up with your company or the role, they are probably right. Having them decline the role will save you from wasting significant time and resources. The real costs of hiring mistakes are surprisingly significant. The impact is substantial for both company and the new hire. 

For the people who are not happy at work and disengaged, this is nothing short of life stifling. For companies, the cost of employees being unhappy at work are heavy and equates to billions of dollars in lost productivity. Studies estimates that 80 percent of turnover is due to bad hiring decisions. The cost of replacing an employee is estimated to be around one-fifth of their salary, so those costs mount quickly. But the consequences of a wrong hire go beyond turnover costs; there are also costs associated with a disrupted company culture, potential loss of customers and revenue among others. In short, this is the recipe of infusing disengagement at the workplace. And I am sure as hiring managers you don’t want to have disengaged employees. After all disengagement is contagious. Gallup studies shows that there is direct relationship between engagement at work and organizational outcomes. It has a direct impact on factors like customer loyalty/engagement, profitability, productivity, turnover, safety incidents, absenteeism and quality (defects). 

So, if you are THE HIRING MANAGER, handle the interview process as transparent as you would like to experience if you are on the other side of the table.  This is an opportunity to set the tone for the future relationship, so you want to exhibit the right behavior. You can, for example, share why your most engaged employees love working for you. At the same time also, be candid about the realities of your workplace and the job. Describe what some candidates may find easy and tough, what motivates people to thrive in the role despite perceived downsides, and the key elements of your company culture, which could be a positive for some but may not be right for everyone.

Now, here I come to the most important part. Are you currently seeking a job or are you contemplating it? If yes, here are some tips for you, to avoid common pitfalls as you transition:

1.Wear your Investigator Hat:

a.      Research is the key mantra: In this era of Glassdoor, LinkedIn and several such platforms, information is on the tip of our fingertips. Dedicate some time and research the good, bad and ugly about the company you are considering for your next job. This will help you evaluate and to take an informed decision.

b.     Reference the references: References are invaluable free resources that prevent costly mistakes. It needs a very little effort to find an employee or former employee or someone who has been associated with the company you are considering for your next job. Connect with them, get their perspectives. For example - what made them stick to the company; why they moved out of the job. Connect with as many as possible and draw your own inferences. There are very less chances of you going wrong when you gather information from various channels. 

2. Probe beneath the surface: Ask direct questions: Yes! You have read it right. Never hesitate to ask direct questions. Research shows that asking direct questions is the best way to elicit honest answers. And most importantly do not read between the lines of interview conversations and come to our own conclusions. Gone are the days when only companies used to evaluate applicants. In today’s era, both the parties scout for a perfect match. Ask questions that will help you to take a conscious and well-informed decision. It’s fine to decline a job opportunity than to get into a wrong one. You wouldn’t like to join the community of disengaged employees. Do you?

3. Know your pulse: Are you desperate to get out of your current job? Do you constantly find yourself saying, “I am so unhappy at work” or "Don't go back to that job!"? If you find yourself in this mode, be mindful of jumping too fast to get a new job. Studies show that in desperation mode, people never pick up on danger signs, no matter how many signals there are. It's very challenging to decline a job opportunity when you're in misery at your current job. It's hard to hold out for a better offer. But do remember, when in desperate mode, most people have agreed to make decisions that they are not proud of. Quick and desperate decisions lead to bad choices.

If you find yourself in this kind of situation, learn how to build an emotional force field around yourself to keep your unpleasant work environment from disturbing you. For example, talk to someone who you trust and can confide in. But most importantly, recognize it’s not forever. You will certainly survive this difficult phase, and it will help you learn a powerful lesson, which is that matter how much you dislike your job, don't take a new job in haste unless you know it’s going to be an improvement. Otherwise, there’s a danger of putting yourself into a downward spiral where you take a job, hate it, desperately job-hunt and then take an even worse job and so on. A downward career spiral will jeopardize both your resume and your confidence…so be mindful! When you start job hunting, take your time, don’t let the situation take control of you.

4. Never try to slip into a wrong size. If you force yourself to fit into a wrong shoe size, it will eventually hurt. During interview discussions, be authentic. Do not misrepresent yourself to fit into the requirement or just to get the job offer. Look for a genuine fit. It can turn out to be an important milestone in your career graph. 

5. It is absolutely worthwhile engaging in a career coach when you are in midst of a career crisis or professional reinvention. Jumping from one job to another may not be always the best solution. A good career coach can be a life saver, especially in helping you identify potential future directions and the path to reach them.  

It is obvious that neither organizations nor employees benefit when the right hiring decision is not made. There’s no doubt that companies should take the lead in promoting more truth in the hiring process. However, it’s important to recognize that it’s about YOU and YOUR career. Hence, take charge of your own career. When you spend most of your waking hours at work, you owe it to yourself to make sure you’re putting in those hours for a job that you care about. Do enough to find out if you are making the right transition. After all this is your job. Your career. Your life.

All the very best!!

Jayita

Courtesy: Corporate Experiences# My learnings# inspiration from various articles