In the fight for talent, hiring managers naturally attempt to show job candidates why they should want to work at a particular company. The managers extol the perks and working conditions at their firm. But in their zeal to best the competition, sometimes they can exaggerate a little too much. There are three areas in particular where the truth tends to get obscured, and applicants need to be alert to these situations:
1. Company claiming to offer a great work-life balance.
This has become more of an issue of concern with employees, who are less willing to spend all of their time at work at the expense of family and friends. So, employers tout their family friendly work environment.
But a true work-life balance is rare, especially since the layoffs that came with the recession Companies are asking their employees to take on more responsibilities, and this often means more time spent at work, sometimes up to 60 hours a week.
2. Promising yearly bonuses.
Many companies will tell employees that they offer these bonuses in addition to salary, showing a willingness to share the bounty when the company does well. But this too may not be an accurate depiction of the reality. The company may not perform as well as expected, and so bonuses, although promised, don’t materialize. So, this is not something you should count on when you are planning your budget. If you really want to ensure that you get an end-of-year bonus, you should have it stated in writing in some kind of employment contract.
3. The company promises opportunities for advancement.
When you were hired, your manager may have laid out a route for your progress in the company, even detailing the training and professional development programs that would be offered to you. But it hasn’t happened.
Odds are the company was not deliberately deceiving you. It’s just that the company’s timetable for your advancement is different from yours.
If you are in a situation like this, you want to have a meeting with your supervisor to talk about it. Let him or her know clearly your expectations and talk about how you can achieve them and what the timeline will be like.
If you are looking for temporary, temporary-to-hire or direct-hire work in the Anchorage area, send a message to the Opti Staffing Group, one of the best in the area. We would love to discuss how we can help you.