HAVE you ever started a new job and had the realisation quickly dawn on you that you may have been deceived in the interview and, in fact, the reality of the role is rather different from the one sold to you during the recruitment process?
Well, you are not alone, as a whopping 92 percent of Singaporean job seekers and employees say job realities tend to differ from expectations set during the interview process.
Glassdoor, one of the world’s largest job and recruiting sites, asked more than 900 job seekers and employees in Singapore if the realities of a job – such as hours, workload and responsibilities – differ from the expectations set by the company when they were recruited.
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An overwhelming majority said that they do, with more women finding this to be the case than men. The study found 94 percent of women and 90 percent of men said the job was not quite what they were sold.
The study did not specify if this was in a positive or a negative way, but, according to JT O’Donnell, CEO for career support platform WorkItDaily, there are a number of common lies employers tell in interviews.
These include “There’s a lot of opportunity for advancement,” “You’ll get extensive training,” “You’ll have scheduling flexibility and can work from home on occasion,” and “We’ll hire you some help when it gets busy.”
Job seekers waiting in line for an interview for employment during a jobs fair in Seoul. November 12, 2018. Source: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP
The survey also highlighted a lack of transparency when it comes to salaries in a company and throughout industries in Singapore.
A high majority 86 percent of Singapore employees said they wish they had a better understanding of what fair pay is for their position and skill set both at their company and in their local job market.
Any companies found lying to prospective employees better watch their back, as 85 percent of respondents said reviews from current or former employees helps in their decision making when choosing where to work. The stats signify a trust in their peers that should act as a word of warning to any employers thinking about lying during the recruitment process.
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Workplace culture is high up employees lists of priorities in a new role, with four in five (83 percent) telling Glassdoor that workplace culture is more important than earning more money.
This is probably for the best as almost three quarters of respondents (72 percent) did not negotiate a higher salary than that initially offered. This was found to be exactly the same proportion for both men and women.
It seems many Singaporeans also have itchy feet when it comes to their employment, with 61 percent saying they are either currently looking, or plan to look, for a new job within the year, which suggests that 2019 could see a significant number of job moves.
