The following is an article I came across while reading Forbes by Senior Contributor Mark Murphy. He offers a No nonsense direct approach to figuring out whether or not the hiring manager your interviewing with is being dishonest. Throughout the article I have entered my own thoughts within parentheses. Read on to see what Mr Murphy has to say.

Hiring Managers Often Lie To Candidates, Here’s How To Spot When They Do Mark Murphy Senior Contributor Forbes

A new survey from Resume Builder finds that 36% of hiring managers say they've lied to candidates about the role or company during the hiring process. Nobody who's ever interviewed for a job will be the least bit shocked by that finding, but that doesn't mean that candidates should tolerate the lies.

The survey found that the most common topics for lying concerned the role's responsibilities, followed by growth opportunities and career development opportunities. It's possible to find out when a hiring manager is less than forthright about any of those issues. But you will have to ask, and your questions will be a bit different from other candidates.

To uncover any dishonesty about job responsibilities, unless you can question current employees, you'll likely need to proceed in a way that isn't obvious or direct. When someone lies about a job's responsibilities, they're generally covering up the unpleasant or frustrating bits. So your question to the hiring manager is, "Everyone experiences frustrations in their job, so could you describe the top three frustrations that your current employees have?"

This question works on multiple levels. First, the Leadership IQ study on frustrations at work discovered that 60% of employees say that their workplace frustrations are so severe that it makes them want to look for other jobs. The top four sources of frustration are workload, staffing, toxicity and management. Clearly, there are lots of frustrations out there, and you need to know what they are.

(Always ask for clarification if a hiring manager uses the phrase "based on business needs" or "as determined by company guidelines" when referring to schedules, pay increases, additional job duties and career advancement.)

Second, a good manager knows what's frustrating their employees. If a hiring manager can't provide real-life examples of employee frustrations, as well as the steps they took to address them, it suggests that either the manager isn't paying attention or they don't take action. Either case should serve as a significant warning that you're likely to face problems and issues in your role.

(As a Hospitality GM/ hiring manager I encouraged candidates to ask these questions and was transparent in my answers. Better that they be aware of any issues that would directly affect their employment upfront than hire them just to have them leave because they became frustrated or dissatisfied. For example, when we were short staffed in housekeeping during the months following the pandemic, I would let them know that there might be days where they would be required to stay longer in order to complete their tasks or that they might be called on a day off to see if they would cover a shift for someone who called out. I also made them aware that every housekeeping team member was required to cross train in laundry in case we needed coverage because in hospitality, laundry is a priority. If they found that acceptable they would sign a "Call In" document. It didn't mean they were required to come in if we called but it gave management permission to offer them extra hours if they chose to be available. I also made it clear that there would be no retaliation if they were unable to cover a shift.)

Also, be wary of empty platitudes about how their employees don't get frustrated. Ambiguous and non-specific responses are just as concerning as no response at all. If a manager is genuinely attentive and proactive about their employees' concerns, they shouldn't struggle to provide specific instances. Not only should the hiring manager have examples ready, but they should be keen to discuss the measures they've taken to fix them.

To discover falsehoods about career growth, you'll want to ask, "Could you describe some specific examples of the career growth some of your employees experienced in the past year?"

Not only do some hiring managers lie about career growth opportunities, but the research suggests that career growth is a fairly widespread challenge. In this study, Leadership IQ uncovered that only 23% of employees always think they have the kind of training opportunities to foster career growth and advancement, and only 19% of people see a path to advance their career at their current employer. (If they tell you those opportunities exist within their company, insist on seeing it in your employment contract.)

Just like with the question about workplace frustrations, you're listening for highly specific answers about the specific growth, training or career advancement experienced by real employees. You want to hear about Sally's new certification and how that increased her position, or Pat's taking the lead on the task force, or Sam's promotion, or whatever else. (Just as interviewers want specific examples of your achievements that contributed to your company's success, candidates should expect the same from their prospective employer. How will the company invest in you?)

No job is perfect or free from frustrations. But what you're looking to discover with these questions is whether this is a hiring manager who's forthright and willing to work on fixing their problems. There will always be bumps in the road, but if you're working for someone who's willing to address those bumps, you'll have a better situation than most.

If you would like to read Mr Murphy's article yourself tap on the link below:

Forbes

What are some of the frustrations that you have experienced in your job? Were you able to approach management? If they were open to hearing about your issues, did they make empty promises or did they address the situation to the best of their ability?

#interview #hiringnews #jobsatisfaction #watercoolertopics

I recently had a conversation with a patient, who asked me if I liked my job, or rather do I like what I do. I told this patient that was the same I asked my mom. Her answer to me was if you like what you do then it's not a job, it's a pleasure and fullfillment to help others who can no longer help themselves. I love what I do and hope to meet someone else someday who feels the same way