Organisations are faced with myriad challenges, right from the uncertainties in the market to the war for talent. In an attempt of decking up their employer brand, sometimes they gloss over their weaknesses compared to their peers and overstate their bright spots. This new phenomenon of catfishing could not only land them in trouble but also the candidates who feel attracted to them.
Do we know our interests and passion?
All of us know, we find the greatest comfort and happiness being among people and situations we relate well. Having said this, many a time we have no idea what exactly we are comfortable with and hence, we are unsure about what we must seek. If this unclarity stays for long, we keep wandering till we settle down on one thing.
Since our socio-economic situations have been improving, many people can set aside a part of their work-life exploring possibilities until they find something adequately exciting. Willingly they take up a few jobs as a matter of experiment; they are happy if they find the job interesting and equally happy if they find the job or the company unattractive. They move on without remorse. Most parts of one’s work life need to resonate with one’s calling.
Company catfishing is real
Candidates often read reviews about the company and the job before accepting an offer from them. They network with others to dip into the genuine experiences of ex-employees and current employees before they even apply for a job there. Sometimes, the experiences learned from others could pertain to some exceptional situations or a time in the past which may not be an accurate reflection of the current situation. Given the dynamic business environment we operate in, changes are rapid in an organisation. Organisation structure evolves, new types of jobs evolve, and leadership practices undergo changes as well. Hence, the inputs gathered about the company, its culture, industry position and the job are to be accepted with the disclaimer that the stories may not be real or consistent across the organisation.
To make matters worse, companies glorify their achievements, culture, and their future prospects. We have seen glaring failures of organisations like Enron, Arthur Andersen, and Lehman Brothers. So, one must rely on one’s assessment of the experiences through the recruiting process. The conversations with interviewers and assessors in the hiring process, subsequently with the HR folks provide one with multiple moments of truth. Hence, one has to actively watch out and read the experiences through the recruitment process.
Realise that you are a brand
Each one of us is unique and we must know the uniqueness that sets us apart from our peers in a team, a community, and an organisation. Many of us do not invest energy in determining who we are and how we stand out in a crowd. As a result, we are unable to leverage our brand in the process of working for a larger entity. This is critical when we are changing our job and creating an identity of ourselves in a new environment.
We must reflect and introspect what we do well, what we prefer doing and how we behave in specific situations. These characteristics define us as a brand and deliver results while we work in a group or for an organisation. For example, someone is passionate about results and is not overly concerned about the processes to generate the results; while someone else, could hold process rigour very high in his or her mind, higher than the importance of delivering results. Hence, it is important to assess if one fits well in the new organisation.
We do not want to keep hopping from one job to another without adding substance to our armoury of capabilities, skills, experiences, and insights. Hence, we must assess our fitment with the next employer and the role there.
