Has anyone experienced bait and switch job offers?

6 Comments

1. AnonymousMarch 4,2024 at 2:43PM UTC

   I've gotten to quite a number of interviews where it said one thing on the ad but then they started talking a whole other ballgame at the interview. That's why I always have the ad pulled up on my phone and read it out if they start saying stuff off the wall, and they usually say like "Well, that was just to get people interested". No, thank you!

   Also had a job where the pay I was given at the interview was significantly lower than what it said in the ad. I took it because I needed the money but I got out of there within a few months. Also within a week of working there I ended up with far more duties than was originally told and wasn't given an option to say no- I was just told "I had to do it." It was for stuff I had NO idea how to do (education-wise), and I told them this, but simply said I had to figure it out.

   Now that I am more stable in my employment, I have the freedom to walk away from stuff like that. Mostly what I run into is lower pay than stated in the ad, and as soon as it hear it I thank them for false advertisement and walk out.

2. Kimberley Ferretti HammettMarch 4,2024 at 3:54PM UTC

   Yep! I interviewed for a "marketing" position and was offered a low-wage position that was essentially a front desk/sales position with the responsibility of planning their marketing and networking events still. I expressed my concern and was told they could up it $1 an hour but that was what they really needed to get their business up. They said in 3 months we would discuss moving me up more if the sales was effective. I ended up taking it but because I was more comfortable having some income and I was going to get to network as part of my job. I went in with the mindset that it was temporary and made the most of it in the 5 months I was there. Made a ton of connections and built some personal branding, learned more about sales.. etc. They dragged their feet on that "3 month" conversation and offered me a FT salary that would've been basically the same since I had been getting OT pay most weeks. I countered and went in with figures.. In 3 months I had helped secure them a $100k contract (among other smaller ones) based on my connections, communication and recommendations. They pay brokers 10% of contracts for less work. I asked for 10k higher salary than they offered and they ended up letting me go entirely. Their words were "we think it's best we part ways" and I replied "I think so too".

   I don't know that it's always the intention when roles are posted. Especially if there isn't a formal HR with expertise in recruiting and compensation. I think often they advertise for what they think they need, not realizing that they can't afford it and also sometimes that talent exists out there that they want but don't know what to do with. So they try to adjust to get them in and when those people provide great talent for an efficient cost, they get accustomed to it and don't want to pay more. In MOST cases I like to believe it's less diabolical and more careless and ignorant.

   Your cases do seem to have a flavors of sexism though. For both to switch to a less labor intensive role when that's what you interviewed for is odd. It's interesting they still offered you something though. Hard to tell if that was a way to cover their sexism or if they really liked you and wanted you on but didn't recognize your capability properly. Either way, good for you for sticking to who you are and not accepting less. I think we have to continue doing that. Even though I took my offer, I had clear boundaries within that role. Like I said, I viewed it as temporary so when they asked me to do things I wasn't comfortable with I simply didn't do them (example - they had a contest for us to see who could get the most of their friends and family to leave Google reviews on their location even though none of them were clients.. I lost because I didn't ask a single person to lie and when they expressed disappointment I just shrugged lol.. it's not surprising I got fired but I'm good with it). The harder it is for business owners and organizations to find people willing to undersell their talent the more they'll be forced to pay up for it!

3. AnonymousMarch 4,2024 at 5:25PM UTC

   You need to be clear up front about what you want and need from the role. Let them know that your only interest is in that position. Pre-plan your interview questions and if you have to defend your physical being then be sure to have supporting people who can evidence this from past employment in the way of strong references. Perhaps ask those references to write something in the way of a letter to prospective employers (generic) stating how you handled those types of things. Make copies and when you go in to interview if you are questioned supply them with the copy of this letter as proof. Ask for what you want and be firm. Good luck!

4. AnonymousMarch 5,2024 at 7:24PM UTC

   I did for the farm position. I had letters of recommendation for my skill set, plus three additional references. The second one wasn't a question of my capabilities. It was more of a: "We know you want to be here, but we really need you HERE." I asked what my chances were of being able to go outside within the next 6 months, and got a bunch of merry go round nonsense.

5. AnonymousMarch 5,2024 at 6:22AM UTC

   I had a bait and switch experience once a number of years ago. I was hired for a position that made sense as my most recent experience was in a similar, though more junior, role. Then about 3 months into the position, they said that since I had such a good mathematics background, that they wanted me to switch to another role (no change in title) and I would get training for the new role. Well, I was innocent and game for a new experience, so I went along with it.

   It turned out that the training was totally inadequate for the role and I ended up being put on a PIP eventually and terminated. I did make them work to terminate me, though, as my work was of very high quality and they ended up having to lie on my evaluation. (My manager told me that everything that was on my evaluation was not from his input. ) Had I been as bad as evaluated, they should have let me go after the first week!

   At any rate, I ended up doubling my salary within 3 years of being terminated and ended up in a couple of situations that were very welcoming and with really great managers, so the termination ended up being a blessing in disguise.

   Bottom line - Yes, there are bait and switch situations, and I congratulate you for walking away from the ones you encountered up front. The specific situation I described above was repeated at least three times that I know of - once before me and once after me (and probably more later). Some companies never learn. Had I negotiated a new title and remuneration, my situation could possibly have turned out differently, but in retrospect I think I would have just delayed the inevitable.

   If you encounter these, my advice would be to do what you can to leave (or not accept the job). There are situations out there that are as described - no bait and switch! Hang in there until you find one - It will be worth the wait!

6. AnonymousMarch 5,2024 at 3:08PM UTC

   Yours sound more specifically like gender discrimination rather than bait and switch