how to spot a bait and switch job on a interivew

[LONDONDERRY]

Recently I had a phone interview with HR, for a Senior R&D Mech-E position. Its a small outfit US headquarters, but part of a larger EU company that make metering flow valves, which I have very little experience with. I sent over some portfolio examples to HR and it impressed the hiring manager enough that I have an interview tomorrow. From what I was told by HR its a newly created R&D position, for product development and working closely with R&D engineers in the EU. The role will require overseas travel to oversee the manufacturing developmnent of products developed in the the state. Besides the traqvel and the morning commute the position sound interesting, but again I have little if any experience in metering flow valves.

One concern I have is repeating the same mistake again. At my present company and last both Mech-E positions have been sort of bait and switch to some extents. Promises of role and responsibilites were different after accepting the offer. For example, were I currently at, it was explained on the interview what I would do, but when I started after 6 months it turned out to be a support engineering role, they needed someone to create ECO and update BOM's for the contract manufacture. So my question is what are some of tell tale signs to be on the look out for during an interview for a possible bait and switch job, or is it not possible to spot this?

 

[HamburgerHelper]

Find someone that works there and ask if the company is on the up and up?

 

[MadMango]

I recently changed jobs (tomorrow is my last day at current employer), and it was a 3-month process from first phone interview to final offer letter with the new employer. Asking the right questions is a good start. Ask why the role was created, specific job duties, are there any managerial responsibilities? If you've been in similar industries the tasks should be the same, there's not much difference between a duck egg and a quail egg, but there are differences. When you go for your interview, make sure to get a tour of the facility, as you'll be able to see if people are working or goofing off, and gauge the work environment. Remember, you should be interviewing them harder than they are interviewing you! Sounds like you currently have a job, so you have great options.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

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[andriver]

I would ask to be able to speak to a technical person whom you will either be working with or working for. The HR guys really have very little understanding of the day to day for different roles, and essentially just get wish lists from the hiring managers. If that is not possible, or you feel uncomfortable asking to speak with someone (which you shouldn't) you can then try to reach out to someone via LinkedIn that has a similar title or position for that company.

In my current role, I act as a "front line recruiter" to go to job fairs and interviews with our recruiters to be able to address specific engineering questions/day to day life/etc that engineers may ask. I take my role seriously and never try to mislead the candidates, which I do hear the recruiters do (out of ignorance I assume).

 

[GregLocock]

Ask to see the org structure and your position on it. When you see 'your' box is labelled minion #4 that is a clue.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[jpankask]

It is highly, highly likely that you will be asked to perform duties that HR has no clue the position will require. That is the nature of most engineering positions and especially smaller companies with engineers. At my first engineering job, as a manufacturing engineer, one of the first things I was asked to do was to go back and fix the computer of one of the quality assurance people (IT people were located at corporate headquarters 1,000 miles away). Another time I was tasked with redesigning the locker room. Companies change, positions change, people move, assignment are juggled accordingly. The engineers that do well are usually those who can roll with the changes. If you find yourself doing something you don't want to be doing...move on.

 

[IRstuff]

Well, even if there's nothing nefarious going on, a small company depends on its agility, which may require massive perturbations in roles and responsibilities. Larger companies are less likely to make massive changes, but that happens as well. You cannot avoid these sorts of things completely, just like it's nearly impossible to get lifetime employment from a single employer. Try to get things in writing, and ask questions, but know that crap happens.

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