Culture Clues in Job Postings

I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn looking at job postings – to support friends and colleagues in their job searches and to learn about the current job market more generally. The posting below had me thinking for days. (Frankly, it raises my heart rate a little bit every time I read it!) There’s no need to “out” the hiring organization, but it’s good content for discussion. To be clear, I am not opposed to working hard, going above-and-beyond, and being committed to your job. But I do believe in boundaries and have seen how this expectation can go too far.

Some jobs are more subtle than this one, but you can tell a lot about the potential work culture through a posting…

This is a Chief of Staff role on the west coast. The first thing that jumped out at me was the schedule. On the one hand, I appreciate the clarity of the expectation: 24/7 availability, responses within 2 hours, and the punchline “you will be on call at all hours.” Reading deeper, we see that it’s intended to be a three year position as a jumping off point for another senior leadership position. Sounds promising for a fast-track career. A candidate with the right life circumstances might think “it’s only three years. I can do 24/7 for three years – especially if it launches my career.” (People with children, those caring for aging parents, or those with hobbies or community involvement need not apply.) 

Maybe this role is just not for me. Not every job has to be – and it might (?!) be a fit for someone. But let’s consider the long-term implications. Here’s how I would coach someone who was considering taking this role:

• Short term question first. My guess is there is vacation time offered here as a part of the benefits package. But what does vacation time mean? Will it be a real vacation or will you be on call 24/7 there too? (I think I know the answer.)
• Looking ahead – When you get the big promotion in 3 years, does it seem like – from a company culture perspective – you will suddenly have time to rest and recuperate? Is this a “pay your dues now until you make it big” situation? IMy guess is no, this is the company culture set by the leader at this organization.) 
• When you succeed at this role, it says you will be replacing yourself. You will likely have to hire a person who will be held to these expectations as well. Will you feel comfortable asking this of others? 
• The promise is a more senior position in this growing organization. I imagine you will still report to this same CEO. If he (or she) has these expectations for his Chief of Staff, what do you imagine his expectations will be of you in your new role? What do you expect will be asked of your team?

And that’s just the impact on the individual. Next consider how this could spread outside of this organization. Let’s say the person hired for this role leaves and starts his or her own organization, or even takes a senior position in another organization. If this “on call at all hours” arrangement worked for them (because they are obviously a unicorn among humans), they might think “it’s no big deal” to perpetuate that expectation, without understanding the potential implications on a (normal) person’s health and wellbeing. If it was not a good experience, there are a few possible scenarios. Here are three:

• That was awful but it sure did work out well for my boss. I don’t know any other way, so it’s my turn now to get myself one of those 24/7 Chiefs of Staff..
• That was awful and I am traumatized. I don’t know how to be in a functional, non-toxic organization. I know it was wrong but I don’t know any other way, so I’m probably going to perpetuate bad behaviors. 
• That was awful, but I have worked through the implications, and I am now ready to start again in a place that values people as human and their diversity of life experiences. (Wishful thinking?)

And this, my friends, is how toxic culture spreads.

I have so many questions for the person who wrote this and put it out in the world. I almost applied just to see if I could have the opportunity to ask them. Maybe the hiring manager doesn’t realize how this comes across and would be open to feedback?  

This might be an egregious example, but candidates should always look for culture clues. When things aren’t quite as clearly laid out as this, ask questions. Know what you are walking into. It’s much harder to get out after you’ve started. 

Are you struggling with the culture in your organization or with knowing how to draw out the culture clues through the interview process? Almavina can help – we’ve been there, too!