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Employees feeing duped by unexpected job duties: survey

Employees feeing duped by unexpected job duties: survey

Congratulations on your new job! Too bad it's nothing like you expected.

Around 43 per cent of those in the workforce say the job they signed up for requires duties they did not anticipate, falling well outside what was outlined in the interview process, according to a survey from staffing firm Robert Half.

Toronto resident Nitish Bissonauth, 20, is one example. As a new employee with Rogers Publishing, a division of Rogers Communications, Bissonauth was hired as a customer service representative, but once the company found out he was bilingual, he eventually found himself doing more and more translating on the job.

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While not part of the position he was hired for, Bissonauth turned the new duties into a value-add for his next career move.

“On my resume I am able to put both customer-service representative and translator and that is a plus,” he says.

But it seems language isn't the only variable leaving workers feeling unprepared in the work place. Employees have been caught off guard by an unanticipated increase in job hours, the corporate culture of the institution that hired them and the nature of the job itself; according to the Robert Half survey.

The realities of the workplace seem to be hitting younger employees most of all. More than 50 per cent of workers aged 18-34 said they have an occupation that isn’t what they expected, while 34 per cent of those ages 55-64 feel the same.

The reason young people may be caught off guard is not due to a lack of skills, but a more common shortcoming for the Millennial generation: lack of experience, says Raffi Toughlouian, manager at staffing firm Accountemps.

Toughlouian adds that the key to landing the right job comes down to market research, ultimately knowing the job you are applying for.

“When you ask the right questions in regards to company culture, really dig deep into what the typical day is like in this role, what kind of opportunities can lie ahead from this particular position, I think when you’ve used the opportunity to ask all the right questions as well as done all of the research ahead of time I think you’re mitigating any opportunity to get caught off guard down the road," Toughlouian says.

On the other hand, it is key, as an employer, to know what kind of job candidate you are looking for says Tom Turpin, president of Randstad Canada.

“Hiring someone is about how they fit into your system, how will they work with your team and where they can be of benefit to the department and the company. Employers should take their time when building their job requirements,” he says.

Keep this in mind the next time you go to a career fair or search online for the job of your dreams. Job duties evolve and learning new skills is an added value and like any asset can provide a return, says Turpin.

And if you’re the employer, it is simple: honesty is the best policy, says Turpin.