7 Lies Employers Use To Trick You Into Working For Them

I got this letter from a LinkedIn reader:

Dear J.T.,

Why do employers lie to get you to take the job? The last two companies I've worked for have done the same thing. They promise me things, but once I'm in the job, they don't deliver. I'm tired of getting taken advantage of and don't now how to make it stop. What am I doing wrong?

This happens a lot. And frankly, it's going to get even worse as the talent shortage increases and companies play dirty to get candidates to take their jobs. Here's an article which explains this growing trend...

Why Some Employers Have Rose-Colored Recruiting Glasses

While some employers are starting to properly reveal their Employment Brands, it could take a while for others to recognize the need to accurately convey what it's like to work for their company - and that will hurt their ability to hire effectively.

For example...

Companies that pull the bait-n-switch (like what the poor professional experienced above), are usually desperate to improve their troubled company - and assume hiring new talent will fix their problem. They make promises to themselves, "If we can just get the best talent in here and turn things around, we can actually make good on all these promises we're making while recruiting them." In their minds, hiring you will give them the results they need to make those promises a reality. Unfortunately, hiring alone can't fix a failing company or a broken corporate culture. Before you know it, the company is making excuses why they won't deliver on those promises - and may even try to make you feel bad for asking. As if it was your fault!? Sound familiar?

7 Potential Lies Told In The Hiring Process

Any time a company makes the following claims, you should push back and try to get more information before assuming it's the truth. While some can deliver, others can't - and it's up to you to figure out which ones are sincere. The potential lies are:

1. There's a lot of opportunity for advancement.
2. The bonus structure will double your income.
3. Your territory is protected and we won't change it.
4. You'll get extensive training.
5. You'll have scheduling flexibility and can work from home on occasion.
6. We'll hire you some help when it gets busy.
7. Once you fix this problem/department/project, etc., you'll get to work on something new and exciting.

In order to avoid being taken advantage of, the secret is to learn to master the very same technique recruiters have been taught to spot a fake in an interview.

Use "Reverse Behavioral Interviewing" To Reveal Employer's True Self

Behavioral interviewing is a technique recruiters use to help determine the personality, aptitude, and true experience level of a candidate. They're historically open-ended questions designed to force candidates to provide more detailed answers to questions that address things like their:

• ability to work in teams
• work style
• track record of success
• ability to overcome adversity
• capacity to cope with change

Recruiters use behavioral interviewing to explore candidates' depth of knowledge and ability to answer the questions in a way that matches the goals, values, and needs of the organization. [A free tool with some of the most common behavioral interview questions can be found here.]

They're also trying to identify and eliminate any liars, under-performers, or high-maintenance candidates. Hiring is expensive. Behavioral interviewing is meant to help minimize bad hires.

What If You Could Do The Same?

You can!

When your turn comes to ask questions in the interview (usually, at the end of the conversation), you can prepare a list of open-ended behavioral questions that will force the employer to articulate more clearly how they deliver on the promises they're making. For example, check these seven questions as they relate to the potential lies above:

1. Can you give me an example of someone who was hired in the last two years to a similar role who has already advanced in their career here? In particular, can you explain what they did to make that happen?
2. Can I meet someone in the company who has doubled their income with the bonus structure? I'd like to learn more about how they accomplished that.
3. I know territories can change as the business changes, what do you put into place to ensure this never happens? Is there a written legal contact of some sort?
4. Can you break down the formal training versus the informal training I will receive? And, may I speak to someone who has been in this role a year to see how they best used the training to their advantage?
5. What is the procedure for requesting to work from home? Can I speak to someone who uses this scheduling flexibility so I can learn what he/she is doing to make sure she is meeting the company's goals when working remotely?
6. Can you share with me a recent example of someone who was hired on to help due to growth. What is the company's process for identifying and funding additional headcount?
7. Can you share with me a recent example of someone who was hired on to fix a problem and has now gone on to a new project? What did they do to ensure they were given the opportunity to move on?

Each of the questions above are positively framed to show your sincere interest in the company's approach to delivering on these promises. It's up to them to give you an answer that sounds accurate and compelling. If they start to dance around the subject, or don't have a clear cut answer, you know they aren't telling the truth.

Difference Between Working "For" An Employer & Working "With" Them

Learning how to reverse behavioral interview a potential employer is a very important step in becoming a more sophisticated and successful job seeker. When you realize you want to work "with" employers and not "for" them, you can begin to approach the job search with your eyes wide open. You deserve the best opportunities, and that means improving your interview skills so you can spot the less-than-ideal employers. Use the technique above to help you get better at finding the right fit for you!

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You Will Never Find Work/Life Balance

You have been lied to and so have I. Blame our parents, teachers, and the last 20 years of business gurus for their deception. We have been aiming so hard for success -- under the guise of "work/life balance." There's just one problem: we've been grasping for the wrong trophy.

Let me share a little secret -- there is no "work/life balance."

I have tried to stay quiet on this topic for some time, but I can't any longer. For what seems like the 98th time since I co-founded Aha! (which is product roadmap software), someone asked me today, "How are you able to balance your work and life?" It's just a more elegant way of asking, "Do you work really hard?"

Of course I do. And I love every minute of it.

If you believe what you read, nirvana would be achieving perfect harmony in our lives between the version of ourself that toils and the other parts that don't. But what if real harmony comes from being happy in all areas of life?

My dear friend, Emily Hall, is the CEO of the strategy consulting firm Olive Grove. She recently pointed out that the fundamental problem with "work/life balance" conversations are that they assume these two things are oppositional. The starting argument is that work and life are in conflict with one another.

This is incorrect -- work is life, and life is defined by our efforts. This argument assumes that work makes us fundamentally unhappy, and only "life" can balance out that misery. It doesn't have to be like this.

To find joy in all aspects of life, we need to start talking about a new concept. I judge myself on my ability to achieve sustainable happiness, not "work/life balance."

If you remain unconvinced that we should change the conversation, consider the following:

You have one life

We have one life and we should fill it with what is most important to us. We are told to focus on achieving a positive "work/life balance," but rarely stop to question if that's what really matters. We should check in with ourselves even once per week to track what we do and how happy it makes us. If we did, we might realize that although we appear to be successful, we don't actually do much of what makes us happy. "Work/life balance" doesn't solve this problem; optimizing for sustainable happiness does.

Balance has no value

"Work/life balance" is an empty goal. It's a state of equilibrium, but nothing more. Our focus should not be to balance work with our life; it should be to design our lives so that we purposefully do more of what makes us happy. When we regularly engage what makes us happy, the feeling carries over into everything we do. This makes us more productive people -- better partners, parents, and professionals.

If you love it, do more of it

Fill your life with what you love. Fill it with your passions, family who you care about, and positive experiences. Sometimes, this involves small changes (such as taking a midday walk). Other times, bigger changes must be made (such as leaving a bad job or lackluster relationship that cannot be fixed). Make deposits every day and discard things that bring you down whenever you can.

Our ultimate goal should be sustainable happiness. By sustainable I mean that you must be able to continue to enjoy what you do for long periods of time -- and it must not impact other's ability to find their own joy. This inherently rules out quick-hitting highs and destructive behaviors.

I understand that sustainable happiness is not always possible. Some people are struggling with poverty and others are ill. Many people do not even have the fundamental freedom to pursue their own higher purpose or must serve others first. But for those who are free and can make intentional choices to be sustainably happy, the rewards are uplifting and lasting.

Sustainable happiness is a journey, because we all have lows. And life is unpredictable and even cruel at times. Reaching and holding on to this level of self-content is not easy to achieve, but it should be our ultimate aspiration.

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I Left an Elderly Woman Beside the Road, and What That Says About Me

My wife called from the hospital. "Can you bring over a pair of your shorts and a T-shirt?" she said.

One of her patients had been admitted with a fairly serious condition that resulted in... let's just say his clothes were no longer fit to wear.

I wasn't surprised by the nature of the call. She worked in Manhattan for a few years and always gave money to people begging on the streets or on the subway. One time I asked her, "How do you know what they'll do with the money?" (And yes, I'm still embarrassed to admit I asked that.)

"I don't," she said. "And it doesn't matter. If someone looks you in the eye and asks for help, how can you ever say no?"

While her patient had not asked for help she could tell he felt self-conscious and uncomfortable in a hospital gown. Plus by then she also knew he didn't have family or friends that would bring him other clothes.

I grabbed a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Then I thought about the weather. It was fairly cold and she said he didn't have a coat so I stuck a couple of hoodies and a pair of sweatpants in the bag. Why not -- I have too many clothes and would never miss them. Easy.

Later she told me he was so happy he immediately put everything on, even both hoodies.

I felt pretty good.

Some time later I noticed an elderly Mennonite woman leaning heavily on her cane as she shuffled slowly along the side of the road. When I drove back by later I saw she had only managed to walk a half mile or so. There was no sidewalk and she was clearly struggling on the uneven ground.

I turned around, drove back, and pulled over beside her.

"Can I give you a ride?" I asked.

She was bent over her cane so far she was forced to turn her head sideways to look up at me. "No, thank you," she said.

"It's no trouble at all..." I said.

She shook her head.

I understood. Maybe she didn't feel comfortable getting in a stranger's vehicle. Maybe, like many Mennonites who live in the area, she only would ride in a vehicle in an emergency (if then).

I drove away, and as I did I glanced in the rear-view mirror and saw her half-stumble before moving slowly forward.

I felt bad... but told myself I had done all I could.

Still, hours later I hadn't stopped thinking about what my wife would have done. If a ride was out of the question she would have parked the truck and offered her arm. If nothing else she would have walked with the woman. My wife would have automatically done more, without being asked, simply because doing more is always the right thing to do for someone in need.

She would have.

I didn't.

Oh, I was willing to help, but I only offered what was easy for me to do. Only later did I think about other ways I could have helped.

When we decide to help someone -- a friend, a family member, an employee,anyone -- it's easy to think about what we want to do. It's a lot harder and much more important to think about what that individual needs and can accept.

Giving a person, however much in need, some clothes I rarely wore and would never miss? That was easy. For me.

Throwing your colleagues an occasional encouragement bone? Saying yes to a request when it doesn't cost you anything? Those things are easy. For you.

Helping your employees learn, develop, and achieve their goals in the way they actually need help -- and especially when doing so is difficult for you? That's not so easy... but that's the true nature of giving -- and of genuine leadership.

I like to think the elderly woman made it safely to her destination.

No thanks to me.

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Top 10 Things to Do in Java

Java, though maybe not by size the biggest, but it is definitely the main island of Indonesia, being the main hub for business and also of course travel.

The main city of Indonesia, Jakarta lies in the west of this huge island and from there on towards the east lies many attraction such as temples, lush fields and hills, volcanic mountains, waterfalls, castles and rainforests. Besides Java is teeming with arts, food and culture. Many travelers find it hard to dismiss all these if they are making an overland trip across Java.

Here are our take of Top 10 Things to Do in Java among the attractions.

Jakarta skyline at night, Java

Understand what it means to be a packed city in Indonesia at Jakarta

Jakarta is the main and largest city of Indonesia, with mixture of traffic congestions and soulless tourist attractions to hidden treasures, shopping haven and bustling nightlife. Come here to experience the ultimate Indonesian city, you haven’t been to Indonesia if you have not been stuck in the traffic for hours, surrounded by countless people and flooded with shopping sales and bargains. Besides, Jakarta is the main international airport hub for the entire Indonesia so take a little time to learn about this place before leaving.

Women sellers at Bandung, Java, Indonesia

Shopping in Bandung for one of the best bargains in the world

When mentioned shopping in Indonesia, Bandung will definitely come into mind. Moreover it is just short trip from Jakarta therefore making it a popular weekend destination. To top it off the food is cheap and delicious so fuel up in between all the shopping frenzy. Shopping here means ranging from factory outlets to local shops and stores, you may be sure to find something you fancy. Bandung is mostly famous for clothing, factory outlets for many designers products, denim jeans and also electronics.

Waterfalls in Baturadden, Purwokerto, Java

Swim in Amazon-like waterfalls in Baturadden, Purwokerto 

When I first got to Purwokerto I did not expect to be greeted by an Amazon like waterfalls in Baturadden, which took us a bit of an effort to get to but definitely worth it. You will stand at the moment in awe of the tall and powerful waterfall dropping into the contrastingly serene lake while shrouded around by rainforest canopies. One of my favourite waterfall here is Curug Belot.

Rolling hills of plantations, Dieng Plateau, Java, Indonesia

Trek the lush rolling hills of Dieng Plateau

Dieng Plateau is a place up in the highlands and not only far from the rest of Java, it is different as well. It is a self contained place here where you can do your own exploration by trekking through rolling hills of plantations and greens with mountains flanking from all sides in the horizon. Definitely a trek that will keep you fascinated throughout the journey and you wouldn’t even realize the distance. In bonus you will be trekking in cooling climate as this highland have pleasant temperatures all year round.

Borobudur Temple, Java

Be humbled by the serene and ancient Borobudur

Stay at one of the nearby resorts at Borobudur so that you can either catch the sunrise (which you would need to book a tour for) or be the first few people who enters as the temple opens to visitor at 8am. This is how to best enjoy it, when it is at its most quiet, with just a trickle of travelers like you who appreciate the silence and marvels at the beauty with respect. This 9th century temple is an Indonesia UNESCO Heritage site and one of the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Thousands of Buddhists does their pilgrimage here in Borobudur during Waisak day.

Taman Sari, Yogyakarta, Java

Experience everything Indonesian at Yogyakarta 

To me Yogyakarta is truly the heart of Java and Indonesia as it offers everything from culinary delights to interesting attractions to arts and culture to shopping. Remember to eat the famous Gudeg, meat stew that is really delicious. Also you can shop at Jalan Malioboro or Pasar Beringjaho. For the adventurous you can hike up ruins of Mount Merapi. In sightseeing, attractions not to be miss are the Water Castle and Kraton Palace. Besides join a local myth or chill out at the cafe at the end of the day. Read more about things to do in Yogyakarta here.

Prambanan Temple, Yogyakarta, Java

Be awed by the majestic Prambanan

Yet another temple but not one temple to be taken likely, Candi Prambanan is a well known ancient Hindu Temple that stood majestically nearby Yogyakarta. You will sure to find yourself mesmerized and in awe as you were greeted by the looming Prambanan temple that look somewhat foreboding yet drawing you in anyhow. It is one of the Indonesia UNESCO World Heritage Site, being one of the largest Hindu temple architecture in Southeast Asia.

White beacheas of Karimunjawa, Java

Dive/snorkel off the only pristine waters of Java in Karimunjawa

Java’s answer to pristine waters and beautiful white sand beaches, Karimunjawa is proudly proclaimed so by the locals. A hidden paradise, Karimunjawa is an archipelago of 27 islands north of Semarang and off the coast of Central Java. This place will be known by savvy travelers of Java that would like to find a place to get some beautiful beaches and sea without needing to leave to other parts of Indonesia.

Singosari Temple in Malang, East Java, Indonesia

Chill and soak in the laid back Malang

Malang is the epitome of what a city would have been in Indonesia back in the days before everywhere are swarmed by developments and traffics. This laid back city, wedged between Mount Semeru and Mount Bromo, has beautiful landscapes out in the nearby villages and dotted with many temple attractions. You can wander from within the city in becak or take the angkot out to the many hidden temples where one you even have to trek through paddy fields to get to.

Catch the breathtaking sunrise at Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, one of the numerous volcanic mountains in Indonesia and Java but definitely one of the most famous for the breathtaking view it offers. It beckons majestically despite having the entire top blown off and with a crater inside that keeps spewing off white sulphurous smoke. Many travelers come here to trek up to the nearby mountain to catch sunrise over Mount Bromo and the caldera which are coined ‘sea of sand’. In the morning there is a bunch of clouds huddle around it making as if you feel you on top of the sky looking down. This is experience itself definitely a notable attractions in Java and something you must do when you are here.

Mount Bromo, Java

Photo credits from top: yohanes budiyanto, No Dust, Rachel, Daniel Julie, Rachel, Rachel, Rachel, don Mervin, kenner116, schristia

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Best Advice: Sometimes Entrepreneurialism Is the Best Choice

In this series, professionals share the words of wisdom that made all the difference in their lives. Follow the stories here and write your own (please include the hashtag #BestAdvice in the body of your post).

I often think that the best, game-changing thing I ever did in my career was to hire the young, talented Don Tapscott to be the lead for our Office of the Future primary and applied research program at Bell Northern Software Research.

It was 1978 and over the next four years we delivered ground-breaking insights and built the first "integrated office system" based on a UNIX platform – before the entry of the standalone PC. We co-authored a book, Planning for Integrated Office Systems: a Strategic Approach, to share much of what we learned by researching, piloting, and developing the resulting technology. We had conducted pre- and post-tests to measure the business and knowledge worker impact of the use of our solution on a good number of diverse, large organizations. It became apparent that we had created a unique and complete solution at just the right time. Oftentimes you have one or the other but we had both in hand — so that got us thinking about starting our own business.

Don and I had many long discussions about what our new firm would offer, the team we’d need, how we’d get funding, and what to do about rights to the IP and system we were so dependent upon, and so on.

Leaving the executive track with the inherent security of a large company was scary, particularly since I had a young daughter to consider. Finally we came to the conclusion that we just had to venture out as the research agenda had been advanced as far as we could take it at the time. We sat down with the BNSR management team and came to agreement on the path forward. They couldn’t have been more helpful and supportive. I believe we had serendipity at play.

Don and I brought along key members of our team, including Morley Greenberg who was way ahead of his time in terms of behavioral and ergonomic design. We then had to figure out how to get funded and, unlike today, there were few options. We pursued all and finally decided that the best option (apart from family and friends) was to take our company public. We were young and gutsy and managed to do a "reverse-takeover" of a mining stock on the Vancouver Stock Exchange. It worked! We were launched and the rest was history.

As to whether or not we second-guessed our decision – absolutely so. There were lots of challenges and issues of being a public company, but overall, I believe that every one of us and our customers ended up with life-time value and an incredible learning experience. I doubt Don or I would say we made the wrong decision at that point in time, given our ongoing careers and quality of life.

Leaving the executive track, we founded Trigon, which we took public and the rest is history. Collectively and individually both of us and many of our early employees have remained entrepreneurs to this day. Don is a great example of a highly successful serial entrepreneur and his influence combined with his reach has motivated many more to take the step and start their own businesses.

One example of many: a couple of months ago, two of our early employees at Trigon (Louise and Paul Philp) who recently founded Amity arrived at my doorstep in the Bay Area, California to stay while they get their startup cranked and running, including raising funds. They found that after a year of trying, they were not getting enough traction in Toronto. Since their arrival, Amity has flourished with new customers in the red-hot Customer Success space focused initially on SaaS companies, many of which are startups themselves. They are also getting a lot of interest on the funding front both here and in Toronto now. So the entrepreneurial cycle continues…

The entrepreneurial spirit continues with our family: my daughter is the owner of The Cheese School of San Francisco; my son and his wife founded and run their own design-build firm LGA; and my son-in-law is writing an audio book of the History of Silicon Valley. Clearly, we’re very proud of them all — really the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and passed along. I believe they embrace entrepreneurship because they don’t fear it; having been a part of it their whole lives.

***

My personal journey as an entrepreneur has continued by founding and leading a number of consulting firms. For example three years ago, I co-founded and run a consulting firm called Emperia LLC. We continue to build on many years of helping clients to focus on creating high value and exceptional experience for their customers. We transfer our methods and approach to create a sustainable "outside-in" customer experience business strategy. In addition, our team — alongside a newly formed, cross-functional client team — work together to assess and map the end-to-end customer value chain which reveals where things work well and where they need to change. We then redesign the key omni-channel customer interactions, define and make the shift from jobs to roles, design and implement the supporting technology solutions, along with continuous measurement and improvement. Designing and delivering an excellent customer experience is critical to the success of any new business as well.

To this end, I have partnered with TLC Mind founder Robert Kim Wilson to help entrepreneurs and innovators increase their probabilities for success. In Q1/2015, TLC Mind will publish a book describing our new entrepreneurial business model, which capitalizes on one of the most underutilized assets available to literally all aspiring entrepreneurs — their business ecosystem. We call our recommended version of a business ecosystem, a Purpose-Driven Business Ecosystem. The phrase Purpose-Driven is meant to encourage the mindset that any business leadership team can strategically plan and execute much of the ecosystem in which it lives and flourishes. The graphic below represents our current thinking on the participant categories that could play a role in creating and receiving value across the ecosystem.

Any business ecosystem will [by definition] produce results. But by exerting purpose and direction upon your own ecosystem, it will significantly increase the probability it will produce the results you desire. If your ecosystem has evolved and been shaped based upon the purpose and results you desire… It becomes purpose-driven. The entrepreneurial team can exert much greater control over the results of its optimal business ecosystem, by carefully exerting selective control over the process and context of ecosystem development.

Our book is titled: They will be Giants / 21st Century Entrepreneurs and the Purpose-Driven Business Ecosystem. It will initially be available in PDF form for limited free distribution.

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