Horrific reputation as employer reaches potential future employees

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Dear Joan:

I am in a specialized career field.  When jobs do open up, I look at them closely for possibilities, because they do not come up that often.

One in particular keeps coming up as an employment ad, and it looks like the position has not been filled. They keep advertising the job.  I heard about people who have worked there and quit. I still hear rumors of people who are working there and hate it.  I know of some that are looking for other jobs.  

But yet I am attracted to the option.  I wonder if I would be different, and if I would like it there.  I have heard horror stories of the place, and yet am drawn to wonder if I could make a difference.

Should I give it a try, and risk leaving the job I have now, that is a steady paycheck? This job would be more money and I would have a chance to extend my career to higher levels.  But there is that risk.  And I am not sure they will like me any more than they like the others that work there.

What should I do?

Answer:

If it looks like rat and smells like a rat, it’s probably a rat. You are hearing from former employees and current employees that the environment is a rat’s nest. No matter how good the job itself sounds, it appears to exist within a problematic environment. The fact that the job keeps reappearing should be enough to tell you that others thought they could succeed there too, and failed.

Are you different? Maybe. But even if you are the perfect person for the job, one person alone can’t fix a dysfunctional environment.

Consider the risks. If you get the job and then hate it and leave, realize that you will probably struggle to find another job, since you are in a highly specialized industry. You may stay unemployed for a long period of time and may even have to settle for a less desirable job, or have to move to a less desirable place, if you can’t find something you want.

But since you seem drawn to the flame, here are some steps you can take to help you decide what to do:

• Follow up with the people you know who have left. Ask them pointed questions about why they left. Dig deep into the culture, the management style, the expectations and work rules. Once you have a handle on what the problems are, ask, “If I were to apply for and get that job, how would those things impact me?” “What are the chances I could be successful there?” Listen carefully to what they say, not what you want to hear.
• If you still feel that you’d like to learn more, talk to people who are job hunting but still employed there. Confide that you are considering applying for the job. Ask questions about who the hiring manager is, what the culture is like, and dig for any potential problems surrounding the job.
• If you really want to play with fire, apply for the job and try to get an interview. Since the reputation of the organization is out on the street, chances are there aren’t a lot of applicants and you’ll likely get an interview. Come prepared to ask a lot of probing questions. Don’t accept surface responses. Dig deeper with follow up questions, so you get a real clear understanding of the job and the culture.
• If you jump from the frying pan into the fire and decide to take the job, negotiate for an employment agreement. In other words, before you say “Yes,” be upfront about your concerns and say, “As we have discussed, there has been a lot of turnover in this position. Before I agree to take this position, I’d feel more comfortable if we agreed to a complete employment contract, including an exit strategy if this isn’t a fit.” In addition to a severance package, include in the agreement anything that is promised, both tangible and intangible. Senior executives negotiate for packages like this on a routine basis, particularly when there is significant personal risk involved. Even if this isn’t a senior level position, they have had trouble keeping anyone, so they’re more likely to yield to your request.