Selling the Dream, Not the Reality
Selling the Dream, Not the Reality
I do not understand the logic of selling a dream job when the reality is nothing of the sort, but especially when employers themselves do it.
I know of many recruiters who’ll sell a job like it’s a gift from god. But at least I can understand why. They’re trying to compete and take their chances. That doesn’t mean I agree with it, but at least I can understand the tactic regardless of how deceitful it is.
But employers using this tactic I find completely irreconcilable.
Crazy Logic
Put yourselves in the shoes of an employer advertising a job for someone to work for you. What is your objective? To attract people who can do the job you are advertising for?
For example, if you need someone who is a Maintenance Engineer to work as a part of a team of 20, you’ll probably want someone who has the relevant skills and experience. If they are fixing mechanical and electrical faults on machines, you will likely want someone who has experience of doing just that on those machines.
Does that fulfil the objective of an advert then?
Most Adverts
90% of all of the job adverts that I see, probably much more, are aimed with that sole objective in mind. The problem is this is really, stupidly and absurdly short sighted.
And here’s why…
Do you want someone who can do the job or someone who can do the job and then stay with you for a prolonged period?
If you go by the objective above earlier as most adverts do it is pretty easy to fall into the trap of upselling the job. But the problem here is that people are not robots. Rarely do people these days stay doing a job they like but for a company, environment, or people they do not. And that is the kicker.
The problem with selling the dream and not the reality
If you get carried away selling a vision that doesn’t exist, then that person’s expectations will be disappointed. Their career with you will begin on the back foot.
If the fantastically organised manager that you would be working for, as it was sold to you, turns out to be a disorganised buffoon it is going to annoy people. How about the energetic and vibrant culture? You mean the one that is so boring you can hardly stay awake? You cannot polish a t*rd.
Why this Happens
I believe there are two main reasons why employers oversell when advertising.
The first is that they mistakenly believe the purpose of a good job advert is to attract talent. It isn’t. It is to attract talent that’ll stay.
The second reason is that the powers that be, usually Directors, who set the tone of how things are done become so detached from the company that they believe their own bullsh*t.
You hear about People Orientated Leadership with Directors who have hardly had any conversations with anyone other than Yes Men and Yes Woman in their companies. Therefore, their perception is through rose tinted glasses.
How it should be done
The objective is to attract talent that will stay. And the first way to do that is to understand what your business is about, why the people that have stayed the longest have stayed and start with that as your selling point.
You also need to understand that your business is not for everyone. And this is a mistake I see often; trying to appear to be all things to all people.
It still amazes me how many business owners don’t understand what their culture is actually about. Their own ego has gotten in the way of reality. Anyone who can give critical and constructive feedback has been ostracised as a “negative” influence because the leader is not strong enough to face up to facts.
Who will your company suit? Who will you not suit? Be authentic.
You can build something that way.
That is what culture is about and that is the root of how you get high performing teams, consistently delivering high performing results.
And if you realise that selling your company for what it is, is a hard sell then that should give you a good indicator of where your company is going wrong.
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