The job description had been wrong for two years.

That's what the IT service manager discovered when he checked with human resources. He was trying to find a reason why so many new hires were ill-prepared for the job they were hired to do.

And why they often left so quickly.

The manager learned that human resources recruited new hires using a job description meant for the customer service contact center. By contrast, the manager led an internal team that provided technical IT support to internal customers.

While extreme, this isn't an unusual story.

Companies are struggling to hire and retain employees in contact centers, restaurants, retail, hotels, and other customer service roles. One of the many causes is a broken hiring process that features unrealistic promises about the job employees are being hired to do.

They're promised Disneyland and arrive to find Walley World instead.

There's a simple fix to this problem. Give applicants a realistic job preview so they know exactly what to expect if they get hired.

A gap between recruitment and reality

Job previews help applicants understand what they're being hired to do. A realistic job preview sets clear expectations, while a poor preview can result in unexpected surprises.

It's a common problem.

An informal LinkedIn survey revealed that just 48 percent of new customer service employees felt the actual job was a close match with what they had been told during the interview process.

Another informal survey of Customer Service Tip of the Week subscribers showed a similar trend. More than 45 percent said their last new job was significantly different than what they had been told during the interviewing process.

Many reported working with far more upset customers than they had anticipated. 

The impact of unrealistic job previews

Businesses are struggling to attract and retain employees. A Forbes analysis of employment data showed that industries such as leisure and hospitality have been hit the hardest.

Customer service leaders tell me they've seen a dramatic increasing in ghosting. This happens when an employee just stops showing up and won't return calls, texts, or emails.

It often happens after just a few days on the job. Unrealistic job previews are partly to blame.

A failure to set clear expectations with job candidates creates a host of problems when those employees are eventually hired.

• Selection: poor hiring choices are easily made.

• Retention: new hires quit more often.

• Performance: employees that do remain tend to perform poorly.

A 2020 study of contact center agents by Benchmark Portal revealed that job dissatisfaction increased by 49 percent once employees had been on the job for more than three months.

Three months matches the time a typical contact center takes to fully onboard new agents. This includes orientations, new hire training, and nesting where agents are given extra assistance to do their jobs.

All of this can be avoided if new hires are given a realistic job preview, so they can make informed choices about the job before they accept an employment offer.

How to create a realistic job preview

A realistic job preview gives applicants are clear view of the job they are asked to do. It helps them understand the work they'll be doing and weigh the good elements with the bad.

Contact center consultant, Andrew Gilliam, has asked applicants to listen to recorded customer calls and think of the next question to ask the customer. It helps simulate the actual job while also testing candidates' listening and critical thinking skills.

Hollie Baranick often hires teenagers to work at Ruby Falls, a popular tourist attraction in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Baranick gives anyone under 18 a pamphlet to take home to their parents that outlines important aspects such as attendance policies and time off requests. "It really helps prevent the whole 'Sorry my mom says I have to go to my uncle’s tomorrow so I can’t come in to work,'" explained Baranick. The pamphlet balances out the policies by also outlining some of the job's perks.

Here are a few other ideas to create realistic job previews:

• Arrange for candidates to meet with current employees.

• Create an unglamorous video showing employees doing the job.

• Have applicants shadow employees for an hour.

Keep in mind that a good job preview should help attract the right candidates while convincing the wrong candidates to opt out of the selection process.

I once shadowed an employee when I applied for a management trainee position at rental car company. The experience helped me realize the position involved long hours for relatively low pay, so I passed on the job offer.

Conclusion

In a competitive hiring market, it's natural to want to sell new hires on all the virtues of your company. Just be sure to sell the real experience.

The goal is to find people who will love working for your company, warts and all. You want new hires who truly enjoy the job they are asked to do.

False promises can only hurt that effort, so it's best to be honest up front.

Here’s a resource portal with even more best practices for hiring great employees. Once you do make an offer, my Running Company Onboarding course on LinkedIn Learning can help you create a great new hire experience.