I applied for the Regional PR & Communications Manager position advertised on LinkedIn. During the final interview stages, salary negotiations became challenging as the company couldn't meet my previous salary expectations. At this point, HR clarified that the role wasn't actually managerial in nature, despite being advertised as such. When I questioned this discrepancy, I received unclear explanations. I ultimately accepted a 30% salary reduction to join the company.
Unfortunately, the role proved to be significantly different from what was advertised. Rather than focusing on PR and communications management, the position primarily involved social media marketing and general marketing tasks - essentially no PR work as initially described.
The management experience was particularly challenging. My direct supervisor lacked clear knowledge of PR and marketing fundamentals, making it difficult to receive proper guidance or feedback. Communication was often vague, and my probation period was extended without clear justification, citing unspecified management delays. Rather than providing constructive leadership, the focus seemed to be on finding fault rather than supporting professional development.
Despite my efforts to address these concerns directly, issues remained unresolved. Ultimately, my employment was not confirmed, with reasons provided being vague and unsatisfactory.
Key Issues:
1)Job role significantly different from advertisement
2)Misleading job title and responsibilities
3)Poor management and leadership
4)Lack of transparency in communication
5)Extended probation period without clear reasoning
Overall Assessment:
I would not recommend this company for experienced professionals seeking career growth and advancement opportunities. The lack of clear career progression paths, combined with misleading job advertisements and inconsistent management, makes it unsuitable for those looking to develop their careers meaningfully. While it might serve as an entry-level opportunity for recent graduates, professionals with established career goals would likely find the experience frustrating and counterproductive to their professional development.
Additional Note:
After my departure, I noticed the company reposted the same position, but this time correctly advertised it as an "Lead(Executive)" level role rather than "Managerial." This confirms that the original job posting was inaccurate, yet I was held accountable for the misalignment between expectations and reality that resulted from their error in job classification.
