Employers may use deceptive practices to attract more candidates, save money, discriminate against certain groups, or save time. Here are some common tactics they use:
False Job Descriptions
Employers may misrepresent job responsibilities, requirements, and salaries in their job descriptions to attract more candidates. A survey by TopResume revealed that 77% of job seekers came across a job posting that seemed too good to be true. Moreover, 82% of them said that the job description did not match the actual job.
Misleading Job Titles
Employers may use inflated job titles to make a job sound more senior or important than it actually is. According to a survey by Robert Half, 69% of CFOs have seen job seekers with inflated job titles on their resumes.
Bait-and-Switch Tactics
Employers may use bait-and-switch tactics, such as promising one job during the interview process, but then offering a different job with lower pay or benefits once the candidate is hired. Hired conducted a survey that revealed that 30% of tech workers have experienced a bait-and-switch job offer.
Ghosting Candidates
Employers may stop responding to candidates after the interview process, leaving them hanging and unsure of their status. Jobvite conducted a survey that revealed that 55% of job seekers said that employers have ghosted them during the hiring process.
Discriminatory Practices
Employers may engage in discriminatory practices, such as rejecting candidates based on their age, race, gender, or other protected characteristics. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research revealed that employers are more likely to respond to resumes with white-sounding names than to resumes with black-sounding names, even when the qualifications are identical.
Requiring employees to lift a certain weight as a job requirement can potentially be discriminatory if it has a disproportionate impact on a certain group of people. For example, if a recruiter requires all applicants to be able to lift 50 lbs, it may disproportionately impact women or individuals with disabilities who may be less likely to meet this requirement.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers cannot discriminate against individuals with disabilities in the hiring process. If a candidate with a disability cannot meet the physical requirements of a job, the employer must provide reasonable accommodations to enable the individual to perform the essential functions of the job.
However, if lifting 50 lbs is an essential function of the job and the employer can demonstrate that it is necessary for the job performance, then requiring this ability would not be discriminatory. Employers must ensure that any job requirements are job-related and consistent with business necessity.
If you have been subject to one of these practices, then you should read about when you should consider hiring an attorney here.
It is important for job seekers to be aware of these tactics and to do their research before applying to a job or accepting a job offer.
