Sticky job hunting situation. Advice needed

[Quaver213]

Not sure I’ve posted in the right place, but I’d appreciate some advice.

I recently took up a role as Finance Director at a company (started six weeks ago). In doing so, I accepted a slight pay cut (c. 5%). Unfortunately, I feel I was materially mis-sold the role during the interview process in several ways:

1. I knowingly joined as the number two in the team, but was told there would be a transition plan for the current lead over 3–6 months, as they were moving into another internal role. That internal move has since fallen through, meaning I will remain number two for significantly longer than I would be willing to.
2. The team I am inheriting is materially different from what was described. Between accepting the role and starting, two members of my UK team (1/3 of the team) were made redundant, with the work offshored to India. I had no involvement in this decision. I am also being told that I need to make further cuts.
3. There is a culture of bullying within the team, which has resulted in the lowest employee satisfaction scores in the company.
4. I was told I would be eligible for a pro-rata bonus and pay rise. In reality, there have been no pay rises at my seniority level for three years, and the pro-rata bonus is not guaranteed. Given that I took a pay cut and forfeited my bonus at my previous employer by handing in my notice, I feel particularly misled by this.

I became aware of a couple of these issues before even starting. By that point, my replacement had already been hired and it was too late to reverse my decision, so I started submitting job applications immediately.

My dilemma is this. I have been interviewing with another company and the process is now at an advanced stage. When I applied, I had not yet started at my current employer, so this role does not appear on my CV or application. Someone I know that works in HR advised me to keep quiet about my current situation until the opportunity had real traction, on the basis that there was nothing to disclose unless it progressed.

Now that all interviews have been completed, is this the point at which I should inform the company I am interviewing with about my current role, before a decision is made, or should I wait until a formal offer is received?

In any case, it will come to light during employment verification checks, so I assume I will need to disclose it at some stage. I’d welcome views on the timing and best approach.

Could you gloss over the six-week period (which does include Christmas and New Year after all) and say you visited a couple of friends overseas or needed some medical treatment?

That won't be an option.

I was thinking about this but doubt it. I would still be subject to 1 months notice.

I was thinking about saying my current job is an interim/contracting assignment. Or just fessing up.

Not sure how it will land. On one hand it would create doubt as to my commitment (though my CV reads 3 companies in 17 years so not a pattern) or become advantageous, as my notice period would be far less (1 month vs 3 months).

Tricky one. I would wait for an offer then update my CV and send it to HR, advising that ive updated to reflect current employment which has changed since my initial application submission.

I'd wait for a formal offer and then disclose your current situation. If they ask what the story is then simply explain that you applied for the role and immediately number 2 (the redundancies) happened, which made you lose confidence and want out. Anyone with half a brain would understand that, everyone craves stability. Then play on the one-month notice period being a huge benefit. The shit sandwich approach, if you like.

This is really good advice.

Redundancies in your team immediately before you joined the company would be a glaring red flag for anyone. As you say the rest of your CV shows only 3 jobs in 17 years, they'll know you're a person who wants a stable company and not something unpredictable.

If you were still working at the previous company when you submitted the application then the cv was accurate . Application. Why would you even mention it?

Not accurate since I have been interviewing with them. Whilst my continued employment at my previous company hasn’t been a focus of the interviews, I have also on my part lied about my current circumstances or at the very least, not even mentioned where I am at the moment.

'The role wasn't as advertised' if further questions, clarify that the person you were supposed to be replacing stayed in role and subsequent redundancies made you uncertain about your future there and you are looking for a long term, stable role.

Have you told outright fibs about how you’re spending your time at the moment, or just not offered the information that you’ve started a new job? Any outright lies would be a red flag in an FD job (as I’m sure you know), if you’ve just omitted to update them on a change in circumstances, if they offer you the job, you just need to say their recruitment process has taken a little while and you’ve now started a new job in the meantime.

I’m surprised it hasn’t come up already, did they not ask during the interview when you were available to start? Or about an employment gap? Honestly that seems like an orange flag or at least a really really pale pink one.

At some point that question will be asked so I would just lean into the bit about the transition to #1 not happening. Don’t bring up the rest, it’s just noise. That’s very easy to explain and will be understood. It’s also not uncommon for roles to not work out shortly after starting.

Hi OP I do the same role as you. I wouldn’t tell them about the current all. How would they find out? I can’t see any risk and it brings no benefit to tell them.

you don’t have to tell employers everything (outside of statutory obligations obv) and there is nothing wrong with keeping some privacy

Why not? What are they going to do contact every company in the country to check whether OP currently works for them? Assuming you haven’t told people yourself Op ie linked in.

if it comes down to a straight question about it the contractor response is ok.

I'd go for this option, also adding about the no1 person no longer moving on & the other things you mentioned.

i definitely wouldn't 'not mention it' it's lying whichever way you look at it & not the way to start at a bew ljj lk ace, especially not in finance!!

best of luck!

Does your current job even need you in this post considering the other person didn’t move? If not get may accept you leaving without notice?
did your application form for hopeful new job require a current employer reference?
the reference from your previous role would have a leaving date in 2025, so that may flag up to HR so as PP said it may be best to say to HR that you’d been offered a new post during your application process which quickly turned out to be miss-sold hence continuing with this application

I joined an awful company last year. Knew it was a huge mistake on the first day. Started job hunting the next day. I was just honest at interviews and said it wasn’t what I thought it was. If you don’t have a history of job hopping I’m sure they will understand.

If you get offered the job just be truthful, that you took the role not knowing you would be offered this one and the new role you took is materially different from that advertised. That wish to take the job they are offering and that you are not looking elsewhere, you are committing to them

I'd simply leave it until such point as you are offered the role. You haven't got to update your CV between applying and interview. So you can always position it as I applied to you and the other company. You were my preference but the other company process was far quicker. But I'd rather work for you.

No outright fibs. But my prior company is well known and I was asked “is there no further opportunity there and why I am looking to move” to which I answered “I don’t believe so, hence why I am looking”. This was/is absolutely the case, I just omitted the fact that I had already accepted and started a position because of those reasons. Everything else about my experience, the relevance to the role etc… were all truthful.

So this is all OK. You were looking for good reasons. You have accepted a role but this other company is your no1 preference . You want to have a job with them but this other, where you are working, is your no2 preference. They will understand that

I think they do. The person in question is rubbish. So much so that in a matter of weeks I have become the de facto leader and the one everyone looks to for answers.

I just think, the person in question won’t be forced out. I think I was brought in as succession planning but misled on the timeline effectively (whether it was knowingly or otherwise, I don’t know).

The key question which I am still wrestling with is. Should I tell them now or wait for an offer.
I don’t know if worth telling the prospective them now, as final rounds are done and it might give me an edge over the other person given the smaller notice period. Conversely if they have any concerns with the circumstance, it might rule me out before an offer.

Given the above thinking, would your view still be to hold fire and wait for an offer?

I would tell them now. It’ll be awkward raising it when an offer is made and references are being checked etc.
Raise it, but have the whole story ready, including the explanation for not mentioning it earlier in the process.

Good luck! x

Tell the truth and explain the circumstances - when you are offered the job - if they want you they won't care about how you get there.

Well, i have an update.

through their wider network, they came to know that i left my previous company before i could tell them. The hiring manager has apparently questioned my integrity for witholding this information and despite being the front runner for the position there are major doubts this will continue further.

I tried to reassure the internal recruiter that this wasnt a deliberate ploy to deceive but rather, my intent was to wait until the end of the process and there was something concrete before disclosing the full circumstances. As over-divulging to potentially unsuccessful/non starter opportunities would increase the risk of my active job search making its way back to my current employer (whilst I am in a probation period) and that i knew at the very least employment checks would pick up the discrepancy, so I always intended to tell them, if it materialised in to something.

Ultimately, rather than skirt accountability I owned my decision with them and said given the circumstances (rightly of wrongly) I elected to not discuss what was a very recent move and instead basing my experience and suitability for the role on what I had done at my previous company only some weeks earlier. Further, that whilst I appreciate the feelings on the matter and am sorry for the impact, the circumstances around my departure from my previous company were normal - serving a full notice period, my CV at the time of application was accurate (before I had started the current role) and rightly or wrongly I thought was the best way to handle the situation, given the reasons above.

But, more than likely this process is cooked for me, unfortunately. Awaiting formal decision on whether the final round will proceed but given the vibe of the conversation and concerns, I think this is done. Shame really, I think I would have been really successful in the role but c’est la vis.