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.

Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that. It was a bit of a sticky situation - you were damned if you did, and damned if you didn't.

I'm sorry it didnt work out. What could they possibly think you were hiding from them though? The facts were correct at the time you applied!

I hope something else comes up for you soon.

It was the “integrity” impugning they alluded to that got to me more than anything.

I told them, that surely they can understand being in my position and within a probationary period, disclosing my change in circumstances during a process where nothing has come to fruition invites a level of risk if it ever made its way back to my current employers and I wasn’t already moving on to something.

I said I own the decision but they were not misled on my experience, what I have done or even my motivations. I only omitted that past 6 week and a change in circumstances not reflected in my CV, which was correct at the time of initial application.

in the end, you win some and lose some but it’s a red flag for the organisation.

I think it's a bit ott of them. It was correct at the time of application and you didn't want anything getting back to your new employers which is fair enough

The gross over reaction doesn’t make sense, so I reckon there was probably another reason to reject my candidacy that they aren’t saying and this was just convenient (getting conspiratorial). But either way, nothing I can do. My loss, their loss even more so.

I agree with this, it sounds like this new company wouldn’t be the right fit for you anyway OP. I continue to be utterly baffled by companies that introduce so much emotionality to their processes: they need to pay someone to perform a function - that is it. You are under no obligation to provide any details that are not intrinsically linked to the role you are applying for. They need to calm down. It sounds like you missed another bullet to me.

The disappointment for me especially is that up to this latest twist, I got such a good vibe. The people I spoke to seemed very personable and I genuinely thought there would be more understanding.

If some guy outlined this to me, especially given the tenures I have done, I would have enough sense to not see a guy looking to move shortly after making a move, as a red flag. Nor the very legitimate reasons for not over divulging with nothing concrete emerging.

Clearly my judgement is impaired, as I got sold the snake oil with my current place also.

What I think makes it worse, is they enquired about me through a Big 4 partner the hiring manager knows and that partner happened to have worked with my previous employers in the past, which is how they came to know. As said partner must have spoken to contacts at my previous company. If I was still there it would have set alarm bells off. Which I think vindicates my decision to hold off on disclosing and proved my concerns to be valid.

Hmm it makes me wonder if there is some unconscious bias on their part OP. Would they have even questioned a man’s “integrity” like this? Would a man have even tied himself up in knots worrying about this or would he have just fronted it out? It’s perfectly legitimate for a new job to not quite be the right fit and to move on quickly - it happens all the time. So why do they care so much? Perhaps it’s happened to them a few times as their organisation is a shitshow? Don’t give it any more thought. I would continue your job search, include the new role on your CV and be honest: your expectations were not met and you are moving on.

Ah. My error, I didn’t state upfront, I’m a bloke.

I would’ve told them before they found out. Looks like you were too late in telling and they just asked around. Bad luck.

If you're really FD (not sure if you've changed role to hide true identity) relax! This level of seniority allows you to have an honest conversation, and I imagine won't be an issue at all.

Ignore previous msg, but I really don't understand why you were acting like a finance assistant rather than FD! In the future, perhaps just own decision..lead with front foot.

It's not helpful now, but I'd have told them that your current project had changed when it did.

Omitting it would have ruled you out of all three companies I work closely with.

I don't disagree with the previous post that said, would a man even have thought about this... I don't think most would have given it much thought at all, but most men I know would have sent a brief, "I'm now working as an FD in a different role but still interested in this position" type email, which would have covered this situation off.

It's an employers' market; and most are nervous about making good hires.

Because this is the internet which affords me the anonymity and vulnerability to say “this is a new situation for me and I genuinely do not know what to do.”