For some context, I started my career nearly 15 years ago. For the record, this is not intended to be a 'back in my day' rose-colored perspective of the past. What I'm about to describe has probably always existed to some extent.
However, there is a trend I've been noticing a lot more of, and I can't help but think it's as a result of the tight labor market.
I work for a “consulting” company that farms us out to clients for project-based work. Most of the time the clients are in pretty bad shape. They have either experienced major staff churn or are significantly behind on a project that was expected to be completed soon. I'm not going to sugar coat it, most of them have deservedly obtained their negative reputation due to poor treatment of staff, lack of WLB, and poor culture overall.
While none of the assignments are particularly shiny or exciting, they should usually fall in line with the accounting and finance space that we are hired to consult on. Well, according to my firm, they have been receiving work orders from clients that are not accurately reflecting the scope of work needed. On my last assignment, apparently they were trying to replace their senior level controller and brought in a mid-level accounting specialist instead. On the most recent assignment, the client sent a work order requesting help with getting their accounts payable in order. Instead, I'm cold-calling vendors and doing data entry. It literally amounts to entry-level grunt work, the type I'd have done 15 years ago when just starting out, but which is now well below my skill level and experience level, not to mention the skills and experience I'm looking to get out of my consulting role.
Every time I talk to my firm about this mis-alignment in what the client is requesting and who we are sending, my firm tells me that the client is sending misinformation to them about what they're looking for. For instance, it's clear to me with my current assignment that the client is intentionally misleading on the scope of work to glorify the assignment, which is mundane and low-skilled, in order to attract better quality talent.
Has anyone else experienced an alarming number of companies lying about the scope of work with either a full-time role or project with the intent to attract better quality candidates?