I find it so frustrating when companies say one thing in interviews and then reality is something else entirely.
There were red flags I didn’t see until now – the CEO began by saying they were “like a family” and had zero turnover rate so me joining them would mean I’d be 100% willing to stay for years. Then they said they had a very flexible schedule as long as I did my 8 hours, that I only needed to be there 1 day a week and the rest would be remote, but at first I would need to come a little bit more to the office for training. (I asked what they meant “a little more” – they just repeated ”just a bit more”). I was suspicious, but they needed someone ASAP due to a sudden longterm sick leave and I was jobless, so I took it when I got offered the job the next day.
First of – there was no training. I’m ok with this, I’m used to that, what bothered me is that the CEO explicitly said two or three times that I would definitely have training. They just started giving me urgent tasks on day 2 without explaining what the platform’s about (I’m a programmer). I pleaded the manager to give me at least one session explaining the functionalities and he just said the clients were nervous and the tasks were more important than anything else.
Flexibility is absent. Job is from 9 to 5:30 and it’s clear you have to arrive before the starting hour or you’re late. I always arrive exactly at 9:00 on the dot and everyone is already working – they also stay later (I usually leave at 5:40). No one takes any breaks (this surprised me the most), and they never fully take the one hour lunch break, I’m the only one who does.
It’s barely remote friendly. On day 1 I was shocked when the equipment they gave me was a desktop computer – no laptop. This meant that if I wanted to work from home, I needed to install everything in my personal laptop (and thank god I bought one a couple months ago). I now believe that by giving me a desktop computer they were trying to make me work onsite full-time.
After the first week going to the office everyday, and after I finally set up my personal laptop with everything I needed, I decided to negotiate the WFH schedule with the CEO. He was shocked I had my WFH equipment (all mine) completely set up and asked 2 to 3 times if I “really had everything set up at home”. He knew he couldn't deny it, because of what he said in the interview and because the entire IT team is 100% remote (yes, I come to the office to be all alone! all the other departments are on the other side of the office and don't seem interested in talking to me, even though I try to be friendly with them). After thinking about it, he let me work remote 2 days a week. No mention of how the rest of my team works 100% remote. No mention of the supposed 1 day a week onsite schedule.
I'm aware some of it is my fault – after all I did take the job even though I felt suspicious, and I didn't insist nor did I ask for the exact WFH schedule to be in writing. But I just feel so burnt out and feel like I can't trust whatever they say in interviews anymore.