The pay's hot, but tech recruits flounder amid HR curveballs

WHEN 35-year-old John (not his real name) joined TikTok as training and development lead for South-east Asia, he was excited about the opportunity to work with a fast-growing team taking on larger rivals. But the excitement quickly evaporated when he realised that his new boss wasn't entirely sure what John was supposed to do, while a subordinate was under the impression that they were peers.

John had to tell this subordinate that he was in fact her boss - news she did not respond well to. Barely two months later, she went to John's boss with feedback that he hadn't given her leadership or guidance. And without asking for John's side of the story, his boss told him he would be facing a review in two weeks. Sleepless nights and anxiety attacks ensued.

Stories such as John's are increasingly being exchanged among those who have taken up or are considering careers at tech companies, particularly at fast-growing startups. In their rush to grow, many have cast best HR practices aside or, worse, have not thought about them at all. Other complaints include unrealistic timelines, poor feedback mechanisms and unclear targets.