Survey: 1 in 5 Workers Say Their Job Differs from What They Were Hired For

HR Dive · United States · Sep 28, 2026

A ResumeBuilder.com survey found that nearly one in five workers say their current role is either completely different or has changed significantly from what they were hired to do, a dynamic researchers call the 'bait-and-switch gap.' Separately, 78% of senior HR and talent acquisition leaders worry that AI-driven automation of entry-level tasks is shrinking the leadership pipeline, per Talogy research. Emory University findings also suggest women may self-select out of industries they perceive as underrepresenting them, reinforcing gender imbalances in fields like STEM and politics. Staffing firms should be aware that bait-and-switch hiring practices can erode candidate trust and increase early attrition, undermining placement success rates.