Thinking back to when I first applied for the role of Vice President Multi-Site Branch Manager, the job description definitely influenced my decision. It listed responsibilities like leading multiple branches, driving sales, coaching teams, and ensuring operational excellence things that aligned closely with my strengths and what I was looking for next in my career. I appreciated that the posting was clear, goal-oriented, and emphasized leadership and performance, which helped me picture myself in the role right away.
Once I was in the role, I found that the job description was mostly accurate but it didn’t fully capture the day-to-day challenges. The posting talked about leading teams and improving customer experience, but it didn’t mention the intensity of balancing multiple priorities across branches, handling staffing gaps, or the level of influence you need to lead peers who don’t directly report to you. The emotional side of leadership developing people, managing underperformance, and maintaining culture across locations wasn’t highlighted, but became one of the most important parts of the job.
Overall, the job description got me in the door, but the reality of the role pushed me to grow in ways I hadn’t anticipated. It reminded me how critical it is for companies to not only define what needs to be done, but also give candidates a feel for the real challenges they’ll face. That’s something I’ve carried with me when hiring for my own teams making sure expectations are clear and real from day one.
