The Problem with Pretending: What “Corporate Catfishing” Means for PR and Communications

Imagine starting a new job full of excitement, ready to join a workplace that promises creativity, flexibility, and a people-first mindset, only to walk into something completely different. The vibe is cold. The culture? Non-existent. And all those great things the company said during the interview process? Nowhere to be found.

That’s what the team at Fast Company calls “corporate catfishing,” a term that might sound a little dramatic, but honestly, it fits. Just like someone pretending to be someone they’re not online, companies can do the same thing when they’re trying to woo top talent. They sell a story that’s just too good to be true. And more often than we’d like to admit, it is.

And here’s the thing: this hits a little too close to home for those of us in PR and communications.

We’re in the business of building trust. We tell the stories of organizations. We help shape their reputations and guide their conversations with the world. So, when an organization is bending the truth or flat-out making things up, it puts us in a tough spot. It makes our job harder and risks the very thing we’re supposed to be protecting: the organization’s credibility.

When the story doesn’t match the reality

Employer branding is huge right now, and for good reason. Companies are fighting for top talent in a competitive job market. It makes sense that they’d want to stand out. But there’s a fine line between standing out and stretching the truth.

You can tell people you’re “like a family,” but if employees are burning out or quitting because of toxic managers or poor communication, that claim doesn’t just fall flat; it becomes a liability. When the internal reality doesn’t match the external message, people notice. They talk. And in our world of LinkedIn posts, Glassdoor reviews, and TikTok exposés, the truth doesn’t take long to surface.

In communications, we always say that the most important audience is internal. If employees don’t believe the story we’re telling, how can we expect anyone else to? Misrepresenting the culture or values of a company isn’t just a bad move; it can completely unravel the trust you’ve built with your internal team, your external audiences, and future hires.

PR’s role in calling out the B.S.

Let’s be honest: sometimes, the pressure to paint the rosiest possible picture is strong. Maybe leadership wants to promote a new campaign around inclusion or work-life balance. But if employees are quietly saying, “Yeah, that’s not how it really is here,” then we’ve got a problem.

PR professionals should be the first to raise the red flag.

This isn’t about airing dirty laundry. It’s about making sure the story we tell is real. That doesn’t mean we can’t be aspirational. It’s OK to talk about where the company wants to go as long as we’re honest about where it is right now.

Being the voice of reason in a room full of spin is hard. But it’s also necessary. We’re not just storytellers; we’re stewards of reputation. And nothing kills a reputation faster than getting caught in a lie.

The fallout: Broken promises and burned bridges

When a company sells a fake version of itself, the consequences go beyond a few bad reviews. People leave. Or worse, they stay, but are checked out, unmotivated, and quietly telling everyone they know to avoid the place.

According to Fast Company, some job seekers are starting to ghost employers entirely. That’s right, applicants accept the job and then never show up. Sounds unprofessional, but it’s a reaction to being let down one too many times. It’s a symptom of a bigger trust issue in the job market, and companies have played a role in creating it.

We can’t ignore the ripple effect this has on brand perception. If employees are unhappy, that bleeds into customer service, community engagement, social media presence, you name it. The story stops being about who you say you are and becomes about what people experience when they interact with your organization.

That’s something no PR campaign can fully fix.

So, what can we do?

Here’s where the opportunity lies. PR and communications professionals are in a unique position to change this dynamic. We’re not just mouthpieces, oh nay nay; we’re connectors. We intersect with employee experience, leadership, public opinion, and media. And we can push for alignment between what’s said and what’s actually happening.

We can help organizations tell honest stories. Stories that celebrate progress but acknowledge challenges. We can push for real conversations with employees to understand what it actually feels like to work there. And we can use those insights to shape better, truer communications.

It starts with asking better questions. What are employees proud of? What’s frustrating them? What kind of support do they actually need? If we’re only listening to the leadership narrative, we’re missing the full picture.

And once we know the truth, we have a responsibility to communicate it thoughtfully. Not to air all the company’s dirty laundry but to be real about where the organization is and where it’s going. That kind of honesty is refreshing. And it’s what people are craving.

All of this to say…

“Corporate catfishing” might be a trendy phrase, but it speaks to something very real: the disconnect between what companies say and what they actually do. And for those of us in PR and communications, that disconnect isn’t just a challenge; it’s a call to action.

We can’t rely on smoke and mirrors if we want to build trust, loyalty, and real engagement. We need to be the ones championing authenticity, even when it’s uncomfortable. Because the best stories? They’re the true ones.

And the best brands? They’re the ones that live up to the stories they tell.