Interview with company with poor reputation.

[JuniorD]

You are approached by one of your competitors about a job for which they would like to interview you. It's clear that no one else is being considered for the job, just you and no internal candidates. They pay substantially more than your current employer however have a reputation of being a much more controlled work environment and various rumours abound in the industry. Ex-employees whom you know often talk about a very regimented, unflexible regime.

You decide to go to the interview to see what they have to say.

Would you lay your cards on the table and ask them to confirm/debunk their reputation and the rumours you have heard?

[Dave_M]

Hmm, why would you want to risk working for somewhere with such a poor reputation?

Were it me, I would want to know more about them (it may be they have a rep because they don't suit everyone, but if they suit you that would be fine). Asking at the interview would show you have concerns and depending how you did it, may worry me if I was interviewing. On the other hand, I would be interested to know 'we' had a bad reputation and whether I needed to take action.

If they are not open and honest though, you may not get open and honest answers and may find out nothing.

Sorry that's not too helpful.

[scirocco265]

JuniorD said:

Ex-employees whom you know often talk about a very regimented, unflexible regime.

Would you lay your cards on the table and ask them to confirm/debunk their reputation and the rumours you have heard?

Definitely ask, you may or may not get an honest answer but there's no harm in asking. As I'm sure you already know, there's more to life than just the cash-ish... I was too ashamed to tell people where I'd started working for the first 6 months due to the poor reputation, 4 years later it's the best job I've ever had. Just because somewhat disgruntled ex-employees may not like or it might be a Company with a 'difficult culture', it doesn't mean that it won't work for you. Will you be working at the same level as the ex-employees you mentioned?

[Mr AJ]

My Mrs took on a job with one of her (Then current) employers competitors who had a poor reputation for various things. On the first day a member of their staff stole her handbag (Could only of been a co-worker, From a limited team of 10 as they was the only people with access to that room.) Senior managers refused to do anything about it, Wouldn't even discuss the matter with the 9 'suspects'. Bag was found later on stuffed into a bin in the toilet for that floor (<20 people having access/regular use of this toilet). Managers still refused to deal with it and in the end the police got involved. Nothing of real value was stolen (Some makeup, very small amount of cash) and if it had been dealt with 'in house' and the items returned/Employee punished she would of been happy to keep it 'in house' without police involvement. She didn't go back for the 2nd day.

Similarily i'm sub-contracting from a services supplier who has a poor reputation with customers and with previous employee's. I've found that reputation to be completely true, and my enjoyment of the job has suffered because of this and i'm now looking for other avenues to get away from them.

At the end of the day, If you take the job and find you don't like it your stuck there. Granted, This is the same with any job you take on. But if someone told you the iron was hot, would you still touch it?.

If your happy with your current employer and feel your getting a 'good deal' money & work wise - I wouldn't take the chance myself.

[Vron]

JuniorD said:

You are approached by one of your competitors about a job for which they would like to interview you. It's clear that no one else is being considered for the job, just you and no internal candidates. They pay substantially more than your current employer however have a reputation of being a much more controlled work environment and various rumours abound in the industry. Ex-employees whom you know often talk about a very regimented, unflexible regime.

You decide to go to the interview to see what they have to say.

Would you lay your cards on the table and ask them to confirm/debunk their reputation and the rumours you have heard?

Yes I would ask but it's an interview so they are going to 'sell' you the job.

The rumours are usually true particularly if those people who have left have stayed in the same industry.

I was headhunted to another company and it was the worst thing I ever did in hindsight. Staff turnover there was higher than average and the good people who did leave (for good reason) were immediately dismissed as being 'crap' and the like for leaving rather than the legit reasons they gave for leaving being looked at.

[Si 330]

There was an engineering consultancy that people used to moan about all the time. I was contractor and would regularly get calls from agents asking if I would go there I kept saying no. Several months later this company was the only option so I went on contract there stayed for 2 years no problems what so ever you have to take things as you find them. Do you job correctly don't make a fuss you should get on fine most of the time.

[siscar]

I once had someone say at interview that they had heard that a lot of people leave our company shortly after joining. It was an interesting take on the fact that we enforce probationary periods, if the person doesn't perform in their probationary period we address it and in some cases people don't make it through that period. The end result is that we have a tiny staff turnover amongst those who do but a higher turnover amongst people in their early months.

[AJS-]

Definitely ask. They will almost certainly be aware of their reputation, and if they have a higher than average staff turnover (again, ask) then ask them why?

It shows intelligence, confidence, and gives them an opportunity to answer it. Perhaps they have changed things, or perhaps they just find this the most effective way to run their business. Either way, it's good to know.

If they pay significantly more than competitors, then it's very likely there is a catch. Either a "bad" work environment, or very onerous selection criteria. I put bad in inverted commas as what is bad for one person is good for another. One man's "regimented" and "inflexible" can be another man's "structured" and "organised." Find out what they do differently and think about how that would work for you.

[JuniorD]

Guys, thanks for all the responses. Some excellent advice and good insights there so much appreciated.

Anyway I went along for the interview, they knew a fair bit about me already from other contacts but they liked some of the other things on the CV and I was offered the job. Almost too readily for my liking! It was a fairly strong sales pitch from them and I made all the right sounds back in return. (That's a bad habit I have, showing enthusiasm towards things I'm not actually that enthusiastic about - e.g. "Oh, so you are into Devil worship? How fascinating, it's very popular I hear" when I'm actually thinking "You crazy mofo"). Towards the end I asked them outright about ex-staff and associated stories and they were not at all surprised that I asked. I'm glad I did in that regard. They were happy to explain every one of the issues in the context of the ex-personnel involved. I was satisfied enough with that. At present I'm mulling the offer over as I don't know if now is the right time for such a move out of my present comfort zone. I feel that I would fit in on a personal level but professionally I'm not so sure. Next year might be a different story but right now it feels a little bit too soon. I'm not good at making decisions that have long term effect.

Time to ruminates some more.