Lack of pride in your place of work...
Lack of pride in your place of work...
Author
Discussion

TurboLizard

Original Poster:

194 posts

236 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
Just wondering if anyone else feels the same way I do about their current employment.

I've just started work at what I can only describe as an 'ambulance chasing' personal injury solicitors office.

Now, I'm only a credit controller so I'm not directly ripping people/companies off, I do however have massive moral objections to the various "fee earners" in the office who reel people into making ridiculous injury claims (many of which end up being proved fraudulent). To be honest I feel ashamed to work for such a company as we ALL pay the price for fraudulent injury claims through increased premiums in our insurances! However a job is a job and I'm happy to have one after being made unemployed a couple of months ago, I just wish I worked for a more reputable company to be honest! I think I will work there 6-12 months and look elsewhere. Do you think potential employers would see this as a bad thing if I told them my true feelings about my current employment?

So over to you audience, have you ever been ashamed of the company you work/worked due to their dubious business practices?

Gargamel

16,349 posts

290 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
I always took the view that if somebody didn't want my services they would simply say no to the product I was selling.

But in principal, if at a party a pretty girl asks you what you do for a living, if you fell the need to lie, find a new job.

New POD

3,851 posts

179 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all


Is it possible that the experience you gain, will help you in another job, where the organisation is more "Moral" ? Are they paying for training that might be useful, in which case take as much as you can legally, or alternatively.....

At the moment you need to money, but I'd start looking, right NOW, and when people ask you why so soon, if you can explain your issues in a way that paints you in a positive light, I think it might be to your advantage. More so than if you stay a year.

I'm a firm believer in Karma. I had a business lead last year, for a job which would have been very profitable, and would have looked very good and could have jumped my business from a one man band to something employing 2 or 3 people.

I always said that "I'll do anything that's legal to pay the mortgage" but I'm not sure that is true for me. There are things I won't do even if they are legal

Once the NDA had been rolled out for me to sign, it was clear that the client was a Tabaco company, and there was no way I'd work on any product for them.

I'd work on defence, nuclear, and the like, but not land mines.

Grenoble

59,311 posts

184 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
I won't work in tobacco, gambling or the Church.

New POD

3,851 posts

179 months

Tuesday 2nd July 2013
quotequote all
Grenoble said:
I won't work in tobacco, gambling or the Church.
I'd add payday loans to that.

Thing is that there are many professions where it is possible to have integrity and still be successful.

Like the Financial Advisor in my Mum's Church, who having "got" religion, uses his skills to help people in debt, get out of debt.

drivin_me_nuts

17,949 posts

240 months

Tuesday 2nd July 2013
quotequote all
It is at times a thin line to walk between job and moral values. In your situation I would be looking for a job now as I to find the notion of ambulance chasing at best unpalatable bordering on the amoral. I would not want to be part of an organization that actively attracts those with an intention to lie to extract money.


But.. its easy to say those things standing from an outsiders perspective looking in and far worse when you are inside and conflicted with a mortgage to pay. If the job leaves you feeling 'dirty' then leave before that feeling sticks - your personal self worth and sense of integrity are aspects of you that cannot easily be recovered once 'tainted'.

Grenoble

59,311 posts

184 months

Tuesday 2nd July 2013
quotequote all
New POD said:
I'd add payday loans to that.
Oh, yes, good call.

Exwife

167 posts

164 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2013
quotequote all
My son, (16) has got himself a job as a labourer on a construction site, just for the summer. He's paid £5 ph and learning lots of "stuff".

He is very, very, pleased with himself. As am I. Although he does come home very dirty.

I suggested to him at lunch, why don't you try this - charity work £9.50 ph, no exp necessary. Attacking shoppers on the street and shaming them into a direct debit.

He was very disparaging. "I do not need to scam people to make my living".

Never, ever lower your integrity to earn money.

Get out now. Lots of rubbish jobs around.

Do something that doesn't make you cringe.



alock

4,555 posts

240 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2013
quotequote all
Reminds me of Clerks and the Death Star discussion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQdDRrcAOjA

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

262 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2013
quotequote all
TurboLizard said:
So over to you audience, have you ever been ashamed of the company you work/worked due to their dubious business practices?
No. I could do and be pulling in 6 figures but i like to look myself in the eye when i shave and not have to sell my soul. I'm poorer but happy.

New POD

3,851 posts

179 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2013
quotequote all
Exwife said:
£5 ph and learning how to mix cement

Verses charity work £9.50 ph,
I once worked as a labourer for a fireplace company. I can build a very average brick wall.

Paulm4

365 posts

186 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
Exwife said:
My son, (16) has got himself a job as a labourer on a construction site, just for the summer. He's paid £5 ph and learning lots of "stuff".

He is very, very, pleased with himself. As am I. Although he does come home very dirty.

I suggested to him at lunch, why don't you try this - charity work £9.50 ph, no exp necessary. Attacking shoppers on the street and shaming them into a direct debit.

He was very disparaging. "I do not need to scam people to make my living".

Never, ever lower your integrity to earn money.

Get out now. Lots of rubbish jobs around.

Do something that doesn't make you cringe.
Our apprentices at work aren't allowed on sites due to insurance reasons till they are 17, I think. Might be 18. Is it a big company?

If he goes the tradesman route in the long term don't expect him to come home any cleaner at least till he gets his own apprentice!

djfaulkner

1,103 posts

247 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
TurboLizard said:
I think I will work there 6-12 months and look elsewhere. Do you think potential employers would see this as a bad thing if I told them my true feelings about my current employment?
I wouldn't - I was told not to bad mouth a previous company in an interview, as your potential employer would worry you would do the same to them.


Grenoble

59,311 posts

184 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
djfaulkner said:
TurboLizard said:
I think I will work there 6-12 months and look elsewhere. Do you think potential employers would see this as a bad thing if I told them my true feelings about my current employment?
I wouldn't - I was told not to bad mouth a previous company in an interview, as your potential employer would worry you would do the same to them.
I agree. Reflects very badly on the employee, even if it is true. Best to be assertive but vague:

"Why are you seeking to leave you current role"

"I think the experience and skills that I have would be very well suited to your company - I like the product range you are growing and I've got on very well with the members of the management team that I have met so far. Your products are number one in their sector, and I have some ideas of how we can further enhance some areas..."

If pushed

"I've felt that company x doesn't offer the development and wider opportunities for me, when I compare it your business"

etc

New POD

3,851 posts

179 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
IMHO better to state that you are jumping ship early because the role is definitely not as described, but rather than bad mouth your current employer, you'd like to explain why you would be good for the job and what development opportunities there are because you are happy to make a long term career commitment to the right company.

I think someone asked me once, why I wanted to leave a company, and I pretty much said that I wasn't planning to, but a friend emailed me your job spec, and I was hooked.

TameRacingDriver

20,543 posts

301 months

Friday 5th July 2013
quotequote all
Not really a job as such, but one of my mates who is a money obsessed kind of guy talked me into being a distributor for the Utility Warehouse. I even signed up and everything.

For those that don't know, this involves selling Utility services, allegedly at a lower price than its competitors. Turns out it's a typical pyramid selling type scheme.

Anyway, I looked into their prices, and found that they were not in fact the lowest priced around. Rather more worryingly, I discovered that their customer service, which they were very proud of, seemed rather "bad" shall we say.

I also went on one of the first training courses ran by these people. It seemed to me they turned perfectly decent people into brainwashed zombies. The trainers were very smug and arrogant too.

The moment in the course where they tried to make me ring 3 friends to arrange a meeting so I could sell them the service was the tipping point for me though. Knowing what I did, I could not sell to them, so at that point I quit and got a refund.

Definitely not for me at all. Thinking back, the whole thing made my skin crawl.

IN51GHT

9,073 posts

239 months

Friday 5th July 2013
quotequote all
I love my job, have great colleagues & I am incredibly proud to work here.

djfaulkner

1,103 posts

247 months

Friday 5th July 2013
quotequote all
TameRacingDriver said:
Not really a job as such, but one of my mates who is a money obsessed kind of guy talked me into being a distributor for the Utility Warehouse. I even signed up and everything.

For those that don't know, this involves selling Utility services, allegedly at a lower price than its competitors. Turns out it's a typical pyramid selling type scheme.

Anyway, I looked into their prices, and found that they were not in fact the lowest priced around. Rather more worryingly, I discovered that their customer service, which they were very proud of, seemed rather "bad" shall we say.

I also went on one of the first training courses ran by these people. It seemed to me they turned perfectly decent people into brainwashed zombies. The trainers were very smug and arrogant too.

The moment in the course where they tried to make me ring 3 friends to arrange a meeting so I could sell them the service was the tipping point for me though. Knowing what I did, I could not sell to them, so at that point I quit and got a refund.

Definitely not for me at all. Thinking back, the whole thing made my skin crawl.
We are with them but only because it was insisted we join by our landlord.

I agree the customer service is pretty shocking and its the only company I've heard of where you can only change the Direct Debit due date to either the 1st or last day of the month.

I get paid on the 15th.

New POD

3,851 posts

179 months

Sunday 7th July 2013
quotequote all
djfaulkner said:
you can only change the Direct Debit due date to either the 1st or last day of the month.

I get paid on the 15th.
The 1st or last day are next to each other.

If the date it comes out on makes a difference to you, maybe you need to be better at budgeting ?

Before bank accounts, my nan told me she had 5 envelopes in the top draw.
1) Rent
2) heat and light
3) Food
4) Other stuff
5) Saving

So when granddad got paid, (weekly), they knew exactly where the money was

These days, nobody does that. All I know is that if there's more than 1000 in our account my wife thinks we are rich and if there's less than 500 she thinks we are skint.

djfaulkner

1,103 posts

247 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
New POD said:
The 1st or last day are next to each other.

If the date it comes out on makes a difference to you, maybe you need to be better at budgeting ?

Before bank accounts, my nan told me she had 5 envelopes in the top draw.
1) Rent
2) heat and light
3) Food
4) Other stuff
5) Saving

So when granddad got paid, (weekly), they knew exactly where the money was

These days, nobody does that. All I know is that if there's more than 1000 in our account my wife thinks we are rich and if there's less than 500 she thinks we are skint.
Good way of doing - my FiL uses that system too.

I pay the bill when I get paid, so its not a problem. I've just never come across a company which can only take payments on two days.