Think I Dodged A Bullet
This happened about four years ago when I was looking for work. I got a second interview for a “marketing” position at a new firm.
The interview went well and I was offered a trial shift the following Monday. On turning up, it became clear that this wasn’t a marketing job, but a door-to-door sales job for what was basically a huge MLM.
The “service” was to sign people up for charities on monthly donations. To make matters worse, we were told to lie to consumers about our pay status.
We weren’t supposed to tell people that and had to tell them we were salaried. We weren’t—I only found out during the trial that it was commission only.
So far, not so good.
When they “offer” me the “job” I let them know I have another interview lined up the following day and tell them I’ll let them know by the end of the week.
The interview goes well, it’s a real (albeit temporary role) and I’m offered the job. I inform the MLM of my decision. This is somehow a 30-minute call where he’s still trying to convince me to work for him, with me saying I’m not interested at all.
Fast forward to the next Monday and I’m rudely awakened at 9:15 with a phone call. I answer because I hadn’t saved this number. It’s a guy from the MLM yelling: “Where the heck are you?!?!?” I’m like, “Sorry?
wh-“ MLM guy cuts me off, saying “You were meant to be here at 8:30. This isn’t a good start to your first day, is it?
Why are you so late?”
I’m still half-asleep so I ask: “Sorry but who is this?” MLM guy identifies himself—it’s not the guy I interviewed with. He says: “You know the company who YOU work for, it’s too late now your team has left, you better be on time tomorrow.” I say, “Sorry there must’ve been a misunderstanding, I got offered a job elsewhere and accepted that role, sorry for this.”
He yells, “Well, you should have told us this, it’s not professional to just not turn up and we would’ve hired someone else, now your team is short staffed…” I’m like “Not my problem, check with my interviewer, anyway I need to go, bye.” Hoping this is resolved, I get up and go about my day.
Tuesday morning, I am again awakened to the same guy demanding reasons for me not turning up to work.
Apparently, not working for them isn’t a valid excuse. This amazing sequence of calls continued until the following Monday, where I was “let go” for “unauthorized” absences.
When I asked if this means he’ll stop phoning me, he told me to grow up and be professional about it. Think I dodged a bullet there…