bait and switch

Ugh. So I'm looking for a new job right now and I'm applying all over the place.

I see an add on Brook Street (an agency) and it's a Copywriting job for a magazine publishing house close by and it's listed at 15-16k. There are some major typos in the add, Abode instead of Adobe, that sort of thing. Thinking...maybe, but maybe not.

I call the company to let them know of the typo, because it doesn't look good to have typos in your Copywriting ad. Lady asked if I am interested in applying, I say possibly. So I set up a time to come in. It's in Derby about 30 minutes drive away.

Get it set up and head over that way on the day. Woman who was supposed to meet with me, isn't there. Okay. Do the set up with the agency thing, have to do some assessments for typing and spelling. Whoo. Spend over an hour and then I go home. Time spent over 3 hours.

Get a call yesterday, employer wants 2 more assessments from me. One for a half page article (450 words) and another full page article (800-900 words). And the position information is listing it at 14k, that is minimum wage for me. Not to mention it says there will be extra hours needed on occasion with no talk of overtime pay... So even less than minimum wage.

AND, they require someone degree educated. I am just blown away. Needless to say, I am not wasting any more of my time.

And the position information is listing it at 14k, that is minimum wage for me. Not to mention it says there will be extra hours needed on occasion with no talk of overtime pay... So even less than minimum wage.

AND, they require someone degree educated. I am just blown away. Needless to say, I am not wasting any more of my time.

Good for you! I'd call that a lucky escape.

Good for you! I'd call that a lucky escape.

Yeah, I thought so. I did even ask on the phone to verify the salary and was told it was the 15-16k.

Sorry to hear that, but if you keep trying you know you'll eventually find something good.  Every good job I've ever found was after several bad experiences. 

Is it possible that the "Evaluations" they wanted you to do were just stuff that needed to be edited?  I often run into the "real work done for free as a test " scam. 

Here's a story for you: 

Once I worked for a big company and they hired a new coder.  As is common, passwords and network access was not sorted out so the guy couldn't do anything.  On day one and two, they let him sit in the corner with the book of coding standards.  On day 3 he wasn't there anymore, so I asked my client (pseudo line manager) what happened.  He said "I didn't like the way he wrote code ".  I said the guy never had a log in, he couldn't have written anything.  My client says "I didn't like the way he talked about writing code..."

The reality was that the guy was a Muslum and my client wanted to hire people who would drink with him! 

The moral is that there are crummy jobs every where out there, don't sweat it.

Sorry to hear that, but if you keep trying you know you'll eventually find something good.  Every good job I've ever found was after several bad experiences. 

Is it possible that the "Evaluations" they wanted you to do were just stuff that needed to be edited?  I often run into the "real work done for free as a test " scam. 

Here's a story for you: 

Once I worked for a big company and they hired a new coder.  As is common, passwords and network access was not sorted out so the guy couldn't do anything.  On day one and two, they let him sit in the corner with the book of coding standards.  On day 3 he wasn't there anymore, so I asked my client (pseudo line manager) what happened.  He said "I didn't like the way he wrote code ".  I said the guy never had a log in, he couldn't have written anything.  My client says "I didn't like the way he talked about writing code..."

The reality was that the guy was a Muslum and my client wanted to hire people who would drink with him! 

The moral is that there are crummy jobs every where out there, don't sweat it.

Is it possible that the "Evaluations" they wanted you to do were just stuff that needed to be edited?  I often run into the "real work done for free as a test " scam. 

That did cross my mind too....

I started researching the companies a bit and the articles have already been written and published, at least the 1/2 page one was. A pic of it was already up on the company's facebook page.

edit to add: the magazine layout wasn't that great either. They used a 'handwritten' font in it. I know they're trying to be original, but that just looks tacky!

The sucky thing is I left a really great job, the people I worked with directly were awesome, out suppliers were great and I really liked what I did... but the HR person who was a freelance person had just become the HR Director (new position) and I knew all the issues I was having in the HR realm were never going to change. So I put in my notice and was rushed out the door in a week... even though I was contractually obligated to give them a month's notice.

It was weird.

Doesn't sound great .  Whatever, look forward, something will come.

They used a 'handwritten' font in it.