Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Just been to my first US interview (after the battles with USCIS to get my EAD!) and I'm 99.9% sure that I'll get offered the job.

Job itself sounds good and I like the guy I'd be working for, but the owner/manager of the company spent most of the time telling me how he thought Brits were work-shy and how did we get anything done with the short hours we worked and when we took naps in the middle of the day (!!??) I answered all his objections which seemed to amuse him, but I lost count of the amount of times he stressed that it's not a 9-5 job (he reckons he works 5am-midnight) and that they don't do vacation time.

I'm aware of the diffrent culture here and have no problem working long hours with hardly any holidays, but I'm not sure if they sound extreme even for the US. As it was my first interview I don't have anything to compare it to so was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about it all. I'm aware that I'm lucky to get offered a job that I like so quickly given the problems I've read here that people seem to have, but also wary of taking the job for the wrong reasons when I'm unsure about the culture of the company.

Any thoughts? Cheers! :confused:

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Run!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

It always seems to be easier to get a job when you have one, so take it as a starter.

If you could tell us more about it maybe some of the folks here could give you an indication as to what the particular industry is like over here.

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Well, he doesn't work 5 am to midnight, so I say take the job and be prepared to look for another. What's the job?

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Sure, it's a marketing manager position for a travel industry company (my background is in travel marketing - Thomson Holidays, VisitScotland) that I have heard of and have a pretty good reputation in the travel world. The job itself sounds good and I'm totally sure about that, I just have alarm bells ringing about the company after this 2nd interview.

Some of the questions I got asked, the employer would be locked up by now in Europe! For example - do you have children? I take it that if you take this job you won't be planning on having any soon?

I know the working world here is more aggressive than the UK, but as I said I have nothing to compare this to and have a suspicion that they might be a bit extreme!

It's annoying because the job sounds good! And to be honest none of the people that I've met seem totally switched on and I have a suspicion that they might work long hours but be productive about 20% of the time!

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Asking questions like "Do you have children?" is illegal here also. It sounds like this guy is a total knob. If you would be comfortable working for someone like this - go for it. But I would say that if this guy can't make it through an interview without breaching the law; the chances are that working there will not be a bed of roses.
May be worth taking and immediately shopping around for something better. In general I have found that some Americans equate hard work with a high number of hours in the office. It doesn't seem to matter that 8 of the 12 hours they spend "working" are used to surf the net, talk to people about sports or make personal calls.

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

OK, that's a big no-no. IMHO - time to throw down. Ask him why he cares - it' outside the scope of the job. Feel free to take this one to the end - if it all heads south then don't take the job. If you get things back on a level field with him, then tell him how much you appreciate his candor :rolleyes: and take the work.

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Yeah, the only reason I'm not running for the hills is that this guy spends 90% of the time travelling (they have offices worldwide) and I really like that guy I'd be reporting to. I had the feeling that he was trying to play down some of the comments after the other guy left, and obviously he couldn't bitch about his boss but I got a strong impression that he was trying to tell me not to be put off because it wasn't a true reflection of working for the company.

As for the working hours, they seem to have lunch together every day and sit out on the terrace for about 2.5 hours talking about everything apart from work. I took great pleasure commenting that as a 'work shy' brit my usual lunch break in my last position consisted of a 10 minute trip out to grab a sandwich and straight back to my desk!

The whole 'vibe' of the company seemed relaxed and upbeat which just didn't fit in with the owner at all.

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

I think just use your best judgement. I have often seen (poor) interviewers try to pressure candidates by making the job/work place seem more extreme than it actually is. Like you were going to cave and say "well if it's hard work, I don't think I'm interested after all".
The good thing (for both parties) is that most jobs in the US are on an "at will" basis, meaning you and the employer have no contract or notice period. If either of you decide to bail, feel free to do so.

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Hey Glasgowgirl, is it the first job you have applied for or the first interview you have had?

If it's the first job you have applied for I would say take a look around. There are some excellent travel companies out there who would jump at your experience. I work for a division of Travelocity (we're owned by Sabre) and they are always looking for good people. Here's a link to their jobs page...
http://svc.travelocity.com/about/abo...BS_LOC,00.html

Take a look at the Sabre jobs too from the same link.

Goos Luck in whatever you decide!

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

OK, well based on what you say above, I say go for it (and ask him if he gives employee discounts for your future kids). Make the most of it and keep your options open.

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Good point - a lot of interviewers like to make themselves look like heroes and potential employees feel like crap.
Now, whether or not you want to work for someone like that is one thing, but he might just be all mouth and no trousers.

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Thanks. I've just started applying really which is why I'm trying not to jump at the first job I get offered. But I've been in the US since May and am dying to get back to work (L2 visa with 6 months to get an EAD thanks to a USCIS screw up!), being a desperate housewife isn't for me! I'll have a look at that site.

Thanks everyone for your comments/advice.

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

Read the contract, and if you are happy with the terms (including work hours), take the job. Don't stress about the imponderables, what-ifs, and maybes.

At least if things go belly-up and you are expected to do non-contractually obligated things like work 12 hours shifts, you have a good reason to quit 6 months down the line and try again.

Re: Job offer - opinions please!!
 

While the cats away & everything...