Security Concepts: Job Interview
Update July 2010: Well I gave them the benefit of the doubt, but this company has repeatedly failed to improve their standing in the community, or reign in their employees. I strongly urge any prospective employee to reconsidering pursuing this company as an option.
Update November 2009: Since I wrote this post I have had a chance to visit the new Security Concept offices on Wellington St. While what follows is an accurate representation of what I experienced in July 2009, I can honestly say that the company has changed many of their practices since then. I would urge you not to judge the company on my experiences alone.
It’s taken me a bit of time to get to the story of my job interview on Monday, but I promised.
Like I mentioned, I totally forgot about applying for this job, which should have been warning sign number one. The interview was scheduled for 2:30 at 149 King St, the corner of King and Richmond in downtown London. The company was Security Concepts, and they claimed to be an authorized ADT dealer. When I called to confirm the interview I was told I was interviewing for a sales position, warning sign number 2.
So at 2:20 I parked at Covent Garden Market and started looking for the office. It took me a while because it was hidden in a rundown building, between two nicer looking office towers. There were temporary signs throughout the building directing me to the Security Concepts office, warning sign number 3.
I walked through the door into a room 10 ft by 10 ft with about 15 people in it, there was a women sitting behind a crappy looking desk who directed me to another room when she heard I was there for an interview. Warning sign 4.
There were 17 other people in that room, all there for an interview, that was going to take place as a group.
There was a man in a Security Concepts polo shirt giving a powerpoint, no, reading a powerpoint presentation about the company.
We had to go around the room and introduce ourselves and tell our work experience. You could tell that any hopes, dreams or ambitions that anyone in that room had ever had were long gone.
Polo shirt man filled us in on the details of Security Concepts. Did you know that they give you the security system?!?! All you pay is the $99.99 activation fee and then your $34.99 a month afterwards!! And for each system you as a rep sell, you earn $200! Most of their salesmen sell at least one a day, working 5 days a week, thats $1000 a week, or $52,000 a year.
“That’s more money then some of you have ever made”
Warning signs 5,6,7,8……
Then we had to pull out our resumes and on the back give a number, 1 being you don’t want to work with them and 10 being you really did. Then write a paragraph about why they should hire you.
Polo shirt man left the room and would return to do one on one interviews. Before he did that he asked for a show of hands for how many people could start today. He acknowledged one particularily anxious man with a nod and a “thank-you”
I took this as my cue to leave.
Update:
Since I wrote this post I received comments from people on their way to interviews who have thanked me for sparing them the trouble. This was because I ranked quite high on Google searches for Security Concepts and job interviews.
I sent an email to the company informing them of this, and offering my services. They decided to take it upon themselves to comment on my blog. I applaud this move, but they failed miserably.
Security Concepts still has no credibility as an employer. They’ve hid behind anonymous comments, and have engaged in a “he-said, she-said” battle. Never mind the fact that their SEO and SEM is horrendous (or non existent)
Update: Well I thought that the comments to this post were bad enough….Apparently some employees have decided to attack me personally (click to enlarge).
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