Everyone that I spoke to through the interview process was very friendly and professional. However, I think that their process takes too much time and it seems as though you're being strung along to test out how much they can push you around. From start to what I believe was going to be the final stage today took a little over two weeks. I had a phone interview, a website product and sales ability quiz, and another video interview that lasted an hour. Only then, a few days later, did they ask me for a minimum of three work references with at least one direct manager, which they did contact. They sent them questions about their experiences working with me, which took them all around ten minutes each. A couple of days after that they sent me an agreement for a background check and another scheduled call with two people from upper management. I could understand all of this if it wasn't a starting position, or at the very least if they asked for the background check and references up front, but it's just below the lowest tier of a middle-class salary for Los Angeles. It would actually be a pay cut from my current position, which I was more than willing to do since sales bonuses were involved. However, after getting to know more about the bonuses, I think they should increase them or the base pay considering that it's a sales position that hinges heavily on both experience and/or good training and on company reputation. Not just anyone can do this job. To top that, anything wedding industry related is bound to be very stressful at times, and workers should be compensated for their ability to sell and form relationships with customers for repeat business. From the range I was quoted in possible bonuses, it just doesn't seem at all worth it to me. Not only that, but after over two weeks of interviews and I haven't even been invited to the place I might be working to meet any of the team or to get a feel for the environment. Obviously this final call could have been for an official offer on the job or negotiations on salary, but it just feels like I'm being set up to be strong-armed to be perfectly honest. It's just so lop-sided and unpleasant. I got another offer from a different company for a sales position that was very transparent from the start about goals, commission, base-line pay, etc., and their process wasn't stretched over weeks with low visibility on what my day-to-day experience would be. My first interview was in the office with the people I'd be reporting to on a daily basis and with the business owner. Sales is a people-person business, and I don't trust a company that isn't willing to show that they value my time and talents equally, or rather, show me that they definitely do not. I took the other offer and formally withdrew my application this morning.
