You're viewing a single thread.
You absolutely can and should.
Entry level, probably will get denied.
But if you're applying to management or significant roles that are typically hired slow, you absolutely should ask to talk with other employees.
Tried that one time and they said they wouldn't put me in touch with anyone that worked at that location until I accepted the position. Social media pulled through on that one and I managed to talk to people there anyways, but thought I was dumb that I had to go behind their backs to get it done
It's really dumb to not let people talk to existing employees, when sites like glassdoor exist. Particularly because it's blatantly obvious when they're trying to pad out favorable reviews. But it's actually more convincing in person.
Or Facebook. There's a very large Facebook group and it's a small world within my industry. I made a post and got a direct message from the lead the next day.
That said, thinking back, the dude was kind of a tool so that may be why they didn't want me to talk to him lol
That's a red flag if a company is unable to connect you with workers.
Maybe my ego is massive because I'm in a industry that gets thousands of recruiters emailing me. But I've gotten very short with head hunters/recruiters/HR folks who think they're offering me a "opportunity" when really, it's a two way street or communication.
I agree. Unfortunately, it's one of the largest companies within that sector of my industry, and probably within the industry as a whole, so getting short with them could severely limit future opportunities.
That said, where there's a will, there's a way.
Yeah, but you can be sure that anyone who tells you the truth about a bad working environment will be fired shortly thereafter for "attendance issues" or any number of other bogus reasons.
I've been the person to talk to interviewees before. I told them the good and the bad. We feel it's better to be upfront and let them make an informed choice rather than hiring them only to have them quit in a year or two.
No one is going to loudly tell you "this job sucks brah", but get a name and hit them up on LinkedIn.
Plus any feedback that not positive is probably negative. Damning with faint praise, etc.
Absolutely! You can also attempt to “listen between the lines” when talking with them.
They may say something like, “management will order us anything we want for dinner” as a positive. But to me this is a red flag, as I should not need to have dinner ordered for me regularly, or ever.
Take that concept and attempt to translate their words into reality.
During one talk, they shared that they "Sometimes have to work during holidays." He then backtracked and said, "It's not often though!"
Without naming the employee, during a future interview, I asked about work balance and they also hinted that sometimes, work does bleed into weekends and holidays.
Pretty easy nope.
If a job can't get the work done without overworking on holidays, it's a clear sign that they're understaffed or have shitty management who don't push back against due dates.