Is it unreasonable for my new employer to expect me to invest loads of my time...before I start work ??

[Boobsgonesouth]

In a dilemma here....starting new job on Aug 13th, good package, company car etc etc but a few things have 'niggled' me even before I have started

1. They got my name wrong on all of the offer correspondence
   
2. having agreed a start date (early July) I arranged all neccesary school holiday child care arrangement....they then changed start date...to August 13th.....after much pleading and negotiation managed to retain the child care arrangement - new start date has meant that she has 'lost' 5 weeks work.
   
3. Wanted to meet up with new boss before I started to talk through preparation, asked to text dates, which I did....No call back...when I followed up told "sorry, I've timed out can't now do it but will send all details about start schedule before the weekend - You will need to spend the first 4 nights in Manchester"
   
4. Received pack this morning..... First 3 weeks of training requires me to spend 4 of each 5 days away in manchester (know that I am going to desperately miss the kids as have never spent more than 12 nights away from them !!)
   
   
5. To top it all, in information pack have been asked to complete 'homework' of preparing a presentation for first week of training, lasting no longer than 60 mins (so a big presentation)...and we go on holidays tomorrow.
   
   I am really looking forward to starting this job BUT am already having doubts about their efficiency due to above...and I also think it's unreasonable to expect me to invest any of my time beofre I actually start work with them on 13th August...We're away until 26th July and then I'm going up to Yorkshire to spend a week with family...and to enjoy my last month with DC !!!!
   
   Am in real dilemma...am I seeing too much into what they want and should just get on with it....or am I setting myself up for constant pressure of time ????

[Boobsgonesouth]

meant 2 nights away not 12 !!!

[tess1e]

It does looks a bit stressed out already, perhaps voice your concerns when you start and lay down some ground rules of what you are and are not prepared to do at the outset so everyone knows where they stand?

I'm not liking the homework bit much though

[edam]

If it's a senior job with appropriate pay, don't think you can complain about the presentation, tbh. An hour long one seems extreme, though. Blimey. Double check what length they really want, don't assume you have to do an hour just because that's the maximum.

Wrong name, messing about with dates and new boss being vague and unavailable would worry me, though.

[flowerybeanbag]

boobsgonesouth - presentation, nights away etc do sound irritating, but fair enough if it's a reasonably senior role.

I would think about how much of the disorganisation - name wrong etc is actually due to your immediate boss - is it the HR dept being a bit rubbish, for example, or a secretary? If so, probably not a problem, but if it's definitely the person you will be working for, possibly more of a problem. Not ringing you back when you requested a meeting was not great, but perhaps he/she was having a particularly busy week?
Investing time before you start a job if it is fairly senior is also not unusual unfortunately, it's to enable you to hit the ground running probably and get up to speed and working effectively quicker.

I think it's probably not enough for you to be overly concerned.

[pinkteddy]

My immediate instinct is that they are going to expect a lot from you in this job. If they are asking you to prepare a 60 minute presentation in advance when you haven't started yet, this is probably going to be par for the course. If the job is that high level, probably not unreasonable. Is it what you were expecting? Have you thought through how you will manage with kids etc? This would worry me more than the sloppiness re: getting your name wrong etc

[Hideehi]

It sounds a demanding role, I guess you know that already though having been through the recruitment process.
What industry is it ?
The little mistakes I wouldn't worry about but the training simply wouldn't be an option for me never mind preparing a presentation.
I would simply not do it until I was actually at the training