To be gobsmacked that an interviewee openly told dh that he had looked at our accounts…

[ChampagneWorries]

On companies house?

Dh did an interview today via zoom and the interviewee openly told him that they had looked at our company accounts on companies house to see if we were a healthy company!

Our dividends are on there and I'm really shocked that he basically admitted to being so nosey.

I know they are public information (which i disagree with) but they do show the company income, how much cash was in the bank and our salary etc.

Dh wants to offer him the job as he had some good qualities, but this has really put me off him.

I know people do look at peoples companies on the companies house, but you don't bloody tell them surely?!

Would you still offer him the job?

@mylovelydd

Hopefully some of our comments will have given you some ideas of how to manage your online information and also some perspective on what to expect as a business owner, as you seem confused in your post.

Your presumption that people who said OP is being unreasonable must not own their own businesses is clearly untrue - many of us do.

Gracious to accept you were wrong sometimes, isn't it? Give that a go!

Good for him! Seems like a great candidate.

You on the other hand aren't the greatest of employers from the sounds of things. Maybe this guy will help improve your attitude.

@PotteringAlong

It would make me want to employ him more, but your response would make me want to work for you less.

This

You are being utterly ridiculous. Why would anyone wish to work for a dodgy or nigh on insolvent company? But if you think that dodgy employers are a good thing...

Great to have the foresight to do that, to be honest. Covid hasn’t been kind on the finances of many companies, and nobody wants to take on a job they’ll potentially be let go from in a few short months.

Would you prefer he lied?

I would look

I would of thought he would of said that he had looked at our website, reviews etc not bloody financial information!

Ah, you're just winding us up now, aren't you?

I hate people knowing our salary

I suspect this is the heart of OP's objections.

OP, pretty much all of the public sector have publically available salary information. At worst, you'll be able to find out the salary range I'm in. You're not unique in having your information out there, but maybe you might want to see about a different accountant.

Personally in this current covid climate I cannot blame him. Would you want to hand your notice in to a current employer, only to find a month into the new job the company is going bust due to covid eating up all their profits. You risk being out of a job with no redundancy because you have been employed less than two years.

@ChampagneWorries

Its the fact he’s told dh that he had looked at them.

Fine to look for your own security but i think it was off to admit it.

I would of thought he would of said that he had looked at our website, reviews etc not bloody financial information!

I hate people knowing our salary and how much is in the business bank etc.

I would never say that to an interviewer.

So you'd rather employ a liar who denied looking you up, or something who couldn't even be bothered to do basic checks before applying for a job?

Incredibly apt username for the OP

@Catswithflamingos

To admit it in the interview? No I wouldn’t be offering him a job.

Can you say why not?

@BobLemon

Incredibly apt username for the OP

I also chuckled when her contribution on another thread was that she doesn't ever tip anyone

You’re being weird.

My salary is featured in my employers 10-k.

Good use of common sense in my opinion. Given the current climate many companies are facing financial hardship. It is all we have heard in the news for the past 15 months.

Sensible. He'll want to know the company isn't about to fold.

Your reaction is bizarre.

Its the fact he’s told dh that he had looked at them.

In your shoes I'd be worrying about the candidates who didn't claim to have done this. Because they're either incompetent or liars.

You sound a bit bonkers. The only way this could be more daft is if he’s your new accountant.

i wouldn't want to work for you OP.
you have some strange attitudes, not very business like.
i would be concerned, if you are very involved in the company, that there might be some other unprofessional behaviour.

It's so funny the outrage OP expresses that an interviewee has checked at their own expense some public facts about an organisation they might be joining.

The OP would no doubt want many facts from this person, d.o.b qualifications, address, criminal record etc, but is so precious about information flowing the other way!

I'd hate to see the state of your bad debt ledger if you're "gobsmacked" at the concept basic financial due diligence.

Oh goodness. Please don't offer him the job because he'll be miserable working for you and doesn't deserve that.

Good plan.

My best friends DSS has been applying for jobs recently. He made the decision not to apply for one recently because the company did not look to be financially viable.

You've said 'would of ' twice in one sentence, so YABU.

Don't want to freak you out - but I check the accounts of any business that I am thinking of using. I also check the directors to see what other businesses they have been directors of. I declined to use one kitchen company because the guy seemed to have a series of Phoenix type companies. Another time the search on a director showed that he had previously liquidated another company and the liquidator return showed the company owed money to HMRC - so I wouldn't use them either.