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?

You sound seriously weird, OP. Very odd in the boundary department. I hope for his sake you don't give him the job.

@tttigress

I think he has some common sense, however it is not very suitable to say you have openly been googling for info on s person/company.

@CastleCrasher

Yes I would. He made use of public information to learn more about the company and to see if it's somewhere he wants to work (and will still be around in a year- many won't!) He was also upfront and honest about it. It's not something that would bother me at all to be honest

This!

Two would ofs in one sentence, a MN record?
yes, I think we of a new record!

@Miasicarisatia

Two would ofs in one sentence, a MN record? yes, I think we of a new record!

🤣🤣🤣

@mylovelydd

Presumably the posters saying YABU and it's normal to tell you he looked up your financial information on Companies House don't actually feature on Companies House themselves Presumably they also like their home address being public knowledge and also tell people what they earn too...yeah thought not.

YANU at all Op. It's weird. I even had a potential employee look up on Rightmove our house and they commented that some friend used to live on our road...It might be one thing to look at the financial health of a company pre interview or supplying them but to tell a person to their face that they don't even know, that they know where they live and how much they earn is not normal.

Actually, I am a director of a limited company and my home address isn't on CH but what I earn is, as well as our accounts. Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I'd expect anyone coming to work with us to have seen that information beforehand.

Depends how it was relayed:

Interviewer - Nice meeting you, thanks for coming!

Interviewee - (leans forward) by the way, (low whisper).. checked your accounts! Good job they’re in good nick . Your pay packets ain’t bad either nice one! top dollar.

OR

Interviewer - Any questions?

Interviewee - In your company accounts for last year I noticed a significant increase in cost of building rent, how do you think that has been impacted by Covid now that you say 50% of your staff have volunteered to continue working from home?

This is good due diligence! Shows he’s intelligent and risk averse- potentially a strength for your business depending on the role.

I always look at companies house before an interview. I once asked a question about some concerns I had about them and they were able to provide assurance.

A good interviewee is also interviewing the employer.

I did this before attending an interview and brought it up with my interviewer (one of the CEO's). Glad I did as it wasn't too good in reading but liked the job and was hoping to hear a simple explanation but unfortunately the interviewer obviously wanted the ground to swallow him up when I brought it up and it was very uncomfortable for him!
I didn't get the job surprisingly

I also did it for my current workplace amongst other research.

I think it says a lot about someone and their dedication. If someone cares and wants to take a detailed job search then so they should!

When I was interviewing for previous roles, I always liked to know when people had done their research.

He’s doing his due diligence- anyone this day in age should do that and check the companies financials before taking a new role. I think it’s strange you think he’s being nosy/weird for telling you!

You'd have to be bloody stupid not to check a companies accounts. Like PP it's a positive sign.

He sounds clever to me. Why would you want to work for a flailing company?He took the initiative...

YABVU I run a business and would be impressed if an interviewee did this. They want to know the Company is secure and have as much right to do their due diligence as you do

@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.

You sound super super precious. Jeez. It's a normal thing.. in fact in large companies it's good to talk about.

Completely normal for someone to research a business before an interview, and then to discuss what they found during the interview. He probably thought you would be impressed that he'd taken the time to do that.

I agree with PPs that you're making it sound as if you are paying shit wages while taking home a big load of profit. I'm not saying you actually are doing this, but your attitude certainly makes it seem that way. Just something to think about.

Honestly OP YABU, this is your issue not the candidates, it's a very normal, sensible, smart thing to do and nothing for either party to feel ashamed or embarrassed about. I understand this is your family business but I think you may be taking it too personally.

He was right to check out your business. People put a lot of faith into going into a new job, in our daughter's case she moved miles away and had to set up a new flat after outlaying for an Air BnB for her stay on arrival.

if anything, if you feel the information is far too personal, then you should be writing to your local MP and campaign to have the availability of the information, limited in the public domain.

But don't ''shoot'' the end user due to your unease.

Goodness, I’d have thought it was standard practice, especially for a smallish company. I know my DS checked out all the companies he had interviews with when he graduated.

Wow, it's incredibly rare to see a thread with 100% agreement on MN. You might want to think about that, OP! And yes, your attitude to this situation is pretty weird - comes across like you definitely have something to hide.

If it is a small firm it would be reasonable to check that the owners are not taking too much out of the firm as dividends.

If he is taking a job with you, he is also taking a risk, so effectively investing his future in your company.

Is there anyone who doesn’t do this before an interview? I’ve always done it. I wouldn’t hide it either.

Do him a favour and don’t offer them the job. If you can’t see the value in that kind of research, you don’t deserve them.

Let him and your DH run the company. I'd take a step back, if I were you, as you don't seem a very good judge of character.

Yabu your business accounts are online on companies house for all to see - he took the initiative & told you as the interviewer as it’s a good pro active thing to do.
Tbh most people who know you have a business will have most likely checked it out & not told you...Is that what you’d prefer?
Loads of people go on there for all sorts of reasons, be it a potential employee, nosey neighbour etc..It’s not something you can control.

Echo what everyone else has said. That’s a very odd attitude you’ve got there OP. Are you sure you’re quite suited to running a business?
That said, DH is a pro in a sport where competition results are posted online in some detail. He mentioned to a pal something to do with pal’s latest result and she went totally tonto. Very upset indeed that he had had “the brazen cheek” to look at a public post on a public website about an event that was open to public, participants and spectators . She was furious. Nowt so queer as folk.

Yep, another one here to say I hope the candidate swerves working for you - you sound deeply unreasonable and more than a little bit paranoid.

You don't want your information to be public? Then don't set your business up as a limited company and reap the rewards. Stay as a private partnership and no one will be able to see your accounts. You can't have your cake and eat it.

And like pretty much everyone else, I would be impressed with a candidate who had done their research. He'd be winning brownie points with me for being so diligent and honest.