Page 24 | To be gobsmacked that an interviewee openly told dh that he had looked at our accounts…

ChampagneWorries · 2021-05-24T17:40:03+00:00

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?

Oblomov21 · 25/05/2021 10:20

Abbreviated accounts stopped Jan 16.
It's either 'abridged' or 'filleted' now.

buttercup3333 · 25/05/2021 10:21

It would not be normal to file full accounts at companies house. Filleted accounts only showing certain data would be filed.

Pagwatch · 25/05/2021 10:22

I am in the same position as you OP and id be perfectly happy with a candidate saying they had looked into the financial health of our business. It shows initiative, that they are looking for a long term secure job and that they are honest and direct. All good qualities in a candidate.

it sounds a little as if you really struggle with financial stuff and how you think it affects peoples opinion of you. i think this is a common hangover of having money as an adult when you were poor/limited income when younger. i dont know if thats the case but id try to stand back a little.
This interviewee has taken sensible common steps and you shouldnt judge him because you are seeing his behaviour through your personal filter

swg1 · 25/05/2021 10:22

@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.

See, turn this on its head. You've got a candidate who hasn't snuck around but has been upfront and told you. That's worth its weight because you know you can trust them to be truthful.

Original poster

ChampagneWorries · 25/05/2021 10:23

@Bluntness100

I think you need to recognise you are letting your pwn personal mental health issues get in the way here and failing to look at this logically.

He has done the right thing. In fact it’s good he did it and said, it’s a huge plus in his favour.

The fact you take issues with public accounts and habe personal problems with it doesn’t mean he is in some way wrong. He was not to know about your issues. He would have assumed a professionally run business where this was to be commended.

I agree with you here

OP posts:

Isabella70 · 25/05/2021 10:23

Are you really saying that, if you were going for a job, you wouldn't want to know as much as possible about the company?

Original poster

ChampagneWorries · 25/05/2021 10:25

@Pagwatch

I am in the same position as you OP and id be perfectly happy with a candidate saying they had looked into the financial health of our business. It shows initiative, that they are looking for a long term secure job and that they are honest and direct. All good qualities in a candidate.

it sounds a little as if you really struggle with financial stuff and how you think it affects peoples opinion of you. i think this is a common hangover of having money as an adult when you were poor/limited income when younger. i dont know if thats the case but id try to stand back a little.
This interviewee has taken sensible common steps and you shouldnt judge him because you are seeing his behaviour through your personal filter

Your last paragraph has hit the nail on the head

OP posts:

Peace43 · 25/05/2021 10:27

He is totally sensible. I would do this for any small business. I also look at your website, google the company for news stories and look for people I know who work for you now or have in the past and ask them what it's like.

PaperbackRider · 25/05/2021 10:27

@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 your problem is that he is open and honest? Fruit loop.

And it's would have thought, not of. Hope he wasn't evaluating you too!

Original poster

ChampagneWorries · 25/05/2021 10:29

I know the grammar isn't correct in the original post, i realised that as soon as it were posted but didn't think it would matter as I'm not here on a professional basis

OP posts:

HarebrightCedarmoon · 25/05/2021 10:31

Wait until the OP hears about Glassdoor.

OccaChocca · 25/05/2021 10:35

You're allowed to check up on him but he's not allowed to check up on you? Okay..........

I'd be pretty impressed myself. He sounds like he has his head well screwed on in these very uncertain times.

Embracingthechaos · 25/05/2021 10:41

@HarebrightCedarmoon

Wait until the OP hears about Glassdoor.

GreyhoundG1rl · 25/05/2021 10:48

I know the grammar isn't correct in the original post, i realised that as soon as it were posted
Oops, you've done it again...

Spottybluepyjamas · 25/05/2021 10:48

I would be really impressed with that! It shows he's business minded and cares about the kind of company he might be working for (I.e., that he would hope to be there for a good few years instead of being made redundant fairly soon after he started because they were insolvent). I've done the same before I've started at companies, I can't see why you wouldn't

grapewine · 25/05/2021 10:49

@Booksaremylife

This is why, OP, I try to avoid working for the owners of SMEs. IMHO they're all a bit odd in someway, and you'd think every penny spent was coming right out of their pocket there and then.

That's been my experience as well. And it's why I went freelance.

blobby10 · 25/05/2021 10:50

ChampagneWorries I run a small business with my father and totally understand your dislike of having so much personal information available to anyone. However I too would be impressed that someone was smart enough to check out your publicly available financial information before an interview!

Please check if its possible to show abbreviated accounts as that's all that is available about our company. I have also changed my details as a director/company secretary to show the business address rather than my home address.

Slightly off topic but I do feel that far too much information is available online to people who pay - and many are just bloody nosy! The Receptionist/Sales Ledger Clerk at our firm paid to have access to the owner's will as she wanted to know how much money their sons had been left! That information really should be private.

Spottybluepyjamas · 25/05/2021 10:53

As well as looking on Companies House, I would also look for any news stories, and go into your website in depth - I'd probably talk about that in the interview as well. It shows you're interested, and not just in it for the grunt work or the short-term

StrapOnSallyChasedMeDownTheAli · 25/05/2021 11:00

I used companies house to check on the people who were to take over the company I worked for, from that paper trail I discovered that they were not the sort of people I wanted to work for and so I found new employment before they concluded the take over. I'm glad I did as old business closed within a year and had a trail of creditors chasing them.

I always check companies house, and various other sources, to make sure that I know roughly what I'm walking into.

If this person otherwise meets the criteria for the job then I honestly wouldn't hold it against him that he did his homework. A job/business has to fit both employer and employee.

Ginuwine · 25/05/2021 11:01

@ChampagneWorries

I haven't flounced, I'm still here! Its just easier for me to reply in detail with a proper keyboard rather than on my phone.

Its a very small company we have (turnover of just under 1 million)

I have checked the accounts on companies house and it names us individually and what dividends we received each. The accounts are very detailed online.

Its for a 30k a year job, working from home taking inbound calls, call centre type work.

I asked a guy i know who has a limited company (smaller than ours) and he agreed with me.

Anyway dh knows why i felt very uneasy about it (it stems from my childhood and family regarding money, snide remarks etc about other peoples salaries etc.

The candidate in question hasn't been at a workplace for more than 2 years at a time (he’s approx late 20s) but we have agreed to give him a shot.

Many thanks for all the nasty insults, i hope it made you feel worthy and superior to me.

You have been very decent @ChampagneWorries in coming back on here and explaining the background when people have verbally abused you.

Anyone who turns over 1 million a year is no mug and as I said before on here, the personal abuse is unnecessary and without a doubt some of it comes from jealousy.

I still think you were being unreasonable re the candidate, but the concerns you explain above go some way to contextualising that.

oblada · 25/05/2021 11:03

YABVVVU and it seems that you've realised it.
It shows initatives, good judgment, common sense and honesty! What more do you want? I always check companies house before dealing with a small to medium business in whatever capacity. And as an interviewee it makes sense to 'admit' it.

On a separate but related topics I think salaries in any company should be properly transparent anyway. What's there to hide!

LittleRen · 25/05/2021 11:05

This is totally fine. We get it all the time, and we would expect interviewees to look at the accounts. Why would you find this weird?

Gymsmile21 · 25/05/2021 11:05

Really? I’d be impressed and give him the job for using his common sense. Of course he told you about it, his saying “I did my homework, I have common sense, I’m forward thinking”

BlackElephant · 25/05/2021 11:06

@blobby10

ChampagneWorries I run a small business with my father and totally understand your dislike of having so much personal information available to anyone. However I too would be impressed that someone was smart enough to check out your publicly available financial information before an interview!

Please check if its possible to show abbreviated accounts as that's all that is available about our company. I have also changed my details as a director/company secretary to show the business address rather than my home address.

Slightly off topic but I do feel that far too much information is available online to people who pay - and many are just bloody nosy! The Receptionist/Sales Ledger Clerk at our firm paid to have access to the owner's will as she wanted to know how much money their sons had been left! That information really should be private.

Are you sure he wasn't shagging her for years on the promise of something in the will?

DaphneDuBois · 25/05/2021 11:07

He’s a smart person and you are being unreasonable. He’s not rummaged through your post! This is public info!