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?

Let's hope he is smart enough to work out the attitudes of the existing directors to truth and transparency and factor that in to his decisions.

Sounds like an inherently sensible move in this climate and honestly, I'd see it as he's serious about his job hunt!

Let's hope he sees this thread and sensibly finds a better company to work for.

As an accountant, businesses expect I will have looked at their accounts online first and know what their financial circumstances are. At a previous interview I asked whether the business was solvent or not (as the accounts showed it wasn't) ...

diligent, insightful and honest?

Sounds like a non-starter to me......

I would snap him up.

This is the first thing I did when looking at a job which seems interesting. Whether the company is established and trading healthily matters should matter to their employees!

I always check the company on companies house but I wouldn't tell them that in an interview

Of course YABU.

I would always do as much research into a company I was interested in working for, including accessing any financial information that is available.

Welcome to the twenty-first century @ChampagneWorries !

He's probably also checked out your social media profiles (professional, and personal if it's public), and had a peak at your registered business address on Streetview (amazing how often this is the owner's home address). Employees are now vetting prospective employers almost as much as employers are vetting them. I even run a credit check on prospective employers, but I'm freelance.

Ridiculous attitude
Anyone would do this
I would ! And have

OP if you find someone who DIDN'T look at your public accounts, trust me they're too dumb to be given a job.

I'd expect a potential employee to do this. Are you not familiar with employing people?

Clearly a first employee situation for you. I'd avoid going down the employee road if you're going to be petty and suspicious about the family business.

Who are the weird 2% that voted YANBU is what I want to know!

I work in the VCFS and would always check financial info if they were a CIC or via charities commission if a charity
It tells you how viable the job might be
I wouldn’t consider leaving reliable employment where I have job security and a considerable redundancy package without a lot of research
As an employer myself - I would see it as using their initiative if a prospective employee of mine did so

I understand, I wouldn’t mind him looking at the company accounts but it would bother me that he mentioned it at the interview.

He was absolutely right to look at the accounts. With a turnover of less than a million but you are paying yourselves £162k, that’s over 16% of your turnover on your salaries, he’s right to wonder if the business is sustainable. After the cost of materials, tax, overheads, utilities, employee salaries, I’m surprised there’s £162k left for your salary. The figures don’t add up.

It’s literally public info, and relevant info (no one wants to join a sinking ship). I’ve done the same in the past and would do again.

Why wouldn’t you want an employee who has done their due diligence?

Wow! Dying people didn’t bother to give you tip? What are they like eh?

£162k after contributions?!

@BritWifeinUSA

He was absolutely right to look at the accounts. With a turnover of less than a million but you are paying yourselves £162k, that’s over 16% of your turnover on your salaries, he’s right to wonder if the business is sustainable. After the cost of materials, tax, overheads, utilities, employee salaries, I’m surprised there’s £162k left for your salary. The figures don’t add up.

I think the OP means their take home pay is that, the cost to the company will be much more but unless I've missed it she hasn't said what they do, it might be just their time they are selling.

I used to look after dying people on min wage and was never EVER tipped so i will not tip people who i feel do an easier job than what i used to do.

The ungrateful bastards.

Sat/laid there dying and not tipping you.

Most companies would see this as proactive and desirable in an employee. He's clearly researched the company and the role. That's what most employers are looking for.

It's really not 'nosy' to use the resources available to you to make sure a prospective employer is a good bet.