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?

Theres nothing wrong with what he did. He's being resourceful researching as much as possible. Why should he commit to a company and depend on them for paying his bills every month if they don't manage their finances well? Good on him

@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.

How ridiculous. Why are you gobsmacked that he did his due diligence and accessed all information that was publicly available to him?

You are being very silly indeed. I would have thought it impressive that he had done that.

You are trying to act all outraged because you seem to think that public information is private. It isn’t.

DH should offer him the job if he feels he is the right candidate. You sound like you need to bow out of the process. You are getting outraged over something that is perfectly reasonable.

Just think OP, some of the neighbours might have looked too....!

WTF? I've never joined a company without checking their accounts or stock listing first.

You'd be mad not to, unless it's a casual job.

Do you not check out the accounts of your customers and competitors, etc?

You sound very naive, to be honest.

It is normal interview preparation advice to look and demonstrate you have researched the company.
It's publicly available info. I nosy around in accounts regularly.

I would absolutely expect a potential employee to have checked the company solvency etc - as an employee of a presumably small business, they need to know and understand this.

You need to remember that they are not you and your DH accounts personally, they are the company accounts. It is a separate legal persona to you, you just happen to be the shareholders.

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

I'd give him the job. There's an outside chance he'll be willing to overlook your use of 'would of' (shudder)

Limited companies enjoy some tax advantages that partnerships/sole traders don't. And of course the big benefit is limited liability if things go pear shaped.

The trade off is that your accounts have to be made public, so that if anyone wants to do business with you - in any capacity - they're entitled to look to see if you might not be able to pay your bills.

He looked, good for him. And it's a common interview question to ask what the interviewee knows about the company. Anyone who says not very much is not likely to be hired.

Your loss OP, he sounds like a good potential employee.

From your last post it sounds like the candidate was asked what they knew about the company and they answered honestly, as they would if they felt (as many do) that this is normal research to know if it is a company they want to work for.

@Cavagirl

Just think OP, some of the neighbours might have looked too....!

😂

@PotteringAlong

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

This. What an incredibly bizarre reaction.

@SnuggleWuggle

What an impressive candidate

You’re being weird.

This. Shows some proactive traits, he doesn't want to work for a company that's about to fold. Good on him I say.

You're upset that he was open and honest in an interview? Weird

@Devlesko

I'm sure they can see your house if the business HQ is there too. I've seen lots of vans on streets with the company name, in front of their lovely homes. Come on OP, if you can't stand the heat, maybe the kitchen isn't for you.

To be honest, I've done something similar - looked up a directors' address on Google maps to see what kind of street they live on (cars, house, neighbourhood). I've also done it when I quit Facebook and in doing so I lost an old friend's address but knew she worked with her husband's company and wanted to send her a Christmas card!

These are often public too and so is the PSC register.

Normal interview preparation.
Not sure why you are surprised and ,yes, I would offer him the job.

What have you got to hide, OP?

When we interview candidates we always expect them to be able to tell us what they have researched about the Company. Your being VVU.

It's there for anyone to see, you are being weird about it! I have to look at company accounts regularly, and have awkward conversations on the back of them so this wouldn't suprise or bother me at all.

It shows good preparation and the right attitude. This would be the kind of person I would want to hire I think.

My background was in high level headhunting and executive recruitment for 12 years. I can tell you this candidate did absolutely nothing wrong and did due diligence and research into his potential new employer. The information is public and he used his initiative.
I hope for his sake he doesn't take the offer of employment from you.. He deserves better.

Not to worry, with that level of attention to detail and sensible research I'm sure he'd decline your offer.

You're not so much being unreasonable as being ridiculous.

Public information and your interviewee did due diligence?

I think he was taking the interview seriously.

He did nothing wrong IMO.

GreyhoundG1rl
I would of thought he would of said
Low blow, perhaps, but you're a company director?
A deserved low blow, in the circumstances!

I was just about to post the same. Hope OP doesn’t do the company’s letters 😂

@LobotomisedIceSkatingFan

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

I'd give him the job. There's an outside chance he'll be willing to overlook your use of 'would of' (shudder)

Yes. I would also expect my potential employer to know that it should be "would have" too.

Oh and there's nothing to "admit". You ought to be open about company finances with your employees, and pleased that he took an interest.

Your public accounts do not need to list your salary, or your dividends, unless you are very large. You can simply disclose micro accounts including an abbreviated balance sheet. Yes this will show cash at bank and movement in retained earnings each year but you need to get used to the idea that its the company's money.

As a pp said, there are many tax advantages to operating via a limited company, offset by a degree of loss of privacy.