Job scam?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

So I get a call this morning from some company called Banker's Life and Casualty, I had put up my resume on some websites as of late. This insurance company that appears to deal with senior citizens. Now, I hadn't applied for this job and its really nothing within my desired field or experience.

I'm more or less trained in Publishing/Graphic Design and most work history is either related to that or retail/workshop kinds of jobs. Last thing I think I'd ever want for myself is to be boxed away in a cubicle if its not going to be for writing, designing or publishing. I'm a creative personality that can't stand too much of a formal, business like environment.

Anyway, I get this call at lunch and they want me to come in for interview today or tomorrow. Kinda pushy considering I never applied to them and they haven't even told me what the job is yet, which I have to assume is scaring old people into giving them money.

Now, it seems I get a lot of response to my resumes - both in the past and present - from these little nobody insurance companies, so I'm just inclined to think this is some kinda scam/pyramid scheme. My family, of course, thinks I should pursue the interview since these people actually called me.

I also had told this lady on the phone I might be open for an interview tomorrow and would call them later today. I check my email and that "might be" interview is now scheduled for 4pm.

This all just strikes me as really desperate.

[Dymlos]

Re: Job scam?

Did you do some research on them yet and check the BBB on them? It might be a pyramid-scheme. Always best to do some research, especially when it's some company that's way out of left field and has nothing to do with your studies.

[Omni]

Re: Job scam?

It could be a headhunter. Headhunters are really pushy when trying to recruit people as well as trying to get you to hire someone as well.

We've had a few experiences with headhunters here at my job and theyre basically just sales people. They make commission off people hiring you.

The last one we had come through here was real nosy about the company. Asked straight out how much revenue we pull in a year. Basically, she was sizing us up.

If it's nothing to do with your field or a position where you can use your skills, I say fuck it.

[Mhurron]

Re: Job scam?

This happens with a lot of bottom basement insurance companies. They'll offer you a job essentially selling insurance and related stuff, at least the stuff you can without having any experience or various requirements to fulfill government requirements. They'll promise you that they'll help train you to get those requirements filled so you can sell more.

They probably wont, and the job will probably suck, but damn if they won't make it sound like they'll make you rich.

[Wiseman40]

Re: Job scam?

Indeed many companies that deal with insurance, sales, etc will recruit like that. It doesn't mean it's a scam, but what it does mean is that it's some sort of commission based, sales-related job with turnover so high they need to aggressively recruit to stay afloat. They're the worst sort of jobs in my opinion. You shouldn't bother with the interview.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

Re: Job scam?

A good friend of mine from my church works for Banker's Life and Casualty. I even have life insurance policies for my wife and me through them, and I'm at least 30 years away from being a Senior Citizen.

My wife passed away recently, and I'm waiting for the check at this point. I'll let you know when it comes in, if that'll make a difference for you regarding whether this place is a pyramid scheme or a legit business.

Kinda pushy considering I never applied to them....

My family, of course, thinks I should pursue the interview since these people actually called me.

I also had told this lady on the phone I might be open for an interview tomorrow and would call them later today. I check my email and that "might be" interview is now scheduled for 4pm.

This all just strikes me as really desperate.

"Pushy" can also be interpreted as "driven" and "motivated". My first job interview out of college was for a software development job that involved a lot of work with hardware, which was pretty much the exact opposite of what I was looking for. This company contacted me, and the job interview turned out to be the interviewer trying to sell me on the company rather than the other way around. In order to take the job, I had to commute 50 miles one way. All signs and logical reasoning pointed to not taking this job.

But I did, and it ended up being the best job I could have had at that point in my career. Not only did it broaden my skill set and comfort level with low level hardware, but I ended up working under a mentor from whom I learned a great deal.

The whole insurance-company-scaring-old-people thing aside, you never know what a job has to offer until you check it out. You're family is right -- you should go to the interview. Going to an interview isn't signing your life away or selling your soul. What do you have to lose? Just your time. And hey, if time was that precious to you, you wouldn't be playing a MMORPG, right?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Job scam?

I've had some dealings with these kinds of headhunters in my last go-round of job-hunting. One guy actually seemed rather pissed at me for not turning up to some seminar, like I had put his head on his supervisor's plate.

I say that's what you get for trying to headhunt some guy while he's browsing the local Gamestop.

I think I'll just blow this one off, I'd rather work at the Starbucks down the street than deal with this. I can't seem to find anything on this company beyond their site. And really, I'm not really an aggressive sales personality.

[tdh]

Re: Job scam?

So they wouldn't tell you anything about the position? At all? That alone says "are you effing kidding me?" If a job's offering a great hourly wage, but won't tell me what I'd have to do for it, it's something I don't wanna do. $25 an hour then show up and find out they want you to sell actual Girl Scouts on the black market. ("I can sweeten the deal with a box of Thin Mints for *FREE*! Supplies are limited.")

I know some companies are "aggressive" with their recruiting but trying to pressure you into setting a time for an interview sounds like a sales person trying to reel in a fish.

[Nuriko]

Re: Job scam?

These days, that sort of thing makes me say, "Absolutely NOT!" If somebody's going to be that pushy about something, I'm not going to play their game.

[Olorin401]

Re: Job scam?

This happens with a lot of bottom basement insurance companies. They'll offer you a job essentially selling insurance and related stuff, at least the stuff you can without having any experience or various requirements to fulfill government requirements. They'll promise you that they'll help train you to get those requirements filled so you can sell more.
They probably wont, and the job will probably suck, but damn if they won't make it sound like they'll make you rich.

They'll probably lure you into a conference room with twenty other recruits and give you a Boiler Room-esqe speech about being a millionaire and driving a Ferrari and how you're the future big swinging dicks of the company.

[Murphie]

Re: Job scam?

I've gotten these calls numerous times over the years. It is a legit business, but it's not the kind of business that most people are interested in. It's basically cold call sales. If you're really good at that sort of thing, you'll do really well at the job. But most people aren't. I know I'm not.

You'll be brought in, shown a video, most likely, then you'll have an interview where they'll ask you how well you work unsupervised, and if you know anyone who might want or need insurance.

Don't go. It's just a waste of your afternoon. Unless you're really, really interested in doing it.

[Mhurron]

Re: Job scam?

Don't go. It's just a waste of your afternoon. Unless you're really, really interested in doing it.

And if you are interested, this isn't the way to start in the industry.

[Murphie]

Re: Job scam?

Too true.

[siwarz]

Re: Job scam?

OMG i had a call 2 !!! im only 16 and they ring me up for a bankers job at 8am ! woke me up. i dunno how the fk they got my mobile number, i sure told them my mind

[Feba]

Re: Job scam?

Lyon: This is assuming it's the same company though. It's more than possible it's a scam artist taking the name of a company that might be reputable.

Given the fourth result on google ( http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=23588 ), this doesn't seem to be an abnormal recruiting tactic for them, and as mentioned above, even if it is a legitimate job, it would probably be crap. I'd turn them down solely on the nature of their recruiting tactics, personally, in addition to the fact that their practice is just plain rude, and the job would again almost certainly be crap.