I was contacted by phone from the Recruiter for the company in regards to the position. We discuss my back ground and work experience for approximately 10 minutes and then was asked if I would be interested in interviewing with the Payroll Manager. Of course, I accepted the interview which was setup for a week later. In the meantime, I was sent an electronic application, background authorization, etc to complete before my interview.
On the day of my interview, I was actually interviewed by the Payroll Manager and one of the other Sr Payroll Administrators. It really wasn't much of an interview. I was really asked the same questions over and over in different variations: How well do you handle stress? What do you do to relieve stress? Are you able to multi-task? Are you comfortable with working in closed environment? Are you able to start work early? Once finished, the Payroll Manager told me she had another meeting and didn't have time to show me around.
About a week later, I was asked to come in for a second interview. The second interview was with the Payroll Manager and a different Sr Payroll Administrator. Well, I really wouldn't call it an interview. I just sat and listened as the Sr Payroll Administrator went on for about 30 minutes on how stressful the job is and finally asked the same questions as before about handling stress. At that point, I was told that the hours would be 6:30am - 3pm. I was also warned that the room in which payroll was located did not have windows and asked if that would be a problem. I responded to that both the hours and no windows were fine.
It took an additional two weeks before I received a call from the Recruiter to offer me the position and I accepted. Not much negiotations were involved, jobs were scarce and I was offered $4,000 more than the starting salary for the position. I was told that they would meet me half way between what I was making in my previous position and the starting salary of this position. Due to the economy, I was afraid to pass up this position even though I had a gut feeling something wasn't right.
Hind-sight is 20/20, because had I known then what I know now, I NEVER would have accepted this position. The room with no windows or "dungeon" as called by employees, was just that and much worse. I was in a room about 15 ft by 30 ft with 13 other employees, no windows and make shift air conditioning. If one person got sick, everyone got sick. Then after about a month after starting, I was told that 8 months out of the year the start time would be 5 - 5:30am. When I inquired as to why I was not told this during the interview process, the Manager told me that they don't tell prospective employees about the start time because then they turn down the position. When I stated that I wasn't sure that 5:30am was going to work for me, I was told "there's the door, we can always find someone can".
Needless to say, my 8 months of employment were aweful and the best thing the best decision that I made was to leave. I am so much happier now and am no longer depressed or tired from lack of sleep!