How can I get an employer to be honest with me in an interview?

[ironpony]

So I have a job interview coming up for a warehouse type job, and I didn't like the last few warehouse jobs I worked cause I had to work outside in the freezing winter cold, plus it was worse doing that with lots of required overtime.

So I only want to take the job if I can work indoors.  However, on the last two warehouse jobs, they told me that it will not be outside work in the interview.  And then I accept the job, and then they put me outside for most of the work.  So I want the next employer to be completely honest with me about that in the next interview, but how do I get them to be, since the last two were not?  Should I just be really adamant about it?

Edited January 1, 2020 by ironpony

[elaine567]

You need to ask around a bit and find out about the job, the company and what they actually do. 
They may have no indoor jobs or very few. They may be so desperate for workers, or the workers they attract are so desperate for work, that they adopt bait and switch tactics in he hope that once in the job people will just stay anyway. 

[ironpony]

Okay thanks, ask around to who though?  No one I know, know's anything about the place.

[OpenBook]

Try glassdoor dot com. They post reviews of companies that are written by employees who work (or worked) there.

[ironpony]

Okay thanks.  I tried signing up but it asks these questions, and wonder what this site is about.  For example, it asks my job title, but I don't have a job now, so what does it want to know that for...

[OpenBook]

You don't have to sign up to read the reviews. When you first go to the site, it prompts you to enter the name of the company and the city it's in. That's all you have to do to load the reviews.

[PegNosePete]

16 hours ago, ironpony said:

I want the next employer to be completely honest with me about that in the next interview, but how do I get them to be, since the last two were not?  Should I just be really adamant about it?

Get it in writing, ie. an employment contract, before starting work. It should set out your primary place of work and required hours. If they refuse then I would look at that as a sign that they are up to no good. If they are honest then they should have no issues signing a contract.

Then if they break the contract such as forcing you to work in different conditions or required overtime, you can see an employment lawyer to discuss your options.

 

[ironpony]

Oh okay, but does it look bad if I draw up my own contract when starting a new job?  I can't go by their contract since they won't put the specifics about not working outdoors and no overtime.

[elaine567]

3 hours ago, ironpony said:

Oh okay, but does it look bad if I draw up my own contract when starting a new job?  I can't go by their contract since they won't put the specifics about not working outdoors and no overtime.

You are in no position to draw up any contract.
You can discuss the contract as is, with them as to what it means in reality day to day for you, but if you cannot accept it then you will just have to walk.
Few employers will want to pander to a worker, unless that particular worker is core to their business and/or is almost indispensable.

You can't accept a  job working in a bakery and then expect your employer to move you into the office as you don't want to work in the bakery...

If you want an indoor job with no overtime, then you need to apply for such a job.

Edited February 6, 2020 by elaine567

[SabreTeeth]

It depends on what sort of a warehouse but most warehouse jobs around here at least require some outside work, usually shipping/receiving related. And if short staffed they're gonna ask if you can do overtime contract or not out of desperation. 

If you don't like outside work & overtime why not try another job like a minor office role? 

[ironpony]

Oh okay, every warehouse job I worked so far, has been almost all outside, cause they are yards and not actual houses with walls, with the actual indoor part being quite small, compared to the rest of the workspace.  I have been looking for office jobs but cannot find available, unless you have some sort of degree in that field.  People say I should just take another warehouse job, but I could keep looking for office jobs if that's better.

One thing I noticed is that if it's the type of job application where you drop off a resume in person, I always get a callback, but if they say they want you to apply online, than I almost never get a callback.

So it seems that places take the dropped off resumes more seriously.  However, if a job add says to apply online, but they do not mention anything about applying in person, than should you apply online only then? 

Edited February 6, 2020 by ironpony

[Rockdad]

You want an employer to be honest with you,  in one of your other threads you are trying to figure out a plan to lie and deceive your employer to get out of overtime.

Simply Ironic!

 

[ironpony]

But that's because the employer was not honest with me originally before.  He would say what days and hours I was contracted to work, and said there is no overtime or weekend work.  And then after I started, he tried to add on 20 hours of overtime, per week that I could not do.  So he lied to me, in which I was trying to deflect his original lie.

If he would have been honest to begin with, I wouldn't have asked on here, how to get out of his dishonesty.

Edited February 6, 2020 by ironpony

[MsJayne]

I'm the first point of contact for potential employees in our company, (building contractor), and if someone asked me, for example, "Will I have to work on multi-storey,  because I don't really like multi-storey?" I would put them in the "no" pile straight away,  not because they don't like working on multi-storey jobs, but because they're acting like a princess before they've even got the job and that tells me they're probably a trouble-maker and very likely not a team player.  Put it on your resume that you will not work outdoors along with the reason why, and then you're not wasting potential employers time and they're not wasting yours.  

[ironpony]

Well I guess if I want a job with certain perks to it such as not working in the cold, then I should go back to school or college maybe and look for something that would require more qualifications, but at the same time, you don't have to work in the cold?

[NuevoYorko]

On 2/5/2020 at 11:09 PM, ironpony said:

Oh okay, but does it look bad if I draw up my own contract when starting a new job?  I can't go by their contract since they won't put the specifics about not working outdoors and no overtime.

It might look just as bad if you make a big deal about not wanting to work outside in the cold.  I don't blame you, but there are many people looking for work.  They might prefer just to find one who doesn't mind working outside.  

Chances are that they will tell you the truth and leave it up to you to accept the job or not, if it's offered.

[ironpony]

Okay thanks, I don't have to say anything then about not wanting to, and just decide.  However, the last two jobs I took, the employer didn't say anything about working in the cold, and then put me out there by surprise after I started.  Is there a way to find out if it's going to be cold, if I don't ask, and they do not tell me?

[sothereiwas]

3 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Okay thanks, I don't have to say anything then about not wanting to, and just decide.  However, the last two jobs I took, the employer didn't say anything about working in the cold, and then put me out there by surprise after I started.  Is there a way to find out if it's going to be cold, if I don't ask, and they do not tell me?

Expect it and then it won't be a surprise. 

[NuevoYorko]

10 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Okay thanks, I don't have to say anything then about not wanting to, and just decide.  However, the last two jobs I took, the employer didn't say anything about working in the cold, and then put me out there by surprise after I started.  Is there a way to find out if it's going to be cold, if I don't ask, and they do not tell me?

They're not used to warehouse workers who will be touchy about working outside in the cold.  It comes with the territory.  

It would be like if you were applying for a retail job and then being offended that you're expected to work with the public.

Get some better winter clothes.  Nobody actually likes being cold but they deal with it if they need the work.

[sothereiwas]

IME Carhartt makes a great line of outdoor work clothes, not the cheapest but worth it if one has to be out in it a lot. Proper gear can really make a difference.  

[ironpony]

Oh okay thanks, it just seems like no matter what the winter clothes, the cold still gets through after a couple of hours and really starts to pierce through the more the day goes on.  Lately I have been boycotting warehouse jobs as a result, but my gf think it's bad of me to do that and she has been acting turned off by it though.

[alphamale]

there is no place for honesty during a job interview, you can say anything and they can say anything.  once you sign on the dotted line they have you by the balls

[K.K.]

22 minutes ago, ironpony said:

but my gf think it's bad of me to do that and she has been acting turned off by it though.

Good lord don’t give her any more reasons to be turned off. I kid. I kid. 😂 

11 minutes ago, alphamale said:

there is no place for honesty during a job interview, you can say anything and they can say anything.  once you sign on the dotted line they have you by the balls

Real talk. ^^ 

[sothereiwas]

55 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Oh okay thanks, it just seems like no matter what the winter clothes, the cold still gets through after a couple of hours and really starts to pierce through the more the day goes on

ororo, along with other outfits, make what are generally said to be excellent heated vests and so on. 

[ironpony]

8 hours ago, alphamale said:

there is no place for honesty during a job interview, you can say anything and they can say anything.  once you sign on the dotted line they have you by the balls

But one of the problems I have working in the cold is all the overtime they spring on you after you are hired.  But the contract does not say anything about overtime.  So if the contract says 40 hours a week, and then I sign it, but then after they change it to 60, do they still have you by the galls, if the additional 20 hours they spring on you afterward is not in the contract?