Do I want this job?

amother

Plum

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 3:16 pm

I work in tech, and I've been interviewing for a job at a very big-league frum company.

At first I thought this was my dream come true, an employer who closed for all yom tovs, no taking vacation for all of those days. And then, the other shoe dropped: this company offers a tiny amount of vacation/sick/personal days, and is open and running on days--like Thanksgiving, Labor Day,--when DH is home from work or we celebrate (my entire family has always come together for Thanksgiving). But the feeling I got in the interview, only Jewish holidays count.

No maternity leave. 401k after a year that the company doesn't give any $$ to. An extra hour EVERY DAY (9-6) so I'm coming home late to kids, but off Fridays at 2.

The office was a nightmare. Messy, filthy cubes. I believe I'd be the only Frum person other than the owners.

So here's my dilemma (I have many): In tech, I have always had tons of perks, etc, that other places don't get. Including a lot of flex time. I am grateful and have been very lucky.

This place, the perk was office closed on all Yom Tov. Which after seeing the place and hearing what they don't offer, might not be any better than other tech places I've worked. And much of it felt very much like a misogynistic chillel Hashem: We only care about Jewish workers, and we have none.

Thoughts, please. I know it's hard to find a job and I don't want to appear ungrateful.

amother

Plum

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 3:36 pm

tichellady wrote:

The way you are describing this job and company makes me think it is really not appealing to you ( doesn’t sound appealing to me either). Doesn’t sound like you should change jobs for something you aren’t excited about

Did I not mention the catch? Hah I'm unemployed. 40s. Unlikely to need more maternity leave but you never know. Hard to find a job because nobody wants to hire women my age.

I know I didn't give it a sparkly review. I went to Glassdoor and checked the more formal reviews, and employees are saying the same thing.

tichellady

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 3:46 pm

amother wrote:

Ok definitely missed that. It’s harder to answer that question then because I don’t know how much you need a job right now and how likely you are to get other offers

amother

Plum

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 4:07 pm

amother wrote:

What's the chillul hashem? The owners observe Jewish holidays so they close their business then. Not every nonjewish place is closed every legal holiday. It's not like the workers don't know the system before taking the job.

You don't think treating workers horribly is a chillul Hashem? I do.

amother

Plum

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 4:15 pm

tichellady wrote:

Ok definitely missed that. It’s harder to answer that question then because I don’t know how much you need a job right now and how likely you are to get other offers

I guess I didn't say it because I didn't want that to make the decision.

I've been looking @10 months. Women my age, in tech, don't get hired. Esp frum women, I've only ever met two at this level. If I got this, I stop looking, I'm less cranky, we can buy the nice mushrooms again. But the thing I thought would make me happy there, looks like it may be the only thing that makes me happy there.

tichellady

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 4:18 pm

amother wrote:

Ya that’s a hard call to make. It’s certainly frustrating to find out that something you were excited about is not actually so exciting. But better to realize it before you start so you can make the decision with more realistic expectations. Good luck deciding what to do.

amother

Plum

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 4:27 pm

RebekahsMom wrote:

As the old saying goes, you need a job to get a job. While I’m all for company loyalty, I say take the job and once you’ve been there for a while, look at the classifieds.

If I get it, I'll absolutely take it. They are taking time away from hiring for holidays, this is going to be drawn out with them.

I guess I was just excited, super excited, and am no longer.

amother

Tan

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 4:38 pm

Sorry but I reread the original post and could not find anywhere where the owners treat the workers horribly. The only thing I can think of is that the place is dirty. I would assume the workers themselves could take care and clean their own cubicles. Its still not a chillul hashem.

amother

Plum

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 4:46 pm

amother wrote:

Filthy--dirty glass cubes, stained chairs, matted dirty carpet.

A frum company with NO MATERNITY LEAVE

Have a tiny amount--think FIVE--vacay/sick days--to use or employees are working on x-mas

401k they don't contribute to? (What's the point of that, exactly?)

Expecting an extra hour every day, than other offices.

Clearly we have different ideas of Chillul Hashem. To me, given their generosity with Jewish holidays, it makes Jews look bad. That's the definition of Chillul Hashem, yes? Making Jews look bad?

amother

Maroon

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 4:55 pm

amother wrote:

a) most American companies have no paid maternity leave.

b) the extra hour is to make up for the early Friday. pretty standard. and many (most?) people are not working strictly 9-5 these days anyway.

c) of course they give less days off because they give so many extra days off for Jewish holidays. btw, I get no paid days off at all.

amother

Wheat

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 5:09 pm

I dont think you should take the job. You seem extremely negative about it and you'll probably be miserable. Sounds like you already wrote the owners off as bad people. I think you should continue looking, hopefully you'll find a job with really nice owners and great benefits. Good luck!

amother

Plum

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 5:12 pm

I have been very lucky.

I work in an industry with so many perks it's hard to keep track of them. I'm deeply grateful. I am. My last job, breakfast and lunch were free. We had flex time, we worked at home. There was a bar in our cafeteria. Concierge service. This is tech in NYC. I was let go because of a merger, not because my work wasn't good.

It's ironic to me that frum tech doesn't even have clean chairs. This wasn't what I was expecting.

amother

Violet

Wed, Oct 04 2017, 5:22 pm

amother wrote:

I work in a large regional CPA firm (about 600 employees). We have many benefits, but no paid maternity leave. That is actually a rare perk. We can use our own PTO for that, or take short term disability.
The extra hour is to make up for early Fridays and the few vacation days are to make up for yamim tovim. It happens to be I get 3 weeks of vacation plus 10 legal holidays and I think that's pretty typical. Are there more than 10 days of yamim tovim? If so, that would be in line with what I get.
The dirty chairs is probably your only true chillul Hashem. The company not contributing to a 401k is not good, but not a chillul Hashem.
I think if you think it's so hard for frum women at age 40 to get hired in tech, then go for it. But you have to change your attitude before, or you'll be miserable and make everyone miserable around you. No one OWES you a panel of benefits. Take it or leave it.