Chatterview Chronicles

Chatterview

Last October, I almost became the casualty to a failed chatterview. A chatterview is a form of an interview that is conducted solely by chatting via instant message This is the term that I prefer to use for the method in which I was poached.

We are living in a time where people willingly disguise themselves by creating fake profiles and personalities to catphish or communicate with unsuspecting individuals who are interested in forming bonds and relationships online in order to phish for personal information. Therefore, performing a chatterview in this atmosphere should not be a preferred method of connecting with new prospects for a company in any industry.

Conducting an interview where the prospect is not able to see your face and identify the person who initiated contact does not build rapport between the company representative or the interviewee. It also does not create trust because you cannot guarantee that the representative is being truthful if they are not willing to show themselves.

In addition to this, the representative was not aware of any disability that I could have potentially had that would have made it difficult for me to complete the interview process using this method, moreover, perform the task and responsibilities for the potential position they were hoping that I would fill. Nevertheless, this question was never asked, and no reasonable accommodations were offered. Instead, I was advised to read what they posted and then told to reply when I was done.

Initially, the contact was initiated via text message. The person explained to me that they came across my resume on a job search engine and wanted to see if I was available for an interview. They offered to conduct the second portion of the interview in any communication platform of my choosing from either Messenger, Skype or Teams.

Through Microsoft Teams, communication continued with another representative for the company. However, no company email was used. Instead, a personal email was the source of the communicator that was located within the profile of the Teams account that was established for the purpose of the interview. 
 

When I offered to conduct the interview through video chat, I was told that the conversation would be performed by instant message only. Thus, the chatterview began.

After providing an overview of the company, I was quizzed about some of the information that was provided in the overview   Even though there were grammatical errors within their presentation, I allowed them to continue.

The post that followed had me fully engaged in what I later assumed to be a scam.

Some of the social questions were questionable and seemed irrelevant.

For instance,

 and

  additionally

If I may remind you! The text message I received said the company wanted to interview me for a position because they came across my resume. Yet, they offered several different opportunities with their company, that did not match anything that would have been seen on my resume.

Even though they were poaching me without me demonstrating any knowledge or interest in their company first, which usually happens when you complete a job application, it was not made clear what they intended for me to do.  

They inquired if I preferred to manage or be managed.

During the chatterview, they asked me to open a bank account with a bank that was but not familiar to me.

This was so I could receive direct deposit on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, whatever worked best for me.

However, this was not the only cause of confusion.

There was conflicting information provided as to whether it was a salaried or hourly position. Within one post, the qualifications stated that I needed to be over the age of eighteen, possess a valid driver license (which did not make sense if I would be performing a teleworking position from my home) and that I needed to be able to work between twenty and forty hours a week,

Yet, later in the chatterview, the weekly hours posted were between four and forty hours per week.

They said I could become a full-time employee with benefits or an independent contractor.

However, no explanation was provided of how that would be possible or the difference between the two. Additionally, I was under the impression that working less than 30 hours a week for a company would make you a part-time employee.

I was told that I would be paid $42 per hour while going through training and then $50 per hour once the training was complete. A guesstimated $96,000 annually was the income. No formula was provided to show how that was determined. With fifty-two weeks in a year, a rate of $2000 per week should be $104,000. In addition to that, there was no mention of how I would be taxed on the income.

Also, they never adjusted the pay based on hours.

The benefits package seemed to be typical at first. However, I never heard of a company allowing you to receive sick pay without the need of a doctor’s note if the illness last more than three days. 

Then, they mentioned the opportunity for endorsement deals.

They did not state a need for an accountant however the software necessary included accounting software.

Moreover, they stressed on more than one post that provisions would be made by the company so that all equipment and services deemed necessary to complete the work would be supplied through the company and their merchandiser.

This included apple MacBook, a desk, chair, and cabinet.

They even offered to pay for my internet service.

  And they would instruct from where to make the purchase.

The equipment that was necessary is possibly the most expensive on the market. This is not the best business practice, and the frivolous spending did not provide trust that there was job security with the company. 

 

Again, I had never heard of the company, and I did not submit an application. They pursued me and then told me that if I was fortunate to get the job, I would be trained through yet another communications platform so there was no kind of brand loyalty or indication of a contractual agreement with any of the businesses for which software would be used. 

Another issue that I had is that they graded the chatterview and provided me with the scoring resulted. I did not understand why that was necessary. Following a ten-minute waiting period, while they reached out to their head division, I received the good news that I had been hired. Throughout the chatterview, no start date was discussed. 

Then, a request for a photo was asked for badging purposes. No alternative website was provided so that I could upload the photo later. Instead, they wanted me to post the photo into the chat and they would handle the rest.

I started getting red flags as the chatterview neared an end.

I was under the impression that they came across my contact information through my resume`. However, I automatically think that it is a scam whenever I receive an email with the following:

Needless to say, I have removed my account from the job search engine and changed my contact number to reduce the chances of becoming prey to the chatterview method again. 😊