Throwaway: There's no reason why this should be downvoted but ok. This is the point of the subreddit.
I was hired at a job that initially seemed a little sketchy. I was worried about it and expressed it to people before I started. I need a car, and that's fine, but I made it known that I would have access to a car, but the first day I had to take the train and walk 2 miles. My car is in another state right now, and the job made me start before I wanted to. I had interviewed on Monday of last week, and got hired on the spot. Great, but I was also out of town and asked to start after Labor Day, because that made sense to me. I had plans etc. until after the holiday, but I decided to change everything and start the next week (this week) on Tuesday.
I felt not so great about the job, because the CEO said two things that were immediate red flags: “No one wants to work” and “I don't micromanage” (far from the truth)
I had to take a drug test (yuck) and do a background check, because they were at specific locations in my area, and I couldn't do it until that Tuesday. I got to work 30 minutes early, which was 9:30 am. By 10 am, I was sent home, the CEO telling me, “get yourself together” because I can't uber to get this stuff done. So I leave, and start getting my requirements underway. I had to take a TB test, which takes two days for the reading, so I did that first.
Yesterday I tried to do my background check, but the form needed a specific name to do it. The form didn't have the name, and I have no idea who would be on it, so I call the main number on Google. To my surprise, the CEO picked up the main line number WTF. There are about 50-100 employees there, why are you picking up? They kept telling me their plate was 100% full, so why are you answering the main line from google? That's the job of a receptionist/office manager/someone else.
Anyway, I asked them my question, and then I had another question about my car situation. I said I had it resolved and that I had a car for the first day. It meant I had to drive the car 1000 miles. It was never brought, because it's in a major metro area where parking is difficult and frustrating, plus public transit and bike.
The CEO kept telling me how embarrassing it was that I walked 2 miles to work and needed a car. Completely disregarded me, telling them it solved the problem the first day. I knew I didn't need it per se, because I didn't have the money to rent a car / a zip car until Thursday, (2 days after my first day, wouldn't have been meeting with people yet but still time for me to get my car), because it just sat there and cost me money. They kept saying to me that I would ride my bike or take the train when I needed a car. The word salad was insane.
They kept telling me that I was not ready, that I had to settle in the city I live in, even though I have been here since June 2022. Purchased a place and closed exactly one year ago. So I'm settled and ready to work. They just kept going on and on about how I can't walk to work, it's unrealistic etc. I agree, 2 miles is a lot, but I hadn't done it before, so I had no idea. It was out in the burbs, but I was going to be transferred to a location close to my home.
So I spent 2 hours getting there, 3 miles of walking and 2 trains, and still showed up 30 minutes early. Glad I spent only 10 dollars getting there instead of paying for a car. I would still have a job if I brought a car the first day, but I'm glad I don't, because I try to give jobs the benefit of the doubt when it comes to reviews, so I didn't read up on them. I finally did yesterday, and OH BOY did I dodge a huge bullet.
Common things about these reviews at least 20+
The CEO is verbally abusive, you have to walk with them on eggshells. You can be fired for every reason for the smallest mistake. There is no training, no working culture, no health insurance, no benefits, just decent money. The CEO was mentally unstable. They gave me one name, but apparently it's not their real name. They go by something else, which was weird.
One comment on the there was that the good reviews were from an employee there who was forced to do so after the CEO learned what glassdoor / indeed reviews were. They also said in the interview that I shouldn't believe the reviews online (that I hadn't read yet)
The reviews obviously show this is a hostile workplace, the CEO is batshit insane. I'm glad they rescinded the offer.