Red Flags

Okay, you're contacted by these guys. But you wanna find out for yourself, if they're legit or not.  What do you pay attention to.

Ask on the phone what position your interviewing for, then ask in person.  Most likely it changes every time.

Ask starting salary.

Why is their companies office combined with that other office?

What's the name of their software? (does it stay the same?)  How come no one in the industry has heard of it.  From the big to small trading companies.

How old is thier company?  How come the incorporated papers only say it's been around 3 years.

ASK ASK ASK why they are the same people at Receiver Corp as in ISCS.

Why are their business cards seem like they made them themselves at kinko's.

How come the copies of their papers do not have company letterheads and look like crap copies I get at Osco.

How come the private office is so sparse.  No real work papers, no files in the the fileboxes (take a look yourself if you get a chance, the ones behind my chair where ALL EMPTY!)

Where are all the other employees? 

Ask them questions concerning finance and computers to see if they really know that knowledge.  Make up stuff too when you ask them to see if you can catch them.

How come they are interviewing so many people (a few hundred a week), constantly, for the past year!?!?!?!

How come all the employees have the same phone and fax number?

Ask why is their number unlisted when they call you?

Ask how come the contract they have you sign in paper doesn't match the promises they will tell  you in word.

Ask if they will give you written description of the job, and a detailed explanation of what constitutes finishing the program.

Ask them about the 3rd requirement of the training software.  Which is that you have to recruit 2 or 3 vendors and sell them software.

Try asking some of these questions in the "orientation" interview.  See what happens.  I'm sure you will have some humorous responses.