u/DiscoDoberman

Had an interview for a US-based tech related role today.

The person due to call phoned 5 minutes early exactly.

Interviewer asked in a suspiciously robotic tone:

1. Name three people I admire and why?
2. I'm out to lunch with her and someone I have a lot of contempt for comes to sit down and join us - who is that and why am I resentful?
3. What does integrity mean to me?
4. How is that different from honesty?
5. Then she summarized my answers with some flourishes of her own (which were fine but I dunno how she got those from my answers) and said she had a lot of candidates to speak to that week but if there was a fit I would receive word within 48 hours.

That was it.

I've been fortunate that I haven't needed to do a lot of interviews in my time...

But usually they're very much of a muchness.

I'm noticing more and more personality/people questions vs company details/work cred.

Are these standard questions now?

Curious how it compares to the M&S Colin the Caterpillar cake.

MY FRIEND IS:

UK based freelancer, director with a limited company.

Their primary service is marketing.

They also do a bit of sales work.

Want to launch a new marketing service specialises in done for you paid ad marketing.

Audience is local service businesses.

No clients as yet for this.

-

THE CLIENT:

Canadian based company.

They offer coaching/a course on organic marketing and also done for you for their very biggest clients.

Their main thing is avoiding paid ad marketing - use organic instead.

But they may refer customers to a paid ads specialist for paid ads if they really want/need that.

(as far as friend is aware)

Audience is primarily online businesses, but they might serve local services if it's a really good fit.

(as far as friend is aware)

Client is issuing the contract, they insist, and it says governed by [their area of] Canada.

Client describes their business as "business growth education and organic marketing consulting".

-

THE PROBLEM:

The client wants friend to sign a non-compete.

Non-compete is very broad in terms and geography and applies for 3 years after termination of contract.

It states that friend will not work for, partner with, own a business etc. for anything that competes with or is 'materially similar' to what client does.

Friend asked for the clause to be removed.

Friend mentioned that friend was doing "other work" which could possibly, technically be seen a competition and friend didn't want this clause to cause issues. (did not disclose more detail than this).

Friend pointed out that the clients other clauses sufficiently covered any breach of material information, confidential information etc.

Client said they would have to speak to their team.

Client came back saying as "long as your other work isn't competitive and doesn't involve targeting our clients" and didn't interfere with the workload in the sales role.

Client seems to just be lazy and doesn't want the work of re-evaluating their contract.

-

CONCERN:

Could the client reasonably argue that my friend is competing if they found out what my friend is doing?

Friend wants to avoid a deeper conversation on this with the client - let's just say friend already has an outstanding non-compete they forgot about and doesn't want client remembering about that.

Friend also doesn't want to be tied down in regards to what they can do in their business for 2+ years.

---

Should my friend:

1. Sign the contract, do the work, get paid, bugger off ASAP and know that the non-compete is probably unenforceable. Right now the vagueness of it works to friends advantage.
2. Dig into this with the client - either pushing the client to remove it or opening the door for client to see that friend intends to compete - depending on the clients definition of competition.
3. Walk away, which is gonna be financially very risky as friend really needs some solid income right now. Hope the marketing takes off, it probably will, but risk having to find another sales gig which would be far more stressful and time consuming.

(A solicitor will say it's probably unenforceable but try to get it removed)

I walk 3-5 miles a day, fast walking, non-stop.

For this reason I usually own working Springers or a similar cross, they're more than up for it till late in life.

But I've been told that I underestimate the horsepower of the Pom Pom and actually one might be up for joining the troop.

I'm curious from those of you who have owned a few Pomeranians/seen their whole life energy cycle - do you agree?

Are there more active lines like there are in Spaniels?

I was like 3/4 years old in the grocery shop with my mother and old guys would touch my hair, touch my shoulder, getting close and talking about how beautiful I was.

And you were expected to tolerate it.

You were expected to think it was a compliment.

I hated them touching me.

Eugh.

It was so creepy.

(sorry looking for female input only, no fellas on this one)