Ethical job dilemma

fretted

fretted

fretted

Associate
Joined
4 Jan 2010
Posts
603
Would you work for a payday lender?

I have been invited to an interview with an online payday lender (not that one) for a database analyst job. The recruitment agent did not disclose the nature of the organisation until I had confirmed my interest in the position.

The backdrop to this is that I am likely to be out of a job in April and have started looking at opportunities since November; this would be my second interview out of quite a few cv submissions/applications.

I am not asking for advice, as I already made up my mind to attend the interview to get the experience and see what happens, but wondered if you would have told the recruitment consultant that you would like to cancel the interview due to ethical grounds.
 
My knee jerk reaction would be that it would depend on the nature of the specific company in question. Haven't really thought it through beyond that though.
 
Pffft, got to think of yourself on this one. If you have no other work lined up for after April then you'd be silly not to go for it.
 
Depends on your moral flexibility, surely? Payday lenders aren't doing anything illegal and the interest they charge on short-term lending has been shown, in certain circumstances, to be significantly cheaper than high street banks.

Costs you a few quid to borrow a hundred for a day from Wonga, yet a penny into your overdraft could cost you £16 for a lesser amount of time.
 
Payday lenders are no more immoral than pretty much any other organisation out there. If you were that bothered about whether the company you work for does everything in the best interests of customer or the wider world you'll struggle to find anywhere to work.
 
Wouldn't bother me, slight difference between being a database analyst for a legal lending company, and working as a heavy who breaks knees for the local illegal loan shark (which is the alternative method of high risk, short term lending), no how matter how many "OMG 5000% interestssss!!!!" statements; people throw in to the mix.
 
I don't work for them, but I do work for Wonga as part of my job.

It doesn't bother me to be honest, they are completely transparent in what they charge, and in some cases is much cheaper than unauthorised overdraft fees etc. that the banks charge.
 
It's the same as anything it's a useful service until idiots come along and abuse it and do really silly things like taking another one out to pay off the last one etc.
 
The big question i would have is 'how will this effect me in the future' - how stable is the market what with government intervention etc is the business really viable long term? What would future employers think about it being on my CV (could be negative, hard to tell really) etc etc.

No harm going to the interview (assuming you have time and it won't cost too much) but i'd be asking them some akward questions about their future plans to address the first point.
 
Probably not but more because I wouldn't expect it to represent a stable environment, I think the Payday Lending market is very much a bubble which will be popped by increasing public backlash and government legislation.
 
tom_e said:
Yes, someone will do it and if you need the job it might as well be you.
Click to expand...
This.

[TW]Fox;25477225 said:
Probably not but more because I wouldn't expect it to represent a stable environment, I think the Payday Lending market is very much a bubble which will be popped by increasing public backlash and government legislation.
Click to expand...
But also a bit of this! April is ages away, sure other jobs will come up in that time. I would do the interview and keep looking after.
 
Personally I regard usury as a sin and therefore would have to say I'd decline the interview. However I recognise that's an easy thing to say now but I could well imagine looking at things differently if I were in a more unfortunate position.
 
If you are fine with being a 'legal':rolleyes: loan shark and taking advantage of not so bright/desperate people by putting them into a perpetual cycle of debt and misery ....... then go for it.
Personally I think those companies are utter scum and should be illegal like they use to be :mad:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom