Post: #1

I interviewed today with a company in the US which does International trade. Can't go into it very much, but the position involves selling to US companies.
My only red flag is that the company is only a few years old and seems to be run by Russians. It's not a large company- less than 20 people.
So does anyone have experience working with and for Russians? Anything I should be asking or watching out for? I know there are a few Russkies here on the forum and I would appreciate their input.
(As far as the current problems with Mother Russian are going right now, I don't give a damn. Tsar Putin has made St.Obama look like an ass.)

Post: #2

Get to know these russians. Are they reserved and intellectual, sophisticated or flashy BMW driving criminal types "na pontah"?

Post: #3

If they are russian jews, go for it. This type tends to keep up to their word.

Post: #4

Didn't see any flashy cars in the parking lot and the place was in the corner of a dumpy industrial court. Was interviewed by 2 men, one of whom was in his 20's and had a slight accent. The other, whom I mentally called "The Major", was an older man who spoke with a thick accent. He stared at me while I talked to the younger man.
I wondered about the Russian Jew angle. Didn't see any yarmulkes in the place, but I am told most of the Russians in the NE Philly area are Jewish. At least that was the situation 20 years ago, it may have changed.

Post: #5

I think whether they are Jewish makes a significant difference as well; most of the (only a few) expatriate Russian Jews I know seem to consider themselves to be Jewish more than they consider themselves Russian..
At least one I knew came from a city where he described clearly being discriminated against because he was Jewish. He said professors in the university couldn't be Jewish.

Even in their passports it stated that they were Jewish. So when they get here (USA) where they can advance more based on their ability ( hooray USA) they 're happy about it. They're probably only interviewing you rather than someone they know because you don't have an accent and they need sales people.

Post: #6

Most Russian jews aren't religious. Most are here for non-shady reasons, but there is always the bad apple.

Post: #7

I don't think you should have any more worries about working with Russians then about working with anyone else unless they look similar to these fine ladies and gentlemen:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

Post: #8

I did try some of my "kindergarten" Russian on them and they didn't seem too shocked. I explained my Russian was almost non-existent and they were OK with that. I've noted most Russians don't like it if you greet them in bad Russian.
I just keep thinking about that steely stare I kept getting from The Major. I've had some bad experiences in the past trying to work with arrogant bastards from over-seas and they usually don't end well.

Post: #9

Sounds like a jack reacher type operation. You sure they didn't call him the " zec " ?

Post: #10

Here is how I look at it. Regardless of what the ethnicity is, if a company is too "ethnic", don't bother. For example, if I interview for a job and see a few Indians working with 20-30 other people, that's cool. If I see 20-30 people and 80% of them are Indians and Chinese, then fuck you, don't want to work there. Same with Russians, basically. As a Russian, I would probably not work for a company in the US where most employees are Russians, because they were clearly selected based on their ethnic background. If there are only a few Russians, that's cool...good to have interesting drinking buddies if nothing else.

Post: #11

Meant to say what happened with this bunch, but never got around to doing it. They had me back for 2 more interviews, the final one where they made an "offer": shitty commission sales with a "take it or leave it" attitude from The Major. I told them "not acceptable" and left.
I just don't get these small Craig's List companies. I've had several interviews over the past few months and they all want me to bring them big $$$ for starvation wages or commission only. One even told me I would get a percentage if I over-charged the customer.

Post: #12

(05-28-2014 11:29 PM)ColSpanker Wrote:  Meant to say what happened with this bunch, but never got around to doing it. They had me back for 2 more interviews, the final one where they made an "offer": shitty commission sales with a "take it or leave it" attitude from The Major. I told them "not acceptable" and left.
I just don't get these small Craig's List companies. I've had several interviews over the past few months and they all want me to bring them big $$$ for starvation wages or commission only. One even told me I would get a percentage if I over-charged the customer.

Good thing you walked away abi. It was better for you to find out what kind of people they are right at the beginning instead of you working there for months, wasting your time and leaving disappointed. See it as a victory.