I worked for a broker that instructed everyone in the office to click on a competitors website 50 times a day (it was pay per click on Google). He also wouldn't let the office purchase lunch from a restaurant that rented from that same broker. I repeated this childish petty bull**** to my husband in an IM message and was fired. Now interviewing with other companies I fear telling them the truth because I do not want to sound like I would talk poorly of another company that is named on my resume. However, I left because my employer was a prick - what should I say in interviews?

I'd say that you are no longer with the previous company due to unethical practices being imposed upon you.

I'd also say that I had rather not discuss it other than to say that I'm happy to no longer be associated with that company & look forward to focusing your energies in a positive manner with a more professional company.

No need to "share" details. Be the "better" person!

Scott

You don't have to say anything.

Someone needs to hold that a-hole broker accountable. Share what you know with the broker whose advertising contract was interfered with and call the state licensing board. Write down all the facts while they are fresh in your mind. You may be a witness later.

WRONG! Don't get in the middle of that mess! It will be a drain on your time AND wallet!

You could send an anonymous letter to the broker who owns the web site and let them know what is going on. They can narrow down where (IP addresses) the "clicks" are coming from very easily. All of that is tracked.

yeah. . . don't help police the profession to bring it up to higher standards, and when someone asks why unethical conduct was not reported earlier, just say "hey, that would have meant that I get involved"

maybe that broker did you a favor Heathermk -- at least you won't be buying any pay-per-click advertising

SandraC.. did you FULLY read my post?

You can get involved, without getting involved! I believe that the unsavory broker should be "outed" as well and there is a way to do that.

Getting in the middle of a possible lawsuit is not my cup of tea! In today's litigious society, they drag EVERYONE into the lawsuit & E&O deductibles will be paid whether guilty or not!

I see you feel differently & that's OK. We can agree to disagree.

Gulf: Who is EVERYONE getting dragged into a lawsuit? The only viable lawsuit is if victim broker sues unethical broker. There's no grounds for anyone to sue Heathermk. Certainly not the victim broker, he needs her as a plaintiff witness. Unethical broker doesn't have any grounds to sue her. If he did, then when he loses, he'd be liable to her for malicious prosecution. I hope he has deep pockets.

People shouldn't be afraid to get involved to do what is right. An anonymous letter to the victim broker isn't going to assure that the licensing authorities take a look at the matter. The unethical broker doesn't belong in business.

Most e&o policies cover errors and omissions, not deliberate tortious (and possibly criminal) conduct by the unethical broker. The e&o insurer would most likely not defend the unethical broker in a lawsuit. I don't see anyone's premiums going up here.

My term "Everyone" means the attorneys drag every party into the lawsuit and the wrongful deed will land with someone. I've seen it happen! The strategy is like this:

Set up a bunch of targets and make a shot. You're more likely to hit something with multiple targets than with just one.

I have an opinion and so do you. I respect yours and ultimately, it's up to the original poster of this thread to decide.

I'm not one to "run & hide". I have the intelligence and experience to look ahead at the situation and based upon my knowledge of something similar that happened to a friend, I would weigh the pros/cons prior to just jumping out there and getting in the middle of it. If I saw no other way to handle the situation, then I would step forward in person.

Best of luck to Heather!

hmmmm..... I appreciate all of your replies. How about this? I just got offered a job by the company with the website. The evil broker will have to drive by my car everyday on his way to work and wonder if I told his competitor what a slime bag he is.

Great news! Best of luck to you!

Heathermk: I'm curious about one thing. If you join the broker who does pay-per-click ads, and keep silent about what your former broker did, if/when your new broker learns of the unethical acts by your former broker, he may ask you: "Did you know this was going on when you worked there? Why didn't you mention it when you joined this office?" What will you say?

Well, whatever you do, I hope things work out well for you.

If you go to work for this broker then you really need to disclose what your previous broker was doing. Remember this you also will be paying toward that pay per click

I don't think the people in that office clicking 50 times a day will do anything to the other companies PPC budget. Its not that easy - the search engine knows they have already been there. They are just wasting their time.

pay per click means just that! IT does not say pay per unique visitor. Do the math if you got say 30 agents each clicking 50 per day 5 days a week 4 weeks a month for a year that is 360,000 clicks. Damn I would hate to have that coming out of my budget with zero return.

JMHO