If you work for DISH, you have my sympathy. (Littleton: 2015, buy)

[Indigo Cardinal]

I interviewed there once. I really needed a job, but am I bad for admitting to relief when they didn't offer it to me?

Though I probably shot myself in the foot when the hiring manager told me that once you (the employee) were on campus, you were expected to stay on campus until your day was over. I basically responded that I felt if I needed to leave the campus during my lunch break, then I was well within my rights to do so provided I was back at my desk by the time my break was over. I could tell that didn't go over well with her. But that just struck me as so *petty*.

[ShampooBanana]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

Well, it all starts with Charlie Ergen, billionaire tyrant. Back in the day Charlie's underlings did "badge reports" and if you were as little as a minute late to work you'd get crawled across the carpet by your manager. Charlie himself was known to watch people coming to work and he'd personally berate those who were late.

During a "state of the company" teleconference Charlie once told the entire company "this is how we do it, and if you don't like it get the f*&k out."

Charlie's a piece of work. A multitude of 4-letter words would aptly describe how much of a horse's rear-end he is.

Dish Network, the Meanest Company in America - Businessweek

Yikes! How does somebody like that not get sued up the wazoo? The guy sounds like a walking HR violation! They must have some good lawyers over there.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by ShampooBanana

Yikes! How does somebody like that not get sued up the wazoo? The guy sounds like a walking HR violation! They must have some good lawyers over there.

They are always in litigation for something whether it is business or what not. Look at how many times channels get blacked out on DISH because of contract disputes.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by ShampooBanana

Yikes! How does somebody like that not get sued up the wazoo? The guy sounds like a walking HR violation! They must have some good lawyers over there.

DISH is in court so much that you're almost more likely to catch Charlie walking up the steps of the courthouse to give a deposition than you are to see him at the office.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by Indigo Cardinal

I interviewed there once. I really needed a job, but am I bad for admitting to relief when they didn't offer it to me?

Though I probably shot myself in the foot when the hiring manager told me that once you (the employee) were on campus, you were expected to stay on campus until your day was over. I basically responded that I felt if I needed to leave the campus during my lunch break, then I was well within my rights to do so provided I was back at my desk by the time my break was over. I could tell that didn't go over well with her. But that just struck me as so *petty*.

So how are you supposed to go to a dr. appointment? Or like I do, run down the street to the gym at lunch?

[denverian]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

DISH is in court so much that you're almost more likely to catch Charlie walking up the steps of the courthouse to give a deposition than you are to see him at the office.

lol! From what I've read about him, he sounds like a sort of "evil genius". Obviously a very smart man, but something doesn't click between the ears. Probably some sort of psychological issue. And at his age, what's the point of continuing work? You can only do so much with money. He must get off on control of people (and making them miserable) and power. I'm guessing he doesn't do much "charity" with his billions lol!

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by denverian

lol! From what I've read about him, he sounds like a sort of "evil genius". Obviously a very smart man, but something doesn't click between the ears. Probably some sort of psychological issue. And at his age, what's the point of continuing work? You can only do so much with money. He must get off on control of people (and making them miserable) and power. I'm guessing he doesn't do much "charity" with his billions lol!

He's absolutely a control freak. He the majority stock owner in DISH and controls 90% of the voting rights. Smart? You bet, but he's got the people skills of a rabid dog.

[Texas Ag 93]

Originally Posted by denverian

lol! From what I've read about him, he sounds like a sort of "evil genius". Obviously a very smart man, but something doesn't click between the ears. Probably some sort of psychological issue. And at his age, what's the point of continuing work? You can only do so much with money. He must get off on control of people (and making them miserable) and power. I'm guessing he doesn't do much "charity" with his billions lol!

Yeah, he kind of sounds mentally ill to me.

[Timmyy]

[zenkonami]

When I worked there, there were photos and quotes of Charlie everywhere. Total cult of personality. I can't recall the caption on one, but it was suspiciously close to "Our Great Leader."

Supervisors treated their team like children. Literally. We would sit down in a room and be spoken down to as if we understood nothing of the real world, or how technology worked, or how our customers thought, frequently by people that drank the Kool-Aid and had less "real world" experience (or even education) than many of us did.

Favoritism is HUGE there...if someone likes you, you're in. Your numbers magically get better. Failures seem to disappear. You're on the fast track.

But if you're someone doing well, showing good results and doing what's asked of you...but NOT the favorite...they just keep bumping up your goals until they are unreachable...then cite you for failing to achieve them...then deny you for any sort of move or promotion until you reach them. All the while congratulating you on how good your bonus must be!

They had a thing called "Flex Time", which basically meant mandatory overtime that you worked every week...six day weeks (at 10 - 12 hours a day) were not just frequent...they were the norm. And if you requested time off that conflicted with your Flex Time? Not allowed. Flex just meant, "we can cut you if we don't need you." But they always needed you...no matter how poor a job they implied you were doing in coaching sessions.

The place is weird.

The technology is actually pretty good. I actually think Dish was well ahead of their competitor at the time in reliability and capability. The customer service (and the billing) had a lot to be desired. They never told you to lie, cheat and steal, but they constantly changed the rules...changed the script...changed the dates...They would train you on something that would be obsolete two weeks later, then throw you in to the fire with the new thing, only to train you on that a month later...when it would quickly be obsolete again.

It still gets me going and I haven't worked there in over four years. The campus in Littleton is nice, the benefits (in theory) aren't too bad...though don't think you will get away with working there without subscribing to the service. But you rarely get to use those benefits and find yourself surrounded by Dish culture...at work...at home...all the time. Six days a week. Twelve hours a day. And don't you dare be one minute late...ever...not to work...not to get on the phone...not to get off the phone...not from the bathroom, or the doctor, or due to weather, or family tragedy, or...

I suspect Charlie would get along great with a famed North Korean dictator. Worse yet, I strongly suspect he'd be proud of that.

If you are desperate, work for Dish...but don't for a minute tie your ego, your career or your future to them. Let it just be a job for a while to tide you over. Then, when the day is right, do what so many people do. Drive in, drop your badge at the security desk with a smile, and walk away. Leaving a job never felt as right.