I normally don't post about interviews, but in this case I wanted others to know what the situation is on the inside. Working in the finance/accounting field generally requires you to work on some holidays, but the schedule for this place is the worst I have ever come across.
My interview was for a contract to hire Controller position. It was set up with a recruiter who was pushing me to accept an interview with them trying to sell me on the fantastic training. I did my research via LinkedIn and noticed the last person only lasted 6 months, and the one before that only 2 years. I looked at the SFO location and the prior controller there lasted only 2 years, so my guard was up. The first interview was a phone screen with the HR rep, Alice, and I liked her. Actually, I really liked everyone, especially Sanjay, the new controller for SFO, and the workers at the plant were awesome, too. I next met with Sanjay onsite. The facility had excellent procedures and controls and they were followed by all staff.
The biggest problem for me was the schedule. I have worked for other companies that run 24/7, but never where the accounting staff had to be around more than at month end or quarter end for extended hours. Here, they have 3 physical inventories per month, at 2 am on Sundays which must be attended in person. My understanding is that of 8 weekend days per month, this position would need to work at least half of them, and then the person would need to somehow figure out which day in the middle of the week they could trade for. I was then given an example where those days in the middle of the week never materialized because the reporting needed to happen according to the timeline. I was told I would NEVER have a holiday off because the schedule is 24/7 and they have so many PI's and weekly reporting.
The people here seem really fantastic, but you would have to give up literally ALL holidays and half your weekends without comps to fulfill the duties of this controllership. That was not something that would work for me so I ended the interview early.
Secondary note for companies who think "comping" a weekend day or holiday for a day in the middle of the week: Unless you can also provide a comp day for all my family members from work and for my children in school, too, it isn't an equal comp. Taking weekends and holidays from people means you are permanently taking that time away from the ones we love. They can't get that day off as comp and therefore it is a day forever lost.