I first heard about GMI through a Craigslist ad which clearly stated "Looking for armed and unarmed guards." "Requirements: CA ID, Verifiable proof of eligibility to work in the US and CA BSIS State Issued Guard License" "NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED" so I clicked on the website link and applied online which took about 60-70 minutes. The next week I get a call from HR requesting that I come in for an interview (which just so happens to be the next day at 8am in the morning). The next day I arrive at a small building at 7:40 in the morning to a large group of people (mostly men) standing outside of it. The door was locked and there must've been nearly 30 people standing outside with me. They let us in at 8:08, a few minutes late but it happens so whatever. The HR woman who I assume called me just the day before herds us like cattle into what looks like a small classroom with small tables, a projector and screen hanging on the wall. There are not enough seats to accommodate everyone, forcing a few people to stand up. The HR person tells us that we will be pulled out in groups to be interviewed. The HR woman hands us all packets with about 5 pages of job duty related questions and while we fill them out goes over a power-point presentation of the company, job duties, benefits, salary etc. (basically an unpaid orientation) and tells us that "if all goes well once your interview is over you will be given a 12-panel drug test, background check and be fitted for your uniforms." It must have been half an hour since she had given us this presentation that the manager actually started pulling people out for interviews. Two groups of 5 people are interviewed, one girl in each group. Ten people leave the room, only two come back, both men. As I wait my turn to be interviewed I notice there's a question on the last page with questions that asks to show proof of "one verifiable year of work experience" because it is required in order to "complete the application process". At this point I almost walk out of the building because this is NOT what the Craigslist ad I mentioned early had said, but I then I notice the guy sitting next to me (like myself) who also has no work experience. So I suck it up and wait another half hour and I am finally called in for an interview with two other people. The two other people are told to wait outside the room in chairs while I go in with the manager. I extend my arm for a handshake, the manager does not shake my hand so I just smile and sit down. The manager asks me if I'm in school and what I plan to do with it in the future. He then asks me why I want to be a security guard, I give a brief, direct answer and then says "what else?" which catches me off guard. Apparently my answer wasn't good enough. He then asks me what area of town I live in so I tell him and then he says "Okay, we will keep your application on file" which is a nice way of saying "we don't want to hire you, please leave." I stand up and wait for a handshake, he directs me towards the door, no handshake. I finally leave the building at 9:52am, nearly two hours after my “scheduled” interview. This is where the “if all goes well” remark comes into play. It’s a set up to make you feel like a tool, if you don’t get the job. A few days later I get an email from GMI telling me in print that I did not get the job, go figure! This is one of the worst job interviews I have ever been to, the lack of professionalism and clear disregard for the interviewee’s time stunned me in a very negative way. I just recently applied to Universal Pro security and received a job offer almost on the spot and I waited at most ten minutes for my interview. There isn’t even a comparison because the two companies are like day and night.
