JobsEU.org Blog History
It’s time to tell you how it all started.
In 2009, I received an unexpected offer from a company claiming to be IBM. Little did I know this offer was neither legitimate nor a real job opportunity. I was surprised to discover the dubious approach of this company, given its reputable name. Furthermore, I did not apply to this company; they contacted me and presented the offer. This marked the beginning of a challenging period in my life, as I had not anticipated the difficulty of extricating myself from this situation.
Before arriving, I secured accommodation, but unknowingly walked into a contractual trap. My lack of fluency in the local language led me to sign a two-year lease with a hefty early termination penalty. I soon discovered that exploitative practices targeting foreigners are commonplace. A stark example was my purchase of an Ethernet cable. A small shop in the city center charged me 300 crowns for a five-meter cable, a price I later learned was grossly inflated; the typical cost was a mere 60 crowns. This experience unfortunately reinforced the prevalence of scams targeting newcomers.
I endured the situation rationalizing that I would be employed by a world-renowned company. However, it transpired that this company closely resembled a deceitful downtown IT shop that vends subpar cables to its clients. Initially, the company adhered to certain standards and regulations. Nevertheless, our primary objective was to deceive our patrons by offering superfluous services. The company had cleverly ensnared us into this scheme by mandating us to demand payment from the clients. Presumably because not everything was entirely lawful, the company preferred to dodge accountability.
After less than 2 months at this company, I discovered that it wasn’t the right fit for me. I no longer wished to be involved in their unethical support scheme, so I began searching for a new job. During this time, I met a colleague who had also realized the same unfortunate truth and had fallen into the same trap. Many local individuals couldn’t comprehend this as they had never experienced a better work environment. It’s a rather disheartening situation. On the other hand, some locals were well aware of the company’s nature and actively avoided it. The company primarily recruited candidates from places or countries with lower standards, and they readily granted visas to foreigners, further complicating matters for those who were deceived into accepting their offers.
After a few months, I realized I had no desire to remain with this company and promptly began searching for an exit strategy. This company sought to suppress my individuality, as did many of my colleagues. Disturbing events unfolded at work. We were compelled to adhere to internal regulations, some of which violated local laws. It essentially functioned as an independent entity. The contract was purely symbolic, granting them complete authority over you. Naturally, the compensation was meager.
The company’s idea was to make profits by squeezing as much as possible out of its workers, while customers paid dearly for it. I remember that in 2010 IBM claimed that they were operating at a loss, but at the same time they opened the same call center, but in Poland. This defies all business logic. Apparently we were lied to. Unfortunately and due to a number of circumstances, I was not able to get out sooner and had to learn to survive and work in this hostile environment for another 2 years. The local foreign companies were at the same level, and the good companies did not accept foreigners. I had to put up with and learn to live with the local cowboy ways. It wasn’t easy at all.
After encountering local incompetence and nepotism, I shifted most of my activities outside the Czech Republic. Even when I needed to change tires and car oil, I preferred going to Slovakia or Austria. Not only were they more affordable and offered better quality, but they were also honest.
Although there were friendly individuals among the locals, they couldn’t outweigh the overall negative impression of this dreadful environment we were living in. The locals possessed an unexplainable sense of superiority, perhaps due to their limited experiences beyond Brno or living abroad. Initially, I attempted to acquaint them with the differences, but soon gave up. Conversing with individuals who believe they possess all knowledge is exceedingly challenging. I allowed them to uphold their delusions and maintain their self-perceived greatness. I eagerly anticipated transitioning to a more normal situation to escape this entire ordeal.
The idea to create this blog arose from the desire to inform people about concealed dangers posed by certain companies. Our intention was to prevent others from falling into this detrimental trap, which can have long-lasting repercussions. Initially, we planned to expand the blog’s scope to include multiple companies, but this proved to be a challenging endeavor. Furthermore, we realized that the blog was largely superfluous since individuals who possess knowledge, intelligence, and avid reading habits did not require our content.
They preferred to rely on their own judgment. However, there remained a small group of individuals who harbored doubts and a sense that something was amiss. They shared similar suspicions but lacked certainty. Our blog provided the confirmation they sought, validating their concerns. These individuals comprise our readership. Over the years, our readers and contributors have dispersed across the globe. They have relocated from Brno to countries such as Germany, the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, China, and Australia.
While they acknowledge Brno as a pleasant city, they lament the dearth of people and reputable companies. Specifically, IBM Brno/Now Kyndryl/ failed to offer any opportunities for professional growth. It is not due to a lack of willingness on their part; rather, they simply lack the capacity. Consequently, this call center continues to provide only thankless work.
We will be content if we can prevent one person from falling into this trap. These companies make hollow promises about enhancing working conditions, but they have no intention of doing so. This is particularly evident in countries without laws or organizations to safeguard workers. If they have not made changes before, there is no reason to believe they will in the future. They prioritize profits over the well-being of workers and disregard the human factor. Exercise caution and good judgment.
