Hello. By the time I notice, it is already October. It is finally getting cooler in the mornings and evenings, and we can now wear long sleeves. I wish the temperature would stay like this for some time, but it doesn’t work like that. So, I would like to enjoy wearing light jackets while it lasts.
Aside from April, September and October are probably the next peak season for job seekers. In this article, I would like to introduce the conditions that we, mgn will inform you when hiring.
As I’ve said, these are not easy to meet conditions. However, if we look at the reality of recruitment, it is somewhat is about confronting money. Therefore, we are requiring people to acknowledge these conditions before entering.
How to join mgn
In mgn, we provide a 3-month training period before actually joining our company. This is to make sure that the way mgn works and the way the new employee works fit each other.
After a 3-month training period, if both parties are satisfied and comfortable, the new employee will be officially hired.
Since our work style is fully remote, although the basic working hours are fixed from 10:30AM to 7:30PM, each individuals can decide his or her own working hours. Therefore, we would like to give additional time for the new employee to actually start working in the new environment and discuss again whether this way of working is suitable for them or not.
If the money runs out, mgn will go bankrupt. mgn’s approach to employment and money
When someone is entering mgn, I would like to discuss the following conditions
In mgn, everyone has access to all of the money flows. Money is managed on a cloud service, and all employees are given an account to access that cloud service, so you can check its details any time you want. This means that everyone’s salary is visible as well as all sales and expenses within the company.
The company then pays a salary for the employee. If sales are high, this will be paid as an extra bonus. On the other hand, if sales are low, the basic executive salary pay will be reduced. If the company is still unable to offset the negative figures, the employee’s salary will continue to be lowered, or (for example) the company might ask for voluntary resignations. We are willing to cooperate and help that employee to move on to the next job smoothly and successfully.
In such cases, the first candidate will be the last person who join the company. This is because we believe that the last person (who’s usually the youngest) who join the company has more opportunities and potentials than others and it might be relatively easier for them to move to a new company.
In other cases, if the money still runs out, mgn will go bankrupt.
At that time, even though I have no evidence to support it, I believe that I very likely will have a chance of working somewhere else. (whether or not it is true, I’m not sure…). Similarly, I hope that you, my employees will gain some valuable skills and experience during your time working in mgn and will be able work wherever you may go. If you do not acquire that ability then we apologize, but please do understand and accept it as your own responsibility.
Even if you understand these conditions, your employment will begin with a training period if you wish to join the company.
A favorable hiring process for mgn
We believe that the conditions of employment and training period are rather favorable for mgn. The conditions of employment are not favorable to the person being hired. We do not offer lifetime employment, and even though we are hiring, we start off by talking about possible dismissal and bankruptcy. Furthermore, due to the training period, mgn might reject you again if both parties does not fit each other.
First of all, one of the reasons behind this is that the work at mgn is not always stable. Even now, it is still difficult to maintain and secure our sales unless each member continues to grow and perform better.
We believe that it is essential that the company organization be structured in such a way that can promote each individual’s growth. This is beneficial for when hiring people with limited expertise, we can still secure sufficient sales to cover the time required for training.
However, we have not yet reach such a state, and we still need new hires to help us generate revenues. Thus, the reason why we have this hiring process.
In addition, in recent years, when everything is fast-paced and can change with the flow of innovation, we do not believe that the company’s direction can always be determined correctly solely on the executives’ decisions. Rather, we would like to have the relationship between both parties, the employer and the employees to be considered as equal as possible.
In other words, it should be someone who is able to think and work together, not in a way that the company or the president have to take responsibilities for the employees’ lives. We believe that employees will find it challenging to work at mgn, and unless they can think and act together with us, it will be difficult to continue to employ them.
What is expected for mgn’s working style?
Because mgn is a fully remote agency, there is little to none micromanagement of how each individual works. Therefore, we trust each member’s responsibilities and expect each member to work on his or her own accord.
Also, in order to work with mutual respect for each other, it is recommended that each members is able to think independently while cooperating with other members of the team.
How was it when you actually started working? Comments from the current employees
How did you feel when you were told of these conditions and how did you feel when you actually started working? I received comments from our current employees.
When I heard about these conditions
I thought the condition was pretty straightforward. mgn is not a large company, so it is only natural that each individual must be aware, responsible, and competent in order to survive. It is also a common sense that if you are going to work as an engineer in the web industry, “if you don’t acquire the skill and ability to work anywhere, you are on your own”. So I didn’t think I was at a disadvantage. Even though I was surprised to be able to see all the money flow, I thought it would be a good fit for someone like me, including the fixed salary system.
When I heard about the conditions, it is true that this is what the company is supposed to do, but I also felt that it was rather sincere of them to put it directly into words. I also agreed with the part in which they were asking me to change jobs and the reasons why.
I don’t think it’s a disadvantage for me to begin with. I was thinking that no matter where I work, there is always the risk of downsizing or closing the business, and if mgn collapses, I will either go to another company or start my own business (laugh). But now I wonder if I will be able to work elsewhere if something happens to mgn.
It was a bit straight ‘in-your-face’ kind of conditions, but I’m always happy if someone (or company) is being honest with me. Even though it was harsh, it is the reality we must all face someday and I accept that as a challenge for me to grow. Especially, the part where the company is ‘not responsible for your life’ and that the ‘most recent hired will be the first to get fired’, was like a pile of rocks hitting me in my face. Though, at the same time, I realized I needed to be independent and be responsible for my own life. So, it was scary but I like these terms because they all have their own reasons.
In term of the conditions, after actually working in mgn, I didn’t feel that pressure. I feel that it was necessary to have a first honest conversation before entering the company. Now that I entered the company, I feel that being open and honest was one of the best thing that a company could do before entering. I could know what to expect of mgn and although I need to get used to the work flow, everyone was very supportive and everything was actually open and clear. Also, when I could see the money flow, it is easier for me to work harder because I am also responsible for my life and I am a part of this company. We are all responsible and we are moving together in our own independent ways and I like that way of working.
What was the result of working in mgn?
I feel very comfortable working here because of being able to see all the money flow. If sales go up, I feel a sense of accomplishment because I can now have more time to spare and get a bonus. On the other hand, if sales go down, I feel a sense of crisis and so I try my best to do something about it. It is also a great thing to be able to think about the situation as my own because I can see the information without bias. It is more satisfying looking at the real thing rather than just being told by the company, “You need to work harder because we don’t have enough profit!”.
In terms of how it feels to actually work in the company, the first thing I was told was the harshest. But after both parties reached an agreement, they were rather gentle to me (perhaps because we had an agreement). I admit that I am an employee who takes more holidays and breaks than others. So, I was surprised that the members still are very considerate about me. Some members would ask things like, “Is (the current workload) okay?”. This is one of the points that motivates me to work harder.
It’s a great place to work. mgn is fully remote and the company is very considerate of your personal issues (sick, taking care of parents, etc.). Everyone I work with is very nice and respectful, and the company do their best to pay me well. Best of all, I have psychological security, so I can make mistakes without the anxiety of harassment or punishments. Also, I can report my successes with confidence. Therefore, when mgn is gone and I have to work in another environment, I am very anxious about whether I will be able to adapt to that environment.
Why did you decide on these terms and process?
Originally, we did not have a recruitment plan because we had enough members on our team. Fortunately, as sales increased, we needed more people, so we would hire one person at a time.
Due to our background, there is no certainty as to whether or not the company will be able to continue hiring. In addition, because of this, we believe that it is important that we were honest when hiring. Therefore, our company make sure to to inform our current situation and what we could do and couldn’t do at the time of hiring. We wanted to be as clear as possible, without concealing any information.
Our company then ask, “This is how mgn works, and we need your help, so would you be willing to work with us?”. This is to confirm the other party final thoughts.
Also, no matter how much we have told you, if the image you have before joining the company and the impression you have after actually working there is different, then it is not good for both parties. Therefore, we set a training period even though we have asked you to work with us. In case you have a different impression from the one you had before joining, or the impression of the actual work is different from the your image, then we consider it as an opportunity to reconsider whether or not to hire.
Based on the ideas above, the current process of the company’s terms, conditions and employment was gradually taken shape. We would like to hear those who were hired by mgn, including the training periods, to evaluate and give feedbacks to mgn.
Conclusion
So, we present to you the conditions of mgn employment. How was it? I am often surprised when I talk about this with the companies around me. I believe there are many pros and cons to this topic. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to let us know.
We will continue to discuss the conditions of employment within the company and continues to refine and improve as necessary.