S'pore company requires job applicants to write review on Facebook during interview

Do you think you can write an honest review of a company while sitting through an interview with them?

Sulaiman Daud | March 12, 2018, 04:56 PM

Most job interviews are straightforward, you show up and answer a few questions while the company decides if you're a good fit.

Some interviews make you do slightly stranger things, but it's all part of how the company makes an assessment -- right?

Job hunting with a twist

The Facebook page of Stress SG says that it's a "Consultation agency" and a "Health and Wellness website."

Mothership reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, applied for a position as a "Digital Marketing Executive" with Stress SG via JobStreet.com. Here's a link to the job listing she saw.

Pic from Jobstreet.

She said that she was attracted by the stated salary, which apparently is $2,500 to $3,500 for an entry-level position.

Stress SG responded, and told her to visit their website and enter a "secret password" to book an interview appointment.

After typing in the password, the interview process was revealed -- with some unusual requests.

Pic from a Mothership reader.

In case you can't see it, here's what it says at first:

"This interview won't be a traditional interview (that's boring). Instead, I would like to see your skills in action during the interview itself."

Then it says:

"As part of the company's social media management we need to (sic) our clients to post their reviews on our Facebook page. So during our interview session, I will be running you though (sic) the process, where you will be the "client" and I will be "you." It will be fun."

Interviewees also need to experience the "mini" Stress Buster Course, which "most people enjoy" as it is "super relaxing".

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Demonstrate writing skills, write a review

But that's not all. Interviewees had to write their review and post to the company's Facebook page itself, ostensibly to demonstrate their writing skills.

Pic from a Mothership reader.

In case you can't see it, here's what it says:

"As part of the company's social media management we need to (sic) our clients to post their reviews on our Facebook page. So during our interview session, I would like you to share your experience via a post (sic) our Facebook page. (this is where you demonstrate how well you write)"

And also:

"Needless to say, you need to like us on Facebook before we start the interview. I (sic) also shows you actually saw the Facebook page."

More Five-stars than the NDP

Our contributor did not book an interview appointment with Stress SG after reading these requirements, neither did she like their Facebook page or write a review.

But the page has plenty of other reviews.

As of 12:30 pm on March 12, Stress SG's Facebook page has 40 Five-star reviews -- and no other reviews with different ratings.

Screen shot via Stress SG's Facebook page.

Here's an example of one such review:

Screen shot via Stress SG's Facebook page.

And another one:

Screen shot via Stress SG's Facebook page.

You'll notice that both reviews give a shout-out to Chris the stress coach by name.

Now we're not saying that all of these reviews were written by people who went for an interview. Some of them could be legit.

But if the interview process is accurate as described, then imagine having to write a review about a company during a job interview, while the interviewer himself "runs you through the process".

Even if you had a negative impression of the product or service, wouldn't it be tough to write a bad review then?

About them

So what exactly is Stress SG?

From the "About us" page on its website, it says:

"At Stress.SG we help students and working professionals learn the skill to de-stress and sleep better through our easy and powerful short courses."

There are three courses available on the website, with one complimentary and the others priced at $660.

Pic from Stress.sg.

They all appear to be run by someone named Chris Tan, and someone named Chris Tan is also labelled as "founder and stress coach" in the "About us" page.

The website also claims to have enrolled 72 students, who each need an average of two lessons to succeed, and that it has a 100 per cent 5-Stars.

The website also displays the same interviews that are written on its Facebook page. Here's one that's displayed on the website:

Screen shot via Stress SG's website.

Which matches this one on the Facebook page:

Screen shot via Stress SG's Facebook page.

Reply by JobStreet

Our contributor emailed JobStreet to ask if such practices were allowed by companies listed on the website.

This is the reply she received:

Screen shot via a contributor.

So JobStreet doesn't see a problem with it.

Still, if a company requires reviews from interviewees during the interview process itself, how many reviews on Stress SG's page are actually from paying customers?

Mothership has contacted Stress SG for comment.

Top image adapted from Stress SG and screen shot via a contributor.