WealthCounsel is a company that provides legal document services to high-end clients and organizations. They have their own suite of software tools, built on the Microsoft Office platform.
The first interview is a basic phone screen with their talent acquisition staff. It's to basically make sure that if you're not a fit, they'll see it way ahead of time.
The second interview is a Zoom webcam interview where you speak with the hiring manager. On this interview you're asked in-depth questions about your technical background, told about the company, about upcoming projects and priorities, and it's a chance for you to ask questions of a more technical nature to see how day-to-day activities are conducted.
If you pass this, there's a third interview - again, by Zoom webcam - with an actual developer - someone who does the same type of work you'll be doing. This, too, is another deep delve into your technical background as well as spot-checking you can handle some of the negative issues the job may have - competing priorities, being in isolation, etc.
If you make it to a fourth interview - as I was scheduled to have had - you'll be talking - again, by Zoom webcam - with two or more other developers, as well as being administered a skills test on HotDocs, their platform for document automation.
My particular issue was that the company was not forthcoming about their wanting a contract resource. The job description included the following verbiage, typically more of what one might expect from a permanent or salaried position:
[Start of Description]
At WealthCounsel, we hold our people in the highest esteem. We provide employees:
A competitive salary
Full medical and dental benefits
A bi-annual bonus program
New tools and technology
Training and development (personal and professional)
Travel to our annual company meeting
Perks like paid gym memberships, home Internet and phone
[End of Description]
It wasn't until late in the third interview, in my case, that the developer asked me questions about my interest in working as a contractor. I had worked as a W2 contractor in my last role and expressed that indeed, I would be happy to work as a W2 contractor, but not as a 1099 (or business-to-business) contractor - such contractors may not be paid promptly, and have the hassles of doing their own IRS deductions, paperwork, withholding, etc. I sent this clarification back to the developer who originally asked about it.
To my surprise, I got a reply from the hiring manager who, basically, turned on her heels and said they couldn't hire me since I wasn't willing to be a 1099 contractor. The note's tone was very abrupt, almost as if they were planning on this all along.
WealthCounsel could have - up front, during the first interview - asked about contract work as part of the initial phone screen, but they didn't. The irony here is that this is a company that prepares legal documents - indeed, in their job description, they said they're seeking individuals with an eye for details, spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc. How they could miss not mentioning something they claimed is this important to them is astonishing.
So, if you're seeking 1099 work, you might be happy working for WealthCounsel. Just realize the interview process is a long one, and you might be encouraged to take a contract role rather than a role that lets you enjoy all the benefits they claim they offer.
