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Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




Bothell, WA

Earlier today I had a discussion over lunch with a few friends that were thinking of applying for studio sculpting positions at GW.

Since I worked there previously they were asking me about some "Blacklist" they had heard of from other GW staff (old staff from the Baltimore HQ).

They were asking me because two of them had previously done freelance work for other "bits" companies like Chapterhouse (and several others) and they got mentioned by name in the various paperwork from the GW vs CHS case.

So we were wondering what their odds were if they were to apply for sculpting positions at GW. Would GW hold a grudge against them and not hire them for "aiding the enemy" so to speak.

I couldn't say for certain, I had little knowledge of how GW UK works, but I do know that in Baltimore several times people weren't hired due to "personal issues" a manager (or one of his cronies) had with them.

It's hard to say, at least for me, but I wouldn't hold sculpting for other companies against them. But I'm a bit more rational and "neutral". People need to make money to pay their bills and put food on the table.

So what do you think? Should they still give it a go?
   
Made in ca
Posts with Authority




I'm from the future. The future of space

If they apply and there is a black list: they don't get the job.

If they never apply: they don't get the job.

Balance in pick up games? Two people, each with their own goals for the game, design half a board game on their own without knowing the layout of the board and hope it all works out. Good luck with that. The faster you can find like minded individuals who want the same things from the game as you, the better. 
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




Bothell, WA

Well, yeah. When you put it like that.

I personally never heard of any "blacklist" or that GW wouldn't hire them since that would be like them not wanting to hire anyone that did work for any other competing company (like PP, SG, WGF etc).

I think they should still apply since I can't see GW being that petty. Besides they are good sculptors and good talent is hard to find.
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




Louisiana

They should apply, in my opinion, but not hold their breath.

GW TOTALLY holds grudges...forever.

Kirasu: Have we fallen so far that we are excited that GW is giving us the opportunity to spend 58$ for JUST the rules? Surprised it's not "Dataslate: Assault Phase"

AlexHolker: "The power loader is a forklift. The public doesn't complain about a forklift not having frontal armour protecting the crew compartment because the only enemy it is designed to face is the OHSA violation."

AlexHolker: "Allow me to put it this way: Paramount is Skynet, reboots are termination attempts, and your childhood is John Connor."
 
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




Bothell, WA

weeble1000 wrote:
GW TOTALLY holds grudges...forever.


Not sure if sarcasm or not.

Seriously, you think GW would actually do that? Good sculptors are pretty hard to find, especially with GW's high standards.
   
Made in us
[DCM]
.







He's not kidding - he's 100% serious - and most likely 100% spot on!
   
Made in au
Longtime Dakkanaut




Squatting with the squigs

 prplehippo wrote:

Seriously, you think GW would actually do that? Good sculptors are pretty hard to find, especially with GW's high standards.


After seeing those centurion things and a few other newer releases from GW i think that you are right, good sculptors are hard to find.

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Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




 prplehippo wrote:
It's hard to say, at least for me, but I wouldn't hold sculpting for other companies against them. But I'm a bit more rational and "neutral". People need to make money to pay their bills and put food on the table.

Companies have treated salespersons this way for decades. Usually there's some corporate mini-course you need to pass or read explaining all the horrible ways they're going to sue you if you leave the company and go work for a competitor. Moonlighting is also cause for termination in a number of professions.

The 7th Edition FAQ is out!
Pink Horrors can summon.
Daemon Factory is legal! 
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




Bothell, WA

Kyutaru wrote:
 prplehippo wrote:
It's hard to say, at least for me, but I wouldn't hold sculpting for other companies against them. But I'm a bit more rational and "neutral". People need to make money to pay their bills and put food on the table.


Companies have treated salespersons this way for decades. Usually there's some corporate mini-course you need to pass or read explaining all the horrible ways they're going to sue you if you leave the company and go work for a competitor. Moonlighting is also cause for termination in a number of professions.


I'm not talking about "moonlighting" though, they worked for other companies as freelancers, not while working for GW. Only one of them had previously worked for GW and was thinking about reapplying (his freelance work was done after he left GW).

They are thinking of applying for positions at GW, but I was wondering if GW would hold it against them for sculpting work for other companies that compete with GW (like Chapterhouse etc).
   
Made in us
Dakka Veteran




You came to the wrong forum if you wanted a realistic unbiased answer. You'd get the same irrational responses if you asked if GW has made blood sacrifices of orphans. People here have an axe to grind and no matter what, you are going to get negative responses.

If your friends have sculpting ability, they should apply. If they weren't owners of the company, it really shouldn't matter to GW corporate.

The fact they were an independent contractor that did some sculpts for a competitor shouldn't keep them from getting a job. The fact they were able to compete is actually a positive.
   
Made in au
Longtime Dakkanaut




Squatting with the squigs

derek certainly holds grudges

I must say I've missed posters like you, we've had a few and invariably it always ends hilariously.

The point everyone has been trying to make to you derek is very few of us are GW frothers because most of us use many gaming systems and GWs pales in comparison.
I get you like it and all, but most of us have been gaming for a long while over many systems , we don't have to support GW. My first game was 40k ,moving on to other systems I discovered that it's system was clunky , I do not play it any more.

derek have you thoought that your viewpoint is as unobjective as these others you talk about? That my friend is called an opinion.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/06/10 02:14:52


My new blog: http://kardoorkapers.blogspot.com.au/

Manchu - "But so what? The Bible also says the flood destroyed the world. You only need an allegorical boat to tackle an allegorical flood."

Shespits "Anything i see with YOLO has half naked eleventeen year olds Girls. And of course booze and drugs and more half naked elventeen yearolds Girls. O how i wish to YOLO again!"

Rubiksnoob "Next you'll say driving a stick with a Scandinavian supermodel on your lap while ripping a bong impairs your driving. And you know what, I'M NOT GOING TO STOP, YOU FILTHY COMMUNIST" 
   
Made in us
Hacking Proxy Mk.1





Australia

I forget which forum it was on but I've seen it mentioned that greens sent to them sometimes are never returned or returned damaged. As well GW hire for attitude, not skill. I honestly don't think you're friends would have a good chance.

As for the actual 'grudge' thing, given how GW treat their customers, fansites and storefront employees I really wouldnt find it a streach to believe anyone who has ever worked for chaptethouse is on a blacklist.
I mean hell, go look at that thread about the lawsuit there, GW where bullys from day one.

 Fafnir wrote:
Oh, I certainly vote with my dollar, but the problem is that that is not enough. The problem with the 'vote with your dollar' response is that it doesn't take into account why we're not buying the product. I want to enjoy 40k enough to buy back in. It was my introduction to traditional games, and there was a time when I enjoyed it very much. I want to buy 40k, but Gamesworkshop is doing their very best to push me away, and simply not buying their product won't tell them that.
 
   
Made in jp
Fixture of Dakka





Japan

If your friend goes to the interview and they are cordial then there is no problem, if a commissar enters during the interview your friend is in big trouble

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Made in au
Oberstleutnant






Perth, West Australia

Bullockist wrote:
 prplehippo wrote:

Seriously, you think GW would actually do that? Good sculptors are pretty hard to find, especially with GW's high standards.

After seeing those centurion things and a few other newer releases from GW i think that you are right, good sculptors are hard to find.

That is a problem with designer(s) imo rather than sculptor. The sculpts are technically proficient from what I've seen of them, it's just the design they had to work from is ridiculous like a number of things GW has put out lately.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/06/10 02:56:37


 
   
Made in fk
Longtime Dakkanaut





Wishing I was back at the South Atlantic, closer to ice than the sun

I always thought that the existence of a 'blacklist' was a legal no-no. At least in the UK it was.

Not sure if the same rules apply in the US though. Can they actually establish if such a list exists? It could just be hearsay.

Cheers

Andrew

I don't care what the flag says, I'm SCOTTISH!!!

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Does a canoe with a machine gun count?
 
   
Made in us
Focused Dark Angels Land Raider Pilot




Magnolia, TX

GW is unaware that competition exists...

Your friends should be fine.

Captain Killhammer McFighterson stared down at the surface of Earth from his high vantage point on the bridge of Starship Facemelter. Something ominous was looming on the surface. He could see a great shadow looming just underneath the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, slowly spreading northward. "That can't be good..." he muttered to himself while rubbing the super manly stubble on his chin with one hand. "But... on the other hand..." he looked at his shiny new bionic murder-arm. "This could be the perfect chance for that promotion." A perfect roundhouse kick slammed the ship's throttle into full gear. Soon orange jets of superheated plasma were visible from the space-windshield as Facemelter reentered the atmosphere at breakneck speed. 
   
Made in us
Sniping Reverend Moira





Cincinnati, Ohio

 prplehippo wrote:


. Besides they are good sculptors and good talent is hard to find.


Can't imagine hiring someone that did work for Chapterhouse would fix that particular problem.

 
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




Bothell, WA

 cincydooley wrote:
 prplehippo wrote:


. Besides they are good sculptors and good talent is hard to find.


Can't imagine hiring someone that did work for Chapterhouse would fix that particular problem.


Sculptors do improve their abilities over time and with practice, you know.
   
Made in us
Sniping Reverend Moira





Cincinnati, Ohio

If I was GW I wouldn't hire a single person that did work for Chapterhouse. And I'd be completely unashamed about it.

 
   
Made in au
Owns Whole Set of Skullz Techpriests






Versteckt in den Schatten deines Geistes.

Bullockist wrote:
derek certainly holds grudges


And is a big fan of Internet Hyperbole it seems.

Industrial Insanity - My Terrain Blog
"GW really needs to understand 'Less is more' when it comes to AoS." - Wha-Mu-077

 
   
Made in au
Pustulating Plague Priest




Blacklist!?! Like they'd even read the applications, they'll look for the one that instead of being filled out, had skulls drawn all over it.

There’s a difference between having a hobby and being a narcissist.  
   
Made in ca
Sneaky Striking Scorpion





Ontario Canada

While GW may have questionable hiring practices or rivalries, something to the contrary we can point at is James Hewitt of Mantic games was hired to GW in March of 2014.


 
   
Made in gb
Ambitious Acothyst With Agonizer




Blacklists in the UK are illegal. The problem would be proving it though. just make sure you/they would be happy living in nottingham/Derby area




 
   
Made in ie
Calculating Commissar




Frostgrave

They'll hold grudges against people helping their competition. But they are also so disorganised that even though your friends are named in the mess of the CHS papers, the chances are the hiring staff will be completely unaware of it.

I'd suggest they apply and see what happens. More interesting will be what happens if they get it and are then found out.

There is precedent for hiring competitors anyway.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/06/10 08:07:28


 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




Louisiana

Herzlos wrote:
They'll hold grudges against people helping their competition. But they are also so disorganised that even though your friends are named in the mess of the CHS papers, the chances are the hiring staff will be completely unaware of it.

I'd suggest they apply and see what happens. More interesting will be what happens if they get it and are then found out.

There is precedent for hiring competitors anyway.


This.

But seriously, people are afraid to speak candidly about GW when they have friends/relatives/family members who work for the company. If former employees are literally concerned about retaliatory dismissal, I find it very hard to believe that GW 'doesn't hold a grudge'.

And with respect to Chapterhouse, the entire lawsuit was based on a grudge. And Gill Stevenson 'left' the company two months after the verdict. So GW seems to be happy to dismiss employees because of it.

Alan Merrett has repeatedly called the Chapterhouse Studios products poor quality, ugly, etc., and GW's position in the case is that Nick Villacci is a thief and a liar who isn't a 'true' fan of the game. If GW upper management learned that someone had hired a Chapterhouse Studios contractor, there would be a tissy for sure.

Kirasu: Have we fallen so far that we are excited that GW is giving us the opportunity to spend 58$ for JUST the rules? Surprised it's not "Dataslate: Assault Phase"

AlexHolker: "The power loader is a forklift. The public doesn't complain about a forklift not having frontal armour protecting the crew compartment because the only enemy it is designed to face is the OHSA violation."

AlexHolker: "Allow me to put it this way: Paramount is Skynet, reboots are termination attempts, and your childhood is John Connor."
 
   
Made in gb
40kenthus




Manchester UK

 AndrewC wrote:

I always thought that the existence of a 'blacklist' was a legal no-no. At least in the UK it was.


There's a lad in my industry who can only get a job with people he's never worked with/for. He's that bad.

Still manages to get a healthy contactor wage though. B*stard.

Member of the "Awesome Wargaming Dudes"

 
   
Made in gb
Grim Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain





The Rock

Re Alan Merrett-

He wouldn't be wrong quality wise. I think their stuff looks dreadful, I'm amazed people actually buy it. The only thing that I liked was the conversion kit for the Storm Raven. That's about it.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2014/06/10 08:28:11


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Made in gb
Insect-Infested Nurgle Chaos Lord






cammy wrote:
Blacklists in the UK are illegal. The problem would be proving it though. just make sure you/they would be happy living in nottingham/Derby area


I'm sure I've heard of them having something (once again thematically) called "the great book of grudges" (to go along with "virus bombing" problem stores amongst other things). Whether this is an actual, physical, thing or just an expression in GW circles I have no idea.


Games Workshop Delenda Est.

Users on ignore- 53.

If you break apart my or anyone else's posts line by line I will not read them. 
   
Made in au
Hacking Proxy Mk.1





Australia

 angelofvengeance wrote:
Re Alan Merrett-

He wouldn't be wrong quality wise. I think their stuff looks dreadful, I'm amazed people actually buy it. The only thing that I liked was the conversion kit for the Storm Raven. That's about it.

There is a difference between your opinion and legal facts though.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/06/10 09:28:33


 Fafnir wrote:
Oh, I certainly vote with my dollar, but the problem is that that is not enough. The problem with the 'vote with your dollar' response is that it doesn't take into account why we're not buying the product. I want to enjoy 40k enough to buy back in. It was my introduction to traditional games, and there was a time when I enjoyed it very much. I want to buy 40k, but Gamesworkshop is doing their very best to push me away, and simply not buying their product won't tell them that.
 
   
Made in jp
[MOD]
Anti-piracy Officer






Somewhere in south-central England.

To get back to the topic, whether GW holds grudges or not, if your friend does not apply he has no chance of getting the job, so he may as well apply.

I'm writing a load of fiction. My latest story starts here... This is the index of all the stories...

We're not very big on official rules. Rules lead to people looking for loopholes. What's here is about it. 
   
 
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