What's the company culture at Countrywide Financial?

Every business has it's own style. What is the office environment and culture like at Countrywide Financial?

Are people dressed in business casual, jeans and t-shirts, or full-on suits? Do folks get together for Friday happy hours and friendly get-togethers?

What is a typical day in the life of an employee at Countrywide Financial?

I'd like to know this information as well. I may be starting there next week.

Working at Countrywide is like a sweat shop. Don't do it. I've been there.

Host said: Every business has it's own style. What is the office environment and culture like at Countrywide Financial?
Are people dressed in business casual, jeans and t-shirts, or full-on suits? Do folks get together for Friday happy hours and friendly get-togethers?
What is a typical day in the life of an employee at Countrywide Financial?

The worst company to work for. So many fault promises every step of the company. They purposlly lie and lie just to keep your bonus money and promotion.
My advise is do not go their at all. I have worked their before.

Host said: Every business has it's own style. What is the office environment and culture like at Countrywide Financial?
Are people dressed in business casual, jeans and t-shirts, or full-on suits? Do folks get together for Friday happy hours and friendly get-togethers?
What is a typical day in the life of an employee at Countrywide Financial?

The worst company to work for. So many fault promises every step of the company. They purposlly lie and lie just to keep your bonus money and promotion.
My advise is do not go their at all. I have worked their before.

I worked at Countrywide for almost 2.5 years, and was hired on to be an AE (they call them PLCs in the corporate office now....). During my first interview, I asked what the compensation was for the average AE. The Mgr told me that the top performers in that particular group made $180k and the average was $120k or so, with the 'bottom-feeders' making $75k. Sign me up, right(!)? Wrong. The guy made it seem like you'd make six figures just for showing up, but most of the AEs there were making mid-30s, if that.

I wouldn't recommend working as a "PLC" there. Mgmt will move you around based on their needs without much if any notice. It's very political there, and those promoted are usually sucking up to mgmt or RELATED to mgmt. Nepotism is huge there, at least in the corporate offices. You'll get burned out and won't have much if any money to show for it.

I've worked there for several years in the corporate office. Every time anyone asked for me to help them get a job there, I told them I'm doing a favor if I don't. The company has probably the worst culture of any company. Basically, all employees are expendable and treated as such.

Avoid working for this company.

I wasted 5 plus years of my life and career with tcountrywide; the culture is that of Despot Tyrants in charge regardless your own position (because you wouldn't post this were you their peer); you will meet and deal with wannabe a despot types who will attempt to make you responsible for their work; you will not have or ever have adequate equipment; your personal life may be spyed upon as a matter of personnel routine-and you'd better get ready to work work work no matter how organized efficient and Covey-Franklin goal oriented you are - forget your good track record- your new "culture " will be one of you the slave. I held AVP status and two corporate promotions -Nothing I said -however correct and timely- and little I did delivered promised wages, bonuses, overtime pay, decent treatment to the employee groups I worked with and I was sadly the link to the tyrants in sr. management. If you took the job- get out fast.

Hi I read your comments and its really sad that things did not work out for everyone.

I am contemplating making a decision on whether to re-apply for employment with CountryWide for a 2nd go around. The problem that I've encountered is the background check that I was subjected to because of low fico scores though no fault of my own, but life circumstances(i.e. divorce/domestic). I am very upset and a bit angered that someone would deny you employment based on your credit score. After receiving news from the Human Resources Department that credit/background check is part of their hiring criteria, it really put a bad taste in my mouth. The interview with the hiring managers of the department went well and I received a call from the hiring manager that the Vice President of the Department was very impressed with my background and would like to extend an offer but contingent upon company background/credit check. I thought great. But than I received a call from Human Resources that they could not extend an offer of employment. I was very upset as I really wanted to work for them after getting a feel for their cultural environment and after doing some research about the company.

At one point, I was considering writing someone in upper management with regards to this sensitive subject.

I am just dumbfounded that my credit situation would limit me with my abiltity to gain employment with a financial institute. You know a crazy thought comes to mind about addressing this issue with key congressional members. I have to ask myself do they really care.

Obviously your credit is a circumstance and not your own fault. My take is that you follow up and explain yoru situation. Dont give up, sometimes people work mechaniocally and base their decisions on the score itself and not on the reason of why you got the score... You persistence may be a "plus" in the hiring process. Just don't give up until someone with influence or a decision maker, understands the issue. You have nothing to lose by persisting... and may be a job to gain.

I have been a software consultant for many years now, and I have been to many types of businesses. After a decade or so, you get pretty good at immediately spotting the less desirable firms. The disaster offices really jump out at you. This company falls into the latter category.

Here is how my interview went:

1. I went to the lobby and checked in with the security lady, who wasn't about to offer a smile or a hello. I signed my name on the sheet, and as I handed the clipboard back to her, she glared down over her glasses and mumbled, "Lee... Leah... Laya...". She was trying to pronounce my name, which I had purposely printed in the most legible way possible, to make it easier for her to copy it to a badge. I told her my name anyway. She peered down at it again, and laughed derisively with a half-hearted "Ha!". Oh, my - and it just got worse from there.

2. I was escorted by a very nice lady who might/might not be my supervisor to a conference room. She informed me that the other supervisor, Ilya, was running a little late and would be in shortly. I asked some generic questions to pass the time. 5 minutes. 10 minutes. 15 minutes. Finally, I see him through the crack in the door. He's on the phone making a personal call.

3. We all sit down at the conference table and the phone conference is started. Introductions are given, and I notice everyone has the same manner of speaking. Short, clipped, exasperated is how I would characterize it. The people I am facing are even more bleak to look at, seemingly always waiting for some horrific event to unfold right behind them, like a beetle that wandered into a bird sanctuary.

4. Ilya starts asking questions. I say "asked", but in fact, it was the bloody inquisition. He took the most abrasive and confrontational path available to him during this interview, and I was growing increasingly irritable because of his rudeness. "You put a bunch of numbers on your resume - why did you do that" was one gem I remember.

Host said: Every business has it's own style. What is the office environment and culture like at Countrywide Financial?

Are people dressed in business casual, jeans and t-shirts, or full-on suits? Do folks get together for Friday happy hours and friendly get-togethers?

What is a typical day in the life of an employee at Countrywide Financial?

THEY DO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER

I was the top producer in my region for 3 full months and my salary averaged out to $54,000/year. Easy way to get mortgage experience as they are hiring like crazy though...

Krsigl in Irving, Texas said: Hi I read your comments and its really sad that things did not work out for everyone.

I am contemplating making a decision on whether to re-apply for employment with CountryWide for a 2nd go around. The problem that I've encountered is the background check that I was subjected to because of low fico scores though no fault of my own, but life circumstances(i.e. divorce/domestic). I am very upset and a bit angered that someone would deny you employment based on your credit score. After receiving news from the Human Resources Department that credit/background check is part of their hiring criteria, it really put a bad taste in my mouth. The interview with the hiring managers of the department went well and I received a call from the hiring manager that the Vice President of the Department was very impressed with my background and would like to extend an offer but contingent upon company background/credit check. I thought great. But than I received a call from Human Resources that they could not extend an offer of employment. I was very upset as I really wanted to work for them after getting a feel for their cultural environment and after doing some research about the company.

At one point, I was considering writing someone in upper management with regards to this sensitive subject.

I am just dumbfounded that my credit situation would limit me with my abiltity to gain employment with a financial institute. You know a crazy thought comes to mind about addressing this issue with key congressional members. I have to ask myself do they really care.

I am having the same problem with Countrywide about my credit and I can't work with staffing agency's because they check you credit too. I just can't believe that a company would choose your credit over your experience.

Kelly in Raleigh, North Carolina said: I'd like to know this information as well. I may be starting there next week.

Dear mellon eatin,drooling,southern idiot,
JUST ASK YOU BOSS!!!!!!!

Why do you think it's called "Countryfried"?

Yes, I worked there in Tampa for a year as a temp. as a Loan Coordinator. I finally got considered for a permanent job and they did the background check and credit check on me. They wanted to hire me, but they did not like my credit report, so they declined to hire me. Just like that. I had to leave the premisis right then. I actually had nice people to work with. I hated to leave. It is a financial institution, and they have to be able to trust you with client's SS#'s. HR must have thought that I could be desperate enough to steal other people's credit! Even though I worked in Sub-prime, and those people's credit was often times way worse than mine!!!!!

blackcat13 in Tampa, Florida said: Yes, I worked there in Tampa for a year as a temp. as a Loan Coordinator. I finally got considered for a permanent job and they did the background check and credit check on me. They wanted to hire me, but they did not like my credit report, so they declined to hire me. Just like that. I had to leave the premisis right then. I actually had nice people to work with. I hated to leave. It is a financial institution, and they have to be able to trust you with client's SS#'s. HR must have thought that I could be desperate enough to steal other people's credit! Even though I worked in Sub-prime, and those people's credit was often times way worse than mine!!!!!

What is your name , I am sorry that you probably left without saying adios to the people you work with , iam curious to know your name , i maybe worked with at subprime :)

Yes Zamira, I remember you! This is Ellen. Yeah, I had to leave right then. I was upset, and did not want the embarrassment of everyone knowing that I was leaving, and them all asking why and soforth. After that, I got another long term temp job at another big company making MORE money! It is only for 9 months, but, hey, it is a job. I am sorry I did not get to say goodbye to you all. I guess it all worked out for the best anyway, because it would be worse to be hired by CW, only to be laid-off a few months later! Which is probably what would have happened! Who is still in Tampa, and are there a lot of layoffs?

Wish that I had read INDEED before going temp-perm with Countrywide, ie. Landsafe. Training very poor, promises of "declines" on work submitted for review, no sticky pads allowed, certain documents that need to be shreded not allowed in "to be shreded" boxes supplied by the company for their janitorial service to pick up 3-4 times a day. Not a company for professional college graduates with knowledge to consider.

If Countrywide rejects you based on your credit score, I don't think that it will help to explain that the score was not your fault. They're wary of people who might have incentive (low credit score) to steal someone else's identity. At least, that's what they told me when I interviewed with them. I haven't heard back yet, but credit score will not be a problem for me.