job offers

I have a question for you all.

I used to do a job that is very stressful. I was an "Accident Benefits Adjuster"

In Ontario we have no-fault injury benefits when you are in a car accident. The government wrote a legislation that indicates how/when benefits are paid. It is a very confusing legislation, and there is a lot of insurance fraud out there. I was one of the claims adjusters who handled the claims requests.

I almost had a nervous breakdown at my old job before I left. I was handling over 120 claims cases, plus I was the only one on staff with any investigative/fraud knowledge, so I got all the suspicious cases (which required more time to handle). I was over-worked, over-qualified, and underpaid.

My problem is this. I have always said I would NEVER EVER EVER go back to this job. However, I keep getting job offers from employment agencies who have seen my resume on workopolis, even though I haven't applied for the poisitions!

I am worried that I would get into the same problem, too much work, too much stress. then I wonder, maybe I just worked for a bad company. I heard there were some companies out there that set a maximum of only 60 files to handle.

Do you think it would be worth pursuing some of these offers? Maybe make calls to the company directly (and secretly) and ask some adjusters there whether the working conditions are good or not?

I would consider going back if I was exclusively handling fraudulent/suspicious files, and if they set a low limit for file handling (no more than 45 files maybe), but I don't know if any company would consider that.

I just don't know. I am drowning financially right now in my current job (I am getting only part-time hours due to a shortage of work) and no one else seems to be hiring.

They're with different companies? If so, I say go for it. Can't hurt and when you're in the interview you can be as blunt and as questioning as you want to be because you have nothing to lose.

I'm sort of in a similar situation in that I've applied to pharmaceutical companies in the past and have accidentally gotten jobs that involve killing a LOT of animals, which I just won't do (obviously). But one particular job interviewer only told me the specifics of the killing after I was hired which kind of spooked me. When I left that place I felt sick and as a result, I've been hesitant to apply to companies I don't know a lot about, which is also not ideal either...

Anyway, all that to say you only have to decide when you have all the facts and they say "you're hired".

I would contact the company and ask the questions you need answered before you take the job. Or, even in the interview is the time to find out. I've turned down jobs before because I found out during the interview it wasn't for me. Turning down someone after they interview you won't hurt you. If anything, it'll prevent you from wasting thier time filling a postion with someone who probably won't meet thier needs, and save it for someone who really wants it.