I was offered the job, and I just declined.

I have mixed feelings about the actual act of declining, of course, since it was a job, and I don't really have one of those, at least not in Canada.  But it also makes me feel like I am in control of my life, which I didn't feel I would be if I accepted this job.

The guy who wanted to hire me asked me to delete the offer letter he sent, which I have done.  But I have signed nothing, made no oral agreements not to disclose anything, etc.  However, I am sensible and am not going to tell you his name or the company name.

The job was to write what would amount to splogs. 

I am a blogger.  I've been blogging for about three and a half years in various venues and modes.  I've blogged for myself, and I've blogged for my employer.  I've guest-blogged on other people's sites.  But I've never blogged something that wasn't real.  I've blogged jokes - my favorite blog post ever is probably this one - it actually fooled some people.  And I've left out some things in stories, changed names, whatever, possibly even blogged fiction, but I've always noted when something was done like that.  I've never created a post that was completely fabricated in order to sell something.  And I hope I never have to.

And I won't work for someone I've never met, which the offer letter indicated I would be doing.  I am not interested in working where the company name is not on the door, where the CEO doesn't have business cards, where the company is incorporated offshore...it all seems pretty sketchy to me.  And I never got an email from the guy until the offer letter.  The only communication I'd had when I went in for the interview was a call from the offshore location, which was made with a calling card, so research was incredibly difficult until after I'd met with him.  He had all the info, I had none.  And what I found out over the weekend didn't please me.

I want a job.  Joey has been incredibly patient about my under-employment, and I really want to contribute more to our household.  But I won't do something that makes me feel icky. 

Sure, it was nice to have an interview and be offered a position.  I interview well.  But he was hiring me to write, and he never asked for a writing sample.  Possibly he did the research and found online that I can write.  But I tend to doubt it. 

So, on to the next thing.  It might have been fine.  But it might have been very bad, and I think it's better to decline the job than to go for a week and quit.  I've had ethical problems with an employer before - a long, long time ago - and I did leave the company.  I'd rather have less money and more integrity.