Applying with a company whose product I don't consume/ like

[Anonymous]

Curious to know the opinion of hiring managers and HR folks on this: I’m seeking employment with a company whose main product I do not consume. This would be akin to working for a coffee company and drinking only tea and hot chocolate; or working for PepsiCo and not drinking any soda, but OK with eating their Doritos. So, I would not have the moral struggles of a vegetarian working for a meat company; it's a personal taste issue, I simply do not like the product.
The position would be in corporate affair/ communications. How much would that hurt my chances with the company?

[Anonymous]

HR Bitch here: I don't think you should advertise that in an interview. If they ask if you like Pepsi, say instead that you really liked their marketing campaign when they did blah, or you admire how they blah. Find something positive to say.

If they ask you flat out, "But do you drink Pepsi soda? Do you buy it at the supermarket?" I wouldn't lie. Just say, "You know, the truth is I don't, but I applied for this job because I really admire what the brand does in regards to blah."

[Anonymous]

I'm not in HR so take this FWIW, but I think it would be fine to say "I don't drink soda/coffee/whatever, but I like your other products x, y, and z." It's not like you're saying, "No, I prefer Coke." If you were interviewing for a job at Phillip Morris, I'm sure they wouldn't hold it against you if you say you don't smoke.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the industry, doesn't it? I work in an industry in which many employees use the products, and many don't.

[Anonymous]

I worked for a company whose product I didn't even vaguely understand and couldn't explain if my life depended on it. (High tech).

I would do as HR Bitch tell us to do: Find something nice to say that you can say sincerely.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the helpful advice!

I've also thought about life after getting hired (if I do get hired). Those of you in those workplaces where employees didn't use the products, was that accepted? awkward at all for the employees that didn't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the industry, doesn't it? I work in an industry in which many employees use the products, and many don't.

Food/ consumer goods. So I think it would be obvious at meetings, coffee breaks, if I don't consume the product.

[Anonymous]

I work on a product I don't own and would never own because I consider it inferior to many other products. Not a problem unless you start telling people that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not in HR so take this FWIW, but I think it would be fine to say "I don't drink soda/coffee/whatever, but I like your other products x, y, and z." It's not like you're saying, "No, I prefer Coke." If you were interviewing for a job at Phillip Morris, I'm sure they wouldn't hold it against you if you say you don't smoke.

I had a friend who worked at Reynolds and did not smoke. It wasn't a problem that she didn't smoke, except for her -- because tons of other people did and no areas were non-smoking (for obvious reasons, I suppose). She said meetings were awful and she always wound up nauseous after any meeting lasting more than 30 mins because of all the smoke in the air.

I imagine this is less likely for just about any other product, since someone else chowing down on Doritos or Coke doesn't affect you the way smoke does. Still, something to consider.

[Anonymous]

Funny, I declined to consider tobacco industry jobs not because I didn't smoke, but because I did, and loved it too much. Would have been like Pooh and the honey, except Pooh becomes a wretched honey junkie.

If the product in question is potentially universal, it's potentially sensitive. Pretty much anything else, it seems quite plausible that whatever consumer segment the product targets is not the same as all the employees. Unless you fit the target segment really well, in which case it's an issue. Then again, you don't necessarily want the biggest fans of the product making strategic decisions.