Would You Take A Job At Hikvision?

This arose because (1) Hikvision is one of, if not, the top hirer in video surveillance now and (2) because of the increasing awareness of Hikvision's Chinese government ownership.

I can see people making a case for each side (e.g., positive side certainly includes quality products, broad lineup, willingness to win any deal, price no object, etc.).

Curious to see how people / respond. Share your thoughts why or why not.

[Update: also see: Would You Take A Job At Axis?]

btw, if you really want to get a job at Hikvision, here is you shot to take a public stand, criticize me and help yourself stand out....

This is an interesting topic for me as I've been in this situation recently.

As a previous AXIS employee I chose not pursue a career at Hik even after being approached by them. After years of selling the higher price / higher quality (lets not debate it here..) I couldn't bring myself around to it.

Hik is starting to show some small signs of original innovation so perhaps in a year or two this won't be the issue it is for me today.

Yes, please, John can get you my resume if anybody's interested.

Anonymous because I don't want my coworkers seeing this.

Yes, success and competitive brand in surveillance market.

John, if you can help me i will send my LinkedIn link fro my resume to your mail

Not a chance - I will not even sell it.

I've been approached with offers from Hik as recently as two weeks ago, and I maintain my vehement disinterest, not only because I'm extremely happy where I am, but as a result of all the negative feedback on them I've heard from credible sources. It goes without saying, too, that I would rather leave the industry altogether than sell my soul to Hik.

Since 2010, with each offer I have received, I have heeded subsequent warnings from my friends who either accepted positions at Hik or had already fled. Another most recent trend, my friends at ADI have been telling me to run in the other direction now as well. The typical basis of their warnings were being run ragged only to then be somehow screwed out of compensation, terrible customer service policies, abhorrent product quality, direct business sales models which they felt were creating a conflict that would burn bridges and tarnish past relationships for them, and with ADI... well, I think ADI big shots have a short list of reasons why they want to stop feeding this monster they've created.

As if these weren't compelling enough reasons for me to avoid Hik, I also loathe the idea of reporting to one particular slimy, conniving, weasely douchebag of a VP.

Pass.

Has anyone considered this company manufactures IP cameras being sold and installed to protect critical US facilities and is owned by the Chinese Government that is accused of cyber security violations/attacks by our government??

As a consultant i cannot recommend the product. It would be a shame if there were in fact, no devious issues; because I hear no complaints from folks that use their products (notwithstanding the above) cant take that chance.

Don't know how many noticed this at ASIS, but there were a lot of Americans staffing the booth this year. Last year it was only Chinese. Did anyone else sens this.?

Oh no; Hikevision is mind controlling Americans to take over the US of A!!!

I'd rather take a Hik than take a job.

I was approached by Hik for a Sales Engineer role just over a year ago.

The guy (I forget his name) who I spoke with about the job...who would have been my direct boss, was a dick.

You could tell in his voice that he either hated his job or hated dealing with people...or both.

In any case, not a good impression about the company or the individual.

When you breed a culture of contempt you have no chance to succeed professionally or personally.

I ran from the opportunity very quickly.

I interviewed there early last year and found them to be totally unorganized, cheap, (they made me fly 5 hours cross country the morning of the interview drive an hour across town, interview for 2 hours then when I missed my return flight that afternoon (yes, same day in & out) they refused to pay for a hotel room!) and clueless when it came to their expectations...and this was for a management position...

Of course all of this was before they hired Frank DiFina...I think he may have been the only person to bring them a little class! They also have a history of being right up there with Avigilon when it comes to turnover...I have seen them let some pretty good people go.

I would say...stay away...FAR AWAY!

Nah, funnier to crack their shit, u can't do that as employee, ethically..

We are on the East coast, I dont have anything bad to say whatsoever so if that is what you are seeking move on to the next rant. I started selling HIKVISION with Zero knowledge about the company or the products or the staff or the upper management. I have worked with Local product support (first class), technical support from California (professional , super knowledgeable and called me at home at 10 pm to offer a 2nd solution), as far a Sales well, he answers my calls every-time I call and has supported my questions many times on Saturdays and Sundays. We sell higher end systems, larger systems possibly, and have had issues arise when you push new products to the edge. Speaking of the edge it is nice to know that when you are under the gun, feeling the pressure of making sure your customer is 100% cared for and Jeffery He calls to let you know he has your back, that is different, HIKVISION is different, they are an excellent organization with growing pains but the right people are in the right places and they will do nothing but get better because there are many dealers like me that understand that difference.

THANK YOU HIKVISION

Business is Business

If you consider just pay & benefits and it´s a good package, why not? Maybe i or you could be a valuable asset for them and change things for the better.

And ultimately.... it´s the people that make a company =)

Edit: I voted Yes.

And yes i am an IndigoVision employee. But that´s my opinion and my personal view, no strings attached.

=P

I voted maybe because every man has his price. You can all get up on a high horse and say "not me", but if the money was right, you wouldn't turn it down.

That said, it doesn't seem like they are tossing all of that Chinese cash around on employees, so maybe it is just me dreaming.

And to second Marty's comment about his rep being very attentive, I can second that as well. My rep answers emails almost instantly, no matter what day or time.

Heck, I even ran into him at the grocery store this weekend, but he made it known he was an Ohio State fan, which took his credibility down quite a few notches in this humble Michigan fan's opinion.

For those of you unwilling to take a salaried position with Hik, there is ample freelance work available as well:

[Note: Poster is from Dahua]

I could not imagine working for anyone other than the chinese in this market. It really must hurt the sales people from other companies soo much when you lose deal after deal to hik and dahua.

Once Hik buys Avigilon then everyones finished.

No, cause I would not like to support globalization in that manner... Even if the quality now is adequate, market monopolization, which is a number one goal, will lead to great quality degrade in the future... Star status will kill or significantly slow down the need to evolve as it already happened with Intel and Cisco. The other way the company will become a big acquisition monster of ideas and patents like IBM.

That was in Cisco Russia... One of sales representatives regularly talked to customers like this: "You are not going to buy Cisco? Are you crazy? Everybody buy Cisco!" - that was the main argument. I don't know what happened next to him after several complaints from customers but the treatment matters!

I wont work for communists and since the gov/military in Red China owns most of Hikvision that makes them communists.

No. For the same reason I cannot vote for either current presidential candidate. Morals and ethics. Perhaps in this industry, that removes me from much more than Hik, but it's a non-starter for me. The company must have a strong reputation for ethical behavior and the very fact that this conversation is happening brings too many questions to light.

This is an interesting discussion to be sure. In my own opinion I think that anyone considering HIK as a perspective employer need to weigh their own circumstances and career ambitions. Personally I would not accept a position with HIK, but in the same breath I certainly would not find fault with a colleague who did. This is based on my own professional ambition and career path. Look at it from the perspective of a father with a teenage daughter, and the manufacturers are potential suitors coming to the house for a first date in the most generic stereotypes:

Axis would be that preppie guy with a nice car, good haircut, and respectful. He's headed to college and his future looks bright. You are comfortable and not very worried when they leave.

Pelco/Honeywell is that big dude on the football team, he has his own car although not a nice as Axis. He's the guy that you take an extra minute alone with to make sure you see eye to eye, regardless of his size... but you trust your daughter and the kid is well mannered and smart.

Samsung/Sony is the nice middle class kid down the block. His grades are ok and you've known him for a few years; he's headed to the local community college. he is driving his moms car or else your daughter is driving. This is the kid that you worry if he can hold his own if there is trouble when the kids are out on the town, but you trust he is not the Don Juan type.

HIKVision is that inevitable kid that shows up on the motorcycle and honks his horn in the driveway. He is not interested in earning respect or approval, and you're pretty sure he is "just this close" to being a criminal although you can't prove it. The one thing you do know is that she is not getting on that bike and you're pretty sure any date with this guy will require a parental chaperone!

Is this an accurate portrayal, probably not totally but I think it is an accurate perception of HIK vs. other manufacturers. Like it or not, as security professionals "Perception" is a large part of our job, and Trust is what we sell. I would not be comfortable working for a company, and especially marketing a brand that I did not fully trust. I have worked extensively with HIK product and found the devices to be user friendly and reliable and the competitive pricing is obviously very attractive for end-users with small businesses. Tech support has been helpful and well versed when I have required their assistance, albeit hold-times in peak hours are sometimes long. At the regional sales support level I have found them to be lacking in training and experience but that was not a deal breaker. At the end of the day there is the undeniable influence of the Chinese Communist party. In the world of high end controls and integration this is a deal-breaker. I could not with good conscience recommend a product noted for lax cyber-security and questionable sponsorship into a high security project.

Additionally, I personally take issue with their price slashing of the industry. I believe this to be a politically motivated operation. The business side of it is no more than a State sponsored subsidy meant to disrupt a global market for goods. It is easy enough to recognize some very similar and parallel conditions to how the Saudi's have been working to collapse the energy markets over the last few years. Politically, already as the worlds largest manufacturer, we do not know the real end game; nor what the effect of the disruption of pricing will have in the next few years. What w we can already see is a reduction of quality across the IP Cam industry. Technical support has been a close second in manufacturer cost reductions to try and maintain their market share against artificial price competition. What has been fact is time and again HIK devices have been subject to very easy cyber breach and has been slow to react and improve. Last week Brian Krebs (Krebs on Security) webpage was brought down by the largest DDoS attack ever seen. The dust is just beginning to settle but one thing that researchers and investigators already know is the majority of devices used in the botnet attack were IP cameras, DVR's and NVR's. It will be interesting to see deeper research over the coming months if device information is provided. I wonder how many HIK devices would be on that list?

Finally, last week Yahoo announced a breach of over 500 million user accounts, (mine was one of them) by a State sponsored attack. Which state, well we haven't been told that yet but where does you mind automatically go? Now explain to me again why this manufacturer would be acceptable in a US military base, embassy, or FBI office? I consider my reputation in this industry to be my strongest asset. Yes I have installed and sold HIK in previous employment. Yes the products I sold and installed were reliable and mostly did what they said they would. But I made sure those customers understood the risks associated with the pricing and provided alternatives. The question here is would I REPRESENT HIK as an employee, associating my hard earned reputation to theirs? No I would not.

Would I recommend it to a friend or neighbor who needed a low cost reliable system? Yes; and I have recently for basic low security applications with prudent precautions in place. But when my children's school, the local military recruiter, or the shopping mall who has a higher need for security and lower risk tolerance asks for a recommendation, it is simply not good enough, I don't trust it.

NOTICE: This comment has been moved to its own discussion: Axis, Hikvision, Honeywell, Pelco, Samsung As '"Your Daughter's Boyfriend"

I've had offers to work for Hik and can't bring myself to do it. I have at least 10 friends and former co-workers there. Most went there after being downsized and a couple on promise of great pay. When I inquired with my friends, they tell me that the culture is not one conducive to happiness and that the low end products fail more than we even know. Also, each has confided that they do not make nearly what was projected at the time they were hired. At least one former co-worker made it 7 months before quitting....that individual prefers not to list having worked for Hik on his LinkedIn page. What does that tell you?

Nice post!

What we can already see is a reduction of quality across the IP Cam industry...

You don't mean a reduction of quality in IP cameras themselves, do you?

Every year cheaper AND better quality, no?

I'm going to spend about $100k next year on cameras. If anyone here wants a piece of it, you should probably work for hikvision.

As a citizen of a former communist country I'd rather sweep the streets than working for communists once again.

I voted no, but let me just clarify -

Hell no. Not a chance in the world, for any amount of money.

I was actually offered a job at Hikvision and was recruited very heavily for it. My logic here is the same as it was for Dahua. I have held positions that required security clearances and most likely will again in the future. I did not want to deal with all of the crazy questions that could be generated by working for a Chinese company.

From what i have read really does go off the subject of "Would you take a job at Hikvison"

I have installed Hikvison product and had no problem with them, and yes if the people that i was going to work with seemed good then why not work for them?

Since they are proven to be majority owned by the Red Chinese Communist govt I would have to say Hell No. Americans working for a foreign govt owned anything should be a problem somewhere in laws regulating foreign trade not to mention espionage laws. That this is still a open for discussion in a "Security" discussion group is curious since it would potentially violate national security at some level.

No

Only to sabotage the Chinese government in any way shape or form I could.