The words I would use to describe my time working at Guidance Residential are religious manipulation, exploitation, and dishonesty.
I was religiously manipulated day one, consistently told how “you are making a difference” and fighting the good fight against RIBA. I was trained on how to religiously manipulate customers through certain phrases to validate the costly payments compared to other lenders and pressure them to go with Guidance. This religious manipulation extends to justifying my low wages.
I was expected to perform the duties of many different positions, all for an unlivable wage. The compensation is severely below average compared to the market and overall in the industry. It was encouraged and promoted for me to work well beyond the average working hours without pay or overtime, I was told that it is necessary and needed to achieve success. The company spends millions on marketing to Muslims nationally, but all of a sudden has no money to pay me a fair wage.
I had to throw out any chance of having a social life, spending time with family, and having hobbies. My life was working from 8:00am-11:59pm, including weekends.
The longer I spent at Guidance the more hypocrisy I uncovered about the “Muslim” upper management such as having mortgages that aren’t with Guidance Residential. Nepotism in its highest form, The CCO, Vice President of Guidance home Services, several members of The IT department, and some members of operations are all immediate family members of the CEO. That’s salaries, bonuses, and benefits going strictly to one family who has the most to gain from the companies’ success. This led me to question the merit in the positions of the company and explained the high turnover rate I witnessed.
I was left to feel like nothing but a mere object in the long run who is lining the pockets of the top. I felt like I was paid poorly, exploited, and treated like a dog by being given a treat in the mail every few months as to say “Thanks for making us rich you chump.”
The longer I stayed at Guidance the more I came to the conclusion that it ultimately is deceitful and hypocritical. They claim to offer a halal product, but the more I learned about their private investors the more I questioned the claims that the funding was halal. I also questioned the positive reviews for the company, if anything I found the negative ones more truthful. Shirk is promoted through many methods such as decorating the office with Christmas trees and Halloween decorations but when Ramadan and Eid come around the office looks like any other day. I was encouraged to pursue worshippers, which I view as harassment, during Jumaah, Ramadan, Taraweeh, Eid, and all Prayer times in multiple masjids when one should be focusing on worshipping Allah.
Whoever remains away from them has kept themselves safe and has protected their faith and honor.
