Yesterday I had a my first interview at a Marketing company in Hull. A friend of mine had reservations about it but I was determined to see it through, even if only for experience. It was a standard interview I would have thought. Discuss my experience/education, what the job entails, my transferable skills. But I found that most of the interview was them selling the job to me. Like they needed me not the other way round. I would like to say I was sold, but there was something in my head saying it wasn't right.
My friend had told me that they try and sell you this dream of working up the system and becoming a marketing mogul. But it's just not the case. Being told that I would probably be on the streets selling charities and working off commission was not what they sold to me. And I suppose not what they are selling to all other wide eyed graduates.
The office was small, but nice, and allowed for them to seem to be working in a good environment. But there was one office. And it was the directors office. So if I'm not walking the streets where is my office. All these questions came to mind when I was sat in the little waiting room flicking through some 2 year old magazine. why was the reception so large when there was only one office? Coming to the conclusion before I had already gone in that something wasn't right and they were overcompensating for something, I pretty much switched off in the interview.
So it bares the questions, is this a complete scam, or will it be my saviour?
I had a similar situation with a company in Manchester last year when I was a recent graduate looking for a job. I thought it was odd that they could interview me the very next day and after my interview rang me at 7 on the evening to ask me to start the next day. I only found out after something rang true with a friend of my mum's whose son had worked for the company for 3 months and was still yet to receive a pay packet despite spending cold days wandering round towns he didn't know trying to sell ideas to people on their doorsteps. His mum said they pretty much managed to brainwash some of the easily-influenced graduates and that they had to force their son to quit and abandon the pay he'd never received. I'm very lucky that someone had experienced it before me and could tell me it was a scam.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI've basically done the same thing. I went through the first round of rather short interviews and tomorrow I get to do my 'assessment day' or some such thingy, and by the looks of things it's walking around making sales.
Did you end up going back? What was it like? If you have any more information I'm interested. I read up on minimum wage laws and I've got some (hopefully) tough questions to ask on my... 'assessment' tomorrow. No way am I working for free under the guise of an interview.
Hi Holly,
ReplyDeleteI actually came across a similar opportunity last week, with a Leeds-based firm called 'United Leeds Endeavours' and a Sheffield-based firm called 'Unique Client Solutions.' I found it strange that both invited me to interview with them within a couple of hours of my application, and stranger still that their websites told me nothing about their workforce, or indeed what they themselves do (besides 'marketing solutions'.)
I dug into it a little (search 'cobra group' on google) and found a few people who have had interviews at these companies and ones like it. Many, like you, mention the bizarre office set-up, and how the promise of 'fast track' promotion seems a little empty given the circumstances. In many cases, no paperwork is signed even after they 'hire' you.
With regards to what the job actually entails, there are a few horror stories about being dumped in a far-out area of town and spending upwards of 10 hours knocking on doors, only to be expected to make your own way home. Oh, and pay is 100% commission-based.
While I can't speak for this specific job, I imagine it'll be door-to-door, or something with clipboards down Whitefriargate outside HMV.
One plus point, if you can call it one, is that some people have said that while they hated the job for the limited period they did it, they did pick up a few interpersonal skills with all the door-to-door interactions. A bit of experience, I suppose...
I personally cancelled by interviews as swiftly as they were offered, having decided that this wasn't for me.
What happened in the end? Did you go back or opt out? I notice this was posted over a month ago. I actually saw the same job advertised, googled it, and got here.
Regards,
Jonathan.