My Vector Marketing Experience

I've read quite a bit about Vector Marketing and would like to add my own experience with the company...

Let me start off with a bit about myself: I'm a university student who is taking some time off from school to work and save some money. Job seeking is generally a long and exhausting process, and I applied at many many places with no luck. During that time I was desperate so my sister sent me a website link for a company (Vector) that is hiring students. She got it from campus, so I thought it must be legit and applied.

After my application (online) the website gave me a phone number to call and I did. They asked I come in that very day for an interview. Obviously I was excited and went.

The first I noticed, which gave me a dubious feeling, was this: the office is a tiny room in a general building, and it is disorganized, dingy, and completely umcomfortable. I was later 'interviewed' by a manager or whatever for, no joke, less than a minute. Later I was whisked for a 90 minute long seminar with this other applicant where the same manager talked and talked and talked about the company.

After the seminar, I was told I was hired. I was like, "Yeah!". Happy and all dubious feelings gone, I went home and told my sister and family about it.

Their reactions to the company's promises (such as "(guy's name) who worked with us profited 40 grand during a three month work period one summer") were completely dampening. They were skeptical and made me skeptical too. Still, I had my training dates set and decided that I would attend.

As most of you know, this training, a three-day period and 5-6 hours per day, is unpaid. I went for the first two days (there two other trainees with me) where the head manager of the office (not the person who 'interviewed' me) ranted on and on about how great an opportunity the company was. We went through the booklets and were taught some stuff about the company and how it works and blahblah.

(Continued below)

Sorry for not continuing earlier... but moving on.

The night of that second day I decided not to go anymore because I went online and didn't like what I'd read. Also I couldn't afford the starter kit ($112) which they required me to buy on the third day. ALSO my parents were encouraging me to quit.

So the next day, early, my trainer calls, and this conversation occurs:

Me: "I'm sorry, but I'm no longer interested in my job with Vector."

He asked why.

I said, “I have some personal reasons.”

He asked why again.

“Personal reasons,” I said.

He demanded what these personal reasons were. By demanded, I mean demanded.

I said, “That is the whole point of them being personal reasons. They are reasons that I don’t want to share.”

He demanded I tell him anyway.

I asked, “So are you trying to make me tell you my personal reasons?”

Do you know what he said? “Yes, I am.”

Anyhow, I was getting increasingly irritated but remained polite and rational (and I am entitiled to personal reasons I would think!)

He quickly got fed up, said, “This is a waste of time!” and banged the phone closed. BANGED. It was like boom. I thought, “Oh, okay then.”

Now, I am not in any way very experienced with employment, but I have had enough jobs in the past to realize how unprofessionally this guy acted about the situation.

My inexperienced unprofessional self would have handled the situation like so: I would have asked the reasons, and upon being told they were personal, told the trainee, “Well, I don’t know what these reasons could be since you won’t tell me, but I would like to say that that is too bad. If you would have been able to tell me we could have discussed your situation or any concerns you may have. You would really be missing a great opportunity. I would encourage you to reconsider.”

I’d also like to know this: why was he so desperate that I tell him my reasons and continue with the company anyway?

I am glad to be done with them.

YOUNG STUDENTS BEWARE: Take it from a seasoned hiring and training manager...this is not a good job for you.
Scenario: I was called by a representative and told I would be paid $15.00/hour as a customer service rep to answer client questions. I have a full time job but wanted a part-time one as supplemental income. This was fine.

When I arrived I filled out a form and a sign said to sit and wait quietly and wait for a manager. I was taken by the structure and the yound man in a suit that came out to say hello and talk on his cell phones about cutlery. Eventually a young man turned a radio that skipped and the room started to fill up with other "very young" applicants. Feeling a little out of place being over 40 the others said they were students looking for jobs.

I was supposed to meet with "Fred" but was called in by another assistant manager that I would guess was maybe 20. I was told this was the first stage and if I had time there would be a second stage for about 90 minutes. I was asked from 1 to 10 (best case) how I would rate my communication skills...I said 10. When asked why I let him know I'm a previous corporate trainer, seminar speaker, and currently an expert in relationship selling in my full time job. I was asked if I looked up information about Vector I told him "Yes" that they sold cutlery and the company had a preference for students to teach them business acumen and protocal. I then asked him the golden question..I was told this paid $15.00 per hour to be a customer service rep. He informed me that they paid $15.00 per appointment and you go to peoples homes to sell cutlery. When I asked why the bait and switch the interview was basically over and I told him with a smirk that I guess I didn't make the cut.
Students and young folks....you do not want to start your professional career at this company. The biggest risk I see here is your safety going to people's homes with knifes???? You can do better!

crootworld@aol.com in Lake Worth, Florida said: YOUNG STUDENTS BEWARE: Take it from a seasoned hiring and training manager...this is not a good job for you.
Scenario: I was called by a representative and told I would be paid $15.00/hour as a customer service rep to answer client questions. I have a full time job but wanted a part-time one as supplemental income. This was fine.

When I arrived I filled out a form and a sign said to sit and wait quietly and wait for a manager. I was taken by the structure and the yound man in a suit that came out to say hello and talk on his cell phone about cutlery. Eventually a young man turned a radio on that skipped and the room started to fill up with other "very young" applicants. Feeling a little out of place being over 40 the others said they were students looking for jobs.

I was supposed to meet with "Fred" but was called in by another assistant manager that I would guess was maybe 20. I was told this was the first stage and if I had time there would be a second stage for about 90 minutes. I was asked from 1 to 10 (best case) how I would rate my communication skills...I said 10. When asked why I let him know I'm a previous corporate trainer, seminar speaker, and currently an expert in relationship selling in my full time job. I was asked if I looked up information about Vector I told him "Yes" that they sold cutlery and the company had a preference for students to teach them business acumen and protocal. I then asked him the golden question..I was told this paid $15.00 per hour to be a customer service rep. He informed me that they paid $15.00 per appointment and you go to peoples homes to sell cutlery. When I asked why the bait and switch the interview was basically over and I told him with a smirk that I guess I didn't make the cut.
Students and young folks....you do not want to start your professional career at this company. The biggest risk I see here is your safety going to people's homes with knifes????

crootworld@aol.com in Lake Worth, Florida said:

I didn't have the room to say this in the other post.....

Have confidence in yourself....you can do better!

crootworld@aol.com in Lake Worth, Florida said: I didn't have the room to say this in the other post.....

Have confidence in yourself....you can do better!

I was so excited when tyhey "hired" me and now I'm having doubts. wow! I told almost everyone in my family that I have a job, now I have to explain to them that it was a scam! UGH!

Aya Myst in Toronto, Ontario said: Sorry for not continuing earlier... but moving on.

after u sed how they kept asking u when u sed personal, lol i decide to call dem toeday (may 20, 2011) and quit. he ( the manager) asked me why and i told him wlel i heard alot of negative stuff and overall i dont think that i can handle this "job". he wanted details so i told him i researched last night and almost all of the posts were negative, also my friend did it and quit also.

I wanna thank my friends for advising me and looking out for me, and to the people who posted feedback whether negative or positive, Thank You!!!!

I applied for Vector once, at around 7pm. As soon as I was done with the application (about 10 minutes later), my phone rang, and it was Vector! That was a big tip off to me that something was not right (who does this type of business/recruiting at 7pm?). I ignored the call, and went online to research the company only to find that it was basically a scam. They continued to call me non-stop everyday for nearly 3 weeks. I ignored every call, and I warned anyone looking for a [marketing] job to stay far from Vector. I feel bad for the young people just entering the workforce who get taken by these people. Just keep looking and the right position will come to you.