As I'd feared, I couldn't stay with the "marketing" company for long. The job required too many lies and sneaking around. During most of the day, I was extremely uncomfortable and had a difficult time completing my job. The company is also very deceitful to their own employees and I learned that on my first day.
When I was hired by LOA Marketing, they told me there were only three open positions and one had already been filled. On my first day, I realized they had lied to me to create the desire and urgency within me to want the position. I followed the girl who was training me and she gave the exact same speech to the person she was interviewing. It was very well rehearsed. On my last day, I learned they need about 15 employees and their office only had six because they had just opened. She also let slip the name of the parent company: Smart Circle. I was able to do some research and my worst fears were realized.
I used Glass Door, an amazing website that tells you about companies and pay for positions across the country. Many former employees described Smart Circle as a "cult" and "deceitful." All of their businesses interview large numbers of people daily to keep up with the number of people that quit. They claim you can be in the top level of management, owning your own business, in 8 - 10 months. They also told me that in about six months, I'd be a manager and learning HR, accounting, etc. I learned that wasn't exactly true. Yes, you may learn those things, but you're still out selling for 9+ hours a day and they throw in quick little lessons on other things. People have degrees in these fields and it's hard for me to comprehend how you can learn the intricacies of these in just a few minutes a day. One person on Glass Door pointed out that each business comes up with their own name so it's impossible to research them and find out their scheme. This was exactly the problem that Brandt and I ran into when I was considering taking the position.
A Snapshot of a Normal Day
Every day starts at 8 a.m. (management comes in even early to prep boxes for each employee). We'd count our merchandise and load the cars then practice pitch for about 30 minutes. I found that part helpful because I could ask others how they approach a situation or how they sell X product I was having trouble with. Then the owner came in and gave a pump-up speech or lesson. Somewhere in there, the new people are required to "teach back" the selling rules. I tried it once and I was completely rushed and even interrupted for the meeting. Everything is so rushed, there is no concentration on learning; just sell, sell, SELL! However, they're not a sales company, mind you. One reason I bit the bullet and tried working there was because of the opportunity to train people and learn about management. I realized the chances of actually learning enough to be helpful one day were slim.
Then, we'd pair up and the leaders would take a person who'd made it to 2nd round interview and show them a typical day in the field. This is when I learned my trainer's well rehearsed speech and my first insight into the lies woven throughout the company. Finally, it's off to sell. There are no real breaks and I had to quickly snarf down my lunch in a hot car so we could go sell even more.
Here's where my morals clashed with the company. My trainer would make me sneak in with her to businesses and try to sell as much as possible before getting kicked out. She'd often say, "I'd rather ask forgiveness than permission." This was at odds with everything I stood for. I knew we should go to the secretary or whoever was at the front and ask if we could interrupt their employees. She said she enjoyed sneaking past the "gate keeper." I had horrible pangs of guilt the whole time and was very uncomfortable. We'd get yelled at to leave and she'd play dumb. I would just look down and wish the day was over. I knew better and it was hard to fight the voice in my head saying what we were doing was wrong, which is the main reason I quit.
We'd also go to regular businesses, and this part I liked better. I was able to talk to business owners and employees about the makeup without fear I was breaking any rules/regulations. I know the product wasn't terrible so I could honestly sell it. It was very hard work, mostly in the sun, and the workday was 10 - 12 hours long. I ended up making half of minimum wage. I'm sure if I'd stuck with it I could have made a lot but it was too hard for me to push past what I saw was wrong.
They say they're not in sales, but that's all we did. We'd use special techniques to make people want the items and to upsell them. Though, it's not called upselling, it's a "rehash." I learned a lot about subversive and subliminal ways that people sell things. Unfortunately, it often works. I'd walk away from a sale and feel terrible. Had I just tricked that person into buying that makeup or did s/he actually want it? It's a great deal, honestly, but it didn't sit right with me.
I am very proud of my small town upbringing and the honesty and morality my parents instilled in me and my siblings. I want a job I'm not ashamed of and I want to help, not trick people. In all honesty, I'd rather go back to work at Wal-Mart (which, was the worst two years of my life). They treat employees terribly and I was constantly yelled at my customers, but at least I could live with myself. The few days I worked at LOA Marketing, I woke up in complete dread. I'm upset that I'm not earning money any more but I couldn't sacrifice my integrity any longer.
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