I am currently unemployed, and as such a good business opportunity is something I must take. When I saw an ad in the local newspaper saying 'FHM' (ironically a strong branded image, even though the job has nothing to do with the magazine group!) and 'Fun Hard Work = Money'...I was intrigued!
I emailed off a copy of my CV straight away, and soon after I was offered the opportunity of an interview in Maidstone... this cost me GBP10 in Diesel for my dads car, as well as GBP5 for the parking. It also cost me lunch and a coffee but that's my own personal expenses!
Anyway, I arrived at the interview bright and early, and it only took a few minutes before I was told that I had 'Really impressed' and was invited back the very next day for an 'observation day'. All seemed well, all seemed legit, and all seemed above board.
The next day everything was upturned. I arrived to what I thought would be a professional working atmosphere to find crowds of people cheering and stamping, I was told they are often like that early on the in the day as it gets them 'thinking positive' for the day ahead! (Hmmm, using cheering and lots of telling people to 'be positive'...)
I was then introduced to a nice young lady (no names) and a nice young man (same) who would be looking after me for the day. They seemed alright to begin with, we went for a coffee in the local 'Costa Coffee' (paid for by them) they bought me a notepad because I was unprepared (paid for by them) and we discussed the job. The first thing that got me was the jargon.
I studied business at quite a high level, and while I'm no supremo, 2 exams and 2 A Grades don't lie. I had never heard the term 'Human Commercial' until I was there. I had never heard people referred to as 'negg heads' or the term 'negging out' until I was around these people. But still the one thing annoying me was that they were all so happy and positive.
Shortly after, I had lunch (paid for by them... they appear to have money to burn these people... weird!) and set off for a car journey into... Well I won't kid you, the middle of *&*&* nowhere. It took absolutely ages of recycled air, pitiful dance music and god-awful people chain smoking and taking pro-plus tablets to keep themselves going. This is not a job! They pay their own petrol to go out into the field, they don't get free tea or coffee, they are hardly even allowed breaks!
Now one of the criteria for a cult is working long hours, with little in the way of food or breaks. This helps to break down the mindset of the person, making them less susceptable to reason than they may otherwise be. The hours are enormous. It's all commission based so the longer spent out door to door selling (yes, it's not marketing, or human commercials, IT'S SELLING) so often they can leave at 11am, and not be getting back to the office until approaching 12am midnight!
This is after having woken up early and got to work early... essentially if you wake up at 7am, to get to work for 11am, to not get back until 12am, that is about 18 hours, with most of it being working... outside... whatever the weather... on foot! Talk about being a glutton for punishment...
My advice, don't even give them a look... they have offices all over the place so if anyone says they are affiliated with 'Cobra Group' ignore them...!
Johnny
Folkestone
United Kingdom
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