This seems like a lot to read through, but I want to give you an idea of the extremes of this company's employees methods. It just seems very unusual to me, and I think it says a lot about the type of business this is.
A few weeks ago my friend and I were shopping, and she was approached by someone, whom she didn't recognize. Apparently, this was someone she'd met in college before she moved. This person was very interested in her current "employment status". Anyway, my friend thought it was strange, but she was hopeful that this person could help her find a job soon (which is something that was promised and numbers were exchanged).
A couple weeks ago my friend had to go to an orientation without knowing what it was for. I was confused because "orientation" is something you go through after getting into something (like school or work). I thought it was odd that this was the very first thing she had to do. I asked her how it went, and she really enjoyed the orientation. She said she was very interested in getting started with this company, but she was still job hunting (now I understand why).
About a week ago, my friend told me she needed at least 10 people to attend an orientation with her. I'm familiar with similar practices, and I helped her recruit people because I knew she really needed help. None of the people attending had a clue what the orientation was for, but many people came because the previous group (or those of the group that stayed and filled out the necessary papers and paid the 200 dollars) was promised money for bringing in a certain number of people. My friend had 10 people so she got 100 dollars, and I knew she needed it. However, all the other people expected money as well, but since my friend had met the highest challenge, she was the only one who received money.
I was curious about everything from the beginning because I needed to find a job, and I was bringing some very impatient people. I wasn't given any useful details or information about the orientation. I was told the meeting wouldn't be very long (about 30 minutes to an hour), but I ended up having to stay longer than 2 hours. The orientation was long and redundant.
At least three "managers" spoke, and they were so busy trying to sell the idea that they didn't actually provide any details or infromation about what exactly they wanted people to do. Finally, when they were finished with their brainwashing tactics (yes, that is exactly what was going on), one man remained to answer questions for anyone curious or interested in joining Primerica. There were very good questions asked, but still, no real answers. This had no idea what to say, and to me, that says a lot since he supposedly learned and gained so much with Primerica and was in a management position. The feedback was so vague, and at the end, everyone was still wondering what all of this was about.
It was clear that there would later be somekind of training and licensing, and once you filled out their paperwork, you found out they wanted your 199 dollars immediately. This money is supposed to be reimbursed after you acquire your license, and honestly, from what I've discovered, that 200 dollars comes out of the money earned through training (therefore it is not actually reimbursed, but if you go through this training, you will get that money after you are licensed).
I was very uneasy about all of this, and I wanted to think it over and look up more information about Primerica. After all, I had gone to a very late orientation, which lasted a very long time. I was tired, hungry, and irritable so I just wanted to go home. The people there were very persistent and pushy. Why would they need to be like that if this work was so easy and such a sure thing (as every manager and employee had been saying throughout the entire night). Furthermore, what kind of business has late night orientations and has to be so secretive? They must be hiding something.
Last week, I got a phone call from my friends manager. She, of course, was trying to bring me in. I felt like this was a pyramid of sorts, but I saw that aside from the licensing, I wouldn't lose any money. However, I was worried they'd drag more people into this through me, and I wasn't comfortable with getting people I know involved in any of this. I don't know enough about it, and I don't know why they should make money off of my connections.
Anyway, this manager said I could arrange meetings with six people for my training so that my licensing would be paid for (this is because I refused to come up with that money and I don't have a credit card—that is another disturbing thing about primerica. They either get your money or your credit card right away and you still don't know what's going on). It's hard to come up with six people who meet the criteria. Apparently, Primerica is only for homeowners and families. I suppose it's more about transferring debt than investing money.
I couldn't get a clear answer about what I should tell these six people about what was going to happen, and I was told it was best that I didn't mention what I knew about Primerica because I wasn't a person with the right experience or whatever to explain it. This woman practically gave me a shady script to repeat to these people, and I was offended by that because that isn't how I handle things. I'm very direct and honest. I would tell people everything I knew.
Also, I was informed that they would be subjected to a smaller version of what I experienced with Primerica the previous night, and that isn't the business I thought I was getting into. I wanted to help people with their finances not sell business ideas or unclear opportunities. Although I feel this would be a waste of time for people I know and they might be upset, it seemed like a good deal at the time. I thought if nothing else, I will be licensed, and that should help me find work. I can never have too many areas covered for job hunting.
Well, I see how I won't lose money, but I couldn't get anyone to tell me much about the training or any "education" that might be required. I don't see how this is a sure thing that will make me any money whether I'm willing or not (I have no place to work from and I don't care to be a professional recruiter for Primerica). I don't understand the working environemnt or situation. Where am I supposed to work from? I was told I'd be meeting these people and taking their information and sending it out to someone else who does all the work, but I now see more of the recruiting being expected and less helping people financially—and still, no office to work in.
I think Primerica is working too hard to recruit people (without much actual business being involved—it seems to be more about referrals), and I don't see how this is good business for all of the people who are recruited. How many employees can Primerica have under it in a given area? How does this work? There are many things that just do not make any sense.
I'm afraid that Primerica is benefiting by pulling people into this scheme, and unless a person is willing to be just as pushy as the rest, there is no way to make it in their business. Why are Primerica's people going to such great lengths to drag people into this? I don't care to be used or have my connections used to bring money to citigroup and whatever else Primerica is connected to through that big spiderweb of money. There wasn't much I recognized on that list.
I can see a small portion of what they're trying to convince people they do, but that is only because I'm familiar with citifinancial, which has been helpful to my family. Aside from that, I felt like the people at Primerica were just blowing smoke.
Basically, I don't trust Primerica. I'd be afraid to get involved any deeper than I have because these people seem to have something to hide. I'm too straight forward for this BS, and I'm very frustrated with the unanswered and unanswerable questions. I also don't appreciate being told that I shouldn't be direct with people about what is going on. If I'm going to get anyone else involved in this, I want to know as much about it as possible so I can be perfectly honest with them.
I don't care to be brainwashed or convinced to lie, mislead, or anything of that nature.
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