Ok so I was inspired to write this after I saw a similar complaint about Maxwell Marketing and I felt compelled to write my own experience with Executive Marketing.
I graduated with a Degree in Public Relations from a pretigious university about three weeks ago and I have moved back home to Boston to start my job hunt. Where I was living was too expensive and it's easier to live at home with mom and dad without paying out the ass for rent.
So I started my job search on craigslist when one of my friends told me to try BostonWorks.com - thats where she found her job and what she's told me about it - is amazing, so I had high hopes.
I saw Entry Level PR - Executive Advertising. I figured it couldn't hurt to send an email and see what happens so I sent them an message with a little blurb and my resume.
To my surprise someone from their office calls me about three hours later. Telling me how great they thought my resume was (not too toot my own horn but I have to agree, i went to an amazing school and had even more amazing internships in the music industry) and they wanted to meet me the next day for an interview! The next day?! No I needed time to prepare (so I thought) so I scheduled it for the following monday.
Being the overachiever I am I spent hours in Borders reading books about successful interviews and flawless presentations. Monday comes and I'm confident as hell. I go into the building and I fill out this application much like one I filled out at American Eagle when I was 16 - but what did I know. I had an interview with someone we'll call "Donny" (that's really what I kept calling him). He tells me straight off this is not SALES. I don't think anything about it but in my head I keep thinking about my best friends horrible experience with Maxwell Marketing - but no this is going to be different. He raves about my resume as we talk about things from some of the jobs I've held to sushi and new years. I was excited and thought it went amazing. He told me I'd be contacted between 4 - 4:30 if I was being called back for a second interview. He told me it wouldn't be that day but probably during the week!
Surprise! I'm out with my friends later and Donny calls me for a second interview! Boy was I excited! He tells me congratulations and tells me Wednesday is my day! Bring a warm coat and good shoes - wait what back up? What are we going hiking?! My friends joked and said they'd put us outside and whoever made it longest without dying, won! I told my best friend (who had went on a similar interview with Maxwell Marketing) and she warned me again - but being Miss Suzy Sunshine I held my head high and tryed to go in with a clear head.
I get to Executive Advertising in the morning and I see about 6 other people just like me! Woo it's like a group thing. Nope. We all got paired off with and Account Executive (sounds fancy huh) and I get paired off with "Kara" (not her real name of course, she was nice I don't want to embarrass her)."Donny" tells me he paired us off cause we were one in the same and he saw great things with me. "Kara" informs me that we're going up to a New Hampshire town. Great nice and COLD!
While on the ride she tells me what they do. Pretty much they sell ski/celtics/various discount packages DOOR TO DOOR. I tryed not to be shocked by this. Gee I wish I knew this before I woke up early. No appts. Just ambush marketing. I ask her about pay. All based on Commission. If she sells a $40 package she gets 34% of that. You do the math. Flash forward to the day she sold 3 which works out to be about $40. For a 9 hour day - just doesn't sound fair? No benefits till your like in the 3rd phase of your job there which could be up to a year and if your a recent college grad you should know the face I made. I do see how this job can be very lucrative - but when I pull 40 bucks a day for crappy work - it's not going to fly. PS They pay for their own gas to go to all these places - but you can use it as a tax write off at the end of the year. Nah, if I'm gonna shell out my own money I want it up front. Again I just graduated from college paying off loads of loans, I need all the cash I can get.
We get there and get ready for our walk - which she then tells me is usually about 5 miles. Ok again i'm in very good shape and I liked walking - but shouldn't they tell you this even before they interview you? What if you can't do it and your screwed when you get there realizing you can't do it. We went into every shop mostly small mom and pop gadget shops in this sleepy NH town. Most saw us coming and said no we're not interested on the spot. A few held up friendly conversation with us but then we're like NO sorry. Met alot of interesting people to say the least. I'm a huge chatter - and "Kara" told me prior that I'm not supposed to talk since I'm ONLY an interviewee.
We held nice friendly chat on our "hike" while in and out of private businesses. We would go into doctors offices which really made me uncomfortable - honestly we would hold lines up so she could try to sell the package. It was just so unprofessional. Finall, 4 hours later, after my feet have finally warmed up we're done and heading back.
I get quizzed on the way back on things I will have to know for the questionaire as they called it but I knew it was a quiz. All this goofy stuff I should have just blew it but I'm a geek and I wanted to get them all right - regardless if I liked the job or not.
When we get back "Donny" is all set to meet with me again. He talks to kara really quick for a little evaluation on me and asks me in his office. He pretty much tells me he wants me to start tomorrow and I tell him of other interviews I have set up and I would like to have something to compare. I figured that is a respectable answer and he gets all inquisitive? With who, where, is that what you want to do? He then says fine we'll keep your resume (as if he's doing me a favor) and let's me go and I try to leave so bad. Kara tells me she enjoyed the day with me and she hopes that I will call and say that I am available.
Honestly I don't know if these people value their college degrees, but I worked my ass off for mine and I sure as hell wasn't going to sell stupid stuff door to door.
Not to dumb it down for people who do it and value their jobs - but any idiot could do it.
I just want everyone to know about this place and not to waste your time if you think it's something else. But hey if this is your bag go and apply they'll answer back to you within 5 hours.
Ps. I also lost 10 bucks in this day. Not being familiar with the area, I parked in the garage below the office and payed out the ass.
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