I replied to an add on Monster.com for a management trainee position at Pembroke Acquisitions. I arrived for my interview and was asked to sit in a waiting room where 3 others were waiting. When my name was called, I was brought to a back office for a short interview. I thought it was strange I was being interviewed in an office that had no computer.
I was asked a few short questions about myself and why I wanted to pursue a career with Pembroke. I told them I was moving back to the area and wanted to try something new. I was told many people were being interviewed and only 3 people would be getting calls back by the end of the day. I was given the impression we would be the face of their clients to make sale pitches in front of executives or other higher-ups that would be making decisions. At no point was I told that I was signing up for a door-to-door sales position for 100% commission.
I was called around 4PM and told I was selected for a second interview. I was to bring another copy of my resume and wear business atire. I was told the second interview would be from 9-5 and make sure to be able to dedicate the entire day for this interview. I was also told that I would be meeting executives from corporate during my second interview.
At this point, I am thinking, they must really be interested in me if they are going to spend a whole day with me. Upon my arrival, I was asked to sit in the waiting room again and this time there were 5 of us waiting, which I thought was strange since only 3 of us were to get a call back.
I was the first one called and I was brought back to a different office to meet a "supervisor" and another employee. I was told this "supervisor" would be conducting my second interview and she would be deciding wether I was "management material." I felt something was fishy from the start. This "supervisor" looked like a mess, her hair was messy, her shirt was half tucked in, her suit was ill-fitting, and the name tag she was wearing was all torn and did not have Pembroke Acquisitions on it.
All 3 of us proceeded to get into the other employees vehicle. His vehicle was very small and I was forced to get into the back seat. Once in the vehicle, there was no air condition so we had to drive with the windows down. At this point, the "supervisor" starts talking about the company and what sets them apart. She continues to ask me a ton of questions about myself, my credentials, and personal information. Now remember, we are in a small car, I'm in the back seat, its Florida on an 80-degree weather day, I am in a 3-piece suit, and we are driving down the highway with the windows down and the "supervisor" is conducting my second interview.
On the way, I asked her if the people we were going to talk to knew we were coming and she told me no we just show up. This was another RED flag to me. So the other employee has a map and she tells me they are responsible for this section of Tampa today. So we finally arrive and he stops at a Shell gas station. The employee gets out and comes back within one minute and says, "They are corporate." They proceed to do this to every store/gas station/hotel on this street.
While waiting in the car with the "supervisor" I asked her how long the employee had been working and she told me 5 days. I asked her if he had sold anything and she stuttered and told me yes. I asked her if you have to provide your own gas and she told me yes. I asked her how long she had been working for the company and she told me since April and that she was already being promoted and starting her own office in San Diego. I asked her why San Diego and she told me that is where the new office is opening up. I told her I was just moving to this area, would I have to relocate. She tells me no, but my options would be limited. After about 5 places of the employee just getting out, the "supervisor" tells me we are all going to go into this one.
So we all get out of the car, she briefly tells the owner of the establishment why she is there and then she asks, "Can I see your bank statment?" For whatever crazy reason, the owners lets us back into his office and shows us his bank statement. The "supervisor" tells him she can lower his credit card rate from 2% to 1.78% and this does peak his interest. She then asks him what software he uses for his credit card machine and it turns out to be a software "Pembroke Acquisitions" does not support and we leave. This was the only establishment in the 2 hours I was with them that even let them in.
Evidentally, any company that is run by corporate is off limits to them, which is about 90% of the companies out there. At this point, I told her I was not interested and wanted to go home.
On the hot car ride home, she asks me why I don't think this is a fit for me. I explained to her if I was a business owner and you walked into my place of business and asked to see my bank statement, I would kick you out before your next sentence. I told her I feel you are pressuring people to do something they don't want to do and bothering them while they are running their business.
At this point, we arrive at my car and I gladly go home. This was a horrible experience for me and a HUGE waste of my time. I took the day off of my current job to go to this second interview.
Later, I found out the "supervisor" left my resume with all of my personal information in the car of the employee who had been driving us around. I was warned that Pembroke Acquisitions is cult-like and require you to work extended hours. This is a scam, watch out!
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