I did my first promo with Via Models back in March of this year. I have yet to be paid on this, so I called and spoke with Shari. Normally she is very quick to answer calls/emails when she is trying to find a job for you, she seemed very pleasant. However, this is not the case. She has avoided emails, calls. I've called multiple times this week, only speaking with her 3 times. She sent my check to the wrong address May 6th. I called the post office and they said it was returned to sender. My correct address is on my application, on file, yet she still sent it to the wrong address. She then tells me I will need to pay a check cancellation fee. It was her mistake, I do not believe I should, and will not, pay this fee.
The event I did in March was a disaster. I worked at Sam's promoting a product, the managers were completely unaware of the event. I didn't get my instructions until 30 minutes before the event, then was given the wrong address. I made the purchase as stated on the instructions sheet; at Sam's, you need a membership card to make a purchase. Something Via never mentioned. That was a mess in itself. I told myself I would never again work with Via until...
Sometime in May I got a call from Shari again. Lifetime was doing a promotion for the show Army Wives and I was told it was a once in a lifetime deal. I told Shari it sounded great, but I have a full time job and it was short notice. She said I would highly regret missing this and it would be worth it to ask my boss for 2 days off. I did this. Shari told me the event was paying upwards of $700 for 4 days of work. I would be working with actors, Lifetime crew members and that this "once in a lifetime" event would be a great way to kick start my career.
I showed up the day of, on time. Turns out I had to wait 2 hours because they pushed the event back (no one bothered to call me). When the 2nd girl finally arrives, we are told to grab duffle bags, fill them with ear plugs and koozies and start handing them out to Nascar go-ers. Our job is to walk multiple campgrounds, in the rain/heat, handing these out. Going from trailer to trailer. We were warned by multiple security guards that 2 girls shouldn't be doing this alone with the crowd they get. He esorted us out and told us not to come back. We reported this to the lady running the event on site and she told us stories of girls getting pulled into campers, vehicles, etc. The other girl and I are shocked. This is the once in a lifetime experience? I asked what the pay was and the girl working the event told me she wasn't at liberty to say. I completely half the day before I called Shari. She told me $12.00 an hour! Hardly the intial "$700 " she told me. Needless to say, I finished the day, but not the whole event.
I called/email Shari and never heard back. There was also another talent manager, Nick, who was making rude, sexual and inappropriate comments to other girls. Still haven't been paid for this, but after trying to get this check situation sorted out, Shari has the nerve to call me irresponsible for not finishing the task. The moment I found out I was lied to and the event was misrepresented, I could have, and should have, left. You don't interview for an accounting position and stay with the company when you find out you'll be doing janitorial work.
NEVER AGAIN will I work with this unprofessional, unorganized, con artist company
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