Top ten signs to RUN FAST when dealing with Trek Alliance:
10. You get called 'out of the blue' by a random recruiter who seems way too nice. S/he first asks "What are you looking for in your next job?" and after you reply, they say, "That's exactly what we're hiring for."
9. A person's name appears on caller ID and since you don't recognize it, you let it go into VM. Being a professional you decide to call them back in hopes that it might be a good job opportunity, you are constantly fed into a personal voice mailbox. NOT ONCE did my contact ever pick up the phone when I called back. She let it go into voice mail and then would call me back seconds later.
8. You arrive a half hour early at the office for your interview and call from outside to ask if the contact can see you now. She says "Sorry, I have a few things to do before I can see you." If a future employer does not make the time for me at 6:00pm, only being 1/2 hour early, F*$# them.
7. You walk into a bare office (no computers, decorations, fax machines, etc), where there is a sign-up sheet at the front desk and a futon in the waiting area. There are also many other 'candidates' in the waiting area. It is not a personal interview, but yet a 'group' interview where they bump you from one rep to the other talking about personal stories and fishing for connections from college, home towns, sports, or work-related horror stories. They bop to the beat of the background music and they agree with everything you say.
6. There are TREK employees planted in the audience who, on command, shout 'oooh' and 'aaah'. The BS factor is bright and shiny by this point. I almost burst out laughing a few times at these people... One guy sprayed the cleaner into his mouth. The sad part is, they are such bad actors that you could see right through them.
5. During the presentation they say your name a few times — always in respect to making tons of money, of course — and even throw in a few 'personal stories' about how his overweight brother lost 50lbs with the weight loss pills or when Rich Von himself, called in on the speaker phone to encourage new employees. Oh, yes, it was such an honor to hear his voice. Give me a f&^%in break!
4. When you begin to ask questions about salary, benefits, work hours, vacation time, etc... They blow smoke up your ass and tell you that it's the best job they ever had. "None of that matters, " they say. "You come and go as you please..." While, still, avoiding my specific questions... And then, of course, it was back to how much money they make.
3. When I told them I was skeptical they said "That's great. It's good to be skeptical. It's because you're smarter than the rest. It's innovative. It's a risk. It's a new industry. You have the drive to succeed..." Then they lead into, "all you have to do is sign for a starter kit ($50) and you'll be well on your way to $5,000 in your first month." They also showed me a 'scrapbook' of Tekkie's first pay checks in various amounts. BS I tell you, BS.
2. Well, I was so intrigued at this point by what they would do next (I was holding back my laughter) that when the other candidates started to leave, one by one, I decided to hang around to see their next move. Ah-ha — drinks. They offered to take me out for drinks... A great business move... But not this time. I declined and said I was meeting a friend for dinner.
1. The next day I called my 'sponsor' (left her a voice mail, of course, because she's too afraid to answer her phone) to explain to her that I was not interested in pursuing a career with Trek and she called back, within seconds which I let go to my VM (I didn't need another pitch)... Her message stated
... That I have insulted her f*^$&ing integrity and that Trek was not a scam (I didn't mention anything about this: guilty conscience?) and that I just lost one of the best f*^$&ing opportunities in my life... And that she saw enormous amounts of talent in me but that I was so f*^$&ing pissed on my someone else that if I keep letting others influence me against great opportunities I'd end up f*^$&ing lost and confused with no where to go in life.
Yadda, yadda, yadda — you get the point! It was easily the most unprofessional thing I've ever heard in my life. Well, all I can say is that I hope outlets such as this one save some poor lost sould from making a huge mistake and getting involved with one of these cult schemes. I am grateful that I listed to my intuition and didn't get caught... I hope you don't either.
Take care of each other.
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