Competitive Marketing Concepts — a company that is all over careerbuilder.com and monster.com... Proud owners of the "shadiest" operation I've ever interviewed with.
Before the Interview:
First of all, they don't even have their own office. They share a single-office space with Marlin Marketing. Furthermore, *6* people had interviews all scheduled at 2:15 PM! Naturally, business professional dress was required, as was bringing a rsum.
They handed out two sheets of paper with ignorant questions: the first page was contact/education information that would already be listed on any decent rsum; the second contained a series of assanine statements such as listing the "five forms of marketing" as if you were taking an exam at a community college. Unimportant questions like "What do you do in your spare time?" were also response required.
During the Interview:
The interview takes place in a "coat closet" roughly twice the size of my apartment bathroom. I told my interviewer, Joe, that I was a bit uneasy that I couldn't find any information about the company other than the fact they are incorporated and apparently pay franchise tax. He got a little short with me from that moment, insisting that I couldn't possibly have gotten this information from monster.com (of course, idiot... I went to US Government resources).
After he tried to talk Competitive Marketing Concepts up as being the next big thing, I asked him to "be honest... Is this door-to-door sales or what?". Again, he became short with me and changed the subject to the glory which is CMC. I asked him what a typical day would be like in this job, and he told me about schmoozing customers... Actually using the phrase "bullshitting".
He never quite got around to how "bullshi*ing" pays a salary, but from the abbreviated knowledge I was able to squeeze out of him, it sounds like telemarketing but face-to-face. Sales are made to consumers, not businesses. You WILL NOT be dealing with Verizon or SBC as the interviewer claims — you will be begging their customers to upgrade so that you can put food on your table. Straight commission sales where noone seeks you out... Yum.
He told me of the hundreds of people who are salivating for this job and that he is trying to weed the group down for second interviews. When asked if I would like to be considered for a second interview, I declined. To this, he said "you wouldn't have been a good fit for our company anyway."
Save your time, money, and gas... Keep looking. This is a fly-by-night operation at its finest.
PS: Research these companies such as SBC and Verizon that they are so proud to work with. Competitive Marketing Concepts doesn't write marketing plans, present campaigns, or even advertise for any of them. They simply make their employees into walking direct mail pieces.
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