First and foremost, I do want to point out that (as far as I know) these companies are legitimate and are recognized by the state governments. While they are not a scam, their practices are sub-par. They are sales people who have the ability to mislead you into taking a job that you don't want.
Energy Imports is a door to door, sales position. Don't let the fancy marketing title fool you. Cosmo is also a sales position, but we would set up tables in front of major retail stores and solicit people (called "events"). High turnover is expected in companies like this, and they will say almost anything to get people on board. This job is not meant for everyone. This companies makes big promises. It starts with a job, with fast promotions after only a few week which will lead into ownership of your own company. This job requires long hours, 6 days a week. Do not jump on onboard if you can not handle it.
All of this sounds good, I am aware. I feel into the same trap. The purpose of this post is to warn people of the dangers that are inherant within companies like this. I was blessed enough that, once I realized that this job was not what was promised to me, I could leave it. Others will not be so lucky.
As glamourous as it sounds, the actual job is far less glamorous. The following are some of the biggest promises made to me about this job, along with the truth:
1) You work for/alongside a non-profit.
- Cosmo Child SAfety is a for-profit company. While they do have a contract with the CPEA (Child Protection Education of America, a non-profit to help missing kids), only a fraction of the proceeds will go to the charity. For example, we normally would have ~8 products on our tables. Only 2 of the products had the CPEA logo on it. Only 20% of these 2 products went to the CPEA. Everything else went to the manager/owner.
2) You will make a base salary.
- This is partly true. Until you get your first promotion, you will make a base salary. This is usually no more than 350/wk. I was told I would make this plus the occasional bonuses, but once you make it to leadership, you will be working on a 35%commission only. To make sure that you can make your base pay and make enough money to live off of, you will be expected to work 6 days a week. If you do not work Saturdays, you will not make your full base pay. Also, in order to make decent money, you will have to work Saturdays and you will have to grow accustomed to at least 10 hours days.
3) We would work in and around our office.
- This is also not true. There are territories all over north Georgia that you are expected to work. We actually worked in South Carolina for a week, which is almost a 2 hour drive. There is no way to know where you will work and you are not reimbursed for gas. Also, if you get lost, that cuts into your time at events, which will by default hurt your sales and your commission for that day.
4) You will not be working solo.
- This is perhaps one of the biggest myths about this job, but especially for women, is one of the most important ones to discuss. When I was hired on, my manager told me that we did not work alone. Not true. You are expected to work alone, so that managers/owners can make more money. People make more money on solo days, because they don't have to split the commission between 2 people. When you do go out alone, you are sometimes paired with a day of observation, which is essentially a stranger who follows you around for the day to make sure they can handle the job. With Energy Imports, you will ride to a territory with other team members, but you will be on your own.
Like I said, this job is not for everyone, and I respect those who can make a living out of this. I wanted to make sure that others were aware of the dangers of taking a job like this. I hope that my testimony can keep others from being trapped in this job.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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