So.
I am a current Cydcor slave, but I'll be quitting tomorrow. I don't want this report in any way to reflect badly on the specific company with whom I'm working, Strictly Advertising. You have read reports about individual companies who are honest, decent, and forth-coming: they are talking about Strictly. They never lied directly, they never presented the business as anything other than what it is (after I was in training), and they are good and decent people.
BUT
Misrepresentation isn't really the issue. Any of us who lasted to the end of the first day of observation knew in our heart of hearts what was going on: we knew we were signing up to be exploited, to work with no security, and to give our lives and money for our superiors and for Avi Roth. And we did it because we bought that dream they sold us. That was the first real sales job we saw when we started: the way they sold us the dream of financial secdurity, riches, and being BETTER than all the other 9-5 slobs out there. They sold us a shortcut, and we, brothers and sisters, knowing better, swallowed the bait anyway. We were blinded by greed: we were willing to be exploited so someday we could exploit others. It's how angler fish catch food. And yeah, they lied about how everyone who wants too makes it, and about how many people make it, and about how much people are making in your office each week. But they didn't lie about anything illegally.
And THATS the scary thing: everything they do is legal. And that legality is the basis of the whole organization. A vendor hires cydcor to sell the product. The vendor is not responsible for anything that Cydcor does to sell: it's limited liability taken to a whole new level. Cydcor, in turn, farms out the selling to a child company: now, Cydcor is immune from prosecution. The company liscences YOU, the 'employee' to sell the product: since you are not a direct employee, the company is immune from prosecution. Only you are not immune. So you sell. If something goes wrong, they fire you: they don't have to pay unemployment, since you never officially worked for them to begin with. If you make the sell, the company (and Cydcor) get a cut. And because Cydcor (and the company) don't pay you a salary, it doesn't cost them anything to run the business: it's capitalism without the capital.
And because Cydcor doesn't pay you, they don't have to charge the vendor very much. Cydcor is a lot cheaper. And because of that, they will grow. They're already huge, but they'll take over more and more of the market, because they can underbid anyone else in the business. Traditional sales jobs, with salaries, pensions, and benefits will disappear: replaced by cheaper, more exploitable workers. It's like office temps taking over secretaries and minor executives: inevitable, and scary.
So, that's the ghost in the system. You take all the risks, do all the work, until you get promoted (just hang in there!) and you can take money from the poor schmucks you'll get to exploit. Except that Cydcor will still be exploiting you anyway, taking money from your company while you pay all the expenses.
So good luck out there, and be careful.
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