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There was a period this summer when I was able to say "I sell knives." Just being able to say that phrase when asked what I was doing for money over break made it worth the one month stint, if only for the reactions of others. "You see knives!?" was usually the response I'd get. "Yes," I'd say, casually. "They're in the back of my car." And they were. I'd keep my sample set of Cutco knives stashed away in a pleather tote in my back seat.
I'm not really sure how I got myself into this. Basically, I was desperate for a job and happened to get a letter in the mail. It was for a marketing corporation for college kids, and I figured I could use some office experience. Flexible hours and a high pay was the clincher. So, lo and behold, I called to set up an interview. Now, they didn't give me much information. Nowhere in this phone call was there the mention of knives, or selling anything for that matter. They assured me there would be no telemarketing or door to door sales. They told me I should dress professionally. When I got to the sketchy building, and went up through the back door, the sound of techno music was blaring. That should have been my first sign. When you go into a job interview that sounds like a rave, it's most definitely a red flag. Anyway, there were tons of others there waiting in their pressed suits and high heals. A few, I learned, even went to Binghamton.
After a brief interview and another 90 minute group interview, I was hired. I was told it was exclusive and I should be proud of myself. I wasn't particularly thrilled, but hey, it was a job. When I told my Dad, he immediately cried scam. When I told my mom, she said she actually had some Cutco knives that were wonderful. She may have gotten them from my cousin years ago. Well my cousins making a nice living for himself these days, so I figured to stick with it.
I had to take a three day training course, and put down a $143 refundable deposit for a knife set. To be fair, even though I didn't get paid for the training, I did actually learn a lot. For the first few weeks, I was doing great. I was selling knives by the set, I was making a ton of cash for working maybe 5 hours a week. It was all on my own time, with the exception of two weekly mandatory meetings, and even those were kind of fun. My boss was only 22, and we would dress up and just get "fired up."
I made some friends, others like myself. It wasn't until we all started secretly talking to each other that we realized we were all thinking the same thing in the back of our minds: cult.
We had to call in every morning between nine and ten. It seemed fair at first, but when they would shriek into the phone as I was still in bed, telling me I have to get up and start calling people and make five appointments that day, I got skeptical. I'm sorry, but I'm not calling people before ten; it's just rude, though they would encourage us to call after 7 AM. Oh, and we were only allowed to call people who we knew or recommendations from people we knew. So, they were already just doing us a pity favor by seeing us. The good part, however, we got $18.25, just by meeting with people.
It got creepy when they started calling my house everyday trying to "fire up" my mom. Telling her I've got to come to this meeting; "it's going to be AWESOME!" They would scream into the phone, when my mother would pick up at 8 AM or maybe 10 PM (I have a four year old brother who sleeps, by the way.) "YO, WHAT UP?!" Yes, to my mother. They'd change the times of meetings. They started to tell us we had to go to these conferences in Queens, and call people at ridiculous hours. They'd make up times and say we had no choice and had to be there (We weren't getting paid for these "meetings.")
They would pick out the weak kids. Those who were too nice to say no, and would have them doing free work for them all hours of the week. One kid I worked with, even told me they called him while he was in the hospital and told him he had to find a way to get into the office that day. He was "slacking off lately."
After you burned through your initial list of family and friends, and whatever small number of recommendations you got (people are weird about giving out their friends' numbers. Understandably so) you basically were done. What more could you do? I tried to quit a few times. I explained to my boss that I don't have anyone left to call. "Go through your yearbook," he would say. Yeah, okay. I haven't kept in touch with half the kids I graduated with, who am I to call them now? What do I say? "Hey, sorry I didn't call when your dad died, but wanna buy a $1000 set knives?"
"The beautiful thing," my boss so dreamily assured me, "is that you never have to quit." I tried three more times to quit, before I finally left a message telling them not to call me anymore. Around this time, I also discovered tons of hate groups on Facebook devoted to Vector Marketing, the period scheme/creepy cult.
I suppose, in the end, I benefited. Aside from the emotional trauma I suffered by the attempted brainwash, I did make money. I did greatly improve my sales skills. In any job, really, your selling something, right?. I learned some great psychological tricks and phone skills, so now I can convince anybody of anything. I was able to stand up for myself in a "corporate" situation. I guess these are all skills I'll take with me some day.








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All in all, 5000 dollars over 2 and a half months as a freshman in college + good experience = good job. Posted 08/07/2008 3:48 PMReply
"I guess the problem is, some people aren't cut out for sales."
The problem is that some people aren't cut out for selling out their closest relationships for some quick cash. you might have your 3k, but i have my dignity. Posted 08/07/2008 6:33 PMReply
While they are upfront with what they offer, they make it look so easy you will bite. And when you are even one visit short of busting your arse for your whole winter break, you won't get paid for what you were working for. Don't. Do. It.
The girl I know was short a few appointments and if it wasn't for here large BF showing up, she would have been S.O.L.
So That's my story. IF you want facts dig around, there are states thay call their tactics predatory, and make them alter their procedures due to many a kid wasting their time.
Wait tables, it's much easier work and you know you can do it anywhere..once your coworker gets another job you know youre as good as hired there also.. networking works.
You can be cut out for sales, however selling things people dont want for money they don't have just sucks. Posted 08/07/2008 11:00 PMReply
From my experience as a past Cutco rep and current med student, I've seen 2 different types of people, the hard working type who know how to acquire a well deserved paycheck, and the type that makes excuses and wants a fast track to success, which, believe it or not, does not exist. Vector simply separates these two distinct groups. Posted 08/23/2008 11:36 PMReply
HOWEVER...aside from the super annoying characteristics of the clan, their sales training program is definitely A+. I joined Vector 7 years ago when I was 19 years old. I stuck with it for 6 months before I got burned out. The sales training and relationships I created lasted for years.
That Vector sales training was the key ingredient that led me to eventually become a top producing real estate agent in 2003 and made enough income to temporarily "retire" and live off savings for a year and a half.
My buddy who was in Vector at the same time as me makes $50k commissions on multimillion dollar properties in Mexico now. The last time I saw him, a few months ago, he once again contributed his success to the Vector sales training.
I recommend that EVERY kid at least do Vector for 4 months. See thru the b.s. and just do it for the training.
I've been thru countless sales positions since. Nothing EVER offered the training I got at Vector.
DON'T get me wrong- at the time, I left there wanting to burn that building to the ground...(in fact I was so disgruntled that I sabotaged my boss by sending in over 200 magazine subscriptions that I tore out of magazines at the newsstand, filing in his info and checking the box that said "bill me later".) HOWEVER...despite my bitterness, I can look back NOW and see that the experience changed my life, as well as many other college students who were willing to make the MOST of it (not just go thru the interview and say "this is crap" and give up immediately). You really have to give it 100%, even if its only for 3 or 4 months.
Only regret... too bad CUTCO wasn't and MLM or I'd be filthy rich now.
-joshman2323@yahoo.com Posted 09/19/2008 8:10 PMReply
If you're thinking about joining this company, think again. Just get a REAL job. Posted 10/08/2008 5:13 PMReply
1. Sample deposit - it is precisely that, a DEPOSIT. If things don't work out, just ask for your deposit back. The company will force the manager to return it to you; it's just a matter of doing the legwork required to find out how to contact the manager. You can just go to vectormarketing.com and submit an online comment.
2. Pay - Yes, it's per appointment. If reps were paid per hour, their presentations would be 12 hours long. You have no idea how many reps try to scam their managers out of base pay; it's ridiculous. It would be even worse if it was "per hour." Managers DO have to pay you for all qualified presentations. You signed a contract STATING that, in no uncertain terms.
3. "SAVE," etc - Any company that is Vector's size has unhappy past customers / employees. It's a fact of life. No program of that magnitude can work out perfectly 100% of the time; it's IMPOSSIBLE. In fact every Fortune 500 Company has complaints lodged against it.
4. Past advertising techniques / lawsuits - Those lawsuits were based on past advertising techniques. All of those techniques have now changed. As a matter of fact, to ENFORCE the strict advertising policies, managers are "spot checked" randomly: every once in a while, managers will be required to send Corporate a copy of their local newspapers. This prevents any manager from ever advertising base pay as "per hour," etc.
Honestly, it's not going to be the end of your life if your experience with Vector is negative. Try it out for 2 weeks. If it's not for you, for whatever reason, just quit and turn in your sample kit for a refund. No harm, no foul. Plus, you can put it on your resume; even just completing the training seminar looks good. Posted 10/16/2008 4:19 PMReply
I GOT scammed by goldline promotions selling victoria jackson makeup at my work!!! oh why did i have to pay them with my credit card, if only i had cash instead, now i keep getting billed over and over each month!!!! help!!!! Posted 01/30/2009 09:37 AMReply