New Recruitment Strategies By Companies?
Yesterday, I was at the clinic with a patient when I received a phone call. The guy (who’s using a smart cellphone number) who called asked if I’d be interested to join in their company’s expansion program as a health consultant. I didn’t answer to that and asked him how he got my number and if somebody referred me to him. He said he got it from some “headhunter” that he couldn’t even recall the name (oh great, you’re trying to recruit someone and you don’t even want to remember people who referred that person to you. What about character references? Does he know about that?).
I asked him what company he’s working for. Then he answered me by saying words vaguely and were almost gibberish by the sound of it (he doesn’t even have a good accent trying to speak in English, which gave me the impression that he’s already memorized this part about his company and have been well-rehearsed to be able to say it very fast so I wouldn’t be able to catch what he exactly said). He only slowed down in talking when he was saying some buzzwords like “expansion”, “multinational company”, “compensation”, and “Stanford University” (oh, was he trying to impress me with the name? No, he didn’t. By the way he said “Stanford University”, I was only more convinced that there’s something fishy going on) and when he shifted to Filipino and asked, “Ano po ba ang specialization ninyo? (What’s your specialization?)”.
I decided to give him a little spin.
“I’m in primary care,” I said. I know not much people use the term “primary care”, but instead, use “general medicine” or “GP”, which stands for General Practitioner. And then came the blunt reply, “Ano ‘yun?”
“You don’t know what primary care is?” I asked him, trying hard not to laugh. If this person is someone who’s recruiting a doctor to be a health consultant in a company, he should know what “Primary Care” is. And to that question, he did not answer, but just continued on his gibberish how I WOULD WANT to be joining their company.
Then I asked him for his name. And as expected, he said it so fast. “I didn’t catch that. What’s your name again?” I told him again but did not wait for him to reply, but instead, continued with, “Can you please just call again after 15 minutes ‘coz I’m with a patient right now here at the clinic? Bye.”
And, yup, I didn’t let him finish what he’s trying to say. If he’s talking as if he’s hurrying, then I’m in a hurry too.
This call rather reminded me of the blog posts I’ve read in the past about some companies who recruit interested persons to join them. It seemed that there are a number of people who had similar experiences and I’m glad that I came across them.
Actually, what happened yesterday wasn’t the first time. I think it was around April or May last year that I found an ad at bestjobs.ph that an international wellness company in Makati looking for a health consultant. There’s a phone number provided in the ad but no email address or website, so I called the phone number and was told to come to their office located in some building along Ayala Avenue. And yes, there was no mention whatsoever of what requirements I needed to bring or who to look for. But then, I was curious as to what kind of job it would be so I went on the day appointed.
There’s a line of people along the wall where office was situated, some in business attire while others were just wearing smart casuals. Now, that’s the time I started being suspicious about the whole thing. In all the companies that I’ve applied before, there wasn’t a line of doctors this long trying to apply for a single position. So, what’s in this company that a number of people wanted to be in it? Still, I waited in line until I was shown inside their office that is setup to have a video presentation. I was also assigned to one of their “consultants” who obviously isn’t a doctor for reasons that I asked him outright if he’s a doctor and he said no. So what exactly is this company looking for? I’ve printed the ad and I brought it with me. It specifically said the company was looking for “a doctor to work as health consultant”.
Then the video presentation started.
It showcased the successful members of their company, saying that Mr. X started in the company only earning P3,000+ a month but ended up with P50,000+ after 3 months with them (then the rest of the “consultants” started applauding and that’s when I started feeling sick but still decided to sit through the entire presentation so just that I’ll know what it was all about). And there were many more “success” stories that followed. They also showed the countries where the trainings were held like Singapore, Thailand, and even New York. Towards the end, they showed their lineup of wellness products. They even showed before and after photos of “consultants” who used their products.
And at the end, the presentation got to the part when they’re telling us to cough up some cash (I already forgot how much they’re asking) so that we could have our business kits and start our “enterprise” ASAP. The “consultant” that was assigned to me even tried convincing me that I could just pay half the price that day and just pay for the other half some other time, just so that I may get my kit. I said no. After some more attempts at convincing me (”You wanted to travel right? You’ll have the right opportunities here,” was the line I remember he used) I said I wasn’t interested in selling their products and just said goodbye.
At first, I scolded myself for wasting half of my afternoon in that office when I could have just gone malling. But then, on second thought, it was better that I got to see it firsthand. Now I know that some of the ads that say that they’re looking for someone for a specific job may not be really saying the truth.
And so came today when I read that some bloggers, recently, have been having similar experience like the phone call I got yesterday, specifically Ms. Dine’s blog post about how someone from a company whose office is located in the 15th floor of Octagon Center tried to recruit her through a phone call. Some also got to the point that they attended the “interview” like I did.
While I’m not out to judge anyone’s work practice as being unethical (besides it’s their business and I’m not interested in those kinds of businesses), I want to let others know what I’ve experienced so that they may choose for themselves if they want to join such companies trying to recruit them. These companies may be legitimate businesses that have genuine products to sell. However, we just have to question the method of recruitment being employed by some of its members. Isn’t it the idea of calling a person’s cellphone number (usually personal phone numbers) and engaging them in a “professional” conversation regarding interesting enterprise without even telling them how they got that number already deceptive enough?However, like what I commented in Maki’s blog, I’ll let these companies be. If it’s their choice to “work smart”, then so be it. But that doesn’t take away my right to say what I think about their recruitment strategies, right? Just that they say they have the “right” to annoy us with their persistent phone calls (which we never asked for anyway because they only took those numbers from some nameless “headhunters” who never even asked permission to give out my number), then we also have the right to annoy them with our warnings to other people out there that they should have second thoughts first before joining any company that recruits them in this fashion. After all, we’re not forcing people to listen to our warnings, right? Just like they say that they aren’t “forcing” people to join in their companies (oh yeah, they aren’t forcing them. They’re just making ways to irritate people so that they’ll eventually give in and do what they want so that they’d just stop).
Somehow, I’ve been itching to hear from any one of those recruiters again. It would be fun to give them a dose of their own medicine, right? Kung makulit sila, makulit din ako! 
It just makes me wonder how these recruiters got several of the bloggers’ numbers. I cannot ignore the possibility that another blogger could have given out those. Something to think about…
Other People Who Blogged About Their Experiences/Views on this:
- How To Detect Misrepresentation in Jobs by Dine Racoma
- The Sunday Phone Call by Maki Eduardo
- What’re They Up To?, Scam? and Questionable Methods by BA Racoma
- The Networking Rant by Ana
- 15F Octagon Building by Celeni
- Recruitment Strategy? Beware and Be Aware! by Shari
For those who also have posts about this issue, just leave a comment and I’ll link you up. It’s good to compile a list of posts related to the topic so that blog readers will be able to have ample source of information aside from the information provided by the companies themselves or by their employees.
(Well, okay, if you’re working for those companies that use these recruitment strategies, you’re also welcome to leave comments and links. )
And then click link below to read an interesting post regarding MLMs:
Filed under: Blogging, Lifelogs, Money, The Philippine Blogosphere by Prudence
[...] Latest Link: Prudence and Madness’ New Recruitment Strategies by Companies. [...]
I had the unfortunate experience of writing about something like this. If I got it right, companies like these are called network marketing companies or multilevel marketing (mlm) companies.
They’re legit in the US but the problem is that it’s difficult to distinguish them from pyramid schemes. They say that the difference between the two is that pyramids are those that ask you to put in money for nothing and watch it grow. MLM’s on the other hand lets you sell products like these (usually vitamins and other wellness products) and at the same time invest some money into it.
I understand that they’re legit and all but my only gripe about this is that they’re trying to mislead the people they’re trying to recruit.
I also got a call from a company like this one time. The guy on the line was also vague in his description of what the job was. I texted him that I couldn’t come to the interview after finding out that it was one of these MLM companies.
Ced Solidon’s last blog post: Where to Now, Fly Boy?
whoa! This is like Multi-level Marketing or something. Pyramid maybe?
keysi’s last blog post: From Call Center Agent to Manager in 2 Years
Yup, they are MLM companies.
“I understand that they’re legit and all but my only gripe about this is that they’re trying to mislead the people they’re trying to recruit.”
—I agree that they’re deceiving their would-be recruits by telling them that they’re offering something and then when the would-be recruits get to the place of meeting, they offer something else. It is clear cut deception. People who work in these companies may justify it that it’s not wrong since their companies have been in the business for so long and there has been no report of scams associated with them. They may also say that they’re not wrong in recruiting in such fashion because they’re helping a lot of people. Yes, they do help some people by giving them jobs. However, the means by which they arrive at such goal is questionable.
to Keysi:
I’m not sure it’s pyramiding. For that, I’ll just refer you to Ced Solidon’s comment in this post. He has an explanation as to what is a pyramiding scheme and MLM’s.
I don’t have any experience with those ‘recruiters’, but my friend does. she was even not allowed to go out from that ‘recruiters’ office without joining and paying them.
Sad to know that number of these types of companies are growing. we just have to be smart enough to identify them and not to fall on their trap.
Amy’s last blog post: Sony Ericsson W380i Walkman™: A Clamshell Phone Designed For Music Lovers
Hi Tess! It’s so funny how I can connect our blog posts since all the people who own the links you present are the people I’m familiar with haha:
* How To Detect Misrepresentation in Jobs by Dine Racoma
* The Sunday Phone Call by Maki Eduardo
* What’re They Up To?, Scam? and Questionable Methods by BA Racoma
* The Networking Rant by Ana
* 15F Octagon Building by Celeni
I found the post from Ana, BA (who is the brother of my cousin’s Best Friend Pau) found my post and wrote an entry along with Celeni (who was my H.S classmate in MC) wrote also an entry and Mrs. Dine Racoma (who is the mother of BA) wrote an entry recently. And of course, there’s me haha..how small the blogosphere can be! :p
Maki Eduardo’s last blog post: Material Girl
Like I said in Dine’s post, these companies are getting clever in their strategies and probably using “bloggers” to eke out our cellphone numbers. tsk tsk. Come on , own up squealer.
noemi’s last blog post: Suicide, Media and The Catholic Church
Maki: It’s our own little network! Lol.
ba’s last blog post: What’re they up to?
[...] in her latest post, How to Detect Misrepresentation in Jobs (updates) Prudence and Madness’ New Recruitment Strategies by Companies. Maki Eduardo’s The Sunday Phone Call BA’s Scam? and Questionable Methods Celeni’s 15F Octagon [...]
It’s a wonder where they get those numbers. If anyone of you want the articles I have written about this, I can e-mail them to you. Just leave a comment on my blog (no, I’m not looking for instant traffic here). Maybe could add some info about MLMs. They’re pro-MLM articles that I was asked about (and had pangs of guilt about it).
Ced Solidon’s last blog post: Where to Now, Fly Boy?
Yes, they’re legit in the US but something one would really want to avoid being involved with at all cost. Any company recruiting where one has to shell out cash is already a warning sign that it’s one of those MLM and pyramid schemes.
These companies never last, at most it’s life-span is 5 years until their true colors show, abandoning all the people they’ve recruited; after raking in all the money and you’ll never hear from them again. All traces gone, like they never existed to begin with! Even their offices are temporary, almost all made up. The worst part is these companies do it all over again. Open up a new company under a new name and different ball players. It’s a cycle you don’t want to be in! It’s a waste of time, energy and money!
It is very rampant here in the US and it’s scary how these people can get hold of not only your home phone but your cellphone number as well!! Thank heavens for Caller IDs and answering machines, I never have to answer a single call again to a number I don’t recognize! I’ve had my share of being engaged in one of those phone calls and they’re relentless. They’re trained to talk fast, give their sales pitch and ignore your questions. It’s hard making them stop! But I can always just shut off the receiver… in this case I give myself the right to be rude. It’s the only way these people get the hint otherwise they’ll keep harassing you into their dubious cycle…
mae’s last blog post: today i die with you.
Nice, hehe I kinda had the impression that your mysterious caller was intimidated by you. =)
That is so low!
I thought such underhanded calls were only done by insurance and hotel companies, like what I’ve mentioned in this post
I remember when I was in senior year in college and was browsing newspaper ads for part-time jobs. There were a lot of ads for jobs, and when I called them, the contact persons gave me schedules for interviews. They ended up being networking companies like what you’ve mentioned here. It really sucked! Such a waste of time.
I guess we have to be more careful when dealing with ads. Btw, I think some job sites let you report if a company that has posted an ad on their site turned out to be a networking company.
Another tip, btw, some job sites allow you to hide your resume, so it’s better to hide your resume if you’ve already found a job, so as to not be a target of these crappy networking companies who bait you with “great opportunities” into wasting your time and effort.
cyberpunk’s last blog post: About the 12-year-old Girl Who Killed Herself
I saw this on the net:
“Calling all Nuskin Reps!
The MLM Blog Network is looking for a Nuskin associate to write for a blog on the MLM Blog Network. Consistent bloggers not only create leads, but they establish themselves as experts in the industry and about their specific company. If you or someone you know that is knowledgeable about Nuskin and would like to author a blog, contact us at mlmblog (at) mlmblog.net.”
http://mlmblog.typepad.com/network_marketing/2007/06/nuskin_blog.html
Hmm..it looks like they’ll breeding bloggers..I hope something better comes out of this
Maki’s last blog post: The Uber Late Halloween pictures
Which agency should you complain to? There are database companies who sell personal info. This alarming as information should not be divulged without your consent.
it’s an unethical way of recruiting people through MLM. i think it’s a marketing strategy but done imperfectly by a newbie i think.
they have products as you said so they are an MLM company. when they provide no product or services and requires you to shell out money, then it’s a pyramiding scam. my opinion is that there’s nothing wrong joining with MLM companies. as what i’ve learned it was studied and proven way back in the 1950’s to be a very effective means of marketing products. take for example tupperware, avon, forever living, etc. they have good products. the bad part is that some people exploit this kind of tactic. and when that happens, MLM loses credibility, people lose out and brand MLM as scams.
i hope the person called you learned his/her lesson. that next time, he/she should not “SPAM” phone numbers. lol
Mark Salvador’s last blog post: Dinner In Dampa Libis, Q.C.
Nice work! You are like a reporter spending some time to experience the truth so that you can tell others. For me I will just hang up or will not show up in such “interview”. MLM is getting more aggressive these days because they have to compete with other MLM companies and even other lines in the same company.
http://www.tipskey.com/consumer_alert/read_this_before_joining_mlm.htm
to Amy:
“she was even not allowed to go out from that ‘recruiters’ office without joining and paying them.”
—That’s not even persistence. That’s harassment already.
I just hope people will think first before venturing into any enterprise, especially those that seem to promise easy money. Though some people may justify that it isn’t “easy money” because they still have to do some work to get it, I still think it’s a work ethic that I wouldn’t really want to get myself associated with.
to Maki:
I got those blog posts because those are the first few that came up when I searched for related posts in Google.
Yup, the blogosphere is a small world indeed, which is the reason why I wonder who this person who could be giving out our numbers…
to noemi:
I don’t think anyone would admit to it anyway, hehe.
But still, I do wonder why some people have the practice of giving out friends’ and acquaintances’ cellphone/phone numbers without even asking permission or telling them that they gave it to someone (or to some company).
to mae:
“It’s the only way these people get the hint otherwise they’ll keep harassing you into their dubious cycle…”
— Yup, they’re annoyingly persistent. Thanks for sharing those info
to Lalon:
Maybe he’s just a newbie. If he is, I got lucky :-).
to cyberpunk:
“They ended up being networking companies like what you’ve mentioned here. It really sucked! Such a waste of time.”
— Yup, I remember that when I went to that company located in Makati, I heard that there were college students there. I think these are the group of people, short of minors, that can easily be deceived by these marketing/recruitment strategies.
to Maki:
NuSkin bloggers? I think there are already a few of those at Multiply.
to Schumey:
I’m not sure as to which agency we could send our complaints to. I hope if someone knows, he’ll leave a comment here and tell us
to Mark Salvador:
Thanks for telling us the difference between pyramiding and MLM.
to SengAun Ong:
Thanks. I guess there are those are more gullible than others. That’s why it is good that we post our experiences online so that, perhaps by chance, some of those gullible people will be able to read it and be warned. If they still decided to join those companies, it’s their choice anyway. But, at least, we’ve been able to share with them our experience with such recruitment.
[...] Remember that it was only recently that I received a call from one of those allegedly MLM companies trying to R…. [...]
i just received a call about an hour ago. management trainee of some kind. 15th flr octagon bldg ortigas center pasig city. i searched the net since i was surfing at that time. and oh, i asked for the number of the caller - 09158066056
same thing happened to me during the summer of 2007, and the caller who had attempted to recruit me was so desperate; i gave the excuse that i had to be with my brother in the hospital, but he even went to the extent of asking me to go to octagon plaza for just an hour, “im sure (your) brother wont mind”. also got flowery words, “recommendations” and assurances of income.
as with the other callers, i was not told of the real business name, just its location.
“by agreeing to this i suppose you will not be backing out at the last minute”
blogged it too. haha.
videos of male ogasm…
videos of male ogasm…
i just had received same call from 09228092865 last January 12, 2008,saturday afternoon. I was in the province that time and the caller is trying to impress me that they got my number in ALC and since i attended leadership seminar, i am qualified to the position they were offering. She told me that their office is located at 15F Octagon Center, San Miguel Ave., Ortigas …forgot her name..but the name of the company is SYNERGY as far as i can remember..from the word itself, i got an idea thats why i searched for this …fortunately i saw this blog……..oh,,well …thank you doc…Now i know its a scam!……
Last night, my wife got a similar call from Ji-an Ongpin offering the same part-time job in 15F Ortigas. At least ive read to all this blogs before she get to dress up this morning and warned her that this job is not for her since she is an Interior Design graduate and the job is not in the field of Interior design as I found out this morning from all the blogs and later through confimation from the caller on what company they belong (NSE PHILIPPINES) (the caller didnt give the specific details of the job and just said to come to 15F Octagon Tower). .
.. Reading to all those blogs, Ive noticed that the bloggers havent really investigated on HOW THE CALLERS GOT THE CELLPHONE NOS, NAME, AND SCHOOL graduated. be it high school, college or any school. Maybe the bloggers defending the company at the 15F Octagon tower may shed some light on this - -Im not condemning anyone or any company - just want to know how they get it..
Possible Sources of Information
A. Yearbook Publishers - This is my primary suspect since Ive read on most blogs that they got the details from the school they graduated. And they knew that the one they are calling are fresh graduates… (Verified with the school that my wife has graduated that the school always asks first of company details before giving out graduated students records and details.
B. Yearbook itself ?? -
C. Other Means
I again solicit information to shed light on how those callers/recruiters got the contact name,school and current details. This maybe a case of leaking privacy information to companies of yearbook publishers IF THIS IS ONE OF THE CASE.
i am an ECE student in PUP and i want to share to you my experience about “part-time job” scam of some company. last night (january 17, 2007) a man named kent abarico (mobile # 09063104440) called me and told me that he was a representative of a “multinational company” (what a BIG WORD—MULTINATIONAL). he told me that they are hiring part time students to join their company NSE INTERNATIONAL which is said to be at the 15th floor of octagon center in pasig city (he told me that it’s just near mega mall). he also told me flattering words “ms.blablabla referred you to me and said that you are intelligent, competitive and hard working” and so our company is interested blablabla. the work description was human resource development consultancy. (i don’t even know what type of job it is) since i was curious about that fishy thing, i surf the net about nse international and i found several blogs that cleared my mind on how this scam goes. it was more like convincing me to go there and get involved in some st*p*d activity which their company is trying to put in. you’ll go there, then they will ask you to give at least 300 contacts (additional persons to be scammed) and you’ll do the same thing that they do SCAM PEOPLE. thankfully, i have read blogs in the net about the same thing so i decided not to go there and not to entertain calls or text from kent abarico (mobile # 09063104440). learn from the experience of others so that like me, you won’t be into same kind of scam stuffs.
Hi guys! also receivd d same call. but im recommended by a very good friend who really has credibility. i’m scheduled next week and i’m gonna come and see the whole thing so i could decide on myself and i think we’re old enough to not let them force us to do things that we dont want ryt? coz personally i dont believe in blogs coz its all opinions by other people…people whom im not sure if successful or just bums? i researched about d facts of d company and its really exciting though…well, lets see next week after listening to what big biznes they’re offering… i’ll try to get back here…just passed by. ciao!
I perfectly understand from where all of you guys are coming from. Let me just clarify, it is not company policy that our members won’t mention a company name, we do mention our name…which is NSE Philippines and we do have divisions within the company, and we have an option to mention that instead. Yes, it is a marketing strategy much like what traditional businesses do when they think it’s more appropriate. It isn’t misrepresentation, it is just allowing people to have a chance to look at the whole business opportunity package, free from UNFOUNDED/MISGUIDED/INCOMPLETE pre-conceptions about the company from a minority. We always reiterate that the opportunity IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. I myself was very negative about network marketing before I joined, but thanks to their strategy, I was given a chance to SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE. Only people who are unsure of themselves would avoid looking at all facets before making conclusions. The OJT thing or job offer script is NOT a company policy, what we offer is mainly a Business Opportunity that’s why we stress and ask, in the first place, if one is OPEN to EXPLORE OTHER POSIBILITIES. Because, if the answer the answer is NO, an appointment would NOT be insisted. But most Filipinos kasi say YES when actually they mean NO or NOT SURE. Nevertheless, granted that you gave into the appointment. Definitely, the presentation IS NOT entirely a waste of time. All data are backed up by credible research institutions which, of course, I can’t mention here. Moreso, at the end of it, NO ONE is COERCED to do something HE DOES NOT WANT TO DO. It is entirely UP TO YOU. Parang pag nag-aapply ka rin ng job. Pag punta mo ba ng company, sure ka ba na you really want to join it before going there? Di ba most often than not, you’ll know more about the company when you’re already there and then, you will be in a BETTER POSITION of deciding wether you’ll join the company or not. Ganun rin sa min, we want to give people a chance to hear our side first before they decide. For those of you who opted not to look at it. I dare you to take a chance, look at the opportunity and aftewards, tell me if you already knew beforehand most of what you’ll hear/see. Most likely, at least 80% of the info. you’ll get would be new to you. I guess you can trust yourself to make intelligent decisions afterwards…or can’t you?
to robert tracy:
You are a bundle of contradictions.
First, you said:
“Let me just clarify, it is not company policy that our members won’t mention a company name, we do mention our name…which is NSE Philippines”
Then on the same sentence, you said:
“and we do have divisions within the company, and we have an option to mention that instead.”
So, which is which? It is a company policy to mention a company name or is it an option?
You say it’s not misrepresentation? How about this: someone who called me said that I’d be up for a job interview. Then when I reached the meeting place, there wasn’t an interview but a product presentation. Again, isn’t that misrepresentation? There is a huge difference between a job interview and a product presentation.
“it is just allowing people to have a chance to look at the whole business opportunity package, free from UNFOUNDED/MISGUIDED/INCOMPLETE pre-conceptions about the company from a minority.”
– But if you’ve got nothing to hide, then why not come upfront and say that “hi, I’m from Company X and we have a business proposal for you. Why don’t you come down here at place Y and see our products so that we may convince you that this is a good business for you to venture into?” Wouldn’t that be more professional? But the amazing thing is people who recruit in the questionable method of saying one thing but meaning another choose to do it because they want their potential clients/employees to HAVE THE CHANCE TO SEE THE WHOLE PACKAGE, FREE FROM UNFOUNDED(?),MISGUIDED(?), AND INCOMPLETE(?) PRECONCEPTIONS? Haven’t you thought of the reasons why there’s widespread “preconceptions” about your companies? It is because previously some of your employees have deceived people into coming into these presentations. Even if your products are superior or even if your business is a multinational company, it’s integrity will always be in question because of these unethical recruitment strategies being employed by some of your members.
“Definitely, the presentation IS NOT entirely a waste of time. All data are backed up by credible research institutions which, of course, I can’t mention here”
- Again, why can’t you reveal it, if it’s credible? Now don’t tell me about that Donald Trump myth again. Somebody is yet to produce factual evidence that Donald Trump did say that about MLM companies.
“I dare you to take a chance, look at the opportunity and aftewards, tell me if you already knew beforehand most of what you’ll hear/see.”
- If you’ve been reading carefully, you must have read in the post previous to this one (which I have hyperlinked above) that I’ve been to one of these product presentations. First, it annoyed me that I was deceived into coming by somebody telling me it would be a job interview and that I’ll be interviewed as an applicant for a health consultant. Secondly, it is annoying that I have to get past through some level of harrassment (people asking me to pay up so I could get started with my “business kit”) before I was able to get out of the “meeting place”. If that is what you call ethical recruitment strategy, I wonder at what other values you may have.
And that is my story, which is similar to the experiences other people had with MLM companies. And that cannot be ignored.
To everybody:
“If participants are paid primarily from money received from new recruits, or if they are required to buy more product than they are likely to sell, then the company is a pyramid or Ponzi scheme, which is illegal in most countries.”
– Read up on MLM companies before joining! Make sure you’re getting into a legitimate business. Make Google your friend!
Prudence, I just want to answer some of your points (don’t take these personally, please.)
#1 We have an option to use another name of one of our divisions. Correlation, we can say SMC or Coca-Cola or Ginebra or Purefoods. The one who called you for a job interview is mistaken.
He might just be one among many who were not fully trained yet.
Again, the company doesn’t encourage that kind of inviting.
#2 “unethical recruitment strategies being employed by some of your members.” You say, some. In every industry, there are some who make mistakes so do NOT pre-judge the WHOLE company and industry.
#3 Again, you may feel harrassed after the presentation but the general rule is NO ONE is COERCED to do anything he/she DOES NOT want to do. Saying NO and perhaps next time probably, is accepted. That’s the general rule. The business is not for everyone.
Again, we are doing a LEGITIMATE business. What I’m trying to is DAMAGE CONTROL from what you claim is INFORMATION NETWORKING. If the business is not for you, we respect that. But to blog it out and WARN (?) others (as the company does CRIMINAL activities - we have yet to apprehended, you know), it is so UNFAIR.
Allow others to HAVE A CHANCE to SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE, which of course, not everyone WILL UNDERSTAND.
Oh…good luck Francine! Welcome to the company! Go go go for success!
By the way, prudence, you can read Donald Trump’s books:
Trump 101: The Way to Success
Trump: The Way to the Top: The Best Business Advice I Ever Received
Why We Want You to be Rich: Two Men - One Message
(together with Robert Kiyosaki)
It seems to me that Francine doesn’t know much about the blogosphere. Well, to each his own, I guess. Hindi naman natin pinipilit maniwala mga tao sa ating mga bloggers kasi bloggers “lang” naman tayo na ayon sa iba, pwedeng “bums” lang pala kaya walang kredibilidad.
Sheesh.
ba’s last blog post..Kung Tayo’y Tumanda Na.
to robert tracy:
my answer to your #1:
- Then why did you say in your previous comment that is is an OPTION for you to mention the company name. And then in this recent comment, you say that those who don’t do so aren’t “fully trained”? Which is which? Another bundle of contradiction.
my answer to your #2:
- You are fond of contradicting yourself that I am amazed why you want to argue with other people when you can argue with yourself. You already said that I’ve referred only to SOME MLM companies who’re doing this questionable recruitment. Then in the same sentence, you say that I should not judge the WHOLE COMPANY OR BUSINESS!
And if you haven’t been paying attention, let me quote again what I’ve said in this post, just to bring it to your attention (again):
“However, like what I commented in Maki’s blog, I’ll let these companies be. If it’s their choice to “work smart”, then so be it. But that doesn’t take away my right to say what I think about their recruitment strategies, right? Just that they say they have the “right” to annoy us with their persistent phone calls (which we never asked for anyway because they only took those numbers from some nameless “headhunters” who never even asked permission to give out my number), then we also have the right to annoy them with our warnings to other people out there that they should have second thoughts first before joining any company that recruits them in this fashion. After all, we’re not forcing people to listen to our warnings, right? Just like they say that they aren’t “forcing” people to join in their companies (oh yeah, they aren’t forcing them. They’re just making ways to irritate people so that they’ll eventually give in and do what they want so that they’d just stop).”
So, where did you get the idea that I’m condemning ALL MLM COMPANIES?
(Doesn’t it irritate you that people would write in all CAPS, as if shouting? Well, you’ve been doing it in your comments, so I guess it’s just all right if I do reply to your comments in the same fashion.)
for your #3:
“Again, you may feel harrassed after the presentation but the general rule is NO ONE is COERCED to do anything he/she DOES NOT want to do. Saying NO and perhaps next time probably, is accepted. That’s the general rule.”
- Oh, yeah right. No one is COERCED to do anything…after the nth time of being asked (annoyed) to pay up so one could “start” with the business right away.
“The business is not for everyone.”
- Oh definitely. I do not want to be in a business that lets its employees deceive potential clients/members just to be “given the chance to let these potential clients/members to SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE”. A job interview is DIFFERENT from a product presentation. It is never justified to deceive a person into coming into a product presentation, even if the products are superior.
“Again, we are doing a LEGITIMATE business”
- Again, why the need to be defensive? Nobody is calling your business illegitimate. Again (for the nth time), we are questioning the recruitment methods employed by SOME MLM companies.
“But to blog it out and WARN (?) others (as the company does CRIMINAL activities - we have yet to apprehended, you know), it is so UNFAIR.”
- Robert Tracy, your choice of words amazes me. You even admitted to doing criminal activities (you said “as the company does criminal activities - we have yet to apprehended, you know)!
You don’t tell bloggers to shut up, especially when they are telling TRUE EXPERIENCES. You do not control damages, you confront the REAL ISSUES BEING RAISED, which in this case is the questionable recruitment strategies employed by SOME MLM COMPANIES and CORRECT THE MISTAKES.
Thanks for the book suggestions. I will, in time, be able to read these books and find out for myself if in any of these pages did Donald Trump mention those legendary words. But wait, isn’t it that people from MLM companies that left their comments in this blog mentioned that those words by Donald Trump were mentioned in a talk show and not in a book? In a David Letterman show or Conan O’ Brien? Which is which? At least, if you want to propagate such a story, at least, you should have agreed to tell only ONE VERSION of the story.
To ba:
Oh yeah, we are bums all right because we sit all day blogging while they go about getting busy recruiting, and at the same time, getting passive income. Well, if they go by that argument, then, it can also be applied to those who are from MLM companies who leave comments in our blogs, telling us to shut up because we “do not know what we’re saying”.
[...] - from a comment by robert tracy at New Recruitment Strategies? [...]
My college classmate invited me to join a session at the Trafalgar, may or may not be misspelled but whutev, in Makati. Yes, I can attest that they sell us kits and make us cough out a list of names with phone numbers so the consultants can call your contacts for you. What got me was I knew this person and I bet they know I am gainfully employed. What they dont know is my personal vendetta against anything MLM related. I hate this way of doing business because I dont believe in it. I dont want to sell their products and neither will I use them because their presentors are so not convincing. Secondly, I was led to believe that I went there for purposes other than MLM. Their sessions, apart from boring, is not for me, sry2say. I pity those who hold on to the promise of wealth should they in turn get to have people under them. To be fair, though, I took down notes during their presentation for later research and I found their claims factual: from the people they name drop, the products, to their stocks being traded at the NSE. Also that friend didnt get a single contact from me nor will they ever.
fritz’s last blog post..My HappySlip Meet-and-Greet photos
MLM?… well not that bad for me.. i was also into MLM nung college pa ako.. honestly.. t’was with MLM that I made it through college… and Im proud to attest to that..
they’r right.. if the business particularly the product is not for you then so be it..
most of them wanted lang maka benta and maka recruit.. if they’re annoying just tell them in front of their face for them to back off.. kasalanan ba nila na ganun etinuro ng mga seniors nila..or how they come to perceive the business?… latter they’ll realized after rooting for the biz model for few months or years that there’s indeed a lot to learn than pushing our sanity to be irrational…
a lot of MLM fails and a lot succeed and thats a fact.. and it’s not for everyone..
rodel’s last blog post..Daddy’s Rules for Dating
to rodel:
The product isn’t even in question. The recruitment method is. And you’re right, some may only be concerned about getting a referral signed up or just to sell products so they could earn. Nothing really bad about it per se, as it is what business is all about. What is wrong is the method employed to achieve those goals.
I’d like to react to what you’ve said: “kasalanan ba nila na ganun etinuro ng mga seniors nila..or how they come to perceive the business?”
Remember, they are adults. They hold responsibility for their actions. If they feel that they’re being forced to do these things against their values, then just go look for another job. Consenting to do these things, on behalf of their company, only signifies that they are also to be held responsible for it. They are adults with their own minds. They can make their own decisions. If they choose so to follow, then they’ll be responsible for those actions too.
to fritz:
It’s true that they’re multi-national companies. But it’s really annoying the way they shove that information at everybody. It is as if that fact alone should lead people to believe they are credible. It takes more than that you know. Genuineness and professionalism are important factors too.
ang pag kakaalam ko sa sales..daming method yan just to acquire customers.. i suspect that the methods being learned from their directs were the ones being absorb.. kc nga for them it worked for them.. but their downlines never realized na dapat may alternative approach..
as they all said.. what works for them might not work for you..
for the recruitment strategy naman.. if people got this guerrilla marketing.. human resources also got a guerrilla recruitment.. harap2xpan.., infront of your company you’ll be offered.. and these stuffs are deemed to be immoral sa industry..but MNC’s are doing it just to get the right guy for the right job..
it’s just that people can’t see the other side of things kaya gagawin nila ang lahat just to please there soul and others..
ang nakikita ko kc dito.. some people are hurt dahil sa blogging..and i don’t excuse myself from that.. but of course kadalasan service ng company ang target ko and reasonable enough..
and of course reasonable naman ang ginagawa mo.. in this sense.. im bothered as to where bloggers draw the line.. like what happened to that lady writer when a lot of bloggers blogged about how she..belittled our OFW’s.. the moral issue was, because of her write ups may nasasaktan and i think she did it for a reason at the same time we blog for a reason..kaso parang nag rereact na sila..and you’ve made na your point..i just hope they’ve learned their lesson..
im just bothered talaga.. kc im a new blogger.. basta eto lang alam ko.. if may masasaktan.. anonymous nalang.. others were even plugging the number…concern lang kc ako sa ibang tao na nakakakilala sa kanila and perceive them as a good person etc..
and next issue here is freedom of speech..ewan.. ayoko na! hihihih.. :).. good luck hahaha..
.. mag nosebleed na ako mag Taglish! 
Hanap nalang ako ng pera sa blogging..
rodel’s last blog post..‘American Idol’: Top 24 revealed
I agree with Rodel, where do you draw the line in blogging? Some comments really cross over the area of personal defamation and rumor mongering.
Sorry prudence if you find it offensive when I put some parts in CAPS. I don’t mean to come across as shouting. I just want to stress some points.
clarification re “OPTION”, I refer to the use of the company name and not the invitation for a job interview. This is the nearest parallelism that I can think of: When I say I work with San Miguel Corporation, an option is to say that I work with Purefoods, I work with Ginebra or I work with Coca-Cola. Also, research on how BIG companies hire or pirate employees. Most often, they won’t even mention the company name to the prospects to protect themselves. That’s how a friend of mine was “recruited” from a rival company.
Ok, I stand corrected if you meant you’re not condemning the whole industry. But let me point something about you being annoyed of persistent calls. How many times did the same person call you?… If it’s not even more than 5, I don’t know what you mean by persistent.
“after the nth time of being asked (annoyed) to pay up so one could “start” with the business right away. ” Again, how many times did they ask you to pay?
“…as the company does criminal activities - we have yet to apprehended, you know” is a typo. error. It should have read
“…as IF the company does criminal activities - we have yet to BE apprehended, you know”
Yeah..you talk about your TRUE experiences on questionable recruitment strategies. I’ve already stated that some members employ some strategies that are unofficial and may be needing correction. But those are just subtle nuances…SHOULD NOT be a big deal!
About the books, you say “At least, if you want to propagate such a story, at least, you should have agreed to tell only ONE VERSION of the story.” You make it sound like were doing it just for propaganda. Gosh, that’s how distorted you look at our business coming from someone who know very little about the company. People have no right to make opinions on things they know little about. Moreso, if they have not seen anything at all.
Prudence, you talk about Genuineness. The company doesn’t hide anything when you come to our office. Big businesses are not usually being dealt with just over the phone. Isn’t it?
You also talk about Professionalism. We are professional to ask people initially if one is open to explore some possibilities. If the answer is NO, then we end it. But since most of you say YES, our requirement is for you to come to our office. You can always say no if you don’t want to comply with that. We are PROFESSIONAL.
Also, stop publishing the names and numbers of our business partners as IF they are criminals. It is UNETHICAL and UNPROFESSIONAL.
to robert tracy:
How many times do I have to tell you that I only refer to SOME MLM companies and not to the whole industry itself? See, I did say in my post that some from these companies are just annoyingly persistent. So, if you think that you and other employees from your company are not employing these methods, then don’t get affected. You are may be professional, but some are not, and those are the people I’m blogging about.
So you have a quantified amount for calls. If less than 5, it’s not annoyingly persistent? Do you mean to say I’ve to say “no” 4 more times before they actually get that I’m not really interested? When I say no, I mean no. That’s that.
As if they are criminals? Again, you are the only one who said that. Nobody called them criminals. What is there to hide, anyway? Are they not comfortable to be publicly associated with the company they are working for?
Hmmm…so it shouldn’t be a big deal? You’re actually telling us that we shouldn’t make a fuss about it? That’s quite arrogant. I think what you people should be doing is to make sure that those kind of calls should not happen again, not bully those who had been victims of it to be quiet.
And like what BA said, as long as that kind of recruitment strategy continues, the blog entries won’t stop.
Anything that involves money, whether it’s one peso or a million pesos, IS A BIG DEAL.
Deal with it, robert tracy.
Jon Limjap’s last blog post..Profundity Addiction
to rodel:
They should owe up responsibility to what they have done. ‘Yun lang. About the Malu Fernandez issue, even if what she had done is hurtful, at least, she owed up to what she had done.
Nobody called them criminals in any of the blog posts. And nobody called them as bad people. It is the recruitment that is being questioned.
to Jon Limjap:
Baka kasi they’re thinking na it’s just a call lang naman. And to quote someone from the comments section, “wala namang mawawala anyway”. That’s the kind of mentality that those who recruit in this fashion bank on. Unsolicited calls are big deal for me, especially when it’s because of those calls, I got into a supposed “job interview” and found myself in a product presentation. It’s a big deal because, first, I was deceived into coming; second, it’s a waste of my time because if I knew in the first place what I would be getting into, I wouldn’t have come anyway because I do not have plans to do business selling those products, and third, because I’ve already said no and still they think I meant to say yes.
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