Westward Innovations Inc. Aka Cydcor ripoff corruption, deception, screwed others too Phoenix Arizona
I recently interviewed with Westward Innovations Inc. in Phoenix Arizona, a subsidiary of Cydcor Marketing. I went to my first interview and the CEO of the company (only 25 years old) told me that the company is very selective in hiring procedures and I would be lucky to get a second interview. Well on the spot I received a second interview.
Since I do not live in Arizona, I did not return to my second interview for 3 weeks.
I spent a large amount of money on airplane tickets to try for the "opportunity" to work with this company. When I went in for the second interview I was shocked to see 6 other young people also waiting for second interviews.
We were individually taken out by "leaders" or those who had made it through Phase one into Phase two. I had no idea what the day would consist of, but the assistant manager told us to make sure the entire day was blocked out.
So out we went, door to door to businesses campaigning for AT&T. The girl interviewing me said how she had four other job offers and decided to take the position at Westward Innovations because she had never made so much money in her life. Sounds great right?
Not. After walking for 8 hours, we got one business to switch 5 phone lines, a total of $165 for her or who knows.
We went back to the office where I was given a test of the 8 great work habits, 5 steps of conversation, etc. The funny thing is one question on the test was "What are the two qualities it takes to work at Westward?" Professionalism and Integrity.
Kinda funny that every subsidiary of Cydcor posts that in the ads. So where is the comapanies' integrity?
I was supposedly the only person my interviewer had recommended for a third interview. Coincidentally, every person that went out earlier that morning was back in the office that night for a third interview. So I went back into the CEO's office for the final round. There he continued to tell me that I would be making upwards of $50k within one year. I accepted the position.
So I came back home and started researching Cydcor. After reading all of the complaints, I began to put the peices of the puzzle together.
There is no upward mobility that happens in 4 phases. It must be tough for every single person employed there to be living in a constant lie and deceiving young people every day.
One other point I would like to make: When I asked what the turn-over rate was at the company, the response I received was "Oh we have a lot of businesses that switch their current service to AT&T." That was a load of BS, good way to avoid the question.
Do not apply at any of these places (they are in every state, and always posted on Monster.com). It is a rip-off and all in all I wasted a lot of money and time. They don't give a s**t about anyone else but themselves. They will work you into the ground until you choose to quit or are fired and some other innocent, vulnerable person comes along. I know that every person working there has been brainwashed to not leak any of this to potential employees.
I am glad that I found out what a scam Cydcor and Westward Innovations is before I started working there because I was told I should work upwards of 60 hours a week, 6 days a week in order to "have extra cash in my pocket."
M
Seattle, Washington
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Todd
Pomona,California,
U.S.A.
Oh Anne! The problem is that the whole system is bad.
#3Consumer Suggestion
Thu, April 01, 2004
I wish you the best. Like you, I was in for years. As the business went, my owners were great people. The problem is that the whole system is bad. I hope you quit and find something that that will provide a better future for yourself and not allow you to to influence others to stay in a bad job.
Good luck.
How many people on your crew quit because they went broke?
Why isn't atmosphere paid? Why is that acceptable?
Why is it acceptable for YOU to pay employees and not the company?
Does your owner have the money they promote? Really?
How many campaigns do you have that are questionalble deals?
How are questions of doubt and dissent in the business handled? Why is that good?
Here are some ways to determine if a group is a cult. How many can you answer?
1. The group is focused on a living charismatic leader to whom members seem to display excessively zealous, unquestioning commitment.
2. The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
3. The group is preoccupied with making money.
4. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
5. Mind-numbing techniques (for example: meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, debilitating work routines) are used to suppress doubts about the group or its leader(s).
6. The group's leadership dictates sometimes in great detail how members should think, act, and feel.
7. The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and members (for example: the leader is considered the Messiah or an avatar; the group and/or the leader has a special mission to save humanity).
8. The group has a polarized, "we-they" mentality that causes conflict with the wider society.
9. The group's leader is not accountable to any authorities (as are, for example, clergy with mainstream denominations).
10. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify means (for example: collecting money for bogus charities) that members would have considered unethical before joining.
11. The group's leadership induces guilt feelings in members in order to
control them.
12. Members' subservience to the group causes them to cut ties with
family, friends, and personal pre-group goals and interests.
13. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group.
14. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
April
Phoenix,Arizona,
U.S.A.
I COULD NOT IMAGINE WORKING WITH A BETTER EMPLOYER!
#3UPDATE Employee
Thu, April 01, 2004
I have worked for Westward Innovations since January 2002 and I personally cannot imagine working for a better employer. From day one my boss has always made me feel as if I was the most important person in our company and to this day I feel I am. I cannot understand how anyone could be upset with any of our employees here at Westward Innovations; we are all very respectable hardworking individuals.
Interviews who are invited back for a second interview are notified of exactly what is done in our everyday duties, and if they are to accept the position offered to them in the end, then that is their choice. If they feel as if the opportunity is not for them then that is understandable, not everyone is looking to manage a business. As for ex-employees of ours who were not able to work as hard as those who have become successful managers, I am sorry for their time wasted. It is a fact that if you show up to work every day, and there are some who choose not to (Jesse- Chicago, IL), and work a regular day there is no reason why you should not become successful in our line of work. Bottom line is that you must work in order to make money at Westward Innovations. If you slack or decide that maybe you just do not want to work that day then you will make NO MONEY here or become successful! Just like any other business. It's pretty simple. I am proud to say that I have witnessed and trained 4 assistant managers within the last year and have helped open offices in Pennsylvania, California, and recently in Texas. WOW, and to think that it has only been a year last December. I don't know about other businesses, but promoting out 3 managers and 1 leaving in a month, in just a year's time is pretty good.
As for those who have flown to Phoenix, AZ for an interview with our company (Melissa- Pullman, WA), that was their choice. I personally make sure that if someone applies to our office from out of state and are invited in for an interview that they interview with an office closer to them. We have hundreds of offices throughout the United States alone; there would be no reason for them to travel all the way to Arizona. Now, for those who insist on flying to Phoenix due to the fact that they are already visiting our state, then I am more than happy to schedule them in for an interview.
It does make me sad to think that someone is commenting on a position in which they have never attempted to pursue. I do feel that Westward Innovations is not meant for everyone, only the ones who are looking to follow a different path to achieve success.