I got a call today from someone who did not identify the company they were calling from praising my resume for having all of the management experience they were looking for. She then explained that she was looking to schedule people to come in to interview for a management trainee position for a marketing firm. I thought this was a little odd as I hadn't indicated any interest in a marketing position and I hadn't applied for any management trainee program. I figured I would do my research once I got the email from this person when she sent me directions for the interview appointment I had just worked out with her.
What was a little odd was that the email was totally devoid of any meaningful information about the position. It didn't even note what position I was interviewing for or the general type of position at all. I immediately became suspicious that it was a door-to-door sales type job, so I tried to pry in to figure out some more about the company. I looked at their website and saw a ton of bells and whistles, which isn't always a bad sign, but when the website is extremely vague about what they actually do and who they work with but goes into detail about jobs and recruitment, that's definitely not a good sign. A good sales position will see a moderately high turnaround just by the nature of the position, but if the turnaround resembles a revolving door type scenario, you have to wonder what the hell the company is doing wrong.
So, I did several google searches to figure confirm my suspicions that this company was just another door-to-door sales type thing and found a very strange thing: there was one article about how all reports of scams and rip-offs about 1919, Inc. were just unethical competitors. This is the full text of the article that can be seen in at least 30 different places on the Internet:
"1919 Inc has long been engaged in catering to their clients the best representation on behalf with the companies and likewise assisting them
to achieve an ambitious aim. Extra to its credit, a consider the 1919 Inc reviews will demonstrate that all the posts happen to be good so proving the companys efforts and performance in product sales advertising. Assessments proved effectiveness, while no rip-off could stain it
It can be legitimate that there was the 1919inc scam that surfaced inside center, which have been truly developed by unethical rivals. You can find weak mentalities hiding in shreds to defame the name of the organization, however their efforts have been proved improper with 1919 Inc acting its little bit and proving its performance.
The target from the firm is to add value to all the arenas on the firm. The 1919 Inc reviews are incredibly much favourable
and so they actually reveal the extremely fact that lies in boosting the business standards. The organization may be engaged in untiring
efforts to try and check out leaders build professionally and personally. 1919 Inc does make its declare of popularity by way of the void, but proves its stance by continual efforts.
Several of the core values of 1919 Inc display that the organization is usually as much as the effort of bringing in flavor of accomplishment for that clients and staff members in all perception..
1919 Inc is always as much as setting illustration by means of excellent leadership. The organization believes that it truly is normally vital to maintain and instill corporate culture by boosting entrepreneurial spirit. Humility is definitely the foundation of its strong groundwork. Consequently, it strives to get in a very receptive mode to get the utmost.
With its core values, the organization may be capable to confirm all the 1919inc scam incorrect and remain agency with its ethical technique."
While it's not illegal to spam the internet with articles about your own company, it does raise some very serious questions. No matter where I looked, I didn't see a single scam report or rip-off report about 1919, Inc. so all of this effort to dispute such claims seemed really strange to me. So, after several more google searches and more sifting through pages and pages of stuff, I found this previous rip-off report that mentioned the company's name here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/employment-services/red-f-inc/red-f-inc-lying-cheating-co-668fb.htm
After reading that and seeing that Red F, Inc. was also using 1919, Inc. I did probably the google search I should have started with: the address of the place. I typed in the address, 405 E Gude Drive Suite 201, Rockville, MD 20850 and immediately, I saw "Red F, Inc." come up as being at that same address. There is a ton of complaints against Red F and against the company's original name, CMX, Inc.
If anything should tip you off to a very serious problem, it's one company operating under multiple names. Furthermore, the fact that Red F already has a ton of negativity against it and 1919, Inc., despite having nothing negative, is aggressively defending their reputation before it has even been tarnished.
The actual position is a door-to-door sales type of position and not a management position. This company is one of many many many contractors that works with very big name companies (Verizon was cited in the previous rip-off report). The vast majority of these companies promise a lot of what never happens, which is why they have such a high rate of people quitting and leaving the job. You are paid on commission only and required to travel without compensation for gas and food. If you are interested in working for this type of company, I would recommend checking out a more reputable company like 20/20 or Distinctive as I personally believe they are a bit more honest about the position than 1919, Inc./Red F, Inc. is and they also work with Verizon doing door-to-door sales.
Any company that is caught being deceptive at any stage of the hiring process is something everyone needs to be aware of so as to avoid it. Working with a company like 1919, Inc. will most likely result in wasted, uncompensated time, and no experience or growth to show for it. Now that you know who they really are, you can properly inform yourselves before you work with them or interview with them.