- Report: #304869
Complaint Review: L2 & Associates SEAM Marketing - Baltimore Maryland
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L2 & Associates SEAM Marketing
\ Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.
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L2 & Associates, SEAM Marketing Scams? Baltimore Maryland
As a recent college graduate, I posted my resume online to find a summer job until I begin teaching in the fall. I posted my resume on Careerbuilder.com and I got so many hits for marketing jobs. They acutally seemed pretty interesting. They all used phrases such as "Sports Marketing" and "No Door to Door Sales". So, I got about 5 emails from different companies and they were all "Impressed by my resume". So, I did schedule a few interviews to see what this was all about.
I go in for my first interview at one of the places and there are 5 other people waiting in the waiting room. There is music playing and candles everywhere and also magazines. I was wondering if I was in a dentists office or not. I thought it was odd that so many people were being interviewed at this time. I have never seen this type of thing before. Well, I was brought in for my interview and basically handed the "job". The man interviewing me asked me if I wanted this job to be a career and I said yes. He didn't ask me any other questions about myself other than, "Do you like sports?" "Have you heard of Proactive". I was really nervous going into the interview because I thought they would ask me real challenging questions. Anyway, he offered me to come back for the second, full day interview. I thought that was odd too. I had never heard of such a thing. Well, I agree to do it and he says, ok see you tomorrow.
I was again, shocked. Who expects you to be free? Shouldn't they ask you first? I tell him that I am actually booked for tomorrow but I can come in the day after. He proceeds to tell me that, "Well, the position might be filled by then." Shows how valuable I must have been right? I thought that was a little weird too. I tell him that I will make a few calls and see if I can make it the next day. I cancel my plans for the next day, call the man back and tell him that I will be there tomorrow.
Well, I had another interview for a different marketing company. I decide to go to see if it is the same sort of thing. I enter the suite, and there are two girls sitting at the desk. They are both making phone calls to AT LEAST 20 other people that I counted. Saying that the managers read their resumes and they would like to schedule interviews. I thought that was kind of odd just because, how can SO many people have impressive resumes. Again, there were about 5 people waiting to be interviewed, loud music playing and magazines in the waiting room. I again get called back and the manager doesn't ask me a single question about myself other than, "Do you like to be at a desk or out and about".
He then tells me a little sketchy version of the company and that I would be up and around in the beginning and by the end I would be doing that less. I wasn't sure what that meant but I think I knew. He also told me that I would be a manager in 6-12 months. He then says that he is interviewing about 30 people and he will be picking the top 10 by 6:30 and that he would give me a call to let me know. I get the call back asking for me to come in for an all day interview. I actually got the message on my voice mail so I was unable to say yes or no. I was really perplexed at how EASY it was to get these jobs. I have had a harder time getting a job waiting tables than at these companies.
So, unsure of what to do and feeling like something was up, I got online and did a little research and found this website. And I am so glad that I did. I cancled all of my other interviews and called back and told the company that I would not be coming to the "full day interview". What a scam.
Scammed
pasadena, Maryland
U.S.A.
I go in for my first interview at one of the places and there are 5 other people waiting in the waiting room. There is music playing and candles everywhere and also magazines. I was wondering if I was in a dentists office or not. I thought it was odd that so many people were being interviewed at this time. I have never seen this type of thing before. Well, I was brought in for my interview and basically handed the "job". The man interviewing me asked me if I wanted this job to be a career and I said yes. He didn't ask me any other questions about myself other than, "Do you like sports?" "Have you heard of Proactive". I was really nervous going into the interview because I thought they would ask me real challenging questions. Anyway, he offered me to come back for the second, full day interview. I thought that was odd too. I had never heard of such a thing. Well, I agree to do it and he says, ok see you tomorrow.
I was again, shocked. Who expects you to be free? Shouldn't they ask you first? I tell him that I am actually booked for tomorrow but I can come in the day after. He proceeds to tell me that, "Well, the position might be filled by then." Shows how valuable I must have been right? I thought that was a little weird too. I tell him that I will make a few calls and see if I can make it the next day. I cancel my plans for the next day, call the man back and tell him that I will be there tomorrow.
Well, I had another interview for a different marketing company. I decide to go to see if it is the same sort of thing. I enter the suite, and there are two girls sitting at the desk. They are both making phone calls to AT LEAST 20 other people that I counted. Saying that the managers read their resumes and they would like to schedule interviews. I thought that was kind of odd just because, how can SO many people have impressive resumes. Again, there were about 5 people waiting to be interviewed, loud music playing and magazines in the waiting room. I again get called back and the manager doesn't ask me a single question about myself other than, "Do you like to be at a desk or out and about".
He then tells me a little sketchy version of the company and that I would be up and around in the beginning and by the end I would be doing that less. I wasn't sure what that meant but I think I knew. He also told me that I would be a manager in 6-12 months. He then says that he is interviewing about 30 people and he will be picking the top 10 by 6:30 and that he would give me a call to let me know. I get the call back asking for me to come in for an all day interview. I actually got the message on my voice mail so I was unable to say yes or no. I was really perplexed at how EASY it was to get these jobs. I have had a harder time getting a job waiting tables than at these companies.
So, unsure of what to do and feeling like something was up, I got online and did a little research and found this website. And I am so glad that I did. I cancled all of my other interviews and called back and told the company that I would not be coming to the "full day interview". What a scam.
Scammed
pasadena, Maryland
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Rebecca
Olney,Maryland,
U.S.A.
New Similar Marketing Scam in Baltimore: The Valed Group
#2Consumer Comment
Thu, March 12, 2009
I'm glad you got out of this SEAM/L-2 marketing pyramid scheme while you still could! Unfortunately, the fact of the matter here is that these shady companies are popping up all over the Baltimore area all of a sudden. The Valed Group is VERY similar to any of these other marketing companies. They promised great pay, management opportunities, work with Fortune 500 clients etc. I was recently offered a job with them, and after seeing what life with this company entails, I turned it down. The TRUTH about Valed Group/SEAM/L-2/any of these DS Max/Cydcor type companies is that you work 12 hours a day for a grand total of MAYBE $400 per week. I went on a second interview at the Valed Group and was shocked at the horrendous working conditions (standing in front of the Owings Mills Sam's Club in freezing weather), the pay ($300-$400 a week) and most of all the brainwashed employees. The 'leader' whom I shadowed for the day told me multiple times that she was so happy to be in a great career and doing something with her life. She honestly believed that standing in front of a discount store hawking makeup for 12 hours was a GREAT job! Sad.... I don't even understand how these companies are legal. The work hours stretch from early in the morning to well into the evening... my leader told me she didn't leave the office until 9 p.m. most nights. She also told me that once every two weeks she worked a day without ANY pay. These days the whole group stayed in the office assembling 'merch' (merchandise) and therefore did not earn any money at all. How can this be legal? Another tip for potential jobseekers to avoid being trapped with these types of companies; take a GOOD LOOK at the office. The Valed Group's office had just 4 rooms; 2 of which were virtually empty. The walls were drab and dirty. It looked highly UNPROFESSIONAL. Another unprofessional thing was the constant rap music blaring at a ridiculously high volume. They claimed it was to keep the environment 'fun'.... It's really to attempt to drown out the owner's screaming as she tries to scare employees into selling enough to suit her for the day ahead. I encourage any recent college graduate looking for a career in marketing/sales/management to stay FAR away from these places. The Valed Group and L-2 Associates prey on young, intelligent people just like us. These 'companies' are shady and possibly illegal. They are also an insult to those of us who worked hard for 4 years to earn college degrees. There is nothing about the work at these places that requires a higher education, so don't waste your degree on these door-to-door sales scams. You're better than that, guaranteed. I'm glad I realized that I was too! Best of luck to everyone!
Neveragain
Baltimore,Maryland,
U.S.A.
L 2 & Associates is a waste of time!!!!
#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Tue, March 25, 2008
You made a very wise choice to decline the job offer. Or should I say absolute waste of time. You are a recent college grad and you are better than what you would have to endure working there. You saw how the interview process went so let me tell you how it was. Basically bottom line you are a door to door solictor. Disturbing people while they are at work, dogding the manager, security or the police. You drive put miles and miles on your car, make 17 to 23 percent profit on what you sell and all the products are cheap. What does that leave you? backed up bills, trips to the auto shop and most of your money being spent at the pump. Not worth it! The days were very long, no less than 12 hours. Very harsh weather conditions we were still sent out. Can you imagine working like this day in and day out only to report back to a manager who contradicted everything he said, thought he had the right to treat you like crap because it was his building, and just a complete jerk?!! Also they promise you promotions, management after six months. Not true, prime example there was a guy there for a year, made very impressive sales never got to management. He did the smart thing and left. What does that tell you. LIES. It seems like they are running a cult. You will really not have an outside life. To anyone reading this be aware of these so called marketing/advertising firms that pop up or contact you. Don't fall for it like I did. They are going to lie to you and tell you all the these wonderful promises of things they don't even have themselves.
