Working for Cutco/Vector?

[Fakesmile]

I did an interview today and got in, but I heard a rumor that it accepts 90% of all applicants, and even though it may not be a scam, I watched some bad Youtube videos showing people who complain about how they tried it but didn't like it because they felt like they were ripping off their family and friends. Someone also said Vector is really deceptive in how they try to sell the products. I have 3-day consecutive training in a few days and they say the training is good. Do you think I should just take the training and then after the second or third day tell the employer that I'm quitting? But then I am scared if the employer would do anything to me with a knife (she was kind of scary) or at least give me a dirty/scary look for quitting after going through the interview.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[WingedOx]

If Cutco isn't your thing, try Edgecom or Interslice!

 

[Musclemass]

Aren't you the person who was lacking motivation for school and perhaps had low self-esteem?

Having a sales job may not be a good idea for you because salemen need to deal with failure and rejection pretty regularly. It may be better to keep looking and find something where you get paid by the hour.

Good luck

 

[wanderer]

Is that another one of those pyramid schemes (or as they refer to themselves as an MLM?)? If so ditch it. You will either A) have to buy in to be be able to sell stuff B) have to recruit several new members before earning a paycheck.

Either way your gonna be one of dozens of "employees" who gets nothing while waiting months before your first paycheck, while someone above you makes a nice amount money doing nothing.

There are other jobs out there if you want to learn how to deal with rejection. One thing I'd recommend is getting a job as a campaigner for a local candidate (if you can). Those usually have openings starting in September or October but sometimes earlier and can be easy to get. If you want a job earlier I'm sure there are a lot of other things you can do that actually involve u getting paid.

 

[wanderer]

By the way I'd avoid working as a salesman for any company that's listed in this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multi-level_marketing_companies
Vector is listed.

 

[Fakesmile]

Aren't you the person who was lacking motivation for school and perhaps had low self-esteem?

Having a sales job may not be a good idea for you because salemen need to deal with failure and rejection pretty regularly. It may be better to keep looking and find something where you get paid by the hour.

Good luck

Interesting how you never posted in my previous threads but still remember what I was struggling with.

Is that another one of those pyramid schemes (or as they refer to themselves as an MLM?)? If so ditch it. You will either A) have to buy in to be be able to sell stuff B) have to recruit several new members before earning a paycheck. Either way your gonna be one of dozens of "employees" who gets nothing while waiting months before your first paycheck, while someone above you makes a nice amount money doing nothing.

How student reps (the title of the job of interest) are paid is that there are basically two ways: basic and incentive (aka commission). I still don't get this clearly myself and if I decide to stick around, then I will have to wait until training (if I decide to try it).

There are other jobs out there if you want to learn how to deal with rejection. One thing I'd recommend is getting a job as a campaigner for a local candidate (if you can). Those usually have openings starting in September or October but sometimes earlier and can be easy to get. If you want a job earlier I'm sure there are a lot of other things you can do that actually involve u getting paid.

It doesn't work that way, but how it actually works isn't that pretty either. During the interview orientation, I learned that there are two different modes of how student reps are paid. In basic, it's $16.25 per appointment (regarless of whether the customer ends up buying the product). In incentive (aka commission or something), there is no limit.

But just to be clear, my initial intention of why I applied to this doesn't have to do with money, but I was just looking for jobs where I can learn/try new things while my time-off from school. But if you would still recommend against it, then in addition to being a campaigner, what are some good jobs I can try?

 

[BigRedBeta]

I had friends do it, probably about 15 or so. 14 quit within a month, most having made little money. 1 guy though ended up loving it and made some significant money...but he got really creepy about the way he was always trying to sell his products.

By the way I'd avoid working as a salesman for any company that's listed in this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ting_companies
Vector is listed.

I think some of those companies are very different levels compared to Vector...Pampered Chef and Avon in particular, maybe in part because they don't target high school and college kids.

That said, if you've ever been approached to join an Amway promotion...also a little creepy. They're very secretive about the whole thing.

 

[Mbeas]

my understanding of these programs is that you have to form your own clientele. its hard to find people willing to buy $1000 sets of knives. i bought one knife from a friend who worked for cutco and it was 80 bucks!

 

[kami333]

The biggest scam part is that you have to buy your own "demo" set. $150ish out the door before you even start booking appointments and making any money. Other than that, their knives are somewhat decent (though you can get better for the money) and the only reason why it is overpriced is because most people really don't need a whole knife block/collection. Most people just need a good santoku knife, a paring knife, and maybe a serrated knife; not a whole assortment of butcher knives, filet knives, boning knives, chef knives of various sizes, and steak knives.
(Rant: why does a kitchen knife block need steak knives? I use steak knives at the dining table, not in the kitchen!)

I knew a few people in college who did it (this is back in 00-04), most of them only lasted a month or so but one did crawl up to some kind of district or regional manager type and made a lot of money, towards the end she made more recruiting other students (and selling them their starter kits) than actually selling herself. If you are a good salesman it could be a good gig, if not then it'll end up costing you money.

my understanding of these programs is that you have to form your own clientele. its hard to find people willing to buy $1000 sets of knives. i bought one knife from a friend who worked for cutco and it was 80 bucks!

$80 for a quality knife isn't that bad. I'm not saying the Vector/Cutco knife is worth $80, I don't know the quality of your knife and it's been years since I've seen a Vector knife, but Shun/Henckel/Wusthof knives go for that and much more. People who actually use $1000 in knives usually don't buy Cutco though.
Also quality knives take a lot of effort to keep in good shape, you should be using a sharpening steel on it before every use and have it whetstone ground every 3-6months. I ended up getting one of those serrated Forever Sharp knives (the ones you see at the fair where they cut through cans and nails then cut through a tomato to show it's still sharp), it is gimmicky but it cuts a lot better than a dull straight knife for every day use.

 

[wanderer]

I had friends do it, probably about 15 or so. 14 quit within a month, most having made little money. 1 guy though ended up loving it and made some significant money...but he got really creepy about the way he was always trying to sell his products.



I think some of those companies are very different levels compared to Vector...Pampered Chef and Avon in particular, maybe in part because they don't target high school and college kids.

That said, if you've ever been approached to join an Amway promotion...also a little creepy. They're very secretive about the whole thing.

Maybe. I know another one of the companies on the list recruits people that are either college students or are a little older but desperate to do anything.
I agree about the secretive thing. If you have a friend suggesting a job for you but they can't tell you any details, get as far away from them as possible. Regardless of the particular company it's always the same nonsense. You go to a meeting in some random hotel conference room, where the company "vice president" has some cheesy presentation that pretty much tries to say how what they do is that same as every other company. You then either have to buy the product or sell it to a friend/family member to earn your way in (though this is probably preceded by some training).

 

[Lijia4]

I work part time selling products for Herbalife (MLM company). I've been doing it since August and by working roughly 10 hours a week or less I manage to make at least an extra 500 a month so far (typically increasing each month). I really have been doing the bare minimum because I was skeptical, but now that I see the potential I'll probably work a few extra hours.

I think why I've been successful at it is that I use the products myself, have lost weight and gained a lot of lean muscle and I have yet to get sick since I have taken the supplements--so I'm a product lover myself. I am currently taking methotrexate to suppress my immune system and in the past have become sick very easily--so this was huge for me. I would be making more, but I sell to my family and close friends at my discounted price. I also have an advantage in that I work out of a nutrition club and can host weight loss challenges, health evaluations, and shake parties out of there. We get a lot of foot traffic and new customers pretty often so nearly everyone that I've worked with who are also "wellness coaches" have been super successful in a short period of time.

I wouldn't quit my other job for it, but that's me. I work with a number of people who have quit their former full time jobs and are currently making more even though they are now working part time. But they had to bust their butt initially.

MLM is definitely not for everyone, and most don't stick with it if they don't have the right mentor, environment, or resources available. It IS, however, possible to make decent money if you're willing to work at it. What I like about herbalife at the very least though, is that I know I'm getting quality nutrition for cheap for personal use and people are always going to buy vitamins/supplements--whereas it's not like people are going to buy a knife set from you month after month. Anyways--that's my experience 🙂 If you're going to test the waters with MLM, go for a company who is going to have the easiest products to consistently sell. Even after I stop selling (I doubt I'll have time when I matriculate) I'll still be using the products, so the 50% discount is worth it for me.

 

[DoctwoB]

Had a sibling work for them, made some decent cash with it for the time he put in. You're going to be pitching a lot of people you know though, including family and friends which can be very uncomfortable. The knives are actually really high quality and work really well, though still way more money then anyone should spend on knives (my $10 ikea set is doing fine for now).

 

[Ursa]

Find out if they pay you for training. If not, don't do it. Real jobs pay to train you.

 

[BBender716]

Please, please don't do it. I had two separate groups of friends where 1 person in each did vector and cutco, they hit up all our families and their families, and we really just felt embarrassed for the person and sort of used even though we knew them. I dunno, it was just kind of weird.

 

[4ksibe]

Find out if they pay you for training. If not, don't do it. Real jobs pay to train you.

i dont think they do they will make you buy their knifes and stuff to start. I quit that sh*** right after i was hired.

 

[KTownGT]

If you can sell and don't mind weekly meetings, and have to buy your own supplies then it isn't a scam.

If you're lazy or a bad sales person, it is a scam.

 

[Musclemass]

Interesting how you never posted in my previous threads but still remember what I was struggling with.

I think I may have. I'll be sure not to make the same mistake again.

What's your point?

 

[Fakesmile]

The biggest scam part is that you have to buy your own "demo" set. $150ish out the door before you even start booking appointments and making any money.

I'm not trying to support Vector, but what you said is one of the myths about the company. The money you pay for the demo set will be fully refunded once you quit the job. They make you pay it just to ensure that you don't run away with the set, which costs much more than $150ish in the market. The set is for you to use as demonstration of the products during your sales presentation to customers.

Please, please don't do it. I had two separate groups of friends where 1 person in each did vector and cutco, they hit up all our families and their families, and we really just felt embarrassed for the person and sort of used even though we knew them. I dunno, it was just kind of weird.

I guess I won't do it then, but I might want to try attending one or two training out of three (the first of the 3-day training is tomorrow) just to see how good their training is, because I heard their training program is excellent and want to see if that's true.

Now, any advice on how to tell the employer you quit after getting training?

I think I may have. I'll be sure not to make the same mistake again.

What's your point?

Just saying. Don't be so snappy!👎

 

[4ksibe]

I'm not trying to support Vector, but what you said is one of the myths about the company. The money you pay for the demo set will be fully refunded once you quit the job. They make you pay it just to ensure that you don't run away with the set, which costs much more than $150ish in the market. The set is for you to use as demonstration of the products during your sales presentation to customers.

I guess I won't do it then, but I might want to try attending one or two training out of three (the first of the 3-day training is tomorrow) just to see how good their training is, because I heard their training program is excellent and want to see if that's true.

Now, any advice on how to tell the employer you quit after getting training?

Just saying. Don't be so snappy!👎

You will have to pay for the products before you train

 

[Fakesmile]

You will have to pay for the products before you train

The first training is tomorrow and I wasn't told to bring money or anything. They will probably ask you to pay for the set in your second or third training. So I can still try the first training.

 

[slatermd]

Now, any advice on how to tell the employer you quit after getting training?

If you already feel disingenuous about training and bailing, I would advise against it. It's best not to totally blow off what your conscience is trying to tell you.

I have never trained through Vector, but I have gone through other sales training programs that reported themselves to be excellent. In my experience they have you role play your presentation (this is who I am, this is what I have to offer you), and then teach you a few rebuttals for when people tell you they don't want to buy.

I have personally known people who worked for Vector selling Cutco, so I have seen the outcome of the training. They had one standard, but good, presentation about why to buy Cutco. I don't think this is a skill that really enhances you as a person.

The only "would be" benefit to the training is that you get to practice presenting, which could be valuable if you are as shy as Musclemass seems to recall. However, you will be practicing in front of your own family and friends, so it isn't exactly a rigorous course in public speaking.

The only Vector reps I have known or heard about were constantly pitching to their own inner circle.

 

[motomed]

I did it for a summer in college about 10 years ago. I got sick of having to get references from all my friends and family and bailed really quick. It's a great product, but it's not the best investment for most people. I just didn't enjoy trying to convince them that it was, nor was I any good at it. My boss said I lacked "product conviction." I told him I thought mercedes made some nice cars, but they weren't for everyone. A good friend of mine who has a personality for sales made around $20,000 in one summer doing it and was promoted in a hurry. It's sales, if you're into sales, you can do well with it, just get used to having to tell everyone you're a door to door knife salesman...

It's worth going through training just to get the demo kit. You can turn that around on ebay and make a good bit of money, or just keep it and have some really nice knives for a long time.

 

[Kaustikos]

Oh god...Cutco. Worst job EVER. I only sold one set and was done. Talk about pissing people off for a living.

 

[Fakesmile]

The only "would be" benefit to the training is that you get to practice presenting, which could be valuable if you are as shy as Musclemass seems to recall. However, you will be practicing in front of your own family and friends, so it isn't exactly a rigorous course in public speaking.

The only Vector reps I have known or heard about were constantly pitching to their own inner circle.

Strange as it may sound, I would feel much more shy/uncomfortable to practice in front of my family/friends than to do it to complete strangers.

If what you said about the training is true, then I might as well ditch it and just stick to Dale Carneige or Toasty.

 

[Mbeas]

$80 for a quality knife isn't that bad. I'm not saying the Vector/Cutco knife is worth $80, I don't know the quality of your knife and it's been years since I've seen a Vector knife, but Shun/Henckel/Wusthof knives go for that and much more. People who actually use $1000 in knives usually don't buy Cutco though.
Also quality knives take a lot of effort to keep in good shape, you should be using a sharpening steel on it before every use and have it whetstone ground every 3-6months. I ended up getting one of those serrated Forever Sharp knives (the ones you see at the fair where they cut through cans and nails then cut through a tomato to show it's still sharp), it is gimmicky but it cuts a lot better than a dull straight knife for every day use.

oh don't get me wrong, its actually a great knife and it has a lifetime guarantee. my point is that i only bought the knife because it was my friend. otherwise, i wouldn't have spent nearly that much money for one knife. i don't think you will find many other people willing to pay that much money either. and its hard because, like i said, you have to find your own customers willing to buy expensive knives.

 

[getright]

OP get a real job.

 

[slowbutsteady]

Had a sibling work for them, made some decent cash with it for the time he put in. You're going to be pitching a lot of people you know though, including family and friends which can be very uncomfortable. The knives are actually really high quality and work really well, though still way more money then anyone should spend on knives (my $10 ikea set is doing fine for now).

My older sister made $11,000 in 7 weeks.

 

[vivalavie]

My older sister made $11,000 in 7 weeks.

The trick is that they pay you in knives. The nice thing is they don't charge for shipping. The other trick is they "ship" the knives 4-5 inches into your abdomen.

 

[Fakesmile]

I just completed Day 2 (Friday) and today is the last day of training (Day 3). After Day 2's training, we were told to set up at least 3 appointments by phone. I had a list of over 15 MACs to call (MAC = people that I know who are married, age of 30+, and owns a house) but I didn't call any of them because my mom feels embarrassed to have others know her child does something like this for part-time job, though I am relatively cool about it. So instead I cold called two random restaurant owners. One was interested and told me to email her a more detailed description of what I can offer her. The other didn't answer the phone.

Btw, during Day 2's training, we did a little cutting clinic where we used several different Cutco knives to cut fruits/vegetables we brought to training. In the process, I cut my finger, very deeply and it bleeded like crazy. I would've been fine if I used usual knives I use at home. This showed that the Cutco knives are unusually very sharp.

 

[Mbeas]

Btw, during Day 2's training, we did a little cutting clinic where we used several different Cutco knives to cut fruits/vegetables we brought to training. In the process, I cut my finger, very deeply and it bleeded like crazy. I would've been fine if I used usual knives I use at home. This showed that the Cutco knives are unusually very sharp.

meh...i've got a $80 14-piece knife set at home and each one of the knives will cut my finger. i don't consider them unusually sharp because they can cut through 1.5mm of my skin.

now steak on the other hand....

p.s. have you made bank yet? 😀