unbiased subjective view?

I read most every post on this board before making this thread. What I'm wondering is if anyone here is willing to give a less biased view on ERAC based upon my personal situation.

I'm a college senior.. about to get a degree in a completely useless major (History). I planned on going to lawschool when I decided on my major, but have since changed my mind. Therefore, I seek a job which can give me some experience in business and management, and from what I've been able to gather, erac is a good place to begin that new education.

Someone mentioned that the reason erac hires so many fresh graduates is because of the turnover. Yet, the figures show that erac is always expanding, and has never had a bad year financially. This would lead me to believe that they're doing SOMETHING right. I currently deliver pizza for Pizza Hut. I see the corporate bull all the time.. I know that there's a lot of talk and no production.. etc. But I also realize that every corporation which makes major profits is going to have issues.

So these are my questions, and I want HONEST answers. Don't give me some bullsh*t just because you're disgruntled.

1) What is an honest estimate of a first year income with erac?
2) What is the average work week? I realize it's probably 50+ hours.. but confirm.
3) Elaborate on the benefits, or lack thereof.


To many of you, erac might have been the devil.. but to someone like me who needs to get a foot in the "real world," it looks like a place to start. It'll definately be better than any other job I've held.

Yet, the figures show that erac is always expanding, and has never had a bad year financially.

Be careful; Enterprise is privately held and does not report their finances publicly. On what basis do you make this claim?

Admin

Let me note that the above statement I made was not from Enterprise itself, but from my own knowledge.

Considering that Enterprise is now opening up locations inside airports, that would lead me to believe that they are expanding, considering it costs a lot of money to rent space inside said airports.

Also, it is general knowledge that erac is the leading car rental company in the world.


Companies such as erac are going to have high turnover, because.. well, any major company like erac will. Look at the hospitality industry (which I've worked in since I've been legally allowed to work). It's the same crap. You can get treated like crap and make little to no money. You can get treated like royalty and make little to no money. You can get treated like crap and make tons of money, or you can get treated like royalty and make tons. It just all depends on who you're working with, because each branch will be different, no matter what kind of place you're employed.

All companies are going to embellish to get fresh blood in the door.. it's a given.

Income first year can range from $24-$30 grand before tax depending on the area of the country. However, Erac tends to over inflate that because (all bonuses are included in your "sallary") As an MT you get overtime, which bumps up the pay. You get payed hourly starting out. Average work week is 50 to 55 hours depending on the branch you work. You may work a little less or a little more..that varies. They constantly jump up the ass of the branch manager to keep that number to around 48 hours per week to control costs, yet that is not feasible due to Erac understaffing their branches. My advice if you work there....keep your eye on the hours that you work, because they just may mysteriously change. As for benefits... I think you get like 1 week vacation or so starting out. I can't remember. You also get choice time which is the rest of the world's equivalent to sick time but since the branches are so understaffed, you may be given grief for actually using that time. Other benefits are just average. They have profit sharing, but you only get the full amount after 7 years, and you will be long gone before that.

Honestly, Erac exposes you to many little things that if you are trained properly on can be beneficial (marketing, collections, how to view and accounts payable and receivable run, sales, customer service, cashbox.) You will definitley fine tune your organizational and multi-tasking skills...as you will be responsible for many things at once...especially when you hit the assistant manager level. Many of these things you can learn at most retail jobs, contrary to what many say on this site. If you want a future career in sales, then Erac can be very beneifical on the resume. Other than sales...it's just retail experience. As for the turnover. Don't be fooled in thinking erac is growing. They aren't. They promote those income statements for a reason ...to make people think they are growing. They experienced a lot of growth in the 80s and early 90s, but they are definitely in mautre phase of an organization right now. Here's an example of what they consider growth:
A 200 car branch services a certain area of the city. Erac opens up a sattelite office, which is basically a second office, built off the larger one that services the same area that the larger one was already servicing. 50 cars are shifted over from the 200 car office to the new office, knocking the fleet down to 150 cars. Add them up and you see no growth. Then they average the two icnomes together. They don't open new positions within the company...they simply recyle the old ones. A manager spot opens up because someone was either fired or woke up and left. The ONLY thing I saw that was anything remotely close to growth when I was there was a series of dealerships moved from one part of the city to another. The branch that was already servicing the area that these dealerships moved to lucked out and their fleet grew. But all the branches that previously serviced those indiviudal dealerships before the move suffered and lost business. Erac robs Peter to pay Paul, and then spins it as growth.

Erac will definitely toughen you up for when you go get a real job. It can give you some experience starting out from college, and the drinking and frat atmoshpere that exists in many groups is fun at first right out of college. But don't go in expecting a wonderful career like they promise you because you will be sorely disappointed. Hope that helps. Good luck with your decision.

I am sorry my friend but you just dont understand....
I have a useless degree as well...in politics.

Let me answer your questions first...

Seriously your first year you will earn between 18,000 and 27,000 usd....at the most.

My average working week was between 56 and 70 hours a week...I am not lying I promise.

Benefits are basically health insurance and some buy in scheme after 7 years...oh and you will get to rent a car when you get to manager level for the cost of actually owning a car.

I am not a biased person.This company is just really bad.Go and find someone who works at erac...speak to an mt (when the manager isnt around) his story will basically be one of hoping to find a good job soon.

Finally I would just like to say one thing....You seem like an intelligent chap.dont buy the bullshit! Keep your eyes open and you will find your niche...dont just rent cars!

I was going to leave it at reality's comments but seeing as I was a history major planning on a law career who got disillusioned with the legal world and decided to enter the job market your situation struck a chord with me. Short answer: do it, I did it, I lived, I'm better off for it. I had no business experience and no management training or education and I learned a lot while at Enterprise. Though I agree on a lot of things with reality I disagree on the retail comparison. It is retail, however, Enterprise has one of the most widely recognized management training programs in the country. I work for a very high-level executive recruiting firm and whenever I mention enterprise to a colleague the first thing they say "great training program". To me Enterprise is like the military, you go in, you get training and experience that pays off big in the civilian world if you put the effort in. The pays lousy, the conditions often uncomfortable, and the job is not glamorous. You serve people who often times take for granted what you do for them and how hard you are trying, most wouldn't switch places with you. It is the last place to try to make a life long career out of. You are right about their profitability, they have never had a quarter in the red, they are very financially disciplined though they often cut corners by underpaying and overworking their people and placing them in environments not worthy of college grads and "proffesionals". If you can go in and not worry about the bs, it's fine. Be an MT, go out for free beers, sleep with some coworkers, treat it like the co-ed post college frat that it is. Learn the material, pass the grill, get a promotion or two under your belt and get the @#%$ out. They pay is generally 30-34k the first year depending on some bonuses you may or may not earn. You will work 50-55 hrs a week, you will do things for customers that seem ubsurd and not your responsibility. You will meet some great people, you will make friends that last past your days there, you will aslo be able to list in a heartbeat three people you'd like to see beaten with a blunt object and thrown on top of an ant hill. If you don't take the job or yourself too seriously and just try to have some fun with it with a plan in mind to get promoted, build a resume and find something better you'll be fine. I would never go back there for any amount of money, but I know I wouldn't be where i am today without it. You are precisely the kind of person that can benefit from the company, just don't get sold on their BS, smile, nod, play along but don't get brainwashed. The company is full of people with $$$ in their eyes, and the corporate culture is hilarious if you view the cult from the outside. All the bs people mention on this site is real, it happens, not to everyone but it happens, if you don't let it bother you and just play the game you'll survive and be better for it.

I promise I am not having a go....please dont take offense but listen to what you just said...

"I would never go back there for any amount of money"

Dude...That doesnt sound like a very good recomendation to me!

The truth is you would probally be where you are today without erac because you worked hard and had some balls to fight for what you want.Erac didnt teach you that...

Tell the kid the truth...the companys gay...move on!

OhReally,

If you want to waste 6mo. or more of your life, join ERAC. After 6mo., come back to this website. I bet you 99% of the information is True.
Trust us, we have nothing to gain. But, if you join ERAC. Don't forget, "WE TOLD YOU SO!" This company is corrupt. Uppermanagement is corrupt.
The word "Growth" keeps people motivated. I know for a fact ERAC stop growing after 9-11, and has been lossing accounts to the competition now. (Hertz)

gp23dd

Waiverpant knows his sh1t. Although we do disagree on the retail and I agree with what U624 just said. Erac places you in situations.. Your reaction to those situations and what you get out of it has to do more with indiviudal character than it does with Erac's training. You will recieve some awesome training and advice from some real good people, but that's because they are good people and not because the company trained them well. Many people give Erac way too much credit than it deserves. The biggest thing I utilize today that I utilized at Erac is organization and multi-tasking...but I had those skills in high school and developed them in college. Erac just provided an opportunity to use them.

"This company is corrupt"

Please.. tell me what American Conglomerate ISN'T corrupt in some way?



The truth is, the entire United States economy is built upon corruption.