Recently had an interview

Well, I had an interview one week ago and have been called up for a follow-up interview. I've read most of the content on this site and just had a question.

While it seems most everyone is having problems, are there individuals that work in an area or location (southern california) that have not experienced most of the stuff discussed on this board?

I am sorry to say these issues are a national epidemic. Just cancel your interview now!! You will thank me later.

best thing to do is read through this site, decide which issues most concern you, then bring them up in your interview and see how the interviewer reacts/responds. Don't tell him that you go the issues from this website because then he'd probably write you off, and not offer you the job. (Which may or may not be bad, depending on your financial and personal situations.)

Just promise me you won't listen to me or any other folks on this board. If you're that concerned about it do a little deeper research -- asking real employees in the branches, etc. You are going to get the extreme on both ends from this site. There are some crappy managers out there but there are some great ones to who really do want you to do well at this job and are working their butts off to help you succeed. Do parts of the job itself suck? Yep. But like I've always been taught -- there is no such thing as a free lunch. If you have a desire to be financially secure down the road, is Enterprise the only place you can get that? No....but the opportunity is there. Folks here have had some bad experiences. Personally, mine has bee awesome. I've worked in three different groups around the country and have had a great experience in all of them. I had to deal with some poor excuses for managers along the way but I think it just made me stronger in the end. Good luck!

I really wish I worked in the region/group that you do.

No kidding, I wish I did too! I just found out my old ARM quit as predicted.

Take the job, PLEASE, the more stories the better!

Ya know, and oddly enough, not one of the 3 groups I've been in ever gets mentioned on this board. That's probably not a coincidence. I just really wish you guys could have seen the better side of this company. It really is amazing.

yeah but the two groups that make ERAC all its dough, (24 and whatever LA is) are repeatedly mentioned. Im sure that the new group that just opened in northwestern North Dakota that has no pressure on it to perform as well as those who work in metropolitan areas is much nicer to work in.

LA is group 32

I see both sides of "Happy here" and the others. Alot of it is WHO you work for. Some of the genius and downfall of ERAC is that it decentralized giving autonomy to each of the groups. So, if you have a really good GM and Very good VP things can be good. But, if one or both of them suck, life can suck. I had a great GM but the VP was a coniving, "boy club" weazel. I really liked WHAT I did and who I worked WITH, but not who I worked FOR. When I was a branch manager, we had a strong office team and even as an LCAM (Corp. Accts mgr.) I enjoyed working with the ARM's (area mgr) and BM's (branch mgr) but not my VP (vice pres). But, as a Management Trainee you don't deal with your VP that much. Yes, it has a trickle down effect but not int he way it would effect other positions.

Whatever you have to say about ERAC, you can NOT deny that it is one of the BEST Management training programs in corporate America. What you gain in skill in the few years it takes to get to Assistant or Branch Manager, you could NEVER achieve that experience elsewhere. I used to have headhunters who rented as corporate customers try and recruit my employees right under my nose. I took it as a compliment to the company's and my training. Did I eventually lose some of my team to "greener pastures"?? Yes. But, I helped a good number more get promoted and learn more responsibilities.

So, if nothing else, Take the 2nd interview and accept a job opportunity as just that; an opportunity to learn some fast-pace, on your feet business experience. When you feel you have nothing more to learn, move on. But, be armed with the knowledge, that some of the chat in this discussion board drips with bitterness or exhaustion. I probably once sounded a bit that way but I will never regret what I gained. I used to have great respect for the owners and company. I have been so far removed that I really can't comment as to the state of it now.
Just a few thoughts.