"I can't handle the truth!" Actually, I need to hear it. Please tell me the truth!

[gp65:(]

Originally Posted by aphiohokie

What about working in Human Resources? I was talking to my mother the other day about this and some other jobs I was interested in, and she said she'd call her friend who works HR, and she said she loves it there (I believe it's something closer to normal business hours, like 8-5 M-F), and arranged for me to do a first interview much closer to my home so I didn't have to drive several hours. How do you end up in Human Resources after MT? like do you have to get a to a certain 'level' or be there a certain amount of time or have a human resources college degree?

ERAC HR is a joke. It's more of a sales job-----preying on college grads.

It's also not easy to get into. A lot of people want out of rental and into HR.

Don't go with ERAC.

[Disgruntled ExERACer]

Everyone starts out in rental EXCEPT for accountants from what I have seen.

HR--Just say no! You have to "know" someone to get that job and you would start out as a coordinator trolling for applicants online, calling them to set up interviews, and greeting them when they come in, giving them directions etc.
But MOST IMPORTANTLY- you get to rat out all of your E-friends to management when you see there resumes on Monster and Careerbuilder.

Not worth it especially since there is no opportunity for overtime.

Stay away....

[LongGoneFromERAC]

aphiohokie,

Honestly every job has it's ups and downs. I ignored what everyone told me about Enterprise and jumped in, cause I was going to be different.

What makes Enterprise a bad company to work for is what it does to you mentally! Working from 6:30AM-6:30PM M-F. Working Saturdays. Eating fast food for lunch everyday. When I got to leave for lunch I would just sleep in my car! I constantly fought with my husband. Being sexually harrassed by co-worker and customers. All the higher ups had been divorced at least once. You couldn't use your comp time (or whatever they called it) when you wanted. I had to work every Saturday when there was a holiday on Monday (Labor day and Memorial day) while the managers took the day off. I once made an appointment to go to a doctor cause I was sick and they asked me to reschedule cause it was an inconvience for them! I have been gone from Enterprise for a while and I'm still dealing with the health consequences. I get chest pains, ulcers, acid reflex, breakdowns, loss of sex drive that all started when I started working at Enterprise.

I worked in Virginia. I know the people you will be working with and some are really nice people, but for the good of your family you need to not get involved with this company.

[Former24FFer]

aphiohokie....the responses here are perfect. If I were looking to work for this company and saw these responses, my decision would be easy.

Dont believe us......go ahead and work for ECRAP. Give you about 6 months before you start looking for another job.

By the way.....its 1pm here in New York and you know what I am doing....eating lunch. Never happened at ERAC.

[flipp]

Go and take the job. If you can't take the hint from thousands of posts then go find out for yourself jackass. Or can't you hack it?

[DCanada]

Originally Posted by aphiohokie

Thanks for the replies. I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of taking this versus some others. I'd make more money with ERAC, but at another offer I can make my own hours and I'd immediately be the manager a my own building and can set my own hours. Being able to spend evenings with my wife, take Saturdays off to go to Hokies games, and some other liberties are important to me.

My wife makes an average teacher's salary, and I'd make a low $28,000, but I interviewed with 3 people, all out of college less than 3 years and had moved up, and I'd feel more like a professional that I think I would at ERAC. Tough choice

You've just convinced me that maybe you should look at what you currently have than ERAC. Unless you are willing to move or commute, and need less time for family, ERAC is not for you. The only good thing it might have for you is that there truly is potential to start earning 60K within your first 2 years. There are a few branches in my 39 branch group that make near 100K and a couple over that.

[Disgruntled ExERACer]

I found this in another thread and although it is lengthy read through it because it is "dead on Balls" accurate.
All credit goes to poster Barbie. None of this was me...


Originally Posted by barbie
Yes, all these are true. I've been through ALL of this and more...let me explain...

-65+ hour work weeks (working at an airport location will most definitely get you to work 60+ hours a week)

-"Choice Time" only at my boss's choosing (for sure, this really sucks ass)

-Working from 7:30 am till at least 6pm and still having people complain that we are do not open early enough or stay open late enough when they work 9-5 (I've never heard this before at a home-city branch, but I've heard it at the airport, pretty ridiculous, huh?)

-Insurance customers who have a brand new Ford Explorer in the shop but have an insurance policy that only covers $25/day and don't understand why they can not use coupons, discounts, weekend specials, and corporate discounts on top of their insurance discount to get an Explorer without having to pay anything themselves for it. (Oh, yeah...and throw in the fussy dice for them too at no charge. Some customers just want everything for free)

-Insurance adjusters who think 15 minutes of notice is plenty of time to find a car and pick a customer up from a body shop that is 20 minutes away-one way (Yep, ain't that a bitch)

-Insurance customers don't think they need to have a security deposit-hello why should the insurance company pay for the gas you use and be responsible for the car if you crash it? (I know, isn't that ridiculous? "I thought the insurance company was paying for ALL of it. Stupid asses)

-There are roughly 15,000 MT's in the company... the company is being run by people who have only worked for the company for 0-12 months and they wonder why there are issues??? (Actually, good point)

-Passed MQI and am eligible for promotion to Assistant Manager along with 8 other M.A.s yet there are and have been no Assistant spots open for months (Yeah, it happens. I don't know why the rush for us to grill then)

-Customers LIE (Yes, they do. I once had a lady that YELLED at my branch mgr because she wanted to get her way, stormed out, came back a couple of hours later apologizing and admitted to doing that just to get a free day on her rental. F----g bitch)

-Managers who only poke their heads out of their hidey hole offices to ask if you sold on that customer, what are we sitting at, and what do our rez's look like for the rest of the day? These same managers are no where to be found to write up contracts unless the customer coming in is a guaranteed full boat yee haw! (Yep, it's like, "Move, bitch, get out of the way, this boat's mine")

-Area managers who are never available when you need them then are all over your office and getting in your way when you have no use for them. (Classic)

-You will be exhausted on a regular basis, both physically and mentally (Pretty much, you might even get a tick like a twitch in your eye from all the stress you go through)

-People will blame you for everything: their accident, their crappy car that is not metallic gold with pink zebra striped interior and why does their Chevy Aveo not have power locks and a CD player??? (Yes, very true. I had a customer who complained how the KIA RIO doesn't have power locks or power windows. And when asked what size veh she reserved, she said Economy. Ok, bitch, next time, book a f-----g SCAR or FCAR and stop complaining)

-Co-workers that are made into GODS because of their "sales ability" when EVERYONE knows they are cheating (For sure. I had an Ass...Mgr who would lower the rates so he could include the Basic Coverage and the rate as one. But, hey!! Even though he's shady, "Big Cheeses" love him because he "knows" how to sell)

-Customers who rent from one office, run off with the car, the car must be repo'd and then they wonder why no one else will rent to them (Or why they're in the DNR list)

-Customers who call to tell you they lost the key to their brand new Mazda and don't understand why I am not willing to pay for the tow truck, key cut, and key recompution since it is a computer chip key... (and because I'm expected to feel sorry for your sorry ass because you lost my key)

-Internet rez's that show up 6 hours late for their reservation after they don't have their phone number in the reservation they made and wonder why you don't have their car available (Classic. Too bad so sad. No ph # to be reached at, no rez. I have plenty of people that are waiting for cars AND willing to pay for them right then and there)

-Customers who lie about SOMETHING so they don't have to pay the full cost of their bill (Please see example above "Customers LIE")

-Customers who call you while they are at work to tell you that they are done with the rental and that it is ready to get picked up from their home's driveway at any time...(not any time in this lifetime. You bring it back where you picked it up)

-People who return their vehicles at 6pm and want a ride to the other end of town (Are you f-----g kidding me? Those are the worst)

-To all you ghetto fabulous customers out there: A DEBIT CARD IS NOT THE SAME THING AS A CREDIT CARD - I DO NOT CARE IF THERE IS A VISA/MASTERCARD LOGO ON IT-MY COMPUTER KNOWS IT IS A DEBIT CARD AND MUST BE TREATED AS A CASH RENTAL (Amen to that!!! If you're not smart enough to figure that one out, then don't rent, Mr. Customer)

-People who tell me to call other offices when I don't have a car available for them-thank you why the hell did I never think of that? (No shit! Where are your managers when you need them? And when you don't, they're just in the way)

-The fact that I have 25,000 in student loans so I can rent cars for a living
(Not entirely true. As MTs, we're hired to become Managers some day and practice what we've (hopefully) learned in college. Hey!! I learned how to run a business, not how to deal with unethical managers and pissy customers)

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Adding to more ERAC downfalls...

-I spend $700 a month on an apartment I am only at to sleep in (entirely true, except for what? ONE day a week that I can FINALLY call MINE. Yee haa!)

-I never see my fiance, or my family, or my pets (or my friends, or pay my bills, or go to the doctor, or have a life outside of work...)

-Work/Life balance? Riiiiight... what they don't tell you during your three interviews is that their idea of work/life balance is all work and no life. (Entirely true.)

-I wake up at 5:45am and go to bed at 10:00pm every single day (Yep. That's your schedule if you work at a home-city branch. Working at an airport branch is ruthless. Mostly go in at about 6 or 7am, MAYBE have a lunch break, maybe not, then leave at about 7pm or 8pm...that's IF they don't need you to go marketing or stay a LITTLE longer to help with the next flight or clean cars.)

-You will live off of take-out food. I have gained about 5 pounds every month that I have worked for the company (I feel the same way. And even though I try to eat healthy (salads for example), I'm pooping pellets for crying out loud.)

-No time or energy to work out (Aha...no time for cardio/yoga/kickboxing/pilates/gym/Denise Austin/Billy Blanks)

-Worrying about work outside of work (especially when you move to management)

-Having nightmares over the weekend about being yelled at by insurance adjusters, cranky body shop workers, cranky insurance customers, and managers who are ticked because your sales aren't stellar. (Very true. I've had numerous ERAC nightmares: "Have we taken the Cherokee to get fixed?", "What? This is a conversion?", and the classic nightmare you have when you see only yourself at the counter with at least 10 to 20 angry customers in front of you waiting for cars. AAAHHHH!!! That's when you know you're overworked)

-Never having cars when I need them (especially when other offices don't want to give up cars)

-Having too many cars when I have no reservations (give them to other offices. Set the example)

-Working Saturdays alone with 10 rez's (ain't that a bitch)

-Having a manager who shows up between 8 and 8:30am when we are supposed to be at work at 7:30am - I am expected to be at work at 7:30. (Yep, but there's ALWAYS somebody in the office with a bigmouth that settles that right away)

-Having a manger that comes in at 8:30am then proceeds to sit in their office and chat on their cell phone all day (or is surfing the internet all f----g day)

-Getting absolutely no credit for all of the work I do just because my sales aren't going that great (This hasn't happened to me. I'm one of those who's not aggressive when it comes to selling DW, but I do a great job getting callbacks and A/Rs done)

-Having to sell people CDW (Ugh!! I f------g hate that part)

-Having my entire performance and promotability be based on CDW sales regardless of all of the other work I do (Not entirely true. Like I said, I'm not aggressive when it comes to selling DW, but my other administrative and customer service skills have helped me get promoted. Note: just because I hate to deal with customers' whining, doesn't mean I don't treat them with respect.)

-Coming in early and having to stay late every single day (Yeah, very true, but I guess that's part of the "Work/Life balance"?)

[aphiohokie]

Thanks for the replies. I decided I wouldn't take the job so went into the first in-person interview relaxed. She asked me lots of typical interview questions. One of the was something like "what didn't you like at a previous job?", and I responded that I didn't like being illegally cheated out of my state law provided full 30 minute paid break and previous employer who would push hours around to avoid overtime. she was like 'oooh, i see' (i said those because of the reports of non existent breaks and paper shuffling to avoid paying overtime i've seen on these boards)

At the end of the interview she said something like 'now are there any questions you have?" i said something like 'a good way to gauge how well a company does is how happy the employees are. how would you describe the satisfaction with this job with both current and former employees?" she answered something like 'oh most of them love the job, we have great retention, you work hard and feel good about yourself and learn a lot and get to advance.'

The whole interview I was deciding whether or not to ask the question, but eventually I did. So I said "most enjoy it huh? have you ever heard of or visited failingenterprise.com?"

At that point she said oh yeah every company has its upset fired employees, and quickly said they'll be in contact in 5-7 business days and rushed me out.

Not surprisingly, I got a letter saying they have chosen not to go to the next interview. Really?

So happy I did not actually take the interview seriously, because I would have hated it. Working so much, so little pay, washing cars in 20 and 100 degree weather and in the rain, never getting breaks or the part I would probably hate most of all: ALWAYS giving in to the customers who are just pains or stupid. Thanks folks!

[FailingEnterpriseAdmin]

Originally Posted by aphiohokie

Thanks for the replies. I decided I wouldn't take the job so went into the first in-person interview relaxed. She asked me lots of typical interview questions. One of the was something like "what didn't you like at a previous job?", and I responded that I didn't like being illegally cheated out of my state law provided full 30 minute paid break and previous employer who would push hours around to avoid overtime. she was like 'oooh, i see' (i said those because of the reports of non existent breaks and paper shuffling to avoid paying overtime i've seen on these boards)

At the end of the interview she said something like 'now are there any questions you have?" i said something like 'a good way to gauge how well a company does is how happy the employees are. how would you describe the satisfaction with this job with both current and former employees?" she answered something like 'oh most of them love the job, we have great retention, you work hard and feel good about yourself and learn a lot and get to advance.'

The whole interview I was deciding whether or not to ask the question, but eventually I did. So I said "most enjoy it huh? have you ever heard of or visited failingenterprise.com?"

At that point she said oh yeah every company has its upset fired employees, and quickly said they'll be in contact in 5-7 business days and rushed me out.

Not surprisingly, I got a letter saying they have chosen not to go to the next interview. Really?

So happy I did not actually take the interview seriously, because I would have hated it. Working so much, so little pay, washing cars in 20 and 100 degree weather and in the rain, never getting breaks or the part I would probably hate most of all: ALWAYS giving in to the customers who are just pains or stupid. Thanks folks!

Excellent! Thanks for dropping the "Failing Enterprise" bomb on them. I know they're trying really hard to believe that job candidates aren't being deterred by the site.

[JustCurious]

I'd say to run from ANY retail type job. The hours are long, the pay sucks and the benefits suck and you deal with really shitty management most of the time. The years pass and you suddenly realize one day that you've really wasted your life and your career. Take it from me who finally had enough and switched to a whole new in mid-life. That is not easy!

Wait it out if you can and take a "real" job and don't settle for a retail crap job. Run now - seriously. I wish I had listened to that advice when I was young and took the retail job. I didn't worked for ERAC, but their promises sound very much like the promises my company gave. Yes - I ended up a manager, but I never made more than $30,000 a year and worked 6 days a week, 10 hours a day. They also didn't believe in giving good reviews. No matter how much money I made for my company and I really did have some spectacular years, they find a reason to give you a mediocre review. I found out that company policy was to never give anyone more than a "meets standards" review so they weren't obligated to give you a decent raise.

I finally took my old degree that I had gotten so long ago, found a whole different job and I'm already making more money, working much less hours, I have my weekends off and I don't have to drive an hour away to get to my job. I don't know why I didn't get out sooner.

Seriously - I'm not trying to rain on your parade. You sound excited about this opportunity, but the company is lying to you. I can just tell from your post that this is not going to be the job for you. You sound like too nice of a person. With my past experience in retail and managing in retail, I just cringe when I see a bright young person ignore that advice because they're just excited about getting the job and they have to find out the hard way and they waste those valuable years. Use my experiences and those of the people here and really really think about it. I truly feel you'll regret taking this job.