Interview

Ok... so like most people I've been reading all the stuff on this board and have been a bit turned off by what I have found. However, I still decided to go through the interview process and have now been asked back for a 3rd and Final interview. Yes the "salary" is low, and yes the hours are long, but is it really that bad? Do most of you really regret ever working there, or can you atleast admit that some of the stuff (maybe the trianing or whatever) helped you get your next or current job. I am not looking at Enterprise as a career, as much as they say it may be. I look to work there for maybe 2-3 years, get maybe as high as a branch manager and then get out. What is wrong with that? As a college kid, it is extremely hard to get your first job when you have virtually no experience whatsoever. You all make it seem like you had such terrible experiences at ERAC, which I do believe to a degree, but aren't you better off for it? You have probably learn more about business, or atleast what it is you don't want to do with your life. No? For me, its just a job... one that will get me the experience I need to get into some kind of other sales position (I would love pharm. sales and I have heard a bunch of former ERAC people end up getting jobs in that industry). What do you guys think? They tell me 30k, plus skill's test and MQI for 32k possiblity for first year out. Even if its not that much, some people on this board have said it's more like 18-23k or so.. and that seems a bit off from what I have learned. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much.

[formererac]

18-20 k is a more accurate salary quote. I don't think ERAC teaches you how to sell. Either you can or you can't. If you're relying on ERAC to teach you management skills, you're barking up the wrong tree. Doesn't sound like that's what your goal is though. Yes, pharm sales are always hiring ERAC folks. If you can put up with the hell your life will be for two years, go ahead and take the job. Just go in with your eyes open, knowing what you're in for. Personally, I know there are better entry level sales positions out there if you don't care about relocating. If you're just looking for experience, there are better ways to go about it. What did the advisors at your university recommend?

Be ready to put in some time. When leaving the company you want some sort of management experience on your resume. From what I saw when I was a cult member at the E_Dream you go thru stages of liking the company to wondering if you should even return to work after lunch...... You have probably seen several messages about how this company becomes your life. It's true, the long hours the people all the same age and the large expense acct. for beer. If you take the position try to remember that on your marketing days as a branch manager is the days you need to be interviewing because you really don't want to move any further than that...Trust ME.

The people in the Career Services Dept. of my University have told me good things about ERAC. They claim it "has one of the best training programs in the country". I'm just not sure of what to do, I don't really want to be in retail at all. I would much rather get into B2B sales or pharm. sales or something of that nature, but without any relevant experience I am kinda stuck. I am willing to relocate, and I am willing to put in the hard work. But my impression of ERAC is mixed, the interview process seems difficult, but they have called me almost immediately each time to set up the next interview. It's almost as if they are rushing to hire me on so that I can start the day after I graduate... which strikes me as strange. Anyway, I guess the point is that I know I want to be in sales, but I don't know how to start a career there and I feel ERAC will atleast provide me with the training to know some basic concepts and business practices. No?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The people in the Career Services Dept. of my University have told me good things about ERAC. They claim it "has one of the best training programs in the country". I'm just not sure of what to do, I don't really want to be in retail at all. I would much rather get into B2B sales or pharm. sales or something of that nature, but without any relevant experience I am kinda stuck. I am willing to relocate, and I am willing to put in the hard work. But my impression of ERAC is mixed, the interview process seems difficult, but they have called me almost immediately each time to set up the next interview. It's almost as if they are rushing to hire me on so that I can start the day after I graduate... which strikes me as strange. Anyway, I guess the point is that I know I want to be in sales, but I don't know how to start a career there and I feel ERAC will atleast provide me with the training to know some basic concepts and business practices. No?

It's true that Enterprise will teach you business practices, some good and some bad. I really can't tell you what to do but I can tell you that Enetrprise taught me a lot about working in a business. I actually learned quite a few things about how to and now not to run a business. I took these all to heart and am now about to start working in B2B for a major company with a lot better salary too! I would recommend going for the third interview and then decide what you want to do. Whatever happens never tell them that you may not want to make a career out of the job because they will hound you about it over and over. Good luck!

[formererac]

The interview process is made to make you THINK it's selective. They'll hire anyone with a heartbeat and a degree. If you don't want to work retail, don't work for ERAC. That's exactly what you'll be doing. I'll talk to my brother in law and see what he did after school. He's in sales now, doing really well, and never worked at ERAC. What was your degree in?

No one has ever hated ERAC as much as I have! I literally cried just about everyday while at work and on my 45 minute drive home because I was so miserable there!! I wanted to drive my car over a cliff and hated every second that I was employed there! But, I can honestly say, and it kills me to do this, that ERAC did teach me, or at least my branch manager taught me, how to better deal with customers. No matter what the situation I was able to take charge and deal with it. Now, at my new job people bitch about customers and how busy we get and how they can't sell and how miserable they are and I just sit back and laugh because I now have it so easy and I think that a bad day at my new job- the worst day at my new job, will NEVER be as bad,crazy,hectic,suicide driven, difficult, or miserable as one day at enterprise!!!
My branch manager taught me great customer service skills and thats one reason that my new boss hired me. Some of the people I work with don't have the skills that were instilled in me while working at erac and I feel sorry for them.

ERAC also helped me to find the love of my life. Thank god neither of us work there anymore and our relationship is much more stress free and we are so much happier. He quit before I did and if it weren't for him working there and knowing exactly what I went through day in and day out I don't think we would have made it. Family and friends have NO IDEA how bad it is there, and unless you've worked there you will never experience the true misery that ERAC employees go through from coast to coast. I thank god that I got out of there and that I now have a better, more stressfree life and relationship!!

THANKS ERAC!

and if you MUST go there, work for a year and then move on. but it's honestly hard to even work there for that long! but, it does look good on a resume. you'll be surprised how many people want you to work for them knowing that you worked in erac hell!

My degree is in History... basically a completely useless major, other than the fact that it taught me how to read and write pretty well. That's the reason I feel like I need some kind of trainee program to prove myself as a good worker in the "real world". I just feel like I need to start with someone who is willing to take a chance on me and let me prove that I am a good worker and have great skills, and from my experience not many people are willing to give a history major straight out of college that opportunity.

[formererac]

Not true. There are plenty of opportunites out there for history majors. It's just that you've chosen to go into sales. That being the case, you're right your degree leaves much to be desired. Would be better if you had an econ or business degree. Maybe ERAC is your best shot.

Originally Posted by formererac

Not true. There are plenty of opportunites out there for history majors. It's just that you've chosen to go into sales. That being the case, you're right your degree leaves much to be desired. Would be better if you had an econ or business degree. Maybe ERAC is your best shot.

Teacher or Historian; what else is there?