Just got my degree in business. Do I really want to work at ERAC?

[dabanker]

Originally Posted by youfailedhuh?

So you must have failed after about 3months. Don't argue that because we both know it's true. You couldn't sell cdw and you couldn't learn how to deal with the public. You now work 9-5 and make about 46/year. That is nice, but there is no need to bash my friends and my hard work that allows us to make triple what you make. Have fun in your cubicle for the next 40years

Wow, you must really know me! Let me correct you on a few things. Failed after 3 months? Nope, I "failed" after about 4 years. Work 9-5? Yep!! 46/year in a cubicle? Nope! Listen, I worked my arse off for 4 years with Erac. Did I learn stuff? Yes! Of course i did. If you can't take something away from whatever you do, then you're an idiot. I'm not bashing anyone for working hard, I encourage it. That's what's wrong with society today. But why is it that every "pro-Erac" person that posts on this site, can't seem to say anything nice? They immediately accuse those that leave as being "failures", and that they must work in a cubicle making shit money. If that's your only defense for the company, I guess I won't win any arguements with you. The original post asked if he/she should consider ERAC. Well, why should he?

Originally Posted by dabanker

Wow, you must really know me! Let me correct you on a few things. Failed after 3 months? Nope, I "failed" after about 4 years. Work 9-5? Yep!! 46/year in a cubicle? Nope! Listen, I worked my arse off for 4 years with Erac. Did I learn stuff? Yes! Of course i did. If you can't take something away from whatever you do, then you're an idiot. I'm not bashing anyone for working hard, I encourage it. That's what's wrong with society today. But why is it that every "pro-Erac" person that posts on this site, can't seem to say anything nice? They immediately accuse those that leave as being "failures", and that they must work in a cubicle making shit money. If that's your only defense for the company, I guess I won't win any arguements with you. The original post asked if he/she should consider ERAC. Well, why should he?

Another trait of a cult is to bash people who leave the cult, demonize them so to speak.

[The-Grass-Is-Greener!]

Originally Posted by dabanker

Wow, you must really know me! Let me correct you on a few things. Failed after 3 months? Nope, I "failed" after about 4 years. Work 9-5? Yep!! 46/year in a cubicle? Nope! Listen, I worked my arse off for 4 years with Erac. Did I learn stuff? Yes! Of course i did. If you can't take something away from whatever you do, then you're an idiot. I'm not bashing anyone for working hard, I encourage it. That's what's wrong with society today. But why is it that every "pro-Erac" person that posts on this site, can't seem to say anything nice? They immediately accuse those that leave as being "failures", and that they must work in a cubicle making shit money. If that's your only defense for the company, I guess I won't win any arguements with you. The original post asked if he/she should consider ERAC. Well, why should he?

I completely agree with the above. Why is it that all of the "Pro ERAC" employees come up with actual reasons, more than the typical "6 figures" money comments. I found in my short 11 months at ERAC, the maturity level of most of the people I came accross was terrible and sad at times, seeing thirty something guys living in a tiny condo (or worse, with their mothers) wanting to party every day of the week. Everyone who has left the company has had the talk with their "higher-ups" about why they should stay, and its never in a positive light, its always put in a negative tone about how your going to fail when you leave Enterprise.

erac higher ups can't say anything positive because they swam through a river of shit for 5
+ years and for what a suck job but better money 80-100 plus. they are negative and pissed off because they stuck it and have a inferiority complex about themselves. pretty obvious to "READ BETWEEN THE LINES" as captain branch $$$ manager referred to earlier..... why should you consider working here? if you want experience with people, dealing with sales on a daily basis, and managing others then thsoe are the job positives,. the social aspect is good as well. WHY YOU SHOULD NOT CONSIDER ERAC. there is only 2 negative endings to the career. you will be surrounded by immaturity. you will be forced to lie and be lied to as well. you will work your ass off for little pay. i worked there 3.5 years and now make in the 90k range and am a pharmaceutical sales rep. talk about opposite end of the spectrum, i work 30 hours a week maybe. being ethical is the most important aspect to your job and there are several perks that come along with it. also and number 1 in my book your allowed to have a social life and personal life as well!

Hey I am sort of in the same boat as the initial poster. I graduated in May 2007 and have been combing the job market. Truthfully I would love to have a desk job, but dont have much experience that would make me standout at larger firms. While I was at school an individual by the name of morris ellington came and spoke about enterprise. He came to our class about 5 or 6 times to speak to us about carriers at enterprise. I have no desire to work retail ever again, as I have worked retail for my whole life. His presentation was interesting and seemed to open my eyes to how competitive the actual market is. Then he started all this speal about how usually 100's of people apply for management trainee positions and only 1 or 2 will be selected. He also made it sound like huge pay raises were just around the corner and fellow classmates of mine had been promoted. Anyways I was very skeptical. I still havent found a job, but am actively looking. I decided to apply and was recently called by a recruiter. The girl that called me left a message and she scared me. I was literaly scared to call her back. I still havent called her back and I dont know if I will. it was like she was on crack or something, speed I dont know....Is drug use prevelent at this company. This is definitely a bad first impression and I am about 95% sure I wont be interviewing with ERAC.

[MisterAlohaIsBack]

Originally Posted by The Sneak

Don't do it. It is a total waste of time and you will learn very little at ERAC. It is NO different than going to work at blockbuster video, being called a 'mgmt trainee', and working at the front desk. They have branch/regional managers/corp too...

I did not have a business degree when I started at ERAC. However, I did have a sociology/economics double major with a 3.9 cumulative GPA. I only took the job bc I graduated during the absolute worst part of the dot com crash and there was just nothing out there. Plus, my cousin was an area manager in another group...and he really sold the company to me.

After just a few months, I saw through the 'buy in' and 'the deal'. They are so incredibly dishonest that they do not even teach 'mgmt trainees' the real workings/underpinnings of the company (which is that the real profits are generated when a rental vehicle is sold off - often at a price exceeding what they paid for it!...Your branch's day to day performance means very, very little to the profitability of the company).

Many of the area managers and up achieved those positions during a fairly narrow time period of company growth. The company only promotes due to turnover...and the turnover rate is staggeringly high. Branch level positions entail 50-60 hrs/week, dealing with a difficult segment of the population (cash renters and those who have been in motor vehicle accidents). You will have no time, energy, or positive mental outlook/sense of satisfaction/self worth. Trust me on this. Their idea of marketing consists of bringing donuts to body shops and insurance offices. You won't even get to eat lunch, several times per month. You will find your mgr changing your time card behind your back. These things HAPPEN - not in isolated instances - but are real, systemic, and widespread.

You will not learn a transferable skill set, unless continuing to work in retail environment is your goal.

I lasted 10 ungodly unbearable months there before quitting. I've been out for nearly 5 years. Do I make a million dollars/year like some of the liars on this site? No. However, I will make 90k this year. I'm 28, and my net worth is $200,000+ - putting me above the 95th percentile for my age bracket. I left to become a lowly CSR for a mail order/web retail company...and I'm now the web marketing manager for an 8 figure locally owned company with flexible office hours, no dress code to speak of, telecommuting options, and real control over my own future, to say nothing of my direct input and impact of the company's bottom line. I report to the VP. How did I get here? Hard work, lots of training, independent learning, and smarts. I will be a legitimate (not an E-millionaire, or even more dubiously...an erac-millionaire) millionaire before I am 40 yrs old by virture of smart investing, income/bonuses/profit sharing, and living smartly. GOOD LUCK getting there with ERAC...hell, they try to weed out most folks before they are even fully vested in their terrible retirement plan packages...

ERAC is a total Amway scam. There are Amway folks out there worth millions. Is that indicative of the experience/career an Amway representative is likely to have? Of course not. The one thing you never get back is time. Part of me will forever be bitter and angry that ERAC wasted a year of my 20s...not just wasted in terms of work/career building, but wasted a year of my personal development potential because I was so goddamned tired from working 60 hrs/week, attending mandatory after hours functions etc, that I had no room left for any life outside of work. I'm not exaggerating, and neither are the scores of others with staggeringly similar experiences.

You have a business degree? Hold out. Don't take the 1st thing that comes along. I know that when you get out of school, you are eager, you want to take on the world, you like the buttering up/attention you get from a 'recruiter' who gets into your head about the 'ERAC dream'. Trust me, there's a reason they salivate like hungry sharks over you...And that reason is a 70% new hire turnover ratio. Churn and burn, they call it.

Push for the Pfizer gig, or find something else. Go to grad school NOW - there is zero possibility of going to grad school while working at ERAC. Trust me on that. Hell, bartending or something like that would be a much better move than ERAC.

TRUST ME

excellent post and should be included in the "best of".
mraloha

[MisterAlohaIsBack]

Originally Posted by dabanker

I agree. Let's see the proof. When I worked at ERAC back in the day, My Area Manager bragged at all the money he made. I asked him to show the proof b/c I didn't believe him. He actually did show me 1 paycheck. Only 1! And it was a 4 year old pay stub. He said he couldn't find any current one's. After I quit the company I became friends with him. I asked him about the whole paycheck deal. He said they're told to sell the dream! Pretty sad.

lmao....in group 36 it is quite easy to see through all the bullshit since a mediocre rental starts at about $2k per month and the median price for a single family home is in the $600k range. with this in mind, its very easy to see how the self-proclaimed mega bucks earners live in an island environment. it is amazing how poorly these self-proclaimed mega buck earning individuals live. you are absolutely correct, individuals who always like to boast of their big income should have no trouble whatsoever to display a copy of their w-2 to reaffirm their position and claims. i really believe it would be a knockout in selling the dream and the big picture. it would do wonders for retention.....but we all know why it never happens.....the same reason they live such poor quality of a life style and do everything else so cheaply. take note and watch the self-proclaimed big earners play when nothing is being expensed.....they either go home early or their patronizing some cheap ass establishment.
mraloha