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Totally not a pyramid scheme.

But it kinda is--but don't worry cuz it totally isn't! It's called network marketing, see??

Oy. So I spent about three hours of my day off yesterday participating in a group interview for this job offer I got. Of all the job offers I've gotten on the salesfloor at Macy's, the one I actually followed up ended up the skeeviest. Thanks, life.

This guy explained through his life story, two presentations, and a otherwise info-overloading how we could make a ton of money, and what a no brainer!

'Of course we don't need to hear about any specific products (it's patented NDS technology and 30 day money back guarantee sell itself!!!), but obviously we do have a product because that's what makes us legal. Oh, btw, buy our product then get people to sign up with you. Power of two!!!'

Between all the info-overload, the buzzwords, and stats and the bit about buying in and recruiting more "business partners"...I didn't quite feel at ease. I very much felt like they were selling me on joining the company as they were interviewing me for a position, and that felt shady somehow. That and most of the info felt somehow...noncredible? Something wasn't right with this "network marketing".

Of course, I wiki'd pyramid schemes. I do that when I blog. I like making sure I'm using the right word or referring to the right concept. It's just a good practice.

So I had a vague sense of what pyramid schemes are, but mostly I'd been using the term to joke about this company/interview. It was a conveniently available & familiar type of fraud. But as I read the wiki article, it all started looking a little too familiar. Then I saw it: a whole subsection about the trickiness of network marketing.

Between that and the other things I was reading about this company, I'm definitely not joining up with them. Of course, the "exposé"/transparently planted attempt at self-defense didn't help their case. I don't even care if they are legit (much as I'd love access to their nutritiony stuffs for the sake of nutrition), it's just something I'm interested in involving myself with. Like, even if I did want to make a major life change (which sometimes I think I am), I doubt highly this is the direction I'd like my life to move in.

It was an interesting experience all the same. It may not have been the kind of job interview "practice" I was expecting, but I don't entirely regret going. I'm still feeling a bit unsure, like I haven't quite shaken out all the brainwashing, but even so I know it's not for me.
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