Has anyone ever interned for this company or know anyone who has? I went to an information session today and want to hear of others experiences with this corporation.

2/8/2006 8:51:32 PM

southwestern bell?

2/8/2006 9:12:03 PM

http://www.southwestern.com/

2/8/2006 9:19:44 PM

Let me guess. They called you at the dorm, told you about a great "internship" where you make thousands of dollars and gain valuable experience?

You sell books door to door. Stay away.

2/8/2006 11:00:39 PM

bump

1/10/2007 6:07:21 PM

Quote :

"Southwestern is the oldest direct selling company in the United States. Since 1868, college students have run their own business selling educational products to families in another part of the country during their summer break. Southwestern student dealers come from all over the world and sell product in North America and Canada."

Students from all over the world are coming here to sell encyclopedias door-to-door!

1/10/2007 7:32:47 PM

has anyone here done this?

1/11/2007 8:44:02 AM

Who would do this?? stupid job you only get paid via commission.

1/11/2007 8:57:32 AM

how does the university let this happen

1/11/2007 9:11:58 AM

I heard they drive you to okalahoma and leave you at farms. I think that sucks.

1/11/2007 9:19:01 AM

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-50,GGLG:en&q=Southwestern+company+scam

Quote :

"Summer Sales Jobs: 'You Get What You Put Into It' By Lauren B. Johnston, New York University Resource Center Career Fields Internships Job Hunt On The Job Resume Tips Interview Tips Useful Tools from MonsterTrak Job Search Agents: Never miss a great job opportunity! Students can create search agents and find out fast when jobs that meet their criteria are posted. Job openings are e-mailed directly to the student on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Job Search Tips: Turn your job search into a well-oiled process. These tips from the experts will teach you how to look, act, write, and present yourself like a pro from beginning to end. Today, a new breed of college students in sales is blasting the old traveling salesman stereotype away. The realm of door-to-door retail has now become one of the most lucrative summer employment opportunities around. Whether they're selling encyclopedias or kitchen tools, young sales reps working for companies like Vector Marketing Corporation, the purveyors of Cutco knives, and The Southwestern Company, a reference book distributor, are becoming successful entrepreneurs who, with the right balance of ambition and shoe leather, pocket big summer paychecks, sometimes in amounts of $30,000 or more. Many participants agree that there are valuable life lessons to be learned from these summer sales jobs, like independence, self-sufficiency and professionalism. Dave Proko, a former Southwestern employee and an alumnus of the University of Alabama, noted that money is the greatest allure, though he warned the profits are hardly "easy money." The Southwestern Company, which started its student program in 1868, crafts its representatives with great care, Proko said. After steering sellers through a rigorous five-day training program in Nashville, Southwestern's home base, managers relocate their fledgling go-getters across the country. Students buy their books wholesale, then sell them for a"suggested retail price." Income is commission based, the convenient loophole being the retail price is"entirely up to your own discretion," Proko said. Adjusting to a new locale could be difficult for some. Proko first landed in Beckley, W.Va., and was later transferred to Lexington, Ky., where he says Southwestern's sales training really paid off. He earned $10,000 that summer, but says he had to work for it. "The motto for the summer is 'You get what you put into it,'" he said."I routinely put in 72-76 hour weeks." Though Proko worked for Southwestern only one summer and said he wouldn't do it again, he now views the job as a kind of rite of passage and recommended it for other students. "I can't say I liked it, but I'm glad I did it," he said."It's not exactly what they sell it to be however, it does go a long way in creating a good foundation for future success." Matthew Michaud, a recent graduate of Ithaca College, and David Swartz, a junior at Virginia Tech, both worked for Cutco, performing scheduled sales presentations in the hopes of selling high-end cutlery to friends and family. Everybody has a college degree now, said McDermott, who is 20 years old. She wants to do anything she can to put herself "above" others who will eventually be vying for the same jobs as her. While the two had differing reactions to the company, Michaud criticized what he called Cutco's"scam aspect," while Swartz sang only praises, both agreed that as far as student employment goes, it's a pretty good gig. Unlike Southwestern, Cutco sales reps arrive by appointment only. They are told to schedule 'practice demos' with friends and family members. "At the end of the demo," Michaud said,"you ask the person for a list of names of their friends who might be interested in a demo. This way you build a file of references to call so you are always going on referral and never blindly door-to-door." "The scam," he continued,"is that you are telling people that you are doing a 'practice demo' when really that's where most of the money is made because people feel obligated to purchase from you because they know you. I didn't like it. It made me uncomfortable," he said. Swartz, on the other hand, thinks highly of the company. He is still contracted to Cutco and plans to return this summer, though he concedes it's not for everyone. He said he's done nearly 100 demonstrations and once earned $250 in just one hour. "It was the best learning experience of my life," he said."I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get money, get experience, learn about themselves and build their résumé." "

[Edited on January 11, 2007 at 9:21 AM. Reason : http://www.youngmoney.com/careers/internships_seasonal/030417_04]

1/11/2007 9:20:19 AM

A roomate of mine has done this for two summers and I think its for the people who have no resume experience. I could be wrong, but I do not think this company has promotional opportunities and at the end of the day is really just a paycheck..but a good check at that.

Maybe you could network a little with this but if you have any other options for jobs/internships/co-op in your area of interest or study then I would suggest going that route.

On an aside - These people called me my freshman year in the dorm and asked me if I was "responsible and dependable." Of course, I said I was and of course, they said that was what they were lookign for. Then after they pitched their elevator message and asked me to come meet in Harrelson he asked "Well you said you were responsible and dependable so I know youll show up, right?" I felt sketch at this point so I asked him that they either sold a product or service and I wanted to know what it was...he wouldnt tell me because this meeting was all knowing.

Thats when he heard the click. To hell with their smoke screens

1/11/2007 4:04:59 PM

one of my friends is wanting me to try it out. he has made a lot of money doing it and gotten to go to some really neat places (he just got back from jamaica, going skiing in the mountains soon, etc.). i think the program isn't a scam so much as it is just really hard work. the people who are good at and work hard make lots of money and can continue to do it while they are in college, i can't find anything wrong with it if you are willing to give up your summer and work really hard and deal with people saying "no" all the time. but if you don't work hard or just suck at selling things, it definitely doesn't seem worthwhile.

1/11/2007 4:20:23 PM

If you come to my door, I'll punch you in the face, then let my dog chew on you a little bit.

1/11/2007 4:31:23 PM

a few of the brothers did this over a few summers and made some pretty damn good money and built up a lot of confidence that they are now using in their post-college sales jobs

1/11/2007 5:15:03 PM