Job-hunting.

So a few days ago I sent in an application for the post of “Sales and Marketing Executive”. This afternoon I received a call from the company, which surprised me and made me embark on a frantic search for relevant documents. Feeling rather elated, but at the same time, super nervous, I turned to the web for some advise.

Fast forward a few hours later. I posted a random thread on the forums I visit, PlayPark Forums. A post by LastFightingFool suddenly got me thinking, and I Googled “Dreamworks Advertising Pte Ltd”.

Apparently, Dreamworks hasn’t been clear on their job listing. They are part of a company called Appco Pte Ltd, which is in turn a subsidary or something with a UK MLM company called the Cobra Group.

The thing that gets me annoyed is that they do not tell you WHAT you’re going to do on the job. What strikes me now as extremely fishy is they keep listing ads for the SAME position every other week on Jobsdb.com, where I have an account.

The story behind Appco and it’s many, many companies at the same address is that the companies under Appco are like different divisions, like how Singapore Technologies is divided into many many devisions (STEnginnering, STKinetics, STElectricial, just to name a few). What is strange to me is that ALL the companies share the same phone line as well as the same address, at 9B Mosque Street.

I’ve been reading up on a blog (click for blog). Reading through the comments, I realized what I nearly got myself into – a direct sales position. In some cases, people mentioned the company asking them to be a CHARITY Marketing Executive. Meaning no pay, if my interpretation is correct. Even ignoring that fact (which I cannot confirm), the job has no employee benefits, no CPF, and worst still, no basic pay. So you HAVE to sell to earn any money at all. While this is good in a way (more effort = more sales = more commission = more money), it’s a very evil way. Essentially you become a free advertising platform, as you approach people to sell a product.

I continued searching Google, and came across another blog. Here’s an excerpt:

I had received 2 phonecalls today, 10am.
I was surprised that anyone would process applications this fast nowadays, cos I expected all HR departments are flooded with resumes each day.
I sent out the applications like…. whee hours after midnight last night, FYI.
First call sounded okay. But the second call gave me a not-right feeling for both calls.
By second call, I seemed to be able to recite what she’s going to tell me to do and bring..
And.. it seems like exactly same way the previous had said.
“A copy of your resume, a passport size photo, and your highest qualification certificate..”
“If you can’t find the place, just call back the number that’s showing on your mobile now”
And their appointment timings are exactly the same!!
Just that the location was different.

Googled up on the second caller, cos I didn’t catch the company’s name, and got the wrong address.
I was pretty pissed, when I repeated the address, Jalan Asisi?! Spelling it all out.. and she still said yes!!
It’s Afifi by the way. Does she have a hearing problem, or do I have a pronunciation problem?!
Okay. To get me down to such things on the worst time of the mood, I’m pretty much pissed.
Yes. Over LITTLE things. I’m on quite a bit of hormonal imbalance this week.

Googling over the second caller brought me to little readings from this blog site CraziED – MOBlog

This is when I read about this group called ‘The Cobra Group’
As commented on the blog, this Cobra Group often uses different company names and addresses to hire people for Sales / Marketing / Events Executive. And upon hiring, they’ll give you training till late evening, and by the time you hit the streets, it’s late night. And this goes on for months, and drained you out totally. No CPF. No employer insurance. No meal allowance. Required to close 6 deals within 6 days. Blah blah blah. As I read from the blog.

And guess what?
The two addresses and company names that the two lady callers called this morning, appeared to be part of the Cobra Group.

Below, was quoted from 1 of the readers of that blog, his/her experience with such callers.
What happened was, 2 different companies called her for an interview at the same exact location.

OMG Thank you so much.
Dreamworks called me up for an interview at 4pm today. Shortly after maybe few hours later Dirad called me up for an interview at 11am.

I was wondering… one says Mosque Street Another says Tanjong Pagar road. both 9b same unit number. Decided to give it a pass. Here is my conversation with the lady who picked up my call when i called to cancel the appointment.

Homies: Hi is this Dreamworks Pte Ltd?
Lady: Hi, Yes this is Dreamworks you are calling.
Homies: Oh im Sorry i Thought i was calling Dirad Pte Ltd.
Lady: Hi. Yes this is Dirad Pte Ltd too.
Homies: Oh how come 2 companies have the same office?
Lady: We are the same company.
Homies: Then why have 2 names?
Lady: Erm…
Homies: Well, you guys do door to door sales right?
Lady: It is part of our work agendas.
Homies: So basically you are just conning people down for interviews?
Lady: I`m sure thats not the right word to use.
Homies: Oh yes im so sorry. But anyway, I`m not interested anymore. Maybe if you guys had been more truthful in ur advertisements people will be more positive over the position. But yea, you cant really blame anyone when theres amateur management in ur company.
Lady: But…
Homies: Forget it. Anyway i`ll just cancel both interviews here then.. or would u rather i call the same number to Dreamworks and ask u to cancel the other interview for me?
Lady: No need. Bye. * Click * * toooooo*

LOL totally owned that lady. I know it was pretty bad of me but well… i hate it when companies lie to me. nobody likes to be cheated. F them. Time to jobhunt other places.
Good luck guys. 🙂

Original post can be found here. Kudos to the owner of the blog for the interesting phone conversation.

So far, through a Google search (the phone number they used to call me), I found the following entities listed under the same phone and address:

Appco Pte Ltd

Peppermint Design Pte Ltd

Dreamworks Advertising Pte Ltd

Redwood Advance Pte Ltd

Blade Advertising Pte Ltd

Address:

9B Mosque Street
Singapore 059489
Tel no: 63254208

—

While I will not call this a sham, I advise people who are seeking jobs with any of the above companies to be careful. They have a week-long training program, which apparently you can drop out off if you do not like it.