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I was contacted by Bankers after they "picked up my resume on CareerBuilder" to be invited for an interview. Nothing wrong with that, however here are the warning signs:

1. The person contacting me sounded like she was reading from a script. She was unable to give me meaningful background for the position.

2. Initially I agreed to the interview however I asked for the following: (1) a position description of what they were looking for and (2) background about the company itself to be sent to me via e-mail. Neither ever arrived.

3. I was supposed to be contacted back the day prior to the "interview" to confirm. When I did not receive a call, I called them back. The same person who called me the first time answered and gave me the same sale pitch (almost verbatim) as during the initial contact. She seemed bothered by my questions and clearly wanted to get off the phone as quickly as possible. When I said that I never got the e-mail with the information I promised, she asked me to "check my spam filter"... A warning in and of itself.

4. The person I spoke to reminded me to "dress professionally" (really? For an interview??) and to "bring my resume"

All in all, the above is a scam. When a company seeks you out based on your credentials and the resume you post, they don't ask you to "...dress professionally and bring your resume...". They either seek you out, have an opportunity and want you for that position or they don't. In this case, they are blanketing job sites and cold-calling job seekers. I don't know how it is to work for them, however based on the large number of complaints, this can't be a good place to work at. - If you are not convinced by my logic, here some guidelines in general:

- NEVER pay for your training. If a company asks you to pay to get trained then RUN!

- NEVER trust a company who asks you to bring your resume to an "interview". Your resume is supposedly how they found you in the first place so they will have it.

- NEVER trust a company who, after an initial contact, does not follow up with serious materials as to what they would want you to do including a detailed description of the job(s) they are trying to fill.

- NEVER trust a company that gives you a salary range of "80k to 200k" (as was the case here) for a position that does supposedly not involve sales.

I will not be going to my interview. To all those who choose to go: the best of luck and I hope they don't wast too much of your time.

Location: Newark, New Jersey

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Guest

I’d lump them in the insurance mlms. I had just gotten my insurance license and was looking on indeed.

Bankers life contacted me and set up an interview. I went to the 1st interview thinking it would be a normal style interview. I was lead into a room where a bunch of other people were also waiting for an interview. The room was filled with 70” TVs and iPads and other expensive electronics and prizes.

They talked about the job to all of us which mostly focused on all the sales insensitives surrounding us that were so much they had to store them there and free vacations for top earners and how he just got a 50k bonus check from the company. At the end they had us take quiz/survey type things that tell how good you’d be at the job and what kind of sales person you’d be. For the second interview I was told I “aced the test”...I’m sure now everyone did. The second interview didn’t want to know anything about me or my work history.

It was just them asking me for my questions so they could brag while answering them. Then I got a 3rd interview where I was told they’d love to have me. But my license wasn’t enough. I ended up paying out of my pocket for their online company and product specific training.

Once I paid for and completed that I started working. I was an independent contractor with no wages or PTO or benefits. Yet I was required to be In The office cold calling people from 745 am to 4 pm but couldn’t leave at 4 pm without a speech about how I can’t succeed And am not dedicated enough if I don’t stay late (keep in mind I had a baby at home and was not an employee I was an independent contractor with no w4 and no compensation or overtime for paying late pick-up fees to do so at the daycare and not being home with my baby) I also had to pay monthly fees to use their office supplies since I wasn’t an employee even though I was literally required to be there and use their stuff. I noticed all the big expensive prizes were gone and then noticed it was empty boxes kept in a back closet and carried to the interview room for their presentations where they then told interviews that they had so many prizes and insentives that they had no choice but to store them in the conference/ interview room.

They started asking if I knew anyone else that would want to get their license and join. They wanted me to make a list of family and friends in the job market so they could reach out. I made $45 in a month there and spent more than that to start. Not to mention all the gas from forcing me to spend my nights and weekends driving to a town 2 hours away to cold door knock with no pay since.

And the you’re not trying hard enough or dedicated enough speech for the 2 days I couldn’t drive to the town 2 hours away for cold door knocking sales because I didn’t have the gas money because there was no paychecks and I had to buy diapers for the baby.

And the list of addresses was from some database of all people in that zip code over the age of 65. They target the elderly in lower income areas with fixed incomes trying to talk them into buying or switching insurance

Guest

I was called today and the lady mechanically told me the manager had seen my resume on Monster and was really interested. I posted it only yesterday.

She said the job was for manager and i told her i had no experience but she said they trained. We made an appointment for an interview for next week and she then told me to dress professionally. Huh????!!! Anyway she sent me a follow up email with the interview info.

I thought about it and saw reviews and decided to cancel. I will not do customer service and have no experience in sales. Replied to her email and the email came back as bad address. Sent 2 more and all came back.

Will call tomorrow.

I would say everyone beware of this company. Just don't trust them job wise.

Adleigh Hwe

The reason it is a salary range is because the job is selling insurance, and you make commissions on the insurance you sell and residuals once you have been there for a while. The reason they want another copy of your resume is this isn't a one-on-one interview.

It's more of an information session about insurance sales--they invite lots of different people and not everyone shows up. In this info session, they provide more information to you than they gather. It's a first step and will ask you back for a one on one interview depending on what you think about the job and what they think about you. Any costs with this would be for the state testing and certification to sell insurance required before you start, and possibly a small cost for a class on what you need to know to pass the test.

I took a class that cost me for about $30 that I completed in a couple of days online and passed the certification test on the first try. I never actually worked in insurance sales, though, because the commission based pay is intimidating in the beginning. A secretary at the agency calls lots of people about this and they call from the local office where the interview is generally.

She probably did have a script to start from and calls several people in a row and tells everyone the same thing. I have been to those interviews before.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Adleigh Hwe

It's cattle call and no one who attends is asked anything about themselves. Bring a blank piece of paper, it will serve the same purpose. Btw: obviously BL needs to be upfront in ads and unsolicited phone calls that this is insurance sales and 100% commission.

Guest

It's probably a Call Center and it could be in another

country as well. They may be paid to find allot of resumes

online and then schedule them for an interview with

someone who knows the position.

The Call Center

people will not know the details of the position. This

in itself is reason not to follow-up. I hate Call Centers. There are many jobs that pay the salary quoted.

I don't know what you occupation is. But you don't have to be in sales to have a good salary. What state are you in? In CA it would be odd to be told to dress professionally.

People wear blue jeans and anything they want here. I've been told to NOT wear any nice pants for an interview. I wore plain black straight pants and was out of place around everyone who was wearing jeans. I'm a female but they could also tell this to men.

If I feel suspicious with a call, email, website or anything else I will not follow-through. I've been in some unethical and dangerous situations in the past and now I'm over protective. Additionally, there could also be an HR Coordinator or a Sourcer calling you prior to your interview. I had a voicemail today from Bankers Life and wanted to do a search on them before I consider calling them.

Unless they are connected to an insurance company re fixing my auto, I won't be calling them. Thanks for your feedback.

Guest

Thank you for this comment -- you are right on. The same thing happened to me.

I told them that I would not show up unless I received more detailed information about the company via email.

Their email confirmation did not have a company name which was a big red flag and they never sent me anything else.

Guest

I'm glad I looked into this and google the number. And what made me do it was the fact the person who left me a message didn't tell me what company she was calling from. Big red flag to me

Guest

1. The person contacting me sounded like she was reading from a script.

She was unable to give me meaningful background for the position.

So? I am wondering what exactly does this tell you? They are called recruiters. All companies use them.

Their job is to get you to an interview, or "briefing" if you will, not to hire you. That is the purpose of the briefing, to describe the job, tell you what all it entails, answer your questions, and see if you're interested in a second interview.

2. Initially I agreed to the interview however I asked for the following: (1) a position description of what they were looking for and (2) background about the company itself to be sent to me via e-mail.

Neither ever arrived.

Why should they? You're the one looking for a job, not them. Again, that is the purpose of the briefing.

3. I was supposed to be contacted back the day prior to the "interview" to confirm.

When I did not receive a call, I called them back. The same person who called me the first time answered and gave me the same sale pitch (almost verbatim) as during the initial contact. She seemed bothered by my questions and clearly wanted to get off the phone as quickly as possible. When I said that I never got the e-mail with the information I promised, she asked me to "check my spam filter"...

A warning in and of itself.

Wow, really? Someone telling you to check your spam filter is a warning? On what planet? I got email from my mortgage company when I was refinancing and it went into my spam filter.

Darn that Chase mortgage scam. 4. The person I spoke to reminded me to "dress professionally" (really?

For an interview??) and to "bring my resume" No wonder you can't find a job, if you questions such small stuff as this. Your resume could have changed, and you'd be surprised how many college grads don't seem to know the basic skill of dressing appropriately for an interview.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1227659

1. BL does NOT use recruiters!

They use telemarketers/appt. setters who are indeed reading from a script and performing a function that even a child could do. Real recruiters do so much more and they most certainly can and will provide information about what they are recruiting for. Don't get it twisted, honey!

2.

What legitimate company does not provide basic information? Do you not realize that during interviews or "briefings" as you call them, a smart applicant is evaluating the employer just as much as the employer is evaluating them! A legitimate employer doesn't want to waste their own time "briefing" candidates who are not suitable or won't be interested. That is NOT how a legit employer works!

3. An email going to a spam folder wouldn't necessarily be a red flag to me, but the "appt. setter" wanting to get me off the phone and not wanting to answer questions would definitely be a red flag! 4.

Did you bother to check the date of what you were replying to? It was written over 6 years ago! Yet, here you are taunting them about being unemployed! They never even stated in their complaint that they were unemployed.

A LOT of people gainfully employed continue to search for other opportunities.

A smart person is ALWAYS open to new and better opportunities. But, you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?!!!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1230819

harsh

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1317168

The truth hurts sometimes, sweetheart.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1227659

Kick rocks FA! You are challenging very rational concerns with the least compelling of arguments you fool!

Your ridiculous logic smells just like the delusional despair of Banker's Life's recruiters/telemarketers. Get a life and stop BS ing. Btw, as a former Chase employee, I assure you that your 'spam' email incident with them is a crock of ***! You probably rent, idk, but if you held something as important as a mortgage, your contact and profile information as a client would be well established and vice versa.

Meaning, if you had such an important account with Chase (pertaining to mortgage), chances are you've corresponded with them via email in the past which automatically bypasses any spam filters or screening from any future emails sent from them unless you specifically flag or block them or have never interacted with them via email. Stop telling stories you sound as dumb and pathetic as the clowns conducting the presentation aka "interviews" for bankers life.

Guest

awful experience working there, in three months I totaled aout $2500 in sales commission if that. Promise the moon deliver....

there idea of leads is a fancy web based phone book with birthdates to call hoping you find a living body on the other end.

they don't sell the F sup and try to get people to buy an overpriced C sup.

They try to get the foot in the door by selling Medicare benefits but instead try to leverage, life, annuities, and anything they can claw on to. 1099, no benefits, no guarantied income, and *** products at high prices.

Guest

Same thing just happened to me. Verbatim.

Guest

i managed for them for 2 years...RUN IS RIGHT.

1099 employees do not have to keep regular "call, Meeting, Motivational sessions"

You have no salary, no benefits, just sell sell selll!!!

Guest

I've been involved in selling all forms of insurance for over 25 years. Bankers is no different than most life/health/medigap insurance companies. They all "cold call" resumes looking for people foolish enough to pay hundreds of dollars for their own insurance agent licensing classes, fingerprint/background checks, exam fees for a commission ONLY sales job.

Guest

Apparently, you don't go on a lot of interviews. All Fortune 500 companies that I have gone on an interview, ask for you to bring your resume.

There is nothing wrong with that. They don't want to sit there and go through the stacks of emails, trying to locate your resume. It is your responsibility to bring your resume and take the time out to print it off. You are selling the employer too.

Also, they provide training. You don't pay for it.

Get your facts straight before posting wrongful comments. Go to the company's actual website, where you will read honest, truthful posts from actual employee testimonials.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1161189

I agree about the resume part. However, that doesn't negate the rest of what the OP wrote.

You DO have to pay for training and a license. You have to pay money out and most people who are searching for a JOB are not looking to pay, they are looking to BE PAID! Also, BL does not hold interviews, they hold sales presentations aka cattle calls.

I would never depend on "reviews" at a company's own website. A reliable source of REAL interviews can be found at sites like this, glassdoor and indeed, just to name a few.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1161189

What a freakin' joke!!! The company's website is only going to have carefully selected positive reviews that are entirely slanted in the company's favor!!! You are either completely S T U P I D or you are hoping that others here are.

Guest

Just remember, if there was so much money and potential with this organization, they wouldn't have to randomly call people, trying to get them to their sales presentations! Everyone would be trying to get in on this "golden opportunity" if it really was so lucrative!

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