Anyone in Washington State?

[Beren3000]

Hey guys, I got a summer job opportunity in Washington State this summer. I'll be there around the 23rd of June. Any of you guys going to be there for summer? I thought it'd be a great chance for me to meet some of my cyberfriends.
So what do you guys think?

[Nurvingiel]

I have been there, and the forests are very lovely.

What kind of job do you have?

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

NURV!!!!! Nice to see you!

[Beren3000]

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

NURV!!!!! Nice to see you!

Allow me to second that

About my job, I will be distributing educational books and software door-to-door. It's a sort of deal offered by a company called the Southwestern company. I buy their products at retail price and the profit I make is the difference between retail price and wholesale price. The whole thing is about building character: working on your own in an unfamiliar place, facing a lot of rejections, etc...
I'm really looking forward to it.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

I have been there, and the forests are very lovely.

Yeah, I was told that it's a very beautiful place!

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Beren3000

Allow me to second that

About my job, I will be distributing educational books and software door-to-door. It's a sort of deal offered by a company called the Southwestern company. I buy their products at retail price and the profit I make is the difference between retail price and wholesale price. The whole thing is about building character: working on your own in an unfamiliar place, facing a lot of rejections, etc...
I'm really looking forward to it.

Yeah, I was told that it's a very beautiful place!

This isn't one of those magazine gangs, is it?

And the answer is YES, IT IS.

http://forum.rickross.com/viewtopic....03a66c11ef701f

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwestern_Company

http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/davidmetc...ry/never_quit/

I strongly urge you to look into other options. Brainstorm with the people here. Decide what you want...Travel? Team building? Income? College credit? There are all sorts of reputable organizations that can help you get those, without signing into a business that is RIFE with the exploitation of students. Even if this company is marginally better than some others (and I don't know that that is true) it's like, if you will pardon the analogy, finding a whorehouse to work in with fewer health code violations. The job is still the same.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/...01199061804400

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

http://www.travelingsalescrews.info/

This guys sounds like a mooter.
http://www.southwesterncompanytruth....Experience.php

[Nurvingiel]

Thank you Sis and Beren!

<soapbox>

Beren, please don't become one of Southwestern Company's independent contractors. It is not too late.

Note that you would not be one of their employees, but rather, you would be selling a product that you buy from them, and the only money you would earn would be the difference in price from what you paid for the book to what you sold. You would have no guaranteed source of income.

You are expected to find a room to rent by knocking on people's doors. The company does not even advise you to obtain a copy of the local Classifieds, they think it's a good idea to find a place to live by asking random strangers if they have a room to rent. I think this totally brainless approach should be a warning about how little regard the company has for it's employees, I mean, independent contractors.

What you should really be asking yourself is how does this company earn profits? This is important to know about any potential employer. In the case of Southwestern Company, they make money from selling books. There's nothing wrong with selling books, of course. But in this case, you are the customer. Don't kid yourself that this company cares if you make any money selling their books, because they have already make their money, by selling their books to you.

Since you, the independent contractor, are the source of the company's income, they have no vested interest in you whatsoever. You are not the company's employees, so you have no rights with them, you're simply a guy who bought a box of books from them.

They make money off you and they absolutely do not care what happens to you afterwards. Their sales training and all that jazz is simply their method of getting you to buy their books.

Companies such as Southwestern Company, who take advantage of students, really piss me off. College Pro Painting is another. Whenever I see one of their signs, I kick it down.

Don't let yourself be taken advantage of by this unscrupulous company. Make someone hire you, and sign a contract guaranteeing you a certain wage, certain working conditions, and certain hours. What Southwestern Company is offering you is unnacceptable, and you deserve much better.

</soapbox>

[Beren3000]

Thanks for your sentiments Nurv, and sisterandcousinandaunt (good for you! ), I actually benefitted a lot from reading the links you posted.
That said, the one who recommended me this job is a very good friend of mine who has been through it himself last year; so if he says it's profitable (not necessarily financially), I'm willing to take his word for granted. I'm not doing this for the money, and I don't care if Southwestern is the evil corporate spirit incarnate as long as they don't force me to do anything against my principles.
Once again, I appreciate your advice very much and I can understand that you'd have strong feelings about this, but I'm still willing to try it for myself. In the worst case, I can quit and come back home at anytime and we'll have fuel for yet another great thread here on the Moot!

[Nurvingiel]

I think you have the right attitude Beren. I hope it works out. Erm... sorry if I got carried away.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

I think you have the right attitude Beren. I hope it works out. Erm... sorry if I got carried away.

I still wish you'd consider Americorps. Will your friend be on the same crew? Travel safe.

[The last sane person]

Well, I'm in Washington state, but I can't say I know you well, even on Entmoot! So is Katt_Knome_Hobbit (Klatukatt), Lady M/Willow Oran, and thats about all that are still here and not off at college.

[Beren3000]

Originally Posted by The last sane person

Well, I'm in Washington state, but I can't say I know you well, even on Entmoot!

Yeah, it's a real shame. It's my fault: I haven't been hanging around here as much as I used to
Anyway, what's Washington like? Any tips on living there?

[The last sane person]

Hmm, well, its an interesting place to be sure. I live in western Washington, and its a very beautifully green area prone to drizzle. The summers are to die for though, never to hot, not too cold, and usually sunny. May not last for that long, but while its here, I wouldnt want to be anywhere else.

Tips for living here? Well, get a good car, cause our public transportation is none existant. Either that or get a nice bike, but Washington as a whole is a very hilly state, so you will gain plenty of muscle. Oh, and if you are coming to the western side of washington, STAY AWAY from king county unless you have money coming out of your ears to burn. Its a very over priced and over taxed area.

Though, just one county away in any direction, it'll still be beautiful and even better, affordable. Failing that, look for roomies, and there will be lots of them avaliable. Very easy to find one here.

[Rían]

Is Count still there? (wasn't he in that group, too?)

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

Is Count still there? (wasn't he in that group, too?)

He's at school.

[Beren3000]

Guess who's back!
WOW! It's been a long while since I've mooted. I miss things around here
Actually, I came back from Seattle (where I was stationed with the Southwestern company) last September. I've just been too lazy to revive this thread...
It's been a wonderful experience. Really taught me a lot.

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

This isn't one of those magazine gangs, is it?

Not at all! During my stay, I met a lot of those "magazine people" and the Southwestern students are NOTHING like them: these guys are unprofessional and are being criminally exploited! A guy I met in Seattle told me that they're actually homeless kids picked up by a criminal company who force them to work this magazine thing and only give them enough money to live but not enough so that they become financially independent and run away. It's very sad. (And on top of everything else, people who've actually subscribed to these magazines told me that they never came in the mail...)
It's a very sad story. Southwestern students are professionally trained and very well treated; I've met some amazing people there.

Originally Posted by The last sane person

STAY AWAY from king county

I did end up in King County, but I loved it! Seattle is such a beautiful city. I wouldn't know if it's overpriced: I've never been to anywhere else in the States (except Nashville,TN for a week)

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in to clarify some things about the SW company; and also, I wanted to refresh my interest in mooting

[Rían]

Beren! nice to see you, and I'm glad to hear it went well!!

[Nautipus]

Originally Posted by Beren3000

I did end up in King County, but I loved it! Seattle is such a beautiful city. I wouldn't know if it's overpriced: I've never been to anywhere else in the States (except Nashville,TN for a week)

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in to clarify some things about the SW company; and also, I wanted to refresh my interest in mooting

Well, hello there.

Nashville, TN? I'll wave next time I see a plane. I'm not in Nashville, but hey: who know, right.

It's good to know it went well for you.

[Nurvingiel]

Beren!! Welcome back! I'm glad you had a fun with your job and Southwestern Company turned out to be a good company.

Are you still in the Seattle area?

[klatukatt]

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

I still wish you'd consider Americorps. Will your friend be on the same crew? Travel safe.

Americorps rules. Next time, try them.

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

Is Count still there? (wasn't he in that group, too?)

He's at Harvard or some such thing. Blah.

Originally Posted by Beren3000

I did end up in King County, but I loved it! Seattle is such a beautiful city. I wouldn't know if it's overpriced: I've never been to anywhere else in the States (except Nashville,TN for a week)

Seattle is Expensive, but if you do come back, my family has a cheap room to rent.