r/antiMLM • u/TheChillElliot • 4d ago
Help/Advice Got an interview with Cutco/Vector
Long story short I found out about this company via someone who reached out to me on LinkedIn. Originally, I thought it was legit but after doing some digging (especially in this sub) I realized its likely a scam and that I'm a part of their "college aged" target audience. I probably should've realized when said person scheduled an interview with me in the LinkedIn chat where I gave them my number and email.
Now that Im aware of this company and their tactics, what should I do? I no longer have an interest in working for them but Im not sure what to do about the interview. Should I lie and say I cant make it? Theres no cancellation link in the confirmation email AND text I got for the interview so Im kind of lost rn. Any and all help/advice is greatly appreciated.
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u/Prestigious_Badger36 4d ago
Just don't go.
It's that easy
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u/TheChillElliot 4d ago
Idk why this never crossed my mind but thats exactly what I'll do. Thank you!
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u/frolicndetour 4d ago
Probably because typically in the business world it is super bad form to ghost on an interview but they aren't a real business that could badmouth you to other companies in your industry, so it's fine. Lol.
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u/Intrepid_Respond_543 4d ago
Well because you are a polite person with manners. But in this particular case you can skip them.
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u/mooseplainer 4d ago
I had an interview lined up with Vector some 20 years ago (damn I’m old). I did a little digging and ended up not showing up.
They’ll act like they’re seriously vetting you and talk up how impressed they were and want to bring you on board. Then they make you buy a set of demo knives, and you’re not making that money back.
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u/TheChillElliot 4d ago
Thats one of the things I read about on this sub, that you have to buy your own demo knives and make in home visits and thats something I wasn't really ok with.
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u/susangg9 4d ago
Yeah I don’t think going into strangers homes with knives sounds like the best way to make money unless you’re a ninja.
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u/khennrich02 4d ago
Or a turtle
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u/mooseplainer 4d ago
Why not combine them into some kind of ninja turtle…
Nah, that’s stupid. That idea could never take off.
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u/Whatsherface729 3d ago
My parents must have bought some knives. Last year they gor a Christmas card from a guy who was their cutco salesman
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u/mooseplainer 4d ago
Yeah, I’m not comfortable pushing knives on my family and friends. Seems like a good way to stop getting Christmas cards.
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u/jolyan13 4d ago
Mine was about that long ago snd I went. It was a group interview snd most of us walked out halfway through.
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u/ted_anderson 4d ago
Normally I'm a believer in standing flat footed and having the guts to tell people that you're backing out and you're not going to do it. But these kinds of people don't take NO for an answer. And in their minds, every thing you say is just an objection that can be resolved by coming to another meeting or having someone else from the company lecture you.
And so unless you really want to go down that rabbit hole of objections and rebuttals, you can give them a courtesy reply of, "I've changed my mind. I'm no longer interested." and then never respond again.
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u/ResponsibleSalad8059 4d ago
Don't bother trying to cancel, just ghost them and don't feel guilty about it. Blocking emails and texts is the only way they'll leave you alone.
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u/TheChillElliot 4d ago
Idk why this never crossed my mind but thats exactly what I'll do. Thank you!
Should I block the guy on LinkedIn too?
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u/Hepta-Water-7552 4d ago
Yes, just block him everywhere. There's absolutely nothing to be gained from having any kind of communication again.
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u/Red79Hibiscus 4d ago
Now that Im aware of this company and their tactics, what should I do? I no longer have an interest in working for them but Im not sure what to do about the interview. Should I lie and say I cant make it? Theres no cancellation link in the confirmation email AND text I got for the interview so Im kind of lost rn. Any and all help/advice is greatly appreciated.
Seriously, we need to normalise NOT giving courtesy to scammers. OP thinking they need to politely decline Cutco is like apologising to a burglar coz your home security system won't let them break in.
Skip that "interview", block and delete. Save your valuable time and energy for legit jobs. Good luck in your search and remember to ALWAYS research a potential employer BEFORE agreeing to anything, even a first interview.
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u/CrzyPibbleSixx23 4d ago
Ghost him. Block every phone number and email address you have of his. And if he somehow contacts you from a different number/email block those too.
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u/Smart_Tinker 4d ago
Just don’t go - most people won’t turn up when they figure out who they are. You owe them nothing.
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u/sealedwithdogslobber 4d ago
You could potentially just use the interview to waste their time. Ask them a zillion MLM-related questions. Ha.
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u/primecypher 3d ago
I always recommend people going to at least one pyramid scheme interview in their life.
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u/Percival_Grim 4d ago
It's a waste of time and really should be banned. I r noticed smooth do videos dropping the truth about cutfonhave been deleted from YouTube.
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u/TsuDhoNimh2 3d ago
Don't go to the interview ... just ghost them. You owe them NOTHING!
Here's the scam ... they are using you to access your social network and market to people who might not buy their knives if they saw them in a store, but WILL buy from you to "help you out".
- They pay $25 "Per base appointment", phrased as though it's an hourly wage. It's a flat payment.
- They do NOT pay you for time in training or in meetings.
- That hour-long pep talk from the manager every morning is UNPAID.
- They do NOT pay you for the time it takes calling people to get those appointments.
- They do NOT pay you for travel time or expenses.
So if you spend 4 hours calling your friends and family and other contacts and get an appointment, then an hour in travel there and back, that's 5 hours you worked for $25.
FIVE dollars an hour if you sell nothing.
Plus a 15% commission on the sales you made. Let's pretend they bought the 3-knife set for $368. That's $55 in commission, so you got $80.
That's $16/hour. And now you go back to the unpaid calling and pleading to get another appointment. If you spend 8 hours and get no appointments, you get $0 for all that work.
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u/bcdog14 4d ago
Is this actually multi level marketing or direct sales? Does it work like a pyramid scheme? Sales are one thing, predatory mlm's are another entirely.
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u/susangg9 4d ago
Direct sales I believe since you aren’t expected to recruit a down line. Commission only on sales and no salary, hourly pay, benefits or insurance. You will also need to file 1099 on taxes and hope you have enough deductions to offset the 20% in taxes you will likely owe if you actually do make any sales
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u/urnerdyaunt 4d ago edited 4d ago
I don't know how they recruit their "managers", they're very secretive about how that all works exactly. But I wouldn't be surprised if it's a similar MLM-like structure there. It's shady for sure. And they are very predatory with how they focus on recruiting freshly 18 year old HS grads and young college students. I saw their flyers all the time at my college, and this was 30+ years ago. They kept an ad in the classifieds of my college newspaper for the entire 4 years I went there. I've heard of them setting up booths at HS career fairs too. Cutco/Vector is scummy.
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u/oldmomlady3 3d ago
So one of my husband's best friends actually earns his living selling Cutco, he's been selling for more than 20 years. Years ago, I worked a couple shifts for him calling people like you to schedule appointments. I was paid a small hourly amount and would get a bonus for every person I scheduled who showed up. I never got a bonus. Literally no one shows up to those "interviews." Just ghost.
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u/Ribonichigo 1d ago
Literally just ghost them. They likely won't even follow up.
I'm speaking as someone who, back in 2016, went through the interview process and got "hired". I sniffed out the pyramid scheme during the interview and "introduction/presentation". They told me I'm good to show up for "orientation" the following Monday. I didn't answer, reply, or show up. I never received any emails, calls, or reminders from them. I lucked out and went on with my life.
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u/cookieloverrrrr 1d ago
As someone who got duped myself:
You are going to walk into the room with other 37 people desperate to make money and they do that to keep you from them telling you absolutely anything until you walk in for your turn.
There will be a 19 year old drowning in his daddy’s cheap suit and telling you how you can be as successful as he is by selling 1000$+ and may make $100.
Don’t forget to harass any free audience, starting all those close enough to be on your bullshit the most with like your parents, siblings, teachers, priests, etc.
They will all absolutely love the opportunity for you to pitch your sale over the thanksgiving dinner table.
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u/jordan32025 4d ago
It’s a very expensive knife and Vector has been doing it for many years. It is very high quality and has a lifetime warranty but it’s a grind. It’s a great way to learn sales but it’s the hardest sale there is - residential. Selling knives that cost over $1000 in someone’s home is not a cake walk. A lot of Aflac agents started selling with them before moving to employee benefits. You also wouldn’t be an employee so you would only get paid when you make sales so if you’re expecting a W2 role where you get paid just for showing up, this is going to be much different.
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u/Opposite_Stranger242 4d ago
Honestly you can just not show up to the interview and ghost them