I READ with great interest Madam Isnani Norasiken Mohamed Ali's
Forum Online letter ("Prevent MLM firms from recruiting students",
last Friday).
I am a former student who had been approached by multi-level
marketing (MLM) teams to join their companies.
After my O levels a few years ago, I received numerous calls
from MLM companies asking me to go for interviews.
There was a company that dangled the position of "manager" as a
bait to students. In another instance, I was told that I could earn
"big bucks" that would allow me to buy luxury cars. This MLM
company even showed those going for the "interview/briefing" a
magazine that had sales staff standing beside luxury cars.
When I asked if I could have a chat with these "successful sales
staff", I was told that they had left.
Is this a gimmick? I don't know.
At that time, I told myself that if the job was so profitable,
why were there still people working in various industries for less
than $1,000 a month, when students, some even younger than 18,
could 'earn' salaries to buy luxury cars?
Many of my friends went into this field to give it a shot. A few
months later, many did not make a profit. Some even lost money due
to the "start-up package" they had to buy.
Until now, I wonder why the Ministry of Manpower does not step
up its rules on such tactics to entice students. Shouldn't the
authorities regulate how MLM firms recruit staff?
The authorities should make it clear that such tactics are not
allowed to be used on youth, especially school-going students. Why
has no action been taken?
Tan Shao Ken
As for companies hiring underage students..
you may not know the system in different companies..
some act as referrals thus they didn't sign up anything with the
company yet get paid for future sales in the event if their
referred client buys a package thus the client is than helping the
student opening a account instead of the student buying a
package..
in such cases, this is attractive to students as they don't need
to fork out anything.
there are tons of different strategies for marketing, depending
on what you are exposed to only..