From Skeptical Parent to Avid Fan, by Robin Ross
Robin Ross & her son Mike Lang
When my son Mike first went to work for Vector, I was very skeptical. Initially I worried that the job was a scam designed to get kids to have their parents buy product. I was concerned, and I certainly did not expect him to get the training he got, along with many other benefits of this experience.
It was amazing to watch his people skills and confidence grow by the week. Over the course of his first year with the company, he became much more positive, persistent, and goal-oriented than he had ever been. He moved beyond our family and friends within a couple of months and began developing his own referral resources.
His skills and his sales grew steadily, as did his motivation to succeed.
At the end of his first year, Mike had major surgery. The amount of support he got from Vector people was incredible. They all stayed in touch and encouraged him throughout his surgery and recovery process. This is when I began to see that the Vector culture might promote caring and cooperation as well as personal success.
Over the past year, we have opened our house to sales reps who needed a place to stay when in the Chicago area. Three people have stayed with us. Each one of them had overcome big hurdles in their lives and came away from the experience with energy and a positive attitude that was truly impressive. I felt lucky to have had the chance to meet these wonderful people. I hope they will each return and that I will have the chance to get to know other Vector reps.
As a result of our experience with Mike and our contact with these other reps, I now see Vector as an organization driven by and filled with people who are notable for positive persistence in pursuit of their goals, and the willingness to help others reach their goals. Mike will be running a branch office this summer and has already received many offers of help and support from managers and others who have “branched”. He is fortunate to be part of such a great organization and we are lucky to have the chance to know some of the people who make it great.
Do you know someone who has been surprised to discover the value of the Vector experience? Leave a comment and tell us about it!
Vector is a very good company. Their product is truly top quality. We are in a recession. Not too many people can afford the luxury of purchasing this top end line.
Hi Jan – Thanks for your comment. While there will always be people who find the price of Cutco exceeds their budget, we’ve actually done quite well during this recession. In fact, we can attribute our our sales growth last year in part to the number of families who are choosing to cook at home, rather than go out for meals. In addition, economic strains make people think more about their purchases. The value of Cutco, with it’s Forever Guarantee, is far better than repeatedly throwing away money on inexpensive knives that don’t perform. Over time, Cutco is a superb value – a fact recognized by more than 15 million loyal customers.
I couldn’t agree more! When my son, Ryan, decided to begin working with Vector all I could picture was repeated doors slamming in his face. NOTHING could be further from the truth. People welcome into their homes and can definitely see the AMAZING value this product has to offer and the solid company that stands behind it. Now that Ryan is becoming a District Manager and pursuing his career with the company, I’m getting to know more of the people involved. From sceptic to fan definitely describes this mother. I’m thrilled that Ryan is staying with Vector and totally endorse both the product and company 150%!!
Thanks for helping us get the positive impact of Vector out there Lori, and good luck to Ryan this summer. Let us know how we can help!
Hi sarah,
I actually just started with the vector corporation two days ago, and I initially applied for the job about a year ago, but my father was against me taking the job, but now I am 18 and am able to make my own decisions, and I think that this is the best decision that I have made so far in my life. In my first two days, I have already made over $100, and have gotten my first promotion. I am so happy with my success so far, and am very happy with the positive atmosphere of the company. I truly enjoy what I’m doing with my life now, and I attribute that to my decision to join the Vector team. My manager is great, and I am glad that you were able to see that this was not a scam. I was also worried about this, but once I started training it soon became clear to me that this is a wonderful work experience opportunity. Thank you for letting your son become part of a team that truly supports each other.
Sincerely,
Katherine
I remember when i started with Vector back in 2001. (Wow I feel old all of a sudden) My mom had concerns because the economy was really bad and we were not a very well off family financially. She was what you may call a skeptic when I started here, but she saw I was very excited about the opportunity here. I worked over my winter break that winter and had not though about Vector for years afterwards.
I came back to Vector after my deployment to Iraq with the Marines in 2005 because I wanted real world skills so when I graduated as a history teacher i could be more competitive in the job market.
I ended up becoming a district manager instead and my mom was my biggest supporter. I love the fact I can teach my team the real world skills that make them competitive especially in this job market. One of my assistant managers actually was accepted to an internship with IBM because of his Vector experience.
Wouldn’t change my job for the world.
Mike
Mike, it’s great to hear your story, and good luck with your office this summer!
Is this job opportunity only for students?
Hi Courtney,
Thanks for asking! The answer is no, absolutely not. Since right now we do have a lot of students, our website and other media does focus on the student work opportunity. Still, about 20% of our field team is comprised of people who are not students. Traditionally, our sales force has been comprised primarily of students, especially during the summer. However, a growing number of individuals are joining Vector for supplemental income, or as a career opportunity.