I just returned from applying for a salesman’s position with K-Designers or as K-Designers call them "Marketing Directors “ or MD’s). I sure wish I had researched the company before I wasted an afternoon. I had posted my resume on careerbuilder.com, a site I have been fairly impressed with. I received a call from corporate headquarters in California saying how impressed they were with my resume and would I consider coming in for an interview. The first clue should have been that there was a team of recruiters and it mattered not with one you talked to. I asked for the local managers phone number, should I have a problem, and was told to call California, (clue two). Once I arrived I noticed the front reception counter piled high with literature and brochures. The person in the front office was assembling binders. I had to do an extremely brief application that was not much more than name address and phone numbers. Then before I was allowed to get up off the cheesy uncomfortable couch I was directed to sit on to fill out my job app I was told I had to watch a brief educational DVD. While watching the DVD I overheard the lady making binders say she was preparing them for the next training session. (Clue 3) I mean there were a lot of binders. I was than met by the manager and taken to his office. He had to tell me how everything worked, starting how the corporate office headhunters contacted me (duha!)
I have almost 40 years in the construction business. Most of those years I have owned my own successful contracting business. I have a college degree. I know my trade. Anyway for approximately 20 minuets the manager told me how I should of ran my business, and how I surly had made every mistake in the book and how K-Designers was the only company really doing things right. He also told me how their products were extremely unique to the market. In the past 40 years I have work with many of the companies K-Designers represent and knew he was taking liberties with reality. I was tempted to get up and walk out. It was the worst, most unprofessional interview I have ever been in. I felt it was a total joke and waste of time. Never once was I asked about my education or my commitment to my customers, or my abilities. I asked if salesman were reimbursed for travel and expenses and was told there was a program for that, no specifics. I was told K-designers salesmen were not known to worry about money.
As I left the interview I literally felt dirty. I stopped at my sons’ house on the way home and told my daughter in law I felt like I needed to take a shower… My recommendation to anyone thinking about either working for K-designers or purchasing any of their products is to do your research. I know if I had done mine I wouldn’t have wasted a half a day of my life.
K-Designers dose represent some well-known manufacturers but from what I could tell they do not manufacture anything themselves, they are simply resellers. Their products can be purchased from most reputable suppliers and installers. With that in mind remember the salesman or MD’s as they call them is working on commission and this I can say with confidence from my interviewing experience is he may or may not have building experience. It was quite obvious that technical building experience was not of any interest with the manager I interviewed with. Your new project will only be as good as the installers they send. (Look, they know this and will stress the way they hand pick their installers but how do you know?) With that in mind consider calling the products distributor in your area. They will usually be more than happy to supply you with reputable dealers and installers. You will most likely end up saving between 20 to 50 percent on your job, remember someone has to pay the MD, salesman and that someone is you. At the very least don’t sign anything until you have had a chance to check out references and do your homework. Try to find your references on your own. A business isn’t going to give you a customer’s name they had trouble with.
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k-designers
Date: 1 Aug 2009 03:49 (UTC)I have almost 40 years in the construction business. Most of those years I have owned my own successful contracting business. I have a college degree. I know my trade. Anyway for approximately 20 minuets the manager told me how I should of ran my business, and how I surly had made every mistake in the book and how K-Designers was the only company really doing things right. He also told me how their products were extremely unique to the market. In the past 40 years I have work with many of the companies K-Designers represent and knew he was taking liberties with reality. I was tempted to get up and walk out. It was the worst, most unprofessional interview I have ever been in. I felt it was a total joke and waste of time. Never once was I asked about my education or my commitment to my customers, or my abilities. I asked if salesman were reimbursed for travel and expenses and was told there was a program for that, no specifics. I was told K-designers salesmen were not known to worry about money.
As I left the interview I literally felt dirty. I stopped at my sons’ house on the way home and told my daughter in law I felt like I needed to take a shower… My recommendation to anyone thinking about either working for K-designers or purchasing any of their products is to do your research. I know if I had done mine I wouldn’t have wasted a half a day of my life.
K-Designers dose represent some well-known manufacturers but from what I could tell they do not manufacture anything themselves, they are simply resellers. Their products can be purchased from most reputable suppliers and installers. With that in mind remember the salesman or MD’s as they call them is working on commission and this I can say with confidence from my interviewing experience is he may or may not have building experience. It was quite obvious that technical building experience was not of any interest with the manager I interviewed with. Your new project will only be as good as the installers they send. (Look, they know this and will stress the way they hand pick their installers but how do you know?) With that in mind consider calling the products distributor in your area. They will usually be more than happy to supply you with reputable dealers and installers. You will most likely end up saving between 20 to 50 percent on your job, remember someone has to pay the MD, salesman and that someone is you. At the very least don’t sign anything until you have had a chance to check out references and do your homework. Try to find your references on your own. A business isn’t going to give you a customer’s name they had trouble with.