If you are a job seeker, and have been actively searching the net for jobs, you should have noticed a group of recruitment advertisements claiming outrageous remunerations and prospects. These companies are dodgy about who they are, what they do, or their expectations of the suitable candidate.

They normally advertise as looking for “management trainees” or anything similar in that line, and utilises a “catch-all” prerequisite for the jobs. In other words, they are looking for anyone from a secondary school graduate, and all the way up to a university graduate to fill in the job.

They also offer a comprehensive on-the-job-training programme; therefore no experience on the part of the candidate is required. The salary starts from S00 and all the way to S00 during the “training period”, which spans between “6 to 8 months”. After which an increment to the S00 to S00 range is promised. Furthermore, you will also reach a point where you may get promoted to be part of the management – a managing director post, even!

Sounds too good to be true? Well, it is! The recruitment strategy briefly outlined above will be a familiar sight to all jobseekers on the web. In fact, it may seem that there are plenty of organisations out there offering similar opportunities in their various recruitment drives. To the untrained eye, these companies seems innocent enough, and each bears a different company name and even projects the impression pf coming from independent business entities.

For example, by searching through the net today, I’ve managed to locate the following companies that are currently active in their recruitment: Nevaeh Pte Ltd, VisionX International Pte Ltd, and Appco (Singapore) Pte Ltd. These are just a few I’ve managed to dig up on at the moment. There should be more, so beware of others! All of them share familiar recruitment tactics.

Are they really different companies sharing similar recruitment strategies? Well, they are “independent” companies, and they may be managed by different individuals, but they do share on thing in common; they are all part of the Cobra Group PLC.

Enter the Cobra...

The Cobra Group PLC is a self-professed UK-based MNC, but the truth is far below. Cobra Group reportedly started in Manly, Australia. Apparently, they have grown so fast that they now have offices in over 20 countries and are rapidly expanding (statistics proved otherwise in Australia alone!). In truth, they are just a hybrid organisation offering services under the brand name “Human Commercials”. Human Commercials is just another Cobra Group marketing ploy that simply means “direct marketing”. Cobra Group also shares striking resemblance to organisations such as DS-MAX, AMWAY, and many other MLM driven companies, both in their organisation structure, and sales tactics.

If that doesn’t sound an alarm yet, then find out more about what the Cobra Group does at the following resources:

Official Website of the Cobra Group:
http://www.cobragroup.com/

Wikipedia on Cobra Group:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_Group_(marketing)

DS-MAX (US version of Cobra Group) critical website:
http://wolfram.org/scam/ds_max/index.html

Ex-DS-MAX personnel support group:
http://groups.msn.com/DSMAXTheAftermath/msnw

Websites of Cobra Group affiliated companies in Singapore:

(I’ve listed only one local website, as most affiliates does not "yet" have an internet presence (hiding their true identities perhaps?), and only advertise on job sites about their openings without any contact information listed. However, if you dig deeper, you may find that all of them share the same office address; 9B Mosque Street.)

VisionX International Pte Ltd:
http://www.vxinternational.com/main1.html

The COBRA Saga Continues...

Thanks to everyone who chipped in and shared your encounters with the COBRA GROUP PLC.

If you have not read about this important article for job seekers, please do so now at: COBRA GROUP PLC Article.

It appears that the sister-companies are in action again, looking for gullible fresh-grads to devour. A few new companies that surfaced includes:

TML & Associates (Agency Development Officer)
Asia Pacific Promotion Group Pte Ltd (Regional Management Trainee)
JYPartnership (Marketing Development Executive/Management)
EA & Associates (Sales Associates / Recruitment Executive)

There are more...be smart, and know the game!

If you encounter any more suspicious job recruitment advertisements, please leave a comment in this thread and share your experiences and findings with others here! If you have a long story to tell, feel free to post it in your blog, post a link to this thread, and leave a comment in my blog for people to be able to reach yours as well.

MLM Recruiting – Why the Old Ways Don’t Work
Mlm recruiting methods are outdated. Many of us first got started in a multilevel marketing business, or mlm, because we were talked into it by a friend, or were invited to some sort of meeting. The so-called “rah-rah meetings” are designed to present the limitless money-making potential in an atmosphere of cheering, clapping, and personal success stories.

If this is the recruiting method used to get you started, chances are you are either beginning to wonder if you made a good decision, or you are no longer with that first home business opportunity, and looking for something that better suits you. The average person stays in a given mlm for three months. That’s about the time it takes for the initial excitement to wear off, and the realization to set in that this is not as easy as it sounded!

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Part of the problem is that mlm recruiting methods are to the benefit of the company and not the recruit. Most recruits truly believe in the product they are trying to sell. Even if they quit the business side, they will probably continue on as customers.
Another reason mlm recruiting falls short is because it is followed by ineffective training. When presenting a subject, any subject, to a wide audience, the subject matter has to be geared toward the least knowledgeable. Since most new recruits do not have a sales or marketing background, the training offered is motivational in nature. Marketing skills are not taught because it might be too much for the novice.

“Fake it ‘til you make it” is one line I heard over and over. Not bringing in enough new people? Go out and do more of what you are already doing. This, in spite of the fact that what you are already doing obviously isn’t working! Sales and internet network marketing skills training are exactly what the new recruits need, but it is not what they get.

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Mlm recruiting is designed to bring in as many new people as possible. This is to compensate for the high turnover rate. Only five percent of people in mlms find success because the old ways of doing business just don't work. But for those who are able to use the old ways, and they exist, it may be difficult to accept that what they are teaching their downlines is no longer effective. After all, it’s working for them.
When you present a home business opportunity as a way to “get rich quick” it’s not surprising that you will attract people who have a something for nothing mindset. You will have a hard time getting them to apply the same work ethic and achieve the same results you do. Unfortunately, this is the usual tactic for mlm recruiting.

The fact is the “old school method” of chatting up anyone within three feet to present your business opportunity is becoming more difficult even for the most charismatic. People simply don’t have the time to go to some hotel presentation to hear about how great company xyz is. If they come at all, it’s because they were enticed by a contest, or door prizes and the majority will leave with prize in hand, never to be heard from again, despite the best mlm recruiting attempt.

If someone does sign up for your business opportunity, the same time restrictions apply. My mlm was holding meetings up to four or five times a week. This was in addition to the time I spent pounding the pavement looking for leads. Considering the fact that I had intended to build a home based business, the time spent away from home was ironic, to say the least.

I actually enjoyed the meetings and the company of my fellow team members, but it wasn’t productive for my business. And, since I care for my elderly mother, I was needed at home.

Many, if not most, of your downline will have the same time constraints. They may still be tied to full-time jobs, mothers wanting to be home with their children, or they’ll have a host of other reasons that make their time precious. You must deal with this reality when working with them because if you don't, they will look for someone who will!

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The solution to this problem of time and place is to use mlm recruiting methods that paint a realistic picture for prospects. Given a true drive to succeed and the proper training, your recruits can be successful. But they must be willing to do the work and you must be very respectful of the demands on their time.
Set up a way to train your downline over the internet. Keep to the schedule and don’t allow your sessions to run over. An honest approach to mlm recruiting will yield the people who will help your business grow.

For an interesting point of view on MLM methods, download the free e-book, The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing by Ann Sieg.