Enrollment Specialist - Anonymous employee WeightNot Employee Review

1.0
5 Oct 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Training was robust and thorough. If you're scientifically inclined you will enjoy this. This is the only pro.

Cons

One of the very worst jobs I've ever had. Position offers poor compensation and to make matters worse it is a draw and monthly quotas are purposely set at unachievable levels. The CEO and management will surely respond and say that the quotas are achievable but if >50% of the staff of seasoned sales professionals are not meeting their quotas is that really true? This position is essentially no different from a call center position. You are strapped to your desk all day with few breaks and this job offers very little work-life balance. They will sell you "work from home" as an opportunity to achieve more balance in your life while also making money and enjoying a fast-paced and challenging career but if you want to hit your monthly goals this job will require working 10 or more hours per shift and will definitely require picking up additional shifts on your off days. If you are alright with working all the time, then this might be a good opportunity but if you are looking to work 40-45 hours per week and expect that you will be able to hit your goals if you apply yourself and work hard during your regular shifts then do NOT take this job. I should also note that when you work a 9 hour shift, you are working all day with little to no break. You know at most jobs you have a few moments to chat with a colleague or get up and walk away for a moment here or there, you don't have those moments at this job. It's go go go from the time you start in the morning to the time you end at night with little to no downtime throughout the day. You've got to let your manager know when you go to the bathroom, go for a drink or leave your desk for more than three minutes because they are watching you. If you're not making calls for any 5 minute stretch they will be all over you. Furthermore, you see all those positive and glorious reviews by employees??? Well they compel their employees to write positive reviews so take them with a grain of salt. I was aggressively and repeatedly asked to submit a Glassdoor review for them when I worked there and I believe this practice to be highly unethical. Obviously employees will fear writing negative reviews or even critical or honest reviews if they believe they could be fired or punished for doing so. Yes, reviews should be anonymous, but there's always a chance that someone figures out who wrote what. Don't be fooled into thinking that all those positive reviews you see are 100 percent accurate. Some might be, but I know of a handful that are mainly fiction. Had I known the truth I would not have taken this awful job. Also notice how management and the CEO are all over these reviews, commenting on each and every one??? Not a good sign in my opinion. I hope this helps someone.

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WeightNot Response
9y
It is definitely the case that when someone is unsuccessful in a role (whether at WeightNot or elsewhere), they will need to work harder than others in the same position to achieve their goals, at least for some period of time (this is why goals for WeightNot staff start quite low and increase to more standard levels over roughly 4.5 months) . In cases of ongoing or consistent underperformance, it is also typical for someone to be managed more closely than others as a means of understanding the skill or work habit issues/gaps that may be underlying their failure to meet goals. While this process of performance management can be resisted or resented and perceived as micromanagement, the idea is obviously to help the employee to develop, succeed and ultimately work more independently. In the event that someone cannot succeed in their position even with their own extra effort and additional supervision and coaching over an extended period, and is unable or unwilling to achieve even process related goals (in sales, this might be volume of calling or consultation requirements), then it is indeed a poor fit, and a decision to leave the company is likely most appropriate, as it seems that it was for you. We try hard to communicate clearly to anyone interested in positions with WeightNot that working from home does not mean "work when you want" and that the requirements for our positions are full time -- similar to a job that may involve working in an office setting. Working from home of course eliminates the need for a commute, which for many can be a huge benefit and afford great flexibility, but it does not eliminate the need to work hard. That said, consistently spending substantially more than 45 hours (9 hour shifts with an hour lunch break) to achieve basic goals for a position and not achieving any learning or skill improvement that allows for more efficiency over time can of course lead to burnout and discouragement. So, we agree that someone who cannot develop their skills and proficiency such that they meet basic performance standards in normal work week may be a bad match for their position. We know that it is disappointing when someone finds that they are not well suited to a position and have consistently failed to meet performance expectations, and we certainly understand that it can be tempting for that person to broadly depict an employment experience negatively in such a circumstance. Nonetheless, we do appreciate your feedback and the time you took to express your views. In general, we do not agree with you that responding to employee feedback on GlassDoor and encouraging staff to anonymously post their reviews is somehow "unethical" or a bad sign -- instead, we continue to believe that responding to feedback (as we do with our members) is a sound practice that reflects our commitment to continuously improve our workplace.

Explore other reviews about WeightNot

5.0
25 July 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Work from home very intense detailed training great --very patient --(did i say great?) --people super supportive atmosphere growing company GREAT PRODUCT

Cons

I haven't come across any

15
avatar
WeightNot Response
9y
Thanks for your comments, and for making note of the support and training provided -- we definitely try our best to foster success, especially at the very outset, which is such a critical time. Best of luck as you continue your career with us!
3.0
28 July 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Excellent pay. I enjoyed working from home. Directors and CEO's were great leaders.

Cons

Work hours do tend to be long with minimal breaks, however, they did cover this during the interview process and job description. Employment is contingent upon passing a very long exam. I wish I would have known this before I was hired, I would not have taken the job. This caused a lot of stress. There are consequences if sales goals are not reached - yet one more thing that was not covered in the interview and hiring process. I was under the impression this was a counseling position with a bit of a sales component. I was not told it was a HUGE sales component with sales quotas and consequences that came with it. You will receive a lot of criticism in regards to your work, character, personality and many other areas of your demeanor and work ethic. Constructive criticism is great but there is a fine line between that and being plain rude and talking down to an employee.

20
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WeightNot Response
10y
During the multi-week training process for new hires, WeightNot administers a number of evaluations to ensure that staff have mastered the foundational information and skills for their positions. Depending on the role, these will include quizzes, tests, written assignments and role plays. The quizzes and exams are open book and new staff are provided ample time to complete these exercises, so this is typically only stressful for those who do not pay attention or do not take notes during training sessions, or who fail to review written training materials or study in advance of these evaluations (for which the subject matter is made very clear). We do take a rigorous approach to training, reflective of the expertise that we want all of our staff to possess in order to best serve our clients, and for those truly interested in nutrition and health, this is a huge plus and a major reason to join WeightNot -- not a reason why they would otherwise decline a position. To the extent that someone is uncomfortable with or unenthusiastic about learning in general or specifically in the area of nutrition or physiology, then certainly WeightNot would not be a good place for them. WeightNot hires for two primary roles -- Enrollment Specialists and Coaches. While both positions involve some amount of sales, revenue generation through new enrollments is the primary responsibility of Enrollment Specialists (as specified by the job title and job description, as made explicit in the job interviews and offer letter, as noted in the very first line of the performance evaluation forms which are distributed prior to the first day of training, and as made clear in so many other ways that are too numerous to list.). There are also different qualifications for these two positions, most notably that coaches are required to have a nutrition degree so that they can properly advise members during their programs, while Enrollment Specialists generally have some amount of sales or membership enrollment experience. For someone to be unaware that they were hired into an Enrollment Specialist job with revenue responsibility is frankly impossible to imagine, short of simply failing to read their job description and failing to pay attention in their interviews. Not only do we "mention" the duties of Enrollment Specialists relative to Coaches during the interview process, we provide this information in writing in numerous formats. WeightNot treats all staff as professionals who seek to continuously improve upon their skills and performance. Feedback to all staff (new and tenured) is highly structured and exclusively job related, and could include areas such as communication skills, energy level and engagement with members, productivity, attendance, use of technology and more. We have a dedicated training manager and team leaders who work to help staff master their responsibilities and improve performance on an ongoing basis. For those who are unable or unwilling to incorporate constructive feedback or are uncomfortable with evaluation of their job performance, WeightNot would again not be a good match. Overall, WeightNot prides itself on providing prospective hires with clear, comprehensive and detailed information about the positions they are considering, as well as in providing professional and constructive feedback to all of our staff. Our goal is the professional success and growth or our team members, and we work quite hard to realize this goal every day.
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