Student Works Painting: Hiring Painters!!

[LeeBoA]

lock

[kaiblu]

No offence, but I've heard plenty of warnings about this sort of work. Very few people make tons of money off this, but they always go around campus trying to recruit students with enticements of "earn up to $20 000 per summer!" if you're a "manager", which doesn't happen except for the luckiest few in the biggest cities who happen to find a lot of willing peons.

They'll always talk about how they're making millions nationwide and use it as a hook for young students, but then when something goes wrong (not enough work, not enough pay) they'll claim that not all branches are the same. For everyone else, the work you put into it doesn't make it worthwhile, since any regular labour job pays just as much if not better, plus you get better job security.

Check out some of these reviews I've found by Googling, for example (yes, I know UrbanDictionary isn't the best source, but in this case they're the most effective):

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...works+painting

The worst summer "job" ever that will probably make you lose money rather than earn it. In reality, it is a scam. College students work their asses off to almost be guaranteed to lose money while the company takes in the profits.

By the way, it is simply EMBARRASSING that somebody from the company has obviously typed up the #1 definition and then had company employees vote on it a bunch of times to give it the number one position.

College Works Painting told me they would train me well in how to run my own painting business. In reality, the training was awful and I ruined a person's house.

An internship that is arranged in a pyramid scheme. It uses hard working college students to market, sell, and produce a business. This corporation then takes 40% overhead cost of every dollar submitted by the intern. The company provides a few training sessions, some marketing materials, and the license and insurance to run the business. For all of this, they make approximately twice the annual profit per intern, than each intern individually.

For example, and intern would run this entire franchise of the residential painting company by him/her self, and make a profit of $10,000 in one summer of long hard work. From this one intern, College Works Painting makes about $20,000 -and this money is used to fill the fat pockets of the ceo's and upper management, while the interns bring in every dollar. **** this company, they rip off the intern and the customer; by sitting down with customers and having the interns tell them about the worlds most amazing paintjob they will receive, and then having inexperienced college students give mediocre paintjobs, at above average prices. This company claims to have 98% customer satisfaction (because the contract receipt says “I am 100% satisfied” when the client is forced to pay) and thus, giving the company this selling point.

Student Works is owned by the same guys who own College Works Painting --- the National Services Group. Do yourself a favour and Google around for actual testimonials.

[Wilmega]

canvassing

[LeeBoA]

First of all, the reason why people fail is because it HAPPENS! I'm investing my time and money in the program in which I have passion in, so no, I'm not wasting my time. In fact, many managers have made an avg of 16k a year, and the exceptional ones made about 30k+. Its how hard you work, how you manage your time, how lucky you can get and what not which makes you a business man. This program is actually a great program for students who don't want to invest much in their young University life. I don't think I've ever heard of a business that was ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL. If thats what you think, then re-educated yourself. If you don't want to paint, please don't reply to the thread. Also whatever you just suggested doesn't relate anything to my painters. I'm sorry but I know a painter who's made $8000 in one summer.

[LeeBoA]

A pyramid scheme would be like the company called "Cutco". And there's huge difference in what they train.

[7jai]

I don't think its a scheme, but it does take alot of hardwork and time dedication to make "your" particular business run well. It also depends if the staff and the manager are willing to do door-to-door advertising for their product (in this case: painting), since there are some who won't find this job too appealing. But it does succeed with a bit of hardwork and elbow grease. Like I said, it all depends on how hard the individuals work and if they mind doing this line of sales.

Good luck with the recruiting

[thezone]

Student works painting is pretty legit i've worked for people and know people who have operated a franchise. Bottom line it's hard work and the managers have to be able to find people to help do marketing which is the most crucial part. I was actually hired by multiple managers to act as a marketing manager and both i'd say ended being successful doing this for multiple years. I've heard some managers don't get there act together untill April-May which is probably why people FAIL. The 30%-40% aren't exactly for nothing, in return all your marketing material is provided and accounting is done and insurance is paid. Unfortunatly there are costs to do business and if your failing I strongly believe the manager/operator is soley to blame.

[LeeBoA]

I don't think its a scheme, but it does take alot of hardwork and time dedication to make "your" particular business run well. It also depends if the staff and the manager are willing to do door-to-door advertising for their product (in this case: painting), since there are some who won't find this job too appealing. But it does succeed with a bit of hardwork and elbow grease. Like I said, it all depends on how hard the individuals work and if they mind doing this line of sales.

Good luck with the recruiting

EXACTLY!
You need to have the ambition to work hard! Thanks.

[LeeBoA]

bump!

[We'reGonnaWin]

Ugh. The warranty on their work is such baloney.

[beetold]

I know its an old thread...but just wanted to make sure....no one get sucked into this..."many managers have made an avg of 16k a year"..********.

Odds are your a first year manager since you didn't give any examples of how you did well...so you really have nothing to go on.

Sure they tell you all this stuff...but theres NO WAY of knowing its true or not. This company is exloiting students and should be shut down..

Oh ya I'm a manager this summer to....worst decision I have ever made.

30% royalty fee they take for doing next to nothing is disgusting...especially when managers profit margins are typically less..

No one support Student Works....No one work for them...unless you want to fuel a terrible company

[iluvmikeharris]

The average wage is around $10/hour which can easily become $12/hour depending on how hard you guys work.

Translation: piecework (manager determines how long they think the job should take you). Only suckers need apply.

[KelvinK]

i dont mean this at a TC post but im just warning students: stay far away

[deep]

I quoted this job at 60 hrs for each of you. What? It took 95? Tough *****.

[sussycat]

Students beware - this is a seriously bad business venture for most. I operated a franchise in south western Ontario about eight years ago, and I personally lost $10 000 of my money (borrowed off of a student line of credit) to this horrible franchise "opportunity". They start off by selecting you because of your 'vast potential,' and you are pressured to sign a 40 page contract laced with legal jargon on the spot, or else you will lose out on this 'valuable opportunity' to the next eager student waiting for their chance - I was told I wasn't even allowed to go over the contract with my parents, for fear of leaking valuable information (I was 19 - an adult, yes, but still pretty naieve). Then there's the "training." You absolutely cannot learn how to properly quote and perform truly professional painting jobs (both interior and exterior, diagnosis, prep, and all), plus all the other nuances of running a business for the 1st time in a 3-day training seminar. I was promised that I would be accompanied for my first three estimates - and believe me, I was good at cold calling, so I found the jobs fast - but my regional supervisor canceled out of meeting me for every single one, stating that I was one of the "best" in the training seminar, so he wasn't worried about me. I lined up a summer full of contracts that were completely undervalued thanks to my stellar "training," and was sunk before I even began. We started work, but every job ran short on money - Student Works Painting takes their 30% cut off of the top of every job, regardless of whether or not you run short, then the paint store was paid, then the workers (they control all payroll activity, too) and then you, the franchisee. The workers are paid by piece-work, so of course they start to quit when the pay gets too low. When I realized about a month in that I was tanking fast, I met with my manager in tears, and told him I wanted to close the franchise because, just going into 2nd year university, I could not afford to lose any more money. He threatened me with a $30,000 law suit if I backed out, because of a stipulation in the contract that I signed that I would be personally responsible for the losses that Student Works Painting Corp. would incur by not having a franchisee in my area. Interestingly enough, he failed to provide me with a copy of my contract, despite multiple verbal and written requests on my part (and that little old thing they call the "law"), and he successfully ducked me for the rest of the summer. Still fearing legal recourse because I had no copy of what I signed, I opted to finish completing the contracts that I had lined up - without searching for new ones - despite knowing that I would be losing money, and I began paying my workers out of pocket just to keep them with me in order to complete the work. This was because in several jobs, after Student Works got their cut, and the paint was mostly paid for, there was nothing left even for my workers (in one case, I paid for some paint out of pocket, too). Then there was the fact that my regional supervisor was also running his own painting business, and would take all of the big contracts from us franchisees - a furniture store, a restaurant/bar, a college - as a FAVOUR to us, because we simply were "not equipped to handle them." Overall, this was a miserable experience - I am approaching 30, and I still have not come close to paying off what I lost from this venture - I was unable to attend law school because of it, despite maintaining a straight A average as an economics major. You simply cannot learn all there is to being a professional painter using the "coles notes guide to painting." I am sure they will try to paint me as an idiot, but believe me, I am far from, and this nightmare could happen to anyone. If you have already committed to them, GET A COPY OF YOUR CONTRACT - they will try to argue this due to "valuable" trade secrets, but it is your right by law - and be very careful; you will be pressured to line up as many jobs as you can, as quickly as you can, and you will be inundated with corporate propaganda newsletters to tell you how much money all the other franchisees are making (in our newsletters, it was always the same 4 people for all of Ontario, and they were all in the GTA). Do not let this affect your estimates, or you will pay in the end. Franchisee beware - I wish you the best of luck.