From the very first moment that I was introduced to Enterprise Rent-A-Car, I could feel that something just was not right. My first interview was with a recruiter that made so many promises for a position that offered so little in paper. The recruiter gave me her "ERAC Story" and how she persevered and made it to her "well rewarding" and "great" position even though her suit had a large hole and her button down shirt had a stain which stood out more than her shadiness and lack of eye contact throughout the interview. My second interview was with the Area Manager. This guy pretended to be Jack Taylor himself by his demeanor. He was really passionate about his "achievements" over the past 15 years which only in the last 2 he finally reached his dream position of Area Manager. He told me that he was living like a celebrity and showed me the keys to his car (a Ford Expedition) which was a car provided to him by Enterprise Rent-A-Car aka a "rental". He said that his salary was much more than all his friends by this point in his career (a measly $50,000 on average?). I left the interview dumbfounded as to how people can pride themselves on so little "accomplishments" after 15 years and expect to have MT candidates jump out of their seats. My final interview was the Regional Manager who was a complete clown in the sense that he made me wait 3 hours (the interview was scheduled for 2:00pm and we started at 5:00pm). His excuse was that he was extremely busy even though there were rarely any customers in the branch while I waited for him. He was obviously trying to make himself feel more important than what he really was, in order to impress me or something but if he only knew that he showed his incompetence and lack of leadership while I was watching him being "busy" in the office (he was sitting in front of a computer eating pizza and talking on the phone. I should have walked out of the place at this point but I was desperate for some money and did not have much going at the time (I should have just walked over to the McDonalds across the street and applied for a position there. At least they don't lie to all of their potential employees and don't behave like pretentious ignoranuses. I would have also saved money in destroyed suits and shoes from washing cars and would have earned my money doing an honest job). I had a two day "branch observation" event in which I was suppose to just follow my "Branch Buddy" around and learn about what a Management Trainee does. In reality, I was worked from 6:30am - 7:30pm both of those days. I was driving cars, doing pick ups, checking people into cars, and even doing returns. There was no "observation", they just put me straight to work. My first impression of Enterprise was a really sad and gloomy one. Everyone in the branch seemed ready to quit, which most did from what I have heard. This should have been another moment in which I should have just walked out the door and never return but I decided to give it a chance and go to training. Training was probably the best part of working at Enterprise and that is due to the fact that I was actually treated like a human being and not like a monkey by management. I worked for Enterprise Rent-A-Car for roughly 2 months and have thanked God for all the opportunities that have followed afterwards (I was contacted by 3 firms and all 3 offered me 30,000 to 45,000 dollars more in pay in comparison to what I was currently making...30,000). Now, I have a real job in which there is an actual career to be made and I am applying what I studied in college. I am being compensated more than what an area manager makes after 15 years..which is pretty pathetic on Enterprise Rent-A-Car's part. To all those considering this position, please DO NOT TAKE IT!! There are so many things you can do in the meantime, continue to apply for real jobs that are going to offer you a career, better your resume, spend time with your family, perhaps pursue your graduate studies, and anything else that can come to your mind. If you are truly worried about money, just pick up a part-time job as a waiter, cashier, or as a teller. Don't be another Enterprise Rent-A-Car story like I and so many others.
