Becoming a target of MLM recruiters.

I had planned on posting a different topic today but after another proposition came my way, I wanted to address this particular one.
Has this ever happened to you? You receive an unsolicited message from a person on LinkedIn or Facebook and they deliver a pitch for a job that is looking for skilled people. People who can be leaders and have the drive and can work on their and be successful. Are you such a person?
I have been approached three times in the last month with this exact pitch. It seems that since my profiles state that I am currently seeking new opportunities that I have been a target of these recruiters. Some have been more aggressive than others and inevitably, after doing some research, I have discovered they are recruitment drives for multi level marketing campaigns. My personal opinion is that the biggest success most people who get involved in MLM have is the alienation of friends and family. I’m not partial to pestering everyone I know about “A huge opportunity to work for yourself and generate wealth and the only thing you have to do is join our cult and drive your family and friends crazy due to constant pestering and preaching about our amazing system”. Sounds like fun, right?
Now, there are those people who do seem to have success in the MLM business (schemes) and good on them. There are good and bad in every aspect of business and life. Their sales pitches sparkle and shine and create visions of wealth and independence. Your world can be perfect if you only join them and follow their program. Damm! I’ll sign up right now.
Being the skeptic I am, I believe in the old if it’s a duck adage except I prefer the one locals quote, “If it looks like dog sht, smells like dog sht, feels like dog sht, then it must be sht”.
So, before getting caught in the whirlwind sales event designed to make you feel like you’ll be missing out on the rest of your life always remember to do research!!!! The more pressure put on you to sign immediately and commit to handing over money right now to lock in your opportunity because only the next 10, or 50, or 100 people will get in at this steal of a price, the more of a possibility it is you should step back and hold onto your wallet, firmly!
Legitimate organizations will give you reasonable time to do research and make an informed decision. In fact, if they are concerned about you they would prefer an informed candidate as opposed to someone who blindly jumps in because of the excitement built up by a sales pitch.
Research the complete history of a company, founders, are they owned by another company, what is their business model, etc. Pay special attention to notices, claims, or fines placed by regulatory bodies or financial institutions. Companies that have a long history of questionable practices that have forced regulators to step in are probably not in your best interest.
Also, individual opinions from everyday people can be informative but should be read with a heavy dose of caution. Some people are never happy with a company or service regardless of efforts made to please them. The opposite can also be applied to rave reviews claiming the company can do no wrong and you should sign up immediately. Read what the three and four star reviews have to say and compare that with your research.
If a company wants you to invest hundreds or thousands of dollars for an opportunity to work, step back and analyze what you could be getting into. And read everything that they want you to sign very carefully.