Summer Jobs aren't all a scam

Summer jobs aren't all a scam
JACOB BORG
Guest Opinion
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Opinion

My name is Jacob Borg; I graduated from Boise State's school of business in 2002. I have a few concerns in reference to the article written recently by Richard Rapp titled, "Students lured into scam jobs." I know nothing about Mr. Rapp and his personal experience working with employers that recruit and hire students from BSU.

I do know that I was surprised by his generalizations and tactics used in this article. While I was a student at Boise State I was taught to think critically and write by presenting facts and examples to support my cause. With such a striking headline I was certain that I would find data and facts related to which companies were "scamming" students and what students had been "lured" into these scheme jobs. Instead, as I continued to read further the article went down a one-sided path filled with generalizations and broad stroking opinions.

There were a few bits and pieces of good advice but no substantive offering of the other side of the spectrum. At one point Mr. Rapp even mentioned that there was something wrong with summer employers recruiting students to work out of state during the summer time. As if there is something wrong with that. Was this his litmus test for a scam job I wondered? When I was at BSU employers were recruiting students to take jobs out of state all the time.

As a student at BSU one of my most vivid memories is listening to one of the founders and former executives of Micron describe one of his greatest learning experiences as a young man. He talked about a job he had in Salt Lake City as a tire salesman. It was commission only. If he didn't sell tires, he didn't put food on his plate or pay his rent. He talked about the learning that took place while he worked there and the powers of persuasion that he developed.

I remember him telling us that these skills helped him as much, if not more than his engineering degree or law degree. I am sure Mr. Rapp had good intentions but I think he did the students a disservice by not offering a bit more substance and the other side of the story. You see, when I was a sophomore in College I was being advised by professors, parents and others to get an internship, work construction, go to Alaska, and other opportunities for summer work. But, I chose to go against the grain and moved to California to work for a Marketing Company that sold Pest Control Contracts door-to-door for Orkin Pest Control (the second largest Pest Control Company in the U.S.).

My very first summer working with Eclipse, I earned over $20,000 in four months. I continued to work for this company throughout college and in subsequent years made $60,000 two summers in a row and $90,000 the summer after graduating with my Marketing Degree.

That summer I had three first-year employees who worked for me and they made $22,000, $30,000 and $35,000 each. All were students trying to find ways to pay for their education in between college semesters. Since that summer, I went to work for another large corporation where I was paid a salary with opportunities to advance, although I never exceeded the pay that I made in one summer with Eclipse.

Three years later, I quit and have since gotten back involved with Eclipse full time showing students how to make the most out of their summer. I am not the exception. Many friends and co-workers have had similar experiences.

Do more for yourself this summer than just punch a clock. Our first year reps average over $15,000 in the summer and experienced reps average $37,000. Check our site (www.goeclipse.com) for the stats!

I wonder where the headlines were when I was at Boise State … "Student nets $90,000 in four months working summer sales job." Surely everyone would have been interested in a job like that!"

Jacob Borg is a Boise State alumnus

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