Well, it's been a while since I have been in the mainstream workforce. Seems things have changed a bit.
"Marketing" means: selling. "Generating leads" means: hard selling. "Management training" means: Good enough to be on your own (managing yourself?). "Pay is negotiable, $25k-$45k a year" means: Commission.
So today I had my second interview. More like an orientation. The job is standing around in department stores selling products.
I already told you the end of the story, but this is the ad I responded to:
"Looking for marketing representatives to work as aggressive lead generators in an on going campaign. Work for one of the top companies in Georgia. We aim to provide customers with the everyday value and uncompromising customer service that has made us so successful. We are now accepting applications for Marketing Consultants in our business development unit. Previous experience in sales, financial sales or self-employment a plus but not required."
My interview asked about my schooling and interests, and vaguely explained the job as "creating marketing campaigns to sell XX product. You will be traveling to work with clients. Hours are long and some days end at 8pm. Is that something you might be interested in?"
In my ignorant brain I thought the job was actual marketing. Like developing campaigns to sell the product. Not standing around asking people to sign up for a service for only commission pay.
So today (on the second interview)I got the full jist of the job. Standing around. Harassing people. Working on commission only. 40 hrs a week. Working full weekends. High school education preferred.
But here's the thing. I think I am going to try it out.
BECAUSE: the company just expanded into this city a few weeks ago and has 2 high up employees that have been sent here to get the business running up here. The job of these two men is to hire, hire, hire and create a full, well running office. Right now they are in full time hire mode to get the office off the ground, but they need people to take over the more complex "managerial" jobs that the best employees will get promoted to. Right now, from whom I have seen hired- my education outranks everyone by far. I have the advantage to be promoted very quickly. AND the head exec pulled me aside and said he wants to go back to FL (where they expanded from) ASAP and as soon as the office is self-sufficient he wants to go back to FL and wanted to see if I was interested in replacing him down the line. I ran around with him for 5 hrs today as my orientation and I can definitely do his job.
Beyond that, the man who hired me has been with the company 9 months and has already been promoted to head exec or whatever his title is.
So I just need to prove I am reliable, dependable, and I can effectively do the job I will be asking everyone else to do if promoted.
Beyond that, I make $140 per sale so I figure why not give it a shot and if I am no good then that will be a quick discovery. If I turn out to be good at it but hate it, maybe I can negotiate working part time and get a less insane job elsewhere.
New hubby thinks I will suck at the job and wants me to not show up tomorrow. He wants me to have a 9-5 "showy" job that utilizes my masters degree and pays benefits. I am more realistic and know those jobs are hard to find. I am willing to give this a shot but he is very pessimistic about my success.
A play on words
March 5th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
March 6th, 2009 at 12:35 am 1236299729
I had a similar one-day job in Edinburgh trying to sell a newspaper that had an Italian learning CD attached...
I sucked at it.... but at least I got paid for the day :-)... I was job-hunting at the time.
March 6th, 2009 at 12:41 am 1236300080
I don't want to be a downer ... but I did something like that . . only selling fire safety equipment. Was sold on the product (halon) and sold on the idea of managing my own office. Worked hard, and sold enough to make it into the "President's Club" the first month - mostly to family and friends. Made it into the office as an asst. mgr just to find out that to make any money, I had to keep selling. Stubborn me kept at it until I made it into 'management.' Four months after starting and opening an office ... I was completely broke. Not one penny to my name. Which is when I went back to teaching.
You may be completely different. If you're great at sales and totally confident/self assured with strangers - this may be a great fit for you. Just be very leary if they tell you that to open an office/become a manager you have to buy your own inventory, etc. Also, I'd see how long the other people they hire are actually lasting or making money.
March 6th, 2009 at 01:23 am 1236302638
March 6th, 2009 at 03:22 am 1236309760
March 6th, 2009 at 01:57 pm 1236347872
March 6th, 2009 at 02:47 pm 1236350866