Loser? The power of money.
I was successful, last Wednesday. I attended a job interview, and
the follow-up 'observation' day. It was for a marketing company,
they were recruiting for some 'management' training course to
recruit an army of people capable of expanding their business. The
first few months would be conducting door-to-door sales, knocking
on people's houses and bothering them while they relax, trying to
get their money in return for one semi-useless service or
another.
It felt rotten from the start, I wholly believe in respecting people's personal space; and a man's home is his castle, and should not be laid under siege for the chance of earning a few quid.
Anyway, I've been unemployed for over four-million-years, and so I accepted the position. My family were happy, yet aware of my distaste for the initial work involved.
On my first day I was suited, and on my first 'route'. The first five or so houses were unsuccessful, the sixth however, was answered by an elderly woman named Maureen.
Me: "We're from BT," I told her,
Maureen: "Oh?"
Me: "Yeah we've got a fantastic new service available and we're just checking around the area to see if anyone would be interested, it's a nice neighbourhood isn't it, everybody seems very friendly"
Maureen: "Yeah, it's okay I suppose, had any luck so far?"
Me: "Yes, actually, a handful from the street next to this one have signed up for the full service, it's a TV and Internet combo, would you be interested?"
Maureen: "I'm not on the internet, I don't really know computers"
Me: "That's no problem! We can assist you in any way possible with full query support and . . ."
You get the picture. Anyway, I 'charmed' my way into her house and began running through the details with her. But I felt bad. Like, abhorrently so, I was doing something horrible. When I asked for her date of birth and she replied with: "3rd of June 1933" I just couldn't go on.
I asked her whether I could be excused for a few minutes and left the room, I called my 'mentor' on my new mobile and told him about her age and how wrong it felt. He said not to worry and just hurry the sale through, then he congratulated me on getting this far on my first day. I told him I didn't think I would be able to exploit someone so vulnerable. His response?
Word for word:
"She's not vulnerable, she's twenty-quid in your pocket."
I was lost for words, how someone could be so ridiculously uncaring just for money. Furthermore it was a ridiculous service, she'd never need broadband or a fancy television package, freeview is fine and a whole lot cheaper.
What happened next had me shaking, I told him I quit, he called me a loser. I then proceeded to crumple her contract up and apologized for intruding; I was near tears, I had an unsatiable urge to just keep apologizing and embrace her, but I left it at the single apology and rushed out.
So then I sat - in town, fully suited with the most expensive shoes I'd ever wore - contemplating how very likely it would be that I'd continue to spend the rest of my life on the dole. It's frustrating, and soul-destroying, I just want a job.
It felt rotten from the start, I wholly believe in respecting people's personal space; and a man's home is his castle, and should not be laid under siege for the chance of earning a few quid.
Anyway, I've been unemployed for over four-million-years, and so I accepted the position. My family were happy, yet aware of my distaste for the initial work involved.
On my first day I was suited, and on my first 'route'. The first five or so houses were unsuccessful, the sixth however, was answered by an elderly woman named Maureen.
Me: "We're from BT," I told her,
Maureen: "Oh?"
Me: "Yeah we've got a fantastic new service available and we're just checking around the area to see if anyone would be interested, it's a nice neighbourhood isn't it, everybody seems very friendly"
Maureen: "Yeah, it's okay I suppose, had any luck so far?"
Me: "Yes, actually, a handful from the street next to this one have signed up for the full service, it's a TV and Internet combo, would you be interested?"
Maureen: "I'm not on the internet, I don't really know computers"
Me: "That's no problem! We can assist you in any way possible with full query support and . . ."
You get the picture. Anyway, I 'charmed' my way into her house and began running through the details with her. But I felt bad. Like, abhorrently so, I was doing something horrible. When I asked for her date of birth and she replied with: "3rd of June 1933" I just couldn't go on.
I asked her whether I could be excused for a few minutes and left the room, I called my 'mentor' on my new mobile and told him about her age and how wrong it felt. He said not to worry and just hurry the sale through, then he congratulated me on getting this far on my first day. I told him I didn't think I would be able to exploit someone so vulnerable. His response?
Word for word:
"She's not vulnerable, she's twenty-quid in your pocket."
I was lost for words, how someone could be so ridiculously uncaring just for money. Furthermore it was a ridiculous service, she'd never need broadband or a fancy television package, freeview is fine and a whole lot cheaper.
What happened next had me shaking, I told him I quit, he called me a loser. I then proceeded to crumple her contract up and apologized for intruding; I was near tears, I had an unsatiable urge to just keep apologizing and embrace her, but I left it at the single apology and rushed out.
So then I sat - in town, fully suited with the most expensive shoes I'd ever wore - contemplating how very likely it would be that I'd continue to spend the rest of my life on the dole. It's frustrating, and soul-destroying, I just want a job.
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38 Comments
Good man. x
Don't wink at me! I'm in a relationship ;)
Well done for showing real principles. Good luck in your job search!
Your moral intergrity and approach to life is just what's needed, and it would enrich you.
PS You're not a loser. You're a winner!
Now if you were selling SKY it would be different. They are, after all, the root of all evil, and a big part of the reason why we now have to pay extra, over-and-above the licence fee, to watch certain sports.
Brilliant idea above - put it into an article/story - that is what you're here for - right?
Send a copy to BT's CEO.
I wonder if you might have learnt something, had you been prepared to stick with it for a while. Perhaps taking some inspiration from 'The Apprentice'.
Your extreme reaction seemed to be triggered when confronted by the prospect of selling something to an old person. This doesn't make sense to me. People in their seventies are not necessarily incapable of getting to grips with the internet. I know someone in her seventies who has recently had broadband installed and it has improved her life. For example, she can now send messages and pictures to her son in Australia. I would have thought there would be lots of positive selling points that you could have focused on.
Certainly you shouldn't think of yourself as a loser, but I wonder if you were a bit hasty.
Recently a mate exclaimed with exasperation "it looks like shelf stacking in Tesco's beckons. . ." As he's not teenage, or foreign or female he's gonna have a rude awakening that casual jobs don't exist any more. IDS's plan for work placements to last for a year before these training / headhunting companies are paid will end badly.
I wish you all the best in your endeavours ~ Best JtF
I'll post a proper reply in the morning
It may be that marketing is not a life-time's career choice for you. Creative folk are notorious for being useless at marketing their own wares - hence the profusion of agents looking to earn a percentage from your best efforts. But selling someone else's more mundane product may be as good a way of making contacts and paying the rent as any other until your "boat comes in".
Artists have ever needed to eat like everyone else to stay alive. They must earn at least the means of keeping a roof over their heads while holding on to their dreams. In today's recessionary times, staying alive and independent is as great a challenge as I have ever been faced with but in truth, I was always a much shyer gambler than Van Gogh who took the reckless route, more than 150 years ago, of gaining posthumous notoriety by shooting himself in the head.
Maureen ... now there's a lady older'n me by a mere four years (eeeek!) Did it not occur to you Zomboo, that by letting you into her home and listening politely to your spiel, Maureen showed a great deal more old-fashioned courtesy and trust in you than you offered her? Seems to me you could have given Maureen more respect than you did; perhaps by addressing her by her surname? She is old enough to be your great grandmama. Did you see her only as an easy shake-down? Maureen is an old lady so what? Does that mean you may rudely walk out of her hearing to talk to your boss about her on the telephone ... then come back and, screwing up a contract you have already written with no little input from her, walk out of her life forever?
Walking away from the job was nowhere near as reckless or rude as walking out on Maureen. You may be sure that all her silver-surfing friends at the over-sixties club will have been told all about the ill-mannered young man from BT and you will have confirmed their take on all young people as shallow.
Selling is a good way of earning a living, but before you can sell someone else's product you must learn to respect your customers and view them as more than the twenty pounds in your pocket. Sell yourself first and confound the ignorant git that sent you out with no training.
Best wishes, Am xx
Your blog
I know where she lives, would it be acceptable, do you think, if I were to bring her a card or something as an apology?
Deli: Thank you :) but don't over-do things, I'm not a hero . . . just impulsive, but thank you!
Cat Lady: Love the name :) Sorry to hear about your husband's misfortune, I wish you both the best of luck in the future . . . the recruiter may have been selfish in turning your husband down, they may have feared the competition and opted to reject him solely to limit their competitors for promotion, try to keep his spirits up, knowing you're behind him may be enough to keep him going.
Oh hang on... you can't... 'cos she doesn't have the internet... 'cos you tore up the contract. ;)
screw you guys!
I don't think you need to make another apology to Maureen, you apologised at the time and and I'm sure she realized you were struggling, my point was that a bad name sticks so it's always best to make a good impression wherever you go. Attitude really is the major factor in whatever you do in life and everyone you meet may turn out to be a good contact one day. Old ladies are, generally, encouraging to young people whenever possible and they may help in many small ways. I have just come to the end of a relationship with a young man who first came to my door four years ago. He was in a scheme to help young offenders straighten theit lives out and he had a bag of houshold products to sell. He came around Twice a year - always cheerful and chatty - and every time I bought stuff I didn't need. I have dusters, tea cloths, dishcloths etc coming out of my ears but he's such a nice lad, Robert. On his last visit he was over the moon because he has finally got a proper job and he's so looking forward to it. I shall miss him.
Very best wishes in your job-hunting, Zomb00. Now is one of the most difficult times to be out of work but one thing I've learned ... it's always easier to find work if you're already in a job so take on anything you can get for now and you may be surprised to find that you enjoy the unlikeliest of positions while still looking for the big one. :-) xx
Sorry for not replying! I felt you'd said all that needed to be said quite wonderfully
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