I thought I would take a brief break from my series on entertainment to talk about a recent job experience I encountered. I usually work for residents around my area helping them on their gardens and yards; however, I have been looking for another job, both to keep myself busy and put some extra money in my account.
My first offer came unexpectedly. I was cleaning my bedroom after unpacking from my dorm room, international trip, and leadership seminar when I received a call from a company I had never heard of saying that a friend referred me for a job. I hesitantly scheduled an interview and immediately called the friend who had referred me and asked if it was legitimate. Strangely, it was!
I will not mention the name of the company or their product. But, I will say, it was a marketing company who wanted me to be a sales rep. Long story short, I got the job! Within a week--I quit. I usually do not quit on projects or jobs that I am a part of, but this particular one had to end.
The reason I quit was because, after the first day of training, my supervisor wanted me to go home and write down at least fifty names and numbers of my friends and family since the next day we would spend an hour calling them and setting up appointments. My comfort level fell immediately and not because I did not want to do the assignment. I could easily do this while watching Netflix or Youtube, which is something my supervisor suggested we do.
My comfort level dropped because as I was completing the assignment, I began to think of how my friends and family would feel if I called them out of the blue asking if I could meet with them at their house and try to sell them something they probably do not need or could not afford. I gained their respect over the years, and I did not want to jeopardize the relationship by almost using them and treating them as no more than customers. Friends and family mean more than money, and the bond is on a deeper level than a customer with a salesman.
I tried something new, and it did not work out. It happens. I found out that I could not be a salesman. Case closed. But it got me thinking: what would my friends and family do if they were in my shoes? Is the salesman’s relationship with their loved one stronger or weaker than mine since they are comfortable asking them to be customers? Curiouser and curiouser.
Would you be comfortable cold calling a customer even if it was your friend or family member? Let me know!
