The Past, Present, and Future

I thought I would contribute a post to all those entry-level job searchers as more of a warning. Just as I graduated with my B.A., I got a job at a “consulting” firm. Before I interviewed I checked to see if they were a legit business (i.e. the Better Business Bureau, etc.), and then continued to do research on the company through their website. I prepared myself totally and completely for the job interview. Before I graduated, they offered me a job.

Now I don’t have much experience with consulting firms, but when I began my job that following Monday it was completely contrary to what I was told the job would be. More or less, I was going to be a glorified salesperson walking from business to business in a designated area selling phone and internet products. At first I didn’t have a problem with this. However, my first day of actually job shadowing my “trainer”, I was verbally threatened with physical abuse and having the police called on me. That still was not enough to turn me off from the job because I was determined to give the job a shot.
The next day was enough for me to quit the job. In my next day of work the trainer had me doing all of the selling instead of shadowing her. I didn’t do bad at all…I was pretty impressed with my skills at delivering the sales pitch. Public speaking isn’t a strong point for me, so I was pretty impressed with how well I was coming across. At least I wasn’t being threatened at all. We got to the last business for the day. The guy I pitched to decided to buy some long distance from me. As soon as I was hired in I was set up with an account so that any sales I would make would go right to me for the commission, and I was promised the opportunity to make $600 in my first 10 days, and if I did that I would get a $200 bonus. So when I made that first sale I was excited. However, when I made all the calls I needed to make to set up the long distance for him, my trainer asked me to go ahead and fill out the paperwork. As I filled out the paperwork, she called up the business and put the sale under her name so she got the commission for the sale. I was not a happy person to say the least. That was my breaking point. I’m not going to work under someone for 6 weeks and have her take away my chance to make money, no matter how small of an amount.
This company came from one of those job ads offering to train you to take over an office of your own, and learning all aspects of the business. So be forewarned…I gave that a chance, and it was not what I was expecting even after being told what the job was going to be.
Presently, I have not heard back from my old employer. I’m assuming since they’ve hit a high business time they’ve hired everyone they needed for the current season. So I’m continuing my search for a job. I actually found a job that I would love to have. I’ve sent them my resume, and I hope to hear back from them soon. It is a receptionist position, but as the job description reads, it’s more data processing.