Solar Energy Marketing

Solar Energy Marketing

I like the sun. I enjoy the sun. The sun makes me feel good. I took a class on industrial marketing the fall of my junior year. I liked it, and I found it really interesting. What that class did was get me interested in renewable energy sources. It wasn't your typical marketing class. It was old school, the cool kind of class with an ex hippie teacher who sat at the front of the class on a table and just talked. That's all we did, talk. Read books on the environment and how we were destroying it, and talked about it. I enjoyed it, and it opened my eyes to a lot of things going on in the world.

This is not about what's going on in the world. I'll save that for the news, the fake news, and whatever else is out there that reports. This is about my world, and the jobs opportunities in it, or not in it actually. This story is about my experience with solar energy, and for a change, it's not terrible. It's another example of the types of jobs out there and sometimes the lack of communication that goes along with it.

I was getting restless. I hadn't found anything for a while, and I felt as though i was hitting some sort of dead end with the job search. I wasn't finding the companies I wanted to on the job boards, and it seemed like no one was replying to my emails and applications. I had hit a rut. So I decided to be proactive. Since that class in college, I had wanted to explore the opportunities of solar energy. I had prepared some presentations regarding solar panels and it's energy efficiency, and I wanted to see if I could find a job in that market. After all, it has to be growing, and if the Sun explodes, well we're all sort of screwed anyway.

I set out to find myself a solar panel company. I hit up trusty Google, and started typing away. I eventually found myself on a website with a listing on all the renewable energy companies in Georgia, and for every other state in the US. For reference, here is the link:

I got on the Georgia web page, and starting counting the companies in Georgia that were involved in solar energy. One by one, I went down the list and applied with each company. Some didn't have positions available, some did. Regardless, I went them all emails, saying that I was a recent graduate from Clemson and that I was seriously interested in solar panels and that I could share their vision with the future. It was all true, it was the one product that I really cared about, and I knew I could sell it and believe in it. That's a lot more I can say for some of the other companies I've been interviewing with.

I applied with about five companies specializing in solar energy. Some looked more interesting than others, but they all had the same idea: save money, do the environment right, save energy. I sent out my resumes and kicked back to relax for the day.

About a week later I get a call from a guy. His name is Tom, and he is with Solar Energy Marketing. This was exciting. My wildest dreams of working with a start up company and making millions was coming true. I spoke with him briefly on a Monday, but he said he was in meetings all day. He told me he would call me on Tuesday to schedule a phone interview.

Tuesday morning comes and promptly at 10 AM (when he said he'd call), I get a call from Tom. This time I'm relaxed. I like the product already, I believe in it, I know a little bit about how solar energy and panels work, and I'm not nervous. I was the one who contacted him, out of thin air, about working for his company. He has to feel good about that- only someone who is really motivated and driven would proactively try to find a job like that.

We get on the phone and start talking. He asks about college, what I did there, if I had fun, and how I became interested in solar energy. I relay back all the important information to him and we get to talking about the product. He sells a turn key solar hot water heating system. The scenario is this. There is a company, calledEner -Works, that manufactures solar hot water heaters. Tom started a company that uses this product to sell to customers on his own. He has the support ofEner -Works but can run his business his own way. There is one employee: him. he has one customer: himself. He says that the business is starting to move along, and that he can definitely see the growth potential in this industry.

We continue about the company and the industry for about 45 minutes or so. I'm feeling comfortable talking with him- he speaks very well and sounds smart over the telephone. I think I could do this, and I think he knows I can too. We're nearing the end of the conversation, and the moment arises when a decision has to be made whether to continue talking. I had already told him that even if a position does not end up working out, I would still be interested in the industry. I basically gave him a free out if he didn't want to talk to me anymore. Tom did want to talk with me, however, and asked when was convenient for me to meet him. I had nothing else to do that day, so I told him that later on in the afternoon would work for me. It fit his schedule, and we decided to meet around 2 PM.

Solar Energy Marketing is a small operation. Tom is the only employee, and subsequently, he works out of his home. This means I was going to met Tom at his house inAlpharetta and he would show me the system and how it works. He gave me some directions on the phone, and I head out there. It was about a 50 minute drive out to where he lived- in a high end neighborhood with lots of foliage and pretentiousness. I wasn't sure what to expect, and whether to just walk up or call him before I got to his house.

While I'm still driving, I get a call from another guy from Woodgrain Distribution. I had applied there about 3 days prior and he was calling me back to invite me to an interview. I told him I'd love to meet and we decide to meet at 2 PM the next day. Multitasking! This way of the Solar thing explodes, I have something else lined up.

I pull up to Tom's house- it's a nice stucco house with lots of trees in front perched up on a small hill. I gather my folder and pen and go to the door. I knock on the door and Tom answers. He is about 50, 6', and the standard build for most middle class 50 yearold's . He invited me and in to his office- a dining room that had been changed to an office. There was some work being done in his house so it was somewhat messy, but that was no problem.

I sit down and he sits at the chair next to me. We start talking about the business he used to be in- the Vice President of North America for a large electronics manufacturer. He went on to show me a 30 page scrapbook of pictures and clippings of his father. He went on to explain that his father had invented some product for television and that's how his interest was sparked in solar panels. We talk for about 30 minutes, trying to get a feel for the company and what he is currently working on. Then we go see the product.

I'll say it here. Hot water solar heating is the future. Time stamp it. July 24, 2007. He took me out to view the solar panels on the roof- they look like wider skylights that people install for their kitchens. Except the solar panels are all one distinct color, they don't jut out as far as skylights, and they do something more than just provide some natural light. I was really impressed with how they look. We talked about how the solar panels work- there's a piece of material that heats up and heats a liquid inside coils. The liquid goes down through the house and to the device that hook up to a water heater. The heater is hooked up to the water line- the coils heat the water and place it on the top of the water tank. When water is used, it takes water from the top and works its way down. This means that the sunnier it is, the hotter the coils, the hotter the water, the less use of either electric or gas heating to heat water. Less energy use, less cost. Whew.

Whether or not you understood that, it's a really cool concept, and Tom walked me through it for the next 45 minutes or so explaining how the entire system worked. I thought it was a viable product to sell, and I could see it incorporated to a lot of new houses. Tom and I were on the same page here.

We go back up to Tom's den/office and talk for a but while longer. We seem to be agreeing that I could be a good salesperson for Solar Energy. The conversation ends with Tom telling me that he will start writing up a Sales Agent plan for me and that he will send it to me in the next few days. I thank him for the interview, and we part ways.

I continue the rest of the week with my regular interviews, none of which were as interesting as Solar Energy. I sent Tom an email telling that I appreciated the interview and that I was still very much interested in the position.

A week goes by and I don't hear anything from him.

Two more weeks go by and I send him another email saying that I am still interested in the position and if there was anything I could do to show that I would be a good salesperson for his company. He send me an email a few days later saying that he is still working on the plan and that he will have it done in a few days. I'm getting skeptical, but I still have some hope left.

I never heard back from him. I guess his plan took longer than expected. It's a shame too, because I was really interested in the position. Sure, it was straight commission, but I would be working with a product that I really thought had some potential. Tom was a really nice guy, just a bit bogged down with work I suppose. Even though nothing materialized with the job, it was one of my better experiences. I just wish there was a little better communication going on between us. Maybe he'll get his act together someday soon and I can show everyone the true possibilities of solar power.

Here are the websites if you're interested in viewing them for reference:

www.solarenergymarketing.com

www.enerworks.com

http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byGeo/US/byS/byS.shtml

Enjoy!

Recent News Article

Recent News Article

I was forwarded the following regarding communication in today's business environment. I think it is relative to what I have encountered thus far in my job search:

Yes according to a recent study by Capital Consulting in London. I came across this short little article from Workforce Management in a newsletter. It is a short artice so I will reproduce it in it’s entirety (emphasis is mine):

At Least Say Thank You:
Shoddy recruiting does more than chase away potential high performers. New research suggests it also may cost companies in the marketplace. Capital Consulting in London says nearly one-quarter of job seekers have been poorly treated when applying for a job, and they frequently take out their frustrations by broadcasting the news far and wide: 31 percent share the bad experience with three to five people, with 24 percent telling six or more people. These sensitive job seekers use their leverage as consumers too, with 53 percent vowing to never purchase products or services from the offending companies. The biggest complaint centers on lack of communication, with 53 percent expressing anger at not being told why they weren’t chosen for a position.

As we run our process for our clients the one thing I make sure I do is let candidates know when they have been eliminated from the process. It is amazing how many thank you’s I receive back from these candidates. They are truly thankful that I have communicated with them openly. So are your recruiting efforts counterproductive to your marketing efforts?

There you have it. The English are on top of their game, and they still break for tea.

DSM Dyneema

DSM Dyneema

Clemson has a career website. Sort of. It's not very good, its not very organized, and it's only used when there's a career fair going on at Clemson, which is once a semester. And even at that point, the system is so overridden with students trying to find out what companies are coming to the Career Fair, the system breaks down and no one can really access much of anything. I of course used this website for a while. I used it while I was looking for jobs at school and a little bit after I graduated. The only good part about looking on Clemson's job board is that the companies posting jobs are clearly looking for entry level type people. It's pretty much the only market in college. You could tailor the jobs to be full time only, part time, or an internship. The possibilities were pretty much endless.

I had been done withe college for almost a month by this point. I wasn't really getting anywhere with my job search, and my interviews had been going just alright. One of my problems was identifying which companies were actually solid companies to work for, and which ones were just crap. So I opened my eyes up towards internships and part time work. I figured that maybe I'm just not ready for a full time deal, so maybe I'll just work part time and do some work at the golf club I live near. That would allow me to have free time and slowly slide into the real world.

So I took to Clemson's job board. I wasn't finding as much as I wanted to on the regular job boards, and I figured that if it was on Clemson's website, it had to have some legitimacy. So I go to the website and start searching. I start searching for full time positions in and around the southeast area- Atlanta, Charlotte, anywhere SC, that sort of thing. I come across a few hopefuls and write down the names on a piece of paper. I go through all the available jobs that I would be interested in and go back to apply for them. I apply for one or two and I get to a company called DSM Dyneema. It's says on the job board that it's a full time position, and they are looking for recent graduates to help in a research project. Perfect. It would give me the chance to use some of my brain power, because the only use my brain is getting at this time is figuring out how people enjoying watching MTV or any celeb-reality show on VH1. I apply for the job and continue my day.

I get a call about two days later from a woman named Keisha. Keisha works for Manpower, a recruiting agency that finds people jobs. My mom worked for them for a short while. The job was fun, but the people who worked there bitched and complained constantly and the commute was hellish for her. So she quit and went to work for herself. Nonetheless, the situation was laid out like this: DSM contracted Manpower to do all their hiring for them. It was therefore Manpowers job to sift through all the resumes for a position and select only the top candidates to go on the interview. This way DSM doesn't have to worry about any idiot with no experience coming in for an interview and wasting their time. It's simple, but can be very frustrating if you're working with a bunch of unqualified, uncooperative people.

Keisha calls and leaves me a voice-mail. She says that she is of course with Manpower, and that they wanted to talk to me about the DSM position. I didn't get the voice-mail right away, and when I finally get the message I walk to my computer so I can read up on the position again. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable taking a phone call if I know its a prospective company, because I apply to so many that I sometimes get confused as to what management trainee program or sales position I applied for and with what company. So I get to my computer and check my mail. Keisha not only left me a message, she also sent me an email regarding the position. Must be important.

When I applied for the position I had applied to a full time position in an undisclosed location. I assumed it was somewhat close by. In Keisha's email, she explains that the position with DSM is an internship as a research assistant. The position is part time, and it is located in Stanley, NC. That's about 3 hours or so from my house, and that's only because I live in north Atlanta. The position seemed interesting, but as I thought it over, I couldn't forsee the possibility of a part time job in Nowhere, NC working out. I send Keisha an email back saying that while I appreciate her responding to me so quickly, I don't believe that I will continue to pursue the position. I thank her profusely for the opportunity, but no thanks.

I get a call the next day from a guy named Bob. Bob is big stuff in the Manpower near Stanley, NC. Keisha forwarded my response to him, and he decided to flex his power and convince me to change. We're talking and he starts explaining the situation: The position is located in Stanley, NC, but he's been talking with one of the Vice Presidents at the company and they've decided that it could be a position I could have at home. My resume was forwarded on to one of the VP's, and they took a liking to me. Bob continues. He claims that they saw my resume, and I am one of their top prospects for this position. They're willing to make a lot of "sacrifices" to get me in the position. I'm intrigued by this. I have a weakness for companies that pour on the lavish praise and admiration. I listen to what Bob says and I tell him I would be willing to speak with DSM. Initially, we had set up a phone interview, but the guys over at DSM wanted to see me in person. This means I would have to drive to Stanley for a face to face. 3 hours. Each way. But since they were willing to work with me, I can work with them. I tell Bob alright, and he sets me up for an interview on the following Monday at 11 AM.

Monday morning comes, and, it's early. And dark. And early. Somehow I get up, shower, shave, and get dressed. I'm in the car by 7:00 and headed towards Stanley. The directions were relatively simple: I-85 up the whole way to Charlotte, then left and out about 25 miles or so. Out in the country. I fill up right before I leave, about $50 worth of gas. I figure it should last me the day or so.

I end up making reasonable time up there. I had left some wiggle room for the commute because 85 is unpredictable, especially since I'll be going thorough Greenville and part of Charlotte. I get off the exit and head to a McDonald's to put on my tie and go over the company information one more time. I get myself a drink and sit down at a table. Bob had given me his phone number if I had any questions, and I decide to give him a call for some last minute questions.

I get him on the phone and start voicing my questions and concerns. What type of person are they looking for, what kind of culture does the company have, have many applicants been sent for this position, etc. Bob reassures me that there are really only 3 people going for this position, and that I am the top prospect. Then comes one of my more tedious questions. I was concerned about some reimbursement for my drive up there. After all, I had just driven 3 hours and 200 miles. I had driven shorter distances and been reimbursed for my travels by other companies. I posed the question to Bob, putting it as delicately as I could. I told him I wanted to ask him first before I asked the guy at DSM. He told me, "Not to worry, DSM is a very good company and they will take care of your travel expenses since you came from Atlanta." I asked him what the standard rate is per mile and he said it was about 48.5 cents. Good. I had been nervous about the question, but Bob made me feel like it was a normal question and definitely something I should bring up in the interview. I talked to Bob a bit more, and we hung up. I was ready for this interview.

I snaked my way through smalls towns of mid-western North Carolina. There's not much there in terms of commerce, but the houses, town halls, and buildings along the way are beautiful creations that spell out hundreds of years of history. Unfortunately, history is what is taking its toll on the buildings, and I notice many that just need some TLC to restore them to their former glory. I follow my directions, and for a change they're actually right. I make a right down on road and finally come up the the DSM plant on the left. It's a broad facility with a lot of land and a nice sized parking lot. I find a spot, get my gear together, and start walking towards the door. I venture up to the right where I see some people outside. I stop about 10 feet from them and realize that this is not the right entrance. I ask them where my entrance would be, and they point me towards the other side of the building.

I walk up to the entrance and open the door. The receptionist area is a funky shape- like a half circle mixed with a triangle. It is all glass, with the receptionists desk to my front left protected by glass. I look inside and don't see anyone. There's a bell next to the window and I am about to ring it when a woman comes up- I tell her I am here for the 11:00 interview and she has me sign my name and gives me a little card to get me access through each door. I have a seat and start leafing through some of their magazines. DSM is a manufacturer of polyurethane products that have a wide application of uses. My dad works in a similar market, and DSM is actually one of his main competitors and customers. the products range form fish farming materials to sheets of strong materials that can protect houses during Hurricanes. The uses for the product vary, and the position deals with working to figure out which market proves to be the most lucrative. I can handle that.

I'm sitting in a chair perusing through one of their trade magazines in hopes of learning some new piece of information to use in my interview when another applicant walks in. He is a reasonably tall guy with a sharp looking suit on and a smile that spreads across his entire face. He walks up to the window and checks in. I continue to look at the magazine when I hear him say "I'm here for the 11:00 interview." Hmmm. The receptionist seems confused, and I hear her tell him that there must have been some confusion and that she'll work it work and for him to have a seat.

The guy sits himself next to me and introduced himself. His name is Derek, and he just graduated from Davidson. He also got a call from Bob from Manpower, and that Bob had set him up with the appointment. Apparently Bob couldn't handle setting up two appointments for two different times. Derek and I start talking- he's really nice and outgoing, and we talk about the position we're interviewing for. We both seem to be on the same page.

We were both there to meet a man by the name of Rich. Rich was the VP of Sales and Marketing. Rich was a big guy. I had been waiting in the lobby for about 20 minutes when the door opened. Rich walks out. Powerful, strong Rich. I'm seated closest to the door and Derek is sort of behind me and to the right. Rich walks out the door and I stand and extend my hand for him to shake. "Hi, very nice to meet you," I say. Rich doesn't look at me. He comes walking through the door and is looking at Derek. He walks right by me and my extended hand and shakes Derek's hand. "I'm so sorry about the mix up," he says to Derek. "I'm going to meet with Steven first and then I'll get to you in about 30 minutes." Derek says "Ok," and looks at me as if to say sorry that Rich spoke to him first.

I had put my hand down when Rich walked past me, and I raised it again to greet him. I tried to give him a firm handshake, one that said "I just drove 3 hours to see you, you will acknowledge that I am here you asshole," and a smile that said "please hire me, i just drove 3 hours to see you." Rich and I walk down the hallway and walk into his office.

It's a modest office. Dry erase board on one wall, window on another, a desk and a computer. Nothing ostentatious. Not an office for VP of Sales for a billion dollar company. Rich sits down and I sit down. Silence. He looks at me, I look at him, and I decide to go ahead and break the silence. "Well, thank you for seeing me today, I really appreciate it." Rich smiles and says "Sure thing, I wanted to get you in here to explain part of the business. What do you know about DSM?" I respond with all the facts and history I could remember from studying the company the day before and during my interlude at McDonald's. When I finish, he says "Well that's pretty good, but let me tell you some more about our company."

Rich launches into his presentation of the company- from when it was founded to what products they offer to the markets they are in and to who they work with overseas. He goes over everything, pointing to each pamphlet with information spread out across his desk that corresponds to the market they are in. It's interesting actually. Here is a company with a product that is lighter than steel but 10 times its strength, and they want to know it's best applications. I can do that. I can think creatively and figure out where the best market would be.

This one sided conversation goes on for about 20 minutes, with me methodically nodding and saying "yeah" or "ok" or "I understand" every 30 seconds or minute or so to show Rich that I was still alive. He's not really letting me get a word in. Actually, I haven't even said a sentence since I thanked him for seeing me. He has done all the talking up to this point. Not good. Isn't there some rule where you should talk 80% of the time and the person interviewing you talks 20% of the time? Isn't that the goal of interviews, for the interviewer to interview the interviewee, to get them to talk??

Rich is coming to a close. I can tell. He is beginning to sit back more in his chair and relax a bit. Rich finally ends his filibuster and looks at me. No words, just looks at me. He doesn't ask what I think of it, he doesn't ask if I understand it, he just looks at me. I'm getting uncomfortable. I'm feeling that this was a waste. I'm freaking out inside because I know I have to say something to salvage the interview and do something to make it seem that I'm more interested than I look on the outside because he bored me to death with details. I look around fr a second and say "Well, that's really interesting, I had no idea the depth of your product lines." What? What the hell is that Steven? I don't know if that was the answer Rich had in mind, because he looks at me and says "Well, do you have any more questions?" I haven't asked a single question up to this point. Rich wants me out of his office, but I'm not going that easily.

I say yes and I start with a few questions of my own. While Rich did a fantastic job of explaining the company, he did a terrible job of explaining the position, so most of my questions were based around what the job was actually about. In a nutshell, it was simple. I would be working with a guy from Holland by making phone calls to companies in different markets trying to get information out of them. I would be trying to figure out what their business is exactly, how big it is, and what they see as the future of their business. It would require 10 hours a week and I would video conference with a guy from Holland. I would also be required to drive up to this location at least twice a month for meetings and another two times for monthly check ups and reports. All of the travel and expenses, I was reassured, would be reimbursed.

I ask my questions and Rich does his "best" to answer them for me. He seems half-hearted in this conversation, and I can sense it. Nonetheless, I was intent on making this interview last as long as possible without being unnecessary. We extend the interview a bit more, and I end it asking what the next step is. Rich tells me that he has some more interviews, and that he will discuss our interview with the guy from Holland and that they will get back to me within a week. I tell him thank you very much for seeing me and we walk out of his office and into the lobby. Rich passes me off and takes in his new victim Derek.

The interview lasted about 30 minutes, and most of it was Rich telling me about the company. He didn't ask a single thing about my background, my experiences, my classes, or anything else that would imply that I would be a good candidate for the position. He had two concerns: Whether I was going to up and leave him if a full time job came along, and whether I was alright cold calling companies. I assured him there wouldn't be a problem with either. I wasn't feeling that confident about the interview, and it didn't make for a great ride home. I took my time, making sure I called the necessary people to complain and ask for sympathy. I got home late that day, after having to fill up with some more gas- putting my immediate cost around $60 that day, and time wasted not being able to apply for jobs.

One week comes And goes.

Two weeks come. And go.

Three weeks come and also go.

After a month, I decide something is clearly up. By this point, I pretty much assumed that I did not get the job. What made me mad was that there was no communication letting me know this. Nothing. Nothing from Bob, nothing from Rich, nothing. I was angry. I gathered myself after a month and sent an email to Rich, asking him what the status of the interview was. I expected some sort of response.

Another weeks goes by, no word from Rich.

I send another email, this time a bit more...assertive. Here is a copy of the email I sent him:

Mr. XXX,

I sent you an email over a week ago regarding the status of the internship
that I interviewed for.  I'm sure you were aware that I traveled over 3
hours each way to come visit with you for the 30 minute interview, and I
would appreciate some sort of response.  If the position has been filled,
some sort of notification needs to be given.  Regardless, I was informed
by Bob XXX of Manpower that I would be reimbursed for the travel
expenses incurred that day.  I would like to receive that reimbursement,
due to the time, money, and energy  I gave that day, and because of the
lack of communication from your part.  I hope DSM's company culture is
displayed through your actions regarding this issue.  Please get back to
me when you get this.


Sincerely,

Your worst nightmare

Ouch. Looking back that was a nasty email (minus my name). I don't normally send harsh emails, but Rich really made me mad. The least he could do is reply back to me with a simple NO. An email takes 1 minute to write- Sorry Steven, but we've decided to go a different way. Sorry, good luck. That's it. But I got nothing, and even after emails he didn't respond. So I decided to go ahead and burn my bridges and just be really really forward. He sent me a follow up email explaining what "happened," saying that it was Bob's job to call and tell me that I didn't get hired for the position. Bullshit. Then Bob from Manpower emailed me saying that there was some confusion over the communication and that I was supposed to hear something from Rich. He then had the audacity to tell me that he never said anything about being reimbursed for my drive up there. That really made me mad. It was all lies, and I was intent on making them realize this. I responded to their emails saying that I would appreciate reimbursement for my troubles, especially since I received no response for over a month.

I have not heard from either Rich or Bob in about two weeks since sending them my last email. I think they are trying not to talk with me so as to avoid reimbursing me for the trip up there and to avoid me harassing them about their lack of decency. They may think I was going to go quietly into the night, but little do they know I have a lot of time on my hands and little holding me back. My story is my response to them and their ways of business. What started out at a promising lead from both parties turned into a cold war-esque communication zone as soon as it was decided I wasn't the right candidate. We many never know the ways I could have helped them.


Total time spent: About an hour dealing with phone calls and emails pre interview. 3 hours driving there, 30 minutes for the interview, 3 hours driving back. One month waiting for a response, and three additional weeks arguing with them regarding their business practices.

Total lessons learned: 3: Don't do business with DSM Dyneema, don't do business with Manpower near Stanley, and teleconference whenever possible.

JNL & Associates

JNL & Associates.

I responded to an ad online regarding an entry level position titled Sales Consulting. It sounded respectable, and since I had already interviewed with a company that specialized in consulting (and actually found it interesting), I decided to go ahead and apply. What I did notice is that their email was JNL&Associates@gmail.com. G-mail is what I use. It's what people or companies without real websites or jobs use. I was kind of skeptical- they had a website of their own, but apparently no email of their own. That was my first clue that something may be fishy. At this time I was mainly using Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com, because those were the main job-seeking websites that I had experience with and was comfortable using. I still had not discovered the real secret to job hunting: Indeed.com. More on that later.

Part of the problem of applying for so many jobs is that most jobs are located on different job boards- and the only was to apply to the job is to register with the site, whether it be atlantajobnetwork.com, hotjobzone.com, or some other combination of job, the city, and the word career. This leads to a long and continuous process of adding your name, email address, and any other inane information they want from you so you get to apply for the job. What they don't tell you, or notify clearly enough, are the continuous emails and updates they send you...daily. Regardless, I apply for the job in the morning, and by around 3:00 PM the same day I get a call from a woman named Jessica. She asks if I would like to interview. Of course I'd like to interview, and I say yes. We decide to meet the next day around 11:00 AM.

The office is in Atlanta, so I leave ample time to reach the building. I live about 35 to 40 miles outside of the city center, and with traffic being the 3rd worst in the country, you never can tell what the backup is due to (traffic, accident, someone pressing the brake lights). So i arrive at the North Druid hills office building and walk to the room down the hall. I notice before I open the door that the office "suite" is shared by two companies, JNL and F.C. Wetz Interactive. Interesting. I open the door and enter the suite.

On my left is a single desk with two receptionists behind it. One woman works for JNL and the other for F.C. Wetz. On the top of the desk is an Ipod cranking out a classic Garth Brooks hit at an unnecessary high volume. I go up to the desk and ask for Jessica. We both exchange greetings and she hands me a clipboard with an information sheet. She says something but I can't really make it out because of the music. Either way, I know what she wants, so I go sit down and fill out the sheet. I fill it out and give it back to her along with my resume a few minutes later. I sit for a few minutes and look over at some of the other people. One guy from Georgia Tech, another with a mismatching shirt and tie, and a girl wearing a red and black suit. Since the office was shared, I wasn't sure who is interviewing for what.

My name is called and I walk into the room and meet a guy named John. He looks young and is dressed very professionally, and I give him a firm handshake and a good look into the eyes. He closes the door and we chat about me recently graduating, going to Clemson, and other rapport building activities. The atmosphere is business professional, but it's relaxed at the same time. He begins asking me general questions about school and some of the activities that I was involved in. I am doing well here.

I have found two things about most people interviewing:

1. The interviewer, if he or she is experienced at interviewing, will try to find something within the answer I give, say OK, and move on to the next question to at least keep things moving.

2. They ask questions hinting at what they want the answer to be.

I realize why they are asking, and I know what answers to give. So I'm doing well and explain what I want in a company (strong training system, ability to work independently while still having the support and resources of the company is a good one) and he says, "wow thats exactly what we do and what we're looking for." No kidding. The next 15 minutes or so go well, and John says hes going to interview a few more people, go over his choices and call people back for another interview later on in the day. I say thanks and leave the office, saying goodbye to Jessica and her Ipod as well.

I'm feeling good about the interview- the drive home felt good and went by quickly. I wait around during the rest of the day, half heartedly applying for jobs online and playing guitar all in my little work space in the basement of our home. I get a call around 3pm from Jessie- they want me back! Jessica tells me that I would be going out with one of their representatives to one of their locations. She says that the dress will be business casual because I will be out in the field. That works for me, and I schedule to meet with them the next day around 11 am or so. I'm excited, this could be it for me.

To elaborate further about the job before continuing- there was a big merger going on between several cell phone companies, and this company was outsourced by AT&T to help them retain customers and to encourage new ones to switch to their service. In theory, it sounded good, and each representative had a "territory" that they would be responsible for. So I get dressed in khaki pants and a button down polo shirt. I wake up, do my daily routine, and get to the building. I enter the suite, and initially I am aware of several things.

First, a loud chanting is emanating from one room- apparently all the representatives gather in the morning to pump themselves up about selling cell phone services. Their ritual was in full progress this morning. Second, I am the most under dressed person there. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is wearing a suit, whether it be black, blue, pinstriped, pimped out, or not. One guy was wear a double breasted suit, except he must not have realized how one of those suits fit because he had only buttoned the outside button. Even though he was wearing it incorrectly, he was wearing a suit nonetheless.

One by one peoples names are called as I continue to sit waiting to be called on. Finally I am called into the office. I am greeted by John, a woman, and another guy we'll call Seth. Seth is apparently their best salesperson- he has only been with the company for a short while but he's done such a great job he will be promoted to management within a few months. Apparently I had struck quite an impression with John the day before, because they paired me up with Seth because I was their top prospect. They wanted to show off their best salesperson to their best candidate. I'm standing there in flat front khakis, a polo button down oxford, and penny loafers. John and Seth are wearing black pinstriped suits with power ties. I feel awkward. I'm told that Seth is really nice guy and not to be nervous. I fake my confidence, and we head out.

Seth and I leave the suite and exit the building. He's a tall, thin guy with a scrappy 5 o clock shadow and short dark hair. We walk down the sidewalk and up to the beginning of the parking lot. He stops and looks around, and we make small talk for a few seconds. I had been told that we would be going out to one of their satellite stores so he could show me what he does. I assumed, and maybe I was completely wrong on this, that if we were to have to travel somewhere that we would travel together- as in both of us in the same car- save the environment right? I had interviewed with Target before and they were at least willing to provide travel for us.

We're standing on the sidewalk and Seth looks at me and asks, "hey do you have 50 cents?" I say, "Umm i think i just have a quarter on me." I don't know where he's going with this. He says "oh, ok well we have to go out to one of the stores in Roswell, and you're going to need some money for the toll road." Ummm..what? I say "Ok," and it suddenly dawns on me what he's actually saying. Instead of him driving us both out there, he wants me to get in my own car and follow him about 15 miles away to one of their stores. I'm a little surprised by this, because to get to the store you have to get on one of Atlanta's major highways for about 13 miles or so. So I follow him to his car, borrow a quarter, and we get into our respective cars.

Seth was not exactly the best person to follow, because he kept weaving in and out of traffic. It was hard keeping up with him, and I felt like I was going to lose him a few times, but he thankfully decided to keep me within reach. Finally, he exits off one of the roads, and we go at least another mile and finally get to the store. It's a typical Cingular store- the kind of place someone goes when they want to get a new cell phone. We ge tout of our cars and walk into the store. People seem to recognize Seth, and we walk towards the back of the store. Seth lays down all his materials on a small ledge near one of the display cases, and he looks at me.

"Ok, this is what we're gonna do today," He says. "People come in looking to either change their service provider or to get a new cell phone. It's our job to talk to these people and get to know enough information about them so we can make them change their service provider." I say alright and we sort of linger around one of the podiums for a bit. I'm still trying to completely understand what he means by that. We talk a bit for a while about where we went to college and shared stories about what we used to do for fun. A customer walks in, and Seth stops mid sentence and make a bee-line for the woman. He walks up to her, introduces himself, and immediately starts his sales pitch. The woman doesn't seem interested, but she's too courteous to tell him she doesn't care about what he's saying. I stand towards the back of the store while Seth is talking to the woman, and I can see him trying to charm her into talking to him more. It doesn't work. She leaves him, talks to an associate, and leaves the store a short while later. Seth walks over to me and just mutters "Bitch" under his breath. He then goes back right to what we were talking about a few minutes earlier. I don't know if I like this or not.

Another man walks into the store, and Seth makes another run for it. I'm beginning to understand what the real gist of the job is. The man is a tall, heavyset man of Latino descent, and Seth begins with his spiel about who he is and how he can help him. The guy is hesitant at first, but soon launches into a conversation about how he doesn't like one provider for internet that he's with and his wife makes all the rules, etc. Seth apparently senses an opportunity, gathers some additional information, and heads back to me. All this time I am standing a few feet away from their conversation- far enough away that I am not directly in it, but close enough to hear everything going on. It's an awkward distance to say the least. I was told that I was being brought out here to see how I interact with customers.

Seth walks back and gets on his cell phone. He says that he is calling the AT&T service to find out his customer information to see if he can get the guy a better deal. He tells me to go keep the guy company while he's waiting. Shit. This man is at least 6'2, 300 pounds. I am 5'5, 150 pounds. I'm not so sure we have much to talk about. So i wander, slowly, over to him and hover around him for a second until he notices that I'm there. He asks what Seth is doing and I reply that he's calling to get some more information. He smirks and says "I just wanted to get a new cell phone, I didn't need all this." I don't know what to say. I force out a small laugh and say "Well, ya know." What a stupid response.

Thankfully Seth comes back with information in hand and begins talking to the guy again. This is how AT&T works- if one of JNL's associates can convince a customer to switch one of three services- phone, internet, cable to AT&T, they get a commission. Depending on the service, it ranges from $20 to about $40 a person. The JNL group can also entice customers by offering an immediate cash payout in the form on a visa card for switching. This covers any costs associated with breaking a contract. Seth and the big man negotiate for a few minutes, ad the deal is finally settled. Seth will give the big guy $350 to switch his internet service to AT&T. Simple enough. Once everything is cleared up, the big dude gathers his stuff, says by to me and Seth, and leaves.

Seth comes back to me and says "Well, that's 1." He then informed me that they expect people to get around 10 or 11 a day. Meaning that I would have to essentially come in when the store opens, hawk customers just looking to buy a new RAZR all day, and then leave once the store closes. I saw how pushy Seth had to be just to get people to talk to him, and I wasn't sure whether I wanted to do that. It didn't seem like a good use of my degree. I could have skipped college to "sell" in that way. We spend about 20 more minutes on the floor, and then Seth takes me into one of the back rooms.

He has me sit down next to him, and he beings explaining the opportunities within JNL & Associates regarding moving from a salesperson role to manager in less than 9 months. Their goal is to have someone learn the ropes on this account, move them up quickly, and have them leading others in as short a time as possible. He says they need motivated people that can go up and strike conversations with anyone. By nature, I am not necessarily one of those persons. I can do it, but I prefer the more relaxed, casual method. He asks if I think I can do it, and of course I say yes. He goes over the pay structure- pretty much all commission. Actually, all commission. You can make a lot of money if you get a lot of people to switch of course- $20 a person can add up over time. I just don't know whether I want to be on that type of commission basis- really high volume, with low margins.

We force some conversation for a little longer. I kinda want to get out of here. I don't know if I like this, but I know that I just need to leave and think about this whole experience. Finally, Seth says that the interview is pretty much over. He says that I have to drive back to the office- meaning I get back on the highway and find my way back- so I can fill out some paperwork for them. He says there might be an offer when I get to the office. I'm surprised they can make a decision this fast- I didn't think I necessarily did all that well. So I say bye to him, ge tin my car, get gas and more change, and head back to the office.

I walk into the Ipod suite, and Jessica has me fill out some information. When I'm done, she invites me into an office where she asks how the day was and what my feelings were. I lie, telling her that I really enjoyed the day and getting to know exactly what the company does. She asks if I would be interested in the job if I were offered it- I tell her yes- I wouldn't shoot my chances down because I felt awkward for a bit, and she tells me that they'll be in touch within a few days. I shake her hand and leave the office, trying to make sense of the day in general. I drive home, relay my story to my parents, and basically try to forget what happened.

It was when I got home and told my parents about the interview that I really began to understand what the job was about. I was actually interviewing to be one of those pushy salespeople- the ones that come up to you in a store and won't leave you alone before you either give in or tell them in an angry voice you're not interested. My goal was simple- accost each and every person that walked into the Cingular store to see what I could make them switch to. Their techniques were not sophisticated, they were not different, they were just..pathetic. I didn't see this job as a good use of my degree- It used nothing of what I learned in class, and the people who he was going after didn't necessarily seem that pleased with him "helping" them.

I had friends who went through similar situations. One applied for a sales job with one of the newspaper companies up in Virginia. Get gets to the interview one day along with another kid for an interview, and the salesperson takes them out. He drives them out to Maryland, at least 30 miles away, and stops the car near a neighborhood. He tells them to get out, hands them some newspapers, and tells them to go door to door and see what they can sell. This is their first interview. They were told the interview would take at least 5 or 6 hours. They go to a few doors, and one kid decides to screw it. He calls a taxi on his phone, and when the taxi comes, he tells the guy to "screw off" and gets in and leaves. This leaves my friend Brian alone for the next 4 hours selling newspapers door to door. He didn't have the heart to tell the guy to fuck off. Needless to say, he didn't take the job.

I get a call about 3 days later form John. I was eating lunch at the time and he left a message, so I called him back. No answer. This is on a Saturday, around 11 AM. I should have known- the Cingular stores are open on the weekend, so apparently so is JNL. We play phone tag for a bit and then I finally get a hold of him. "Steve," he says "I've got great news. We've decided that you're what we're looking for, and we'd like to go ahead and officially offer you the position." "Oh, well thank you" I say. "I appreciate that." He goes on "So we're gonna need you to start this Monday if thats alright." Whooooaaaahhhh. No. I made it a point to make sure that I didn't fall into something I necessarily didn't want. I tell him that I'll need a few days to think it over and he pauses, as if he expected me to take the job on the spot. I try to make it less awkward, and we end the conversation with me telling him I'll get back to him soon. I was excited- this was the first job offer that I had gotten, and it was exciting knowing that a company wanted me..finally. But I still knew the company was a bit sketchy- the email address, the 8 months to top management track, the pity selling in Cingular stores every day. It seems like AT&T hired JNL to do their bitch work so they didn't have to spend a lot of money advertising. It's cheap on AT&T's part if their outsourced companies run on commission anyways.

I got back to him. I told him that while I appreciated the offer and the time spent showing me what the company did, I didn't think it was going to be a good fit for me. John seemed a bit down when I told him, and he asked why I ended up making the decision. I told him it was a combination of the travel every day (actually a legitimate concern of mine), and that I didn't think it was for me at this point in my life. He said alright, and we ended up parting ways on relatively good terms. He told me he's available if I ever need anything in the future, which was nice of him. The people were nice, it was the company that did it in for me.

So I got the job offer, but it wasn't an offer that interested me, and it wasn't a job offer that I needed a college education with. I should have tried to find out more about the company before I went in for the interviews. There are about a dozen other companies just like them in Atlanta, advertising "Work with PRO SPORTS" and "Be your own boss!" It isn't true. If you put in the 70 hours a week, maybe it will happen some day. But as a recent Marketing major from Clemson, it wasn't for me.

Total time spent: 10 minutes applying, 10 minutes pre-interview, 2.5 hours first interview, 4 hours total second interview. Total jobs taken: 1, Total lessons learned: tons.

Marriott

Marriott

I tossed in an application to Marriott hotels for a Director of Marketing and Sales. I knew I probably wasn't qualified for it. I get that. I just wanted to up my quota of jobs I had applied for that day so I didn't feel as guilty about being lazy. One of my friends got hooked up with a job as director of marketing and sales in Virginia, and I didn't feel like he had too too much on me, so why not. I apply, let it simmer in the company, and wait for a response.

Alas, I get one. A woman names Susanne calls and leaves me a message. I listen to the message and hear her say her name- but it was somewhat muffled in the message. I couldn't tell whether her name was Susan, Susanne, or Susannah. Whatever it really doesn't matter as long as I have it around the same thing. I call her back, and she greets me. She proceeds to tell me that she got my application for director of marketing. Good, good. Then she tells me that I am not qualified for the job, but she does have another position available that I might like. Ok, whats the job? Front desk. I hesitate on the moment, wondering whether or not it's worth going down there for. But, I have a weakness for saying no to potential interviews, especially when they're not flowing in as frequently as they were. So I say yes, thinking that since the hotel is more towards the Atlanta area, they may pay a higher premium on front desk staff. Maybe it's a place that young professionals start so they can make good contacts for the future. And Susanne says it's a full time job too, so maybe it comes with a salary too.

Quick side note. Last summer, I didn't do much. I decided that I was going to live in Clemson for the summer, because I had heard that everyone should do it once because it's a lot of fun. So fresh off my gig as an RA, I decide to go job hunting around Clemson. At the time I was interested in hotels, so I went and applied at the Comfort Inn. I get the job- it starts every day at 6am and goes until 2pm. I show up the first day of work, and I feel out of place. The people working behind the desk are all at least 40, and women. The maintenance staff is even older and black. We don't have much to talk about. I'm standing behind the counter looking at the computer while my "trainer" sits in a chair off to the side. I am never offered a chair, nor am I really trained. The woman, Beth, starts up some conversation, but not the kind I wanted to hear. She starts, and goes on, for 30 minutes about her urinary tract infection and how she really needs to go to the doctor because it's really starting to become a problem. It's 7 AM on my first day of work at this point. I don't need to hear it.

Around 9 AM, several things cross my mind. 1. I hate this place. It's old, its dumpy, and I dont like getting up at 5:30 every monring. 2. This woman is grossing/freaking/weirding me out. She finally says at 9 AM that it's going to be a pretty boring day and that I can leave if I want to. I say alright, thankful to get out, and never return. That is the extent of my hotel experience.

I get up on Wednesday morning, do my daily routine, and head out to Marriott. I get there, with a few minutes to spare, and go up to the front desk. I mentioned before that I wasn't exactly sure what the woman's name was that I was meeting with. So instead of worrying about it, I decided to go with one and stick with it. I go up to the woman behind the desk and ask for Susannah. "Oh, you mean Susanne?" Oops. I say yeah and she says to have a seat. I do, and a woman and a man come sit down. The woman is dressed in jeans and a t shirt, and the guy in a shirt and slacks. I assume they're waiting for someone in general.

A few minutes pass and Susanne come walking out. She's about 35, but looks much older. Her hair is dyed blond but her roots are making a comeback. She is thin and dressed in a suit, and her face is leathery as though she's been out in the sun too long or in a tanning bed since birth. She walks over to me and says "Scott?" I say no, it's Steven actually, and she says "Ohhh right, well come with me." She looks at the woman in jeans sitting across from me, and tells her to come along too. Hmmmm. Apparently it's not as formal as I thought.

We walk through the back halls of the hotel- it's dark, dirty, and there's a lot of people running around. I'm getting weird looks from being in a suit. We make a few turns and get to her office. It's a 15' by 10' office split into two rooms. It's small, and its cramped, with about enough room for someone to stand in the room and one person to sit. She tunnels through one of the cabinets until she finds two standard application forms. She gives one to me and one to the jeans girl, and we go to fill them out. At this point, I'm wondering whether it was worth driving down here.

I finish putting in my vital information, and hand it back to Susanne. I'm the first one done so she escorts me back into her private tiny office. I sit down in a chair and she starts going over my application. She mentions again how I was not qualified for the job I applied for, and I responded with the fact that I know I may not be totally qualified but I wanted to submit it anyways just in case there were other opportunities available. She starts asking questions related to why I like the hotel chain, and I manage to get out a response about how I like helping people, etc. She continues by saying that there are two positions open- one for banquet staff, which I am currently doing right now for $10 an hour, and one for the front desk I tell her I want the front desk.

She goes on to explain the front desk- that it's a great way for me to get started in the hotel industry and make contacts and while the pay isn't that great, it can really help me with a sales job within the hotel industry later. I don't care about that. I want the nitty gritty. I want hours, I want pay. She finally antes up by saying that I would have to be EXTREMELY flexible with my schedule between 7 AM and 11 PM, and that the pay is $9.25 an hour. At that moment I mentally checked out of that interview. I was at least hoping it would be something worthwhile for me to drive down there every day. I extend the conversation a little more to keep things less awkward, and then we finally end the interview. I leave her office, tunnel through the back alleys of the Marriott, grab some complimentary coffee, and head home.

Time spent: 10 minutes applying, 10 minute phone pre-interview, and about 2 hours worth of driving there and back.

Lessons learned: Just apply for the big boy jobs and leave the summer work to those who really need it. Overall, not a bad experience, but a somewhat waste of my time. Coffee wasn't bad though

Corban Group

Corban Group

Ahhh the Corban Group. One of the more interesting/ironic stories. This tale begins with my sending of an application to the company. At this point in time, The Corban Group is the 42nd company to which I've applied. At the time I thought that was a lot, but as I am nearing 90 companies, I realize that it is only the tip of the iceberg. I send my resume in and I get a call a few days later. What comforts me thorough all this is the fact that I am actually getting interviews and call backs form the resumes I send out. Whether it is through Careerbuilder.com, monster.com, or a direct email, I tend to get call backs at least within a week or so. Normally if I don't hear from a company for more than 2 weeks, chances are that I won't hear from them ever, unless I email them repeatedly until they get so fed up with me they have me come in.

This job is not exactly a full time job- it's an internship. I was feeling pretty desperate at this point in time, so I was applying with reckless abandon, throwing it out there to pretty much any part time "internship" or full time gig. I talk to a woman on the phone, lets call her...Denise. Denise sounds young, and briefs me on the job that I am interviewing for. It's a staffing company, somewhat like my mom's, and they essentially send out a ton of emails and calls hoping to attract top level executives away from one company and to another. The Corban Group gets a cut of whatever the salary the person makes, so the more people they can place, the more money they make.

The job is for a part time internship, maybe about 25 to 30 hours a week. They have never had an intern before, don't know what they are looking for, but are still having interviews to find out. I get a call from Denise and she goes over everything with me and asks if I think that would be interesting. This presents one of my weaknesses. When I'm on the phone with a company and they ask if I think it's interesting, the honest answer is normally no. Yes it could be interesting if I got into the job and found things that I enjoyed, but at first glimpse no one wants to make 100 plus phone calls a day to lure people from one job to another. That being said, I say yes it sounds interesting and we decide to meet at around 11 AM on a Wednesday.

Wednesday morning arrives and the air is crisp and the weather is beautiful. I take a shower, shave, comb my hair with my hands and toss on a suit combo. I get the directions and drive down there. I get to the business park about 20 minutes early. It seems that I am either always really really early or I cut it too close for comfort. Thats what you get when you try to take 85, which is mostly used as a parking lot these days.

I sit in my car going over some of the company information. Fifteen minutes till eleven comes and I climb out of my car are walk to the building. The office is located in the back part of a business park, which is essentially deserted. I walk in and there's Denise sitting at the desk. I say hi and she says that the guy I'll be meeting with, Bill, will be with me shortly. Denise and I share some small talk- she graduated from UGA about a year ago and did a stint with Aflac- another company I had sent a resume to. She said that it was one of the worst experiences and that she is soooo glad to be working at the Corban Group. the conversation makes me feel a bit more comfortable, but it was more awkward and forced instead of free flowing. I guess she felt as though she had to break up the silence.

Eleven rolls around. Nothing. I'm used to waiting on people for a while. 11:05 comes and still no sign of Bill. Finally, at 11:10 Bill decides to grace me with his presence. He leads me into a conference room and we begin talking. It's really cold in the room- unusually cold. We share some small talk, I'm trying to look attentive and interested in what he has to say. He starts going over all the information about the company- its just 10 people at the office and we need an intern to do some of the marketing work because I can't do it- pretty standard stuff. At this time I didn't quite get exactly what they did so I started asking some questions regarding that. It seems to be going alright, and I'm actually getting some good points across. It would just be 25 to 30 hours a week, I could set my own schedule pretty much, it could evolve into a full time job, blah blah.

Then he hits me with it. We're nearing the end of the interview, where we both begin to draw out our explanations in hopes that the other one is thinking of a response or another question in the meantime. We hit that point where there's a moment of silence and he looks up surprisingly as if he forgot the most integral part of the interview.

He says, "Oh! I meant to ask you. Do you know what the word Corban means?"
"No, actually, I dont. What does it mean?"
"Well, it's Greek for Gift from God. You see, we're a very Bible based company here, and we like to make most of our business decisions based on the Bible and the teachings of the Lord."

Ok, time out. I'm not a religious person. My parents are of different religious backgrounds, and I never went to temple or church or anything like that. I have never had a mass, a bar mitsvah, or gone to a church for a major holiday with my family. We have never discussed God or anything religious in my family. Ever. The closest church experience was the summer after my freshman year in college where I had to do state mandated community service at a black/illegal immigrant church out in the Dacula boonies. And I hated it. I don't have anything against people and their religions, it's just never been a part of my life.

I'm a little shocked by this. I've taken classes before regarding what interviewers can and cannot ask you, and what your rights are as an interviewee to say you don't need to answer. I don't know where this falls, and I didn't feel the need to make anything big out of it. I say "Oh, ok" in an agreeing manner. Bill continues, saying "Yeah I was at church last week and had to explain what the word Corban meant- they seemed so shocked!" I am too. He continues. "I don't know if you saw the Jesus fish on our window (I didn't), but we're very serious about making decisions based on the Lord's word." Ok, getting deeper than I need here. "But of course we have people from all over." Yeah, right. I nod in approval of what he said, trying to seem as though I'm "with him" on the issue of religion. He asks if I have any more questions, I don't. I want to get out of there. I say no, but if I have any I'll email him directly with it. He says it was a pleasure and I return the compliment, because while it was awkward, it wasn't that bad. I leave, say bye to Denise, and head back home.

Bill said they were going through more interviews and would contact me within a few days with a decision to go ahead. I get back and send him a follow up email stating that I appreciated him meeting with me and that I am still interested in the position. A few days comes and passes and I hear nothing. I realize that with the more applications I send, there are better jobs out there, and I decide not to continue talks with Bill and his Corban Group. Once again, he promised to be in touch with me, and failed to do so, even after I sent him a follow up letter. Total time spent: A few hours talking on the phone pre-interview, getting dressed, driving there and back, and the actual interview. Total lessons learned: Apparently Bill and his Corban Group are gifts from God.

Metro Brokers

Metro Brokers

I flip through the Gwinnett Daily Post website looking for job opportunities. It's a Thursday before I am to go to Shelby, NC for the wedding event of the century. I come across an ad for real estate. Perfect. Even better is that it's in the Hamilton Mill area, which just so happens to be exactly where I live. So I call the woman, Kimberly, and leave a message saying I am interested.

I get a call the next day while I am getting packed for the weekend. It's around 11:30, and she calls and says that she got my message, and that she is having an information Q & A that day around noon. I didn't need to leave especially early, so I decide to give it a shot. I drive across the highway, about a mile, and get to the place. after a few minutes of waiting, Kimberly comes walking out. She is a busty woman, with large features all around. She is dressed in a red suit and she looks exactly like the Snapple lady. So from now on I'll refer to her as Wendy the Snapple lady. She invited me and several other people into a conference room and hands us some information packets.

I'm seated facing towards the door, and I look around to view who else is interested in a career in real estate. I really don't know what to expect- I'm just here for the bud light as they say. On my immediate right is a 40ish woman dressed in a jean skirt and a collar top tucked in. She looks worn, as though she's been making ends meet for the past 20 years. She is very nice, and had actually taken the classes about 20 years ago, but just never got her license. On my left is a mother daughter combo. The daughter has a face caked with so much white powder she looks like a porcelain doll. Her lipstick is bright red, and her dark hair is pulled back enough to give her a temporary facelift. Her mom is seated next to her. She is done up exactly like the daughter, but with a coiffed hairdo that says "I have to look presentable, all the time." They want to go into business together. Lovely.

The last person is a black man who looks like he rolled right out of the trash can and into the meeting. He has on worn jeans, a faded, dirty button down shirt, and a beard that is as scraggly as his past. He is missing all but two or three of his bottom teeth, with graying hair and a voice that is hardly coherent. He starts asking questions immediately, and I feel bad for Wendy the Snapple lady.

Snapple lady starts explaining the business, and it's going alright. Everyone has a few questions here and there, and most of it is just her telling us about the company and what would be expected of us from a monetary and time perspective. Suddenly, the black guy, lets call him...Barry, starts in on how much this whole ordeal is going to cost. It was apparent the minute he walked in the building that he was not going to be in real estate. You can hardly understand him, and while he is nice enough, he is not exactly the kind of person most people would want to buy a house from. he rambles on and on, and other people start talking too. I'm stuck there in the middle of their blabbering about their current jobs, and I just want to get the information and get the hell out.

Finally, after about an hour and a half, I say that I have to leave, and I make my way out. I tell Wendy that I enjoyed meeting her, and that I will be in contact with her. I hop in the car and go to the wedding. Good times.

I get up Monday on a mission to do some work. I start sending out resumes like its my job...wait..it is my job...and start thinking a lot more about the real estate opportunity. I thought it was interesting and a real estate license is something that would be good to have just in case. You never know when you might just need to sell some shit. I delicately craft a letter to the Wendy with some follow up questions regarding the whole process, with the hope that I would get an informative response back. The following is a copy of my letter to her, and the responses she gave me, which will be put in bold typeface. This is not a joke. I did not doctor her responses, nor could I make this up. I have underlined the obvious parts. The following comes directly from the Human Resource chair of this real estate company:

Ms. Wendy the Snapple lady,

I attended the information session you held this past Friday (7.13.07),
and had some follow up questions and concerns regarding the opportunity to
become an agent with Metrobrokers.com.

I recently graduated from Clemson University with a Marketing degree, and
really have no outside sales experience, especially working with people in
high dollar sales.  I was wondering if you have found that the best agents
have experience in any specific field before changing to real estate, or
if the training program is sufficient to preparing agents to apply their
shills in the real world.

You really do not have to have any experiance in sales,
it is a plus but nessaray. Metrobrokers training is to help you learn how
to become
 A perfessional sales agent from negoations to doing paperwork.


I also am wondering about support from the Metrobrokers.com team.  I read
through the information packet I was given on Friday, and I saw that there
is  coaching program available to new agents.  Is this a program where
there is continuous support from a specific agent, or is it just someone
to whom I can call with questions and comments?

Actually, The coachs are experianced agents with different speciallties
that are no longer competing with you they are paid salerey. They teach
you orginizational skills, how to time managage your self and they really
coach you, they envite you to a bussiness planing class and really find
out how much money you would like to make and go build a bussiness plan
for you by how many calls you need to make or how many face to face
contact you need to make and how many houses you need to sell and how to
do it bassed on what type of  prospecting you like to do, they give you
ideas every week and coach you on what to say, you name they do it. Their
goal is to get you through at least 8 closings in 6 months.


How transferable is a Georgia real estate license?  I heard something
mentioned on Friday how Florida does not automatically recognize a
license.  Would, for example, South Carolina accept a Georgia license?

Yes they do.
All you have to do for South Carolina is purches the license. Florida is
the only state they does not have complete reciprocity with Georgia. So if
you are not a resident in Florida you have to set for just the state law
portion of their state exam.


Finally, I wanted to know about post licensing and continuous training.
Once I obtain a rel estate license, what additional training is required
so that I can begin to list and sell houses?  I know there are designation
courses available to enhance my skills, I just wasn't sure whether they
were mandated or encouraged.

Once licensed the post license is required and Metrobrokers requires that
you also do PHD which is a a class that teches you how to pospect at the
same time you are actually in the field obtaining business. Also you will
be required to do at least 6 hrs of  continueing eduction every year, so
the other classes are encouraged but not required.


I have been applying for jobs for the past few months with no success so
far.  The idea of working for myself is enticing, but also a bit scary
considering I have no experience to draw upon, and that I am just out of
college.  If there is anything I should know before taking a step towards
real estate, good or bad, please let me know so I can make a more informed
decision.  Thank you and have a good day!

I know it seems a little scarey. Its always easy to be a little scared of
not knowing if you'll suceed in something you know nothing about. I was as
well scared because I was a single parent at the time I got into the
business so I had others that depended on me and I came from being a
bartender so I had no clue. I was not good with computers or pushing
paperwork. I had never even purched my own home so no experiance what so
ever. So if  I can do it you can to. Look at me I've been in the industray
for 7 years now. There are so many different things you can do in real
estate and not just the sales aspect of it. I think with the interest you
show and by the questions you asked you make for  a top producer. I can
see that you are egar and that makes for a really good agent. The question
you should ask your self is what do you have to lose. You are young with
no dependants. Right now is the best time for you start your Career. that
way when you are ready to start a family your business is built.




Sincerely,

Gunz

Unbelievable. I couldn't understand how she could send this out to me. Not only are there countless typos, but even the grammar is pitiful. I received this email and sent it to my mom- we both agreed that it was the more poorly written response either one of us had ever seen. My cousins write better than that, and they're still in middle school. I was taken back by the response, and my enthusiasm waned as a result. How successful of a company can it be if this is the sort of garbage that is sent out to prospective clients? Where is the spell check?? I sent her another email thanking her for the responses and asking a few more, but this is a prime example of the laziness that is plaguing people these days. Granted I am not looking to purchase a house, but I am looking to become an agent and possibly make the company very profitable. I would have hoped a 30 second spell check was in order for me. Maybe not. Either way, it was a reality check for sure.

My Typical Day

My Typical Day

Each morning I wake up in a time period between 9 AM and 11:30 AM. I've been trying to get up earlier, because I've found that I can actually get a lot more done during the day. Amazing huh. I also find that if I get up earlier, I don't have my insomnia problem late at night. Meaning I can go to bed at a decent hour and not lay in bed trying to sleep, which is one of the most annoying things out there. This means that I wake up at 9ish, go upstairs, have some orange juice, and read the opinion paper in the AJC. What I've found is that people in Atlanta are really really stupid in general, or that only the biggest idiots rants and raves are posted. The voice of reason seems to be lost somewhere around here.

I then venture downstairs to my little office- my laptop computer that sit on the desk with one of our main computers. It's here that I really put in the grunt work of my day, checking emails, getting on Indeed.com and typing in various key words, and then sending out resumes. my favorite is when they have a direct email address to which I can send my resume. That way I know I am getting through to someone and that I have a reasonable chance of actually getting to talk to someone. What is disheartening at time is having to fill out these extensive applications, much like the one you would have to fill out at..oh say...the Macaroni Grill. I'm tired of having to put my supervisors number from each crappy part time job that i've held in the past few years. Each big application normally also requires me to sign up for some other job posting website, meaning I have to submit my name and email, and then get all the notifications for the next few weeks. Most of the time I questions whether I really want the job, because there is just so much bull shit to wade through.

I switch from sending emails and looking for different opportunities and playing guitar. Honestly, I have no direction in terms of industry when it comes to applying for these jobs. I put in "Marketing, Sales, Advertising, Sales Representative, Manager," and anything else I can think of that would return some sort of favorable result. Most of the time I keep seeing the same companies posting the same jobs. I've also found that there are a lot of crappy companies out there promising people to work with pro sports, whether it is basketball, baseball, hockey, or something else. It seems to be the same four or five companies, and I steer clear of applying with them. I'm sure they all somewhat mirror my experience with JNL & Associates. When I do go and interview, the man or woman almost always asks me how I heard about the company and why I am interested in...transportation, paint, laundry, or whatever other industry. I could come up with a clever response, but I think we'd both know it was BS. truth is I'm not looking for anything in particular industry wise. My perfect job right now would probably consist of a 9-5 Monday through Friday with maybe some extra catch up work after hours during the week, but my weekends free. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find that without there being some extreme hours during the week.

This whole process seems to be a job in of itself. I am getting around 1 or 2 interviews a week, which to me right now seems like they're just appointments I'm setting up for my own company. I feel this is exactly what people have to do- look through lists of companies that might be good prospects and set up appointments to go sell something. Unfortunately, I'm just trying to sell myself at the moment, and by the looks of my bank account, it's costing me a lot more than I want right now.

The rest of my day is some sort of combination between playing guitar, eating lunch upstairs with my mom (who works from home), and searching for/applying to different jobs. As of today July 12, 2007, I have applied for 74 jobs. I have had interviews with over 12 different companies and for several of those companies more than one interview. I only have 2 suits here, and I'm running out of new and different options. I knew going in that the more companies I apply for, the more of a chance I will have to get interviews with and hopefully get a job with. It's a numbers game, and I'm playing it very steadily. I had two interviews this week, and I will have two more next week as well. I don't know what my other friends are doing in regards to interviews, but I feel like I've had the most out of all my friends. In the words of Bono, I still havent found what I'm looking for.

But of course I'm still at home. They say Atlanta is where players play. Well Dacula is where the players sit at home, bored.

PAYCOM

PAYCOM

I get a call from some man who has apparently set me up for an interview- he pulled my resume off of the Internet somewhere and decided that I would be a good fit for PAYCOM. His name is Jerry Fuller from X Resources, a staffing company like my mom's. Staffing companies, or headhunters, essentially scour the internet looking for resumes, and match people who want jobs with companies who are hiring. It's a very tedious process and you end up dealing with a lot with jerks. I say alright, it sounds like something I could do, and I hang up the phone. A woman named Michelle then calls me to give me a quick overview of the company. She talks very quickly as if she is reading off a checklist on what to say about the company. She says its fast paced and there's a lot of work but it pays well and there's a lot of opportunity for growth. I'm intrigued, I am a hard worker and I like the opportunity to grow. She sets me up for an appointment for the next day (Friday) at 11:15. I'm excited, because it's a well paying job and it's an outside sales position. What I'm not excited about is the commute- across town, about 45 minutes away on a good day.

Friday morning comes and I get up early to shower, shave, and get dressed in my best professional suit. I look good. I am heading out of the door when I remember that I forgot my phone. I go back and see that I missed a call from Michelle. I listen to the message- something came up and they will have to reschedule. The interview will have to take place the following Tuesday, at 11:15. I'm slightly annoyed but not that much because I hadn't left yet and wasted the gas. I decide to stay in costume and go deliver some resumes around. I'm determined to be productive, no sense in looking this good for nothing.

The weekend passes and Tuesday finally comes. I'm excited today for several reasons: 1. I have an interview with a legitimate company (for a change) and potentially good position, and 2. I'm going to Charleston with my girlfriend for the 4th of July. The part of me that doesn't really care wants to go get the interview done so I can hop in the car and start enjoying the beach as soon as possible. The smart, bill paying part of me knows that I still have to be focused because it's still important and the woman interviewing me probably wont care if I was going to the beach or not. So I gather my directions (provided by Mapquest of course), my application they made me fill out, and my resumes, and I head out to Alpharetta. I live on the northeast side of Atlanta, their office is on the northwest side, and there really is no direct route to get there without getting on 285. So I leave around 10:00, and start following the directions, which tell me that the trip will only take 45 minutes.

I'm nearing the end of my directions when I notice a problem. I'm told to merge onto GA 400, which is a big highway that leads into and out of Atlanta. Problem is, there is no merging road. There is a ramp that goes over 400, but no road leading onto 400. Perfect. I drive over the ramp a few more times to make sure I didn't miss anything, and I decide to try my exploring capabilities and find it on my own. I try a small windy road that parallels 400, and I eventually come out to where I need to be. It's about 11:00 at this point. I still have 15 minutes, and it's only about a half mile away. I find the correct road and turn onto it and get into the parking lot.

I'm looking for a 70 Mansell Ct E. I see a 20, a 100, and a 200 Mansell Ct, but no 70. I'm already clearly annoyed. I hate getting lost, and I hate not being able to find a place when I've been given directions to get there. I've already made a call back home to complain, and now I can't find the building, and time is running out. 11:05. Can't find the building. 11:10. Can't find the FUCKING building. Where the hell is it? The directions tell me left, Left, LEFT! WHERE IS IT?? Luckily the windows were closed and the women and children weren't outside because I may have let slip an inappropriate word or two somewhere. I call my mom to get the contact numbers that I hadn't written down so I can call them and apologize about missing the interview. I get the main number and call- just a recording. You cant get a real person unless you know their extension. I call home again and get the person's last name. I give Catherine a call and leave a message on her phone "Hey Catherine this is Steven Gunzenhauser. I had an interview with you today...". I'm pissed, annoyed, frustrated, and tired, and I still have to get home, change, and then drive over 5 hours to Charleston. I'd much rather that, though, than drive around that parking lot looking for that elusive building.

I call all the necessary people to tell them that I missed the interview- Jerry, the guy who set me up with it; Michelle, the woman who briefed me before the interview; and Catherine, the woman I was supposed to meet. I get a call from Michelle later on in the afternoon with her sympathy that I missed the interview. She says that we can still reschedule for the same time next week. I'm somewhat surprised and I say "Ok, well next Tuesday at 11:15 again sounds good." She says "11:15? No, the interview was at 11:00." Oops. Not only did I miss the interview that day, but even if I had found the building, I would have been late regardless. The interviewee is always responsible for miscommunication. Either way, there's still a shot.

The next Tuesday comes. I find the place this time- the directions, provided to me by the company and by our friend Mapquest, were once again wrong. I am not blaming Mapquest- obviously someone should call the place themselves to make sure where they are going- its just that when the program begins to get rights mixed up with lefts and merges mixed up with no possibility of merges, things get confusing. Either way, I get to the office about 30 minutes early, and sit in the car and look over some information regarding the company. I've found that if I can go in the interview and spout off a few facts about the company and general knowledge of what the business is about, I can earn some brownie points. I certainly need the brownie points because the only brown stuff I've been hauling in lately has been shit.

So I spend a few minutes cooling off in the car, and I walk into the building. It's nice, very sterile and quiet. Two floors, with PAY-COM on the second. I go to the bathroom to wash my hands and freshen up, and get to the office with about 15 or 20 minutes until my interview. I'm sitting in a white chair and to my left are about a dozen cubicles with employees chattering away on phones. Apparently today was a "phone day" where the employees get a list of prospective client and canvass the entire city, either setting up appointments, guilting people into talking with them, or having awkward conversations with people who don't speak English all that well. Everyone is white, everyone is dressed professionally. It's a standard office, and everyone seems to be getting along alright.

I'm sitting for a while and there's a knock at the entrance door to the office. Everyone was on the phone at this time, and the door was locked form the outside, meaning someone had to let you in the office. Everyone hears the knock, but everyone is also on the phone with a very important client. So they look at me, I look at them, and I get up and walk over to the door and let the guy in. A girl comes over and says "Thanks, welcome to PAY-COM!" I laugh and say its no problem at all, and I go sit back down. I feel good- maybe they can relay this to the boss after my interview and say "wow that guy had initiative. If I had lost that customer we would have gone under as a company. He pretty much saved the day." Yeah, right.

Finally, Catherine Pearson the person I was interviewing with, comes out to greet me. Now, before this interview they had sent me several documents via email. One was the directions to the location, which were wrong, and the other was a frequently asked questions sheet. Apparently they want people coming in without having any tough questions for the interviewer. I looked over both and familiarized myself with it, but I really wanted Catherine to tell me in person. After all, a piece of paper can only display so much about the company culture and how things operate around the office. So I planned on asking a few questions based off the FAQ sheet, and asking a few of my own.

Catrin comes walking out of her office- a shorter, thin woman with short hair that was either bleached so blond it was white or she was prematurely graying. She says "Hi, I'm Catherine" and I say "Hi, nice to meet you." Simple enough, but there was an air of awkwardness to it that just didn't feel completely right. We go into her office and I have a seat. I don't normally get nervous for interviews. I generally approach interviews with an air of detachment. This doesn't mean I don' care about the interview- its just that if I go in thinking that it's the be all and end all of my life I'm not going to do very well. My method tends to calm be down and not too anxious over nothing. I have been on enough interviews to know that if I have a general knowledge of the company and act normally, my chances of success would be much greater. Also, the more interviews I go on, the less I care about knowing the business inside and out. It becomes a pain when I do research on a company only for the interview to be a disaster 15 minutes in.

I'm seated at a chair that is just a bit too high for me, and I fidget around a bit for a second. I'm looking at Catherine and she is looking back at me. Silence. Awkward silence. The kinds of silence that makes you scream in your mind "Say something you fool! You're blowing it!" Then she asks for my resume. I give it to her and she looks over it with a pen, acting as though she has important comments to make after the few seconds that she's seen it. She asks when I graduated- I tell her 2 months ago. She asks what I've been doing since I graduated, and for some reason I hesitated for a second. Not because I didn't know or I was afraid to tell her, its just that so many people have been asking what I've been doing, and I normally give them some sort of lackadasical response about sitting on my ass playing guitar and applying for jobs online. So I look at her and say "applying for jobs, going on interviews, yaddi yaddi yaddah..." This seems to be a sufficient enough answer for her, so she moves on.

All the time she is not looking at me. She keeps looking at my resume. She'll look up when she asks the question, and when I respond she looks down, making me feel like it doesn't really matter what I say, it's enough that she asked the question. "What interests you about sales?" she asks. I think for a second, and give my standard answer of my liking to receiving training on a product and company and applying the product to different industries. I think it's a good answer, and even if its not, it's what I like about the sales aspect. She nods, says nothing in return to my answer, and keep looking at my resume, as if looking for questions to extend the interview. Then she asks her next question: "Are you more interested in sales or marketing?" Well, gee, since I haven't had experience in either one of those (and I'm fairly sure depending on the business they are closely intertwined), I can't exactly say. I'm thinking this in my mind, trying to remember what my textbook says is the definition of marketing and what the specific definition for sales is. I say that I haven't had experience with either so I would be open to any opportunity that would present itself. She says OK, as is acknowledging that the answer I gave her was either wrong or didn't make sense. It made sense, it was the inane question that didn't make sense.

By this time, 4 minutes had elapsed. I'm expecting her to quiz me on being an RA, or doing paw painting, or at least something regarding all the positions and things I have done over the past 4 years. Catherine looks at me and says, "Well, do you have any questions for me?" I'm dumbfounded. We're less than 5 minutes in and she's done with her part. She asked a maximum of 6 questions, none of which touched on any of my skills or abilities. I look away for a second, trying to think of something while thinking to myself "why the hell did I drive all the way down here for this?" There's that silence again. The kind that gets worse as each second passes, and the kind that seems longer when you're around someone and pressures you into a corner. I manage to sputter out a few questions regarding the training program (apparently just 3 or 4 weeks, one being in Oklahoma City), and how many people they are looking to hire (1). I don't think I'm going to be that one. I asked what the rest of the process will be like and she said if I move on I will be contacted for another interview with someone next higher up on the ladder. I don't expect to move up the company ladder, and I know I won't hear anything from them regardless. I walked out of her office and left the building, with my head spinning from my 7 minute interview, with at least 1 minute of silence tossed in. What a waste.

All in all, I spent several hours researching the company online, over 30 minutes filling out their questionnaires and applications, and over 4 hours driving there and back from home. Each commute there was at least an hour long, and maybe it's for the best. I would go insane if I had to commute that every day. I wish I had an idea of what the interview process was going to be like. I feel as though I could have had a more productive phone interview- I think they just wanted to see me in person. Well, they did, and it'll probably be the last time too.