Should I take it?

[HunterSeeker]

I was on a job intreview today, while I was not offered the job on the spot the interviewer said that I had good chances but they would not offer the job to anyone before they had completed all the interviews.

Its just a crappy telemarketing position, but there is not much else avalible for someone that has no real work experience and no degree. While it will be only temporary as I plan to go back to uni this fall (why I left need not be discussed here), I am not so sure due to their very iffy payment system.

Essentially, it boils down to that I will be working for free for them and if I sell enough (the product is not bad mind you, its one of swedens bigger broadband companies) after that week I will be paid (with provisions and all). If I dont I will keep working for free until I sell enough. The pay is not great either (just barely more then I get for being unemployed, which is just enough for survival basicaly). I did not really get good vibes from the interview either, the company is rather new (4 years old) and the office I am wokring at is only 6 months old. But they must be doing well as the reason this position is availible is becouse they are expanding.

I might be able to get a better job, but I am not sure how fast. Everyone I have shown my CV to has said it was very good (for my age), so that is positive.

I am tired of living on state subsides (as you might know its not much), but I am not keen on doing this for free either. So what should I do? Except cutting down on parantheses?

 

[Qonfused]

If you think you're persuasive and can sell it, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, that payment program is quite crappy and very iffy, as you put it.

 

[AKIRA]

ive had 2 telemarketing jobs. But, they both offered me a base pay of $9/hour + commission. I got fired from my last telemarketing job because i only got 1 sale that day...that was the only reason he'd give me.

From my experience as a telemarketer..look for another job seriously, especially if you're working for free until you sell something.

 

[Krynn72]

Work at a restaurant or retail shop or something. Im sure there a better jobs available than one that doesnt pay you until a certain point. Telemarketing jobs suck.

 

[JFry]

Telemarketing jobs do suck. I was a telemarketer for a glorious 4 hours and 15 minutes( 4 hours of which was training/paperwork) before I got up and walked out.

On the other hand if you think you have what it takes to sell something it could be worth it for the experience. A good salesman can command an excellent pay and can generally "climb the corporate ladder" much quicker than other fields.

 

[repiV]

Telemarketing doesn't necessarily suck. I earn over 1500 quid a week doing exactly that.
That being said, there are plenty of bottom-of-the-barrel telemarketing outfits, that are run by clueless idiots, who will **** you over and are generally a truly horrible place to work. If they give you scripts to read and expect you to parrot whatever bullshit they've written down on the paper, they're a waste of space.
Is it telemarketing, or telesales? Are you actually expected to close deals for money? There's a crucial difference here too.
Like JFry said, good salespeople go very far. A good 90% of top CEOs come from a sales background, and it's the highest paid career you can get - if you're good at it.

To be honest, it does sound like this place is dodgy as all hell. Commissions barely better than benefit money, and their "expansion" sounds more like a euphemism for non-existent staff retention. There's a reason they're interviewing people with no experience. It can't hurt to give it a try though, but don't be afraid to walk away if it's not the right place for you. It's bloody hard work, so bear that in mind - if you actually want to earn decent money, you'll have to put your all into it. But if you're good at it, you can go somewhere else and make big money.
First year salaries for salespeople including commission are generally double or triple that of the bottom rung in other industires, and you can expect that to double, triple, quadruple or more within the following few years if you're good. Don't overlook it.

Edited to add: only a complete sham of a joke company takes people with no experience on a commission-only basis. A commission-only setup means one of two things. The first is that an experienced salesperson or business takes on a contract from a client to pitch in with the sales effort on condition of a very attractive fee for each sale/appointment/whatever.
The second is an excuse to arserape people in your position, get slave labour or close to it for a short period of time, run you down and throw you out. These kinds of companies don't give a shit about quality, both in the work they do for their clients and in their employees - any successful company in the marketing business understands the value of having a skilled, motivated, happy team and expends a lot of money and effort on retaining them - the opposite end of the spectrum encompasses companies that will take basically anyone who can speak English (or Swedish, as the case may be), get them to make 150 really shit calls a day and get some sort of result through sheer luck, keep you working in this mentally draining and totally ineffective manner and then kick you out the door when you burn out days or weeks later. Often the staff will be completely different from one week to the other.
Having worked in and acted as a recruitment consultant for this industry, I would bet money that this company is one of the latter types - and I would advise you to try it out, but don't expect anything, and don't let it shape your view of the industry in general. There is a LOT of money to be made in the good companies, even if you're not looking for a career out of it, and any experience can be embellished and made to look great on a CV. Just bear that in mind, it could make a great means if a terrible end.

 

[Glirk Dient]

Go apply all over. Serving is a great way to make money. Some nights servers will walk out with $150 in their pocket plus what they get in wages. However I have had days where I will make less than $10 because it was so slow. So maybe serve on the weekends as it's incredible money.

 

[CyberPitz]

Telemarketers....I couldn't do it, because I couldn't sell enough, because I can't lie through my teeth. But then again, I don't have a salesmen inside me, so meh. I don't like the fact that if I get unlucky enough to not get some sales that day, I'm canned.

 

[repiV]

Telemarketers....I couldn't do it, because I couldn't sell enough, because I can't lie through my teeth. But then again, I don't have a salesmen inside me, so meh. I don't like the fact that if I get unlucky enough to not get some sales that day, I'm canned.

Only really shit salespeople lie through their teeth. It's got nothing to do with luck, either. Probably the best salespeople are actually the ones who "don't have a salesman inside them" - so long as they get the right training.
Good salespeople don't "pitch" you, they don't ask trite questions designed to force you down a certain path, they don't pressure you to buy and they definitely don't read from a script. They spend most of their time listening and understanding, and working with people to find solutions to their problems - not trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole.

Unfortunately, for every good salesperson, there are 100 shit ones, made only worse by shit telemarketing companies and sales managers who actually think that asking someone you've only known for 10 minutes "let's arrange a meeting to discuss this - would you prefer Wednesday or is Thursday better for you?" is a good way of building trust.

 

[Dan]

Telemarketing jobs suck your soul out through your eyeballs and puree your gray matter.

 

[Mc Bane]

I am not so sure due to their very iffy payment system.

Essentially, it boils down to that I will be working for free for them and if I sell enough (the product is not bad mind you, its one of swedens bigger broadband companies) after that week I will be paid (with provisions and all). If I dont I will keep working for free until I sell enough.

its calld commision without a retainer ffs. its not exacly a new concept. most salez jobs ar paid this way. get out ov ur parentz basemnts now & then kidz.

 

[repiV]

its calld commision without a retainer ffs. its not exacly a new concept. most salez jobs ar paid this way. get out ov ur parentz basemnts now & then kidz.

No they aren't. The vast majority of sales jobs offer a good basic salary and benefits package as well as commission.

 

[Krynn72]

they don't pressure you to buy

LAWL.

 

[HunterSeeker]

its calld commision without a retainer ffs. its not exacly a new concept. most salez jobs ar paid this way. get out ov ur parentz basemnts now & then kidz.

You sir can feel a little biut lucky I dont do personal attacks. But this is not the first telemarketing company I apply for, I have several friends that work or have worked in telemarketing. Basic wage with commisions atop is the norm. Follow your own suggestion, your father wants a gym.

 

[repiV]

LAWL.

Can you read? I said good salespeople. Pressuring people to buy is the last resort of a weak and useless salesman who makes no attempt to actually understand his customers. Instead of having discussions with people to find out who would and who wouldn't be a good fit for each other's goals, he tries desperately to force sales where they will never happen, and wastes 99% of his time chasing a red herring.

Good salespeople don't work in business-to-consumer sales, so it's unlikely you've ever actually dealt with one.

 

[Mc Bane]

No they aren't. The vast majority of sales jobs offer a good basic salary and benefits package as well as commission.

I have several friends that work or have worked in telemarketing. Basic wage with commisions atop is the norm.

and those wuld be sales jobs with commision PLUS retainer. 2 hard 4 u 2 understnd that sum jobs are paid different 2 otherz? or that u can get both commision AND a wage sometimz & not othertimez etc?

 

[repiV]

and those wuld be sales jobs with commision PLUS retainer. 2 hard 4 u 2 understnd that sum jobs are paid different 2 otherz? or that u can get both commision AND a wage sometimz & not othertimez etc?

You know, it's really hard to take you seriously in a discussion about business - of all things - when you type like a retarded teenage girl.

 

[Mc Bane]

You know, it's really hard to take you seriously in a discussion about business - of all things - when you type like a retarded teenage girl.

thats rich considerin you hav neva actually had a teenage girl talk to u fatty.

i hav 2 type with my tongue coz im just a hed on a stand. ctrl+alt+ del is real trikky.

 

[AKIRA]

thats rich considerin you hav neva actually had a teenage girl talk to u fatty.

i hav 2 type with my tongue coz im just a hed on a stand. ctrl+alt+ del is real trikky.

shutup and talk normally, this isn't msn fool.


i can honestly say i was the worst of the worst when it comes to telemarketing lol. I wanted people to hang up just so i wouldnt have to go into my lonngg ass script (and just so you know, i was calling on behalf of CIBC [candian imperial bank of commerce], and they specifically told us to read the script verbatim..so i had no choice lol). But yea, it was several pages long and i hated it. I didn't mind though, because i had a base wage which was really good for a student.

 

[evil^milk]

Go for it!

I am thinking since you mentioned telemartketing you won't be speaking face-to-face with the client. So it is important to pick up what the client is interested in - not always what you're interested in selling them. Focus on paralanguage.

If you're on the phone with a guy, give him all the facts, the what, the why. If you're on a phone with a girl, give him all the how, the essence of you, the product, the woman, and the relationship between the three of you.

Present the benefits the client will receive when you sell your product.

Don't be unethical, meaning, don't manipulate your clients. Don't shove shit down their throats. Try to establish a connection with them where you develop something in common - and pick up their themes and interests so you carry on an effective conversation. And try to be genuine, don't just not care about the people you're speaking with. If you were on the phone with a telemarketer and she/he were like:

"HelloMrDudeIhaveHereAproductThatWillChangeYourLifeGimmeMonies."

Do you want to change your life? How much does it cost? Why're you speaking so fast?

Instead try to be like:

"Hello, is this Joe? (Yeah) Hey Joe! I'm calling from <companyname> and was wondering if you had any interest in staplers."

Joe: No.

"Okay then. Thank you for your time!"

or if he says yes...

Joe: <sigh> yeah. I spend some time stapling documents and I could use something cheap and effective."

He wants cheap and effective shit. Some time might mean most of his time. So sell him that.

Speak slowly, with a very slight hint of optimism. Not the monotone voice. Not the super-quick-speak voice. Just a human voice, your own. And if the other person seems agitated, hungry, persecuted, or uncomfortable, do your best to adjust the situation. Or hang up.

Seriously, it could help build your people skills. And people skills, along with oral communication skills, are the top things higher authorities and prospective employers look for.

 

[repiV]

thats rich considerin you hav neva actually had a teenage girl talk to u fatty.

i hav 2 type with my tongue coz im just a hed on a stand. ctrl+alt+ del is real trikky.

I would ask you about your extensive "sales experience", but I wouldn't want to run afoul of child labour laws.

i can honestly say i was the worst of the worst when it comes to telemarketing lol. I wanted people to hang up just so i wouldnt have to go into my lonngg ass script (and just so you know, i was calling on behalf of CIBC [candian imperial bank of commerce], and they specifically told us to read the script verbatim..so i had no choice lol). But yea, it was several pages long and i hated it. I didn't mind though, because i had a base wage which was really good for a student.

I will never understand why companies pay good money to have a bunch of people read a script over the phone. Completely overlooking the benefit that real people speaking on the telephone can actually have, they may aswell just do email marketing.
I mean, what would your reaction be if someone called you and instead of engaging with you as a person, parroted some script at you - especially a long one with multiple pages? You'd feel instantly disengaged from the "conversation", annoyed or even insulted. You certainly wouldn't have any further interest in speaking with this person, even if you had an interest in what they had to offer they just blew it anyway.