Author Topic: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?  (Read 4531 times)

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AstralFire

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AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« on: September 09, 2008, 02:01:06 PM »
So I applied for a job at a Chrysler dealership on a whim during my job hunt. Just got back from the interview, got a call and hey, I got the job!

Problem is, I'm not sure if I -want- the job. I'd be making money purely off of commission, and while I'm a decent advertiser, I'm not so sure how good I am at selling in person.

Also, I know about as much about cars as my parents do computers: they do what I need them to do for a tiny amount of time each day, and screaming and hitting seem to fix a problem. I'll need to bone up on car stuff for sure, even though they'd also be sending me for a week in training.

So... yeah. What now?


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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2008, 02:18:24 PM »
Our car salesmen knew next to nothing about cars also, and just made shit up when he didn't know it... and we still bought from him.  :smirk
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Zuki

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2008, 02:29:35 PM »
Ehh....you'd only get paid for commissions? That's a warning sign to me. Means you could be working for a while before you actually get paid, and you're subject to the whims of the economy and people's general willingness to want to buy cars, and newer cars at that. I'd want to find out what is expected for good, typical, and low-end sales performance, and how much exactly you get paid on commissions. Spring and summer seem to be the car-buying seasons, and you're getting hired for fall and winter. I was looking for a summer job once and almost took something where I'd be getting paid on commission, and my parents talked me out of it. I've never really trusted that set-up. They'll be training you, you've arguably got some charisma, and you did well hawking for the college during phone-a-thons, but still...

On the other hand, it's a job. The weeks worth of training might end up being useful and applicable to other situations, and you *could* be good at it, you won't know until you try.

I would probably undergo the training and tell myself that I'd try it out for the next three months, or until the end of the year, to see how it works out. Selling one or two cars in that time would put a little more money in your bank account, and it'd give you some 'real-world' work experience, if nothing else. If the way you're trained makes you uncomfortable, that's a good time to back out gracefully. A few months of work seems a reasonable time to feel things out.

If everyone working that lot is paid on commission, and they're looking to hire someone new, then that at least sort-of suggests they have a desire or a need for someone new to help keep up with business. Have you asked why they decided to hire someone?

AstralFire

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2008, 02:33:14 PM »
No - in retrospect, there were a few questions that I should have asked.

What makes me wary of just trying and dropping is the hour's worth of gas every day I'd have to get, and the $200 for training. Earning back my money could be hard.


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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2008, 02:58:37 PM »
Other things of note: Chrysler is having it really hard, currently. For example, 1 Sebring convertible gets sold each month, per dealer. They don't have a car range that is attracting the average buyer, and they're getting close to bankruptcy. I'd be quite careful about a job there, to be honest.
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PhoenixInferno

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2008, 04:22:49 PM »
Other things of note: Chrysler is having it really hard, currently. For example, 1 Sebring convertible gets sold each month, per dealer. They don't have a car range that is attracting the average buyer, and they're getting close to bankruptcy. I'd be quite careful about a job there, to be honest.
I wonder where you got that financial information since Chrysler is no longer a publicly listed company and they're no longer subject to the same SEC disclosure requirements as other public entities.

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2008, 04:45:57 PM »
When it's common market knowledge. Please at least try a google search next time, because this has been the leading news items in the automotive market recently. They're consider as one of the next possible rescue targets for the U.S. gov, too. They're even hoping that a rebadged Nissan deal will help save them.
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Zuki

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2008, 04:48:35 PM »
They're asking you to pay for your own training?

*wince*

That's another red flag. I'm vastly overstating the case here, but y'know who else makes you pay for training and has you make money on commissions only? Cutco.

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2008, 05:10:13 PM »
They're consider as one of the next possible rescue targets for the U.S. gov, too.
Oh  :censored Stop blowing my tax dollars on this crap.  :fo
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2008, 05:13:07 PM »
They're asking you to pay for your own training?

*wince*

That's another red flag. I'm vastly overstating the case here, but y'know who else makes you pay for training and has you make money on commissions only? Cutco.

Gotta agree here.
IF you were paying for a license, that would be one thing... even hair dressers have licensing fees, but just for TRAINING??

Although I have nothing against commission (being someone who earns commissions myself)... but this is not your industry, and you don't have any sales experience?  
I woud recommend investing your time in finding something with a bit more stability.


cutco--  HA!


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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2008, 05:18:58 PM »
When it's common market knowledge. Please at least try a google search next time, because this has been the leading news items in the automotive market recently. They're consider as one of the next possible rescue targets for the U.S. gov, too. They're even hoping that a rebadged Nissan deal will help save them.
None of that is hard evidence of bankruptcy, although elements of the financial media has been quite prescient of late.

Which, of course, is the point I'm trying to make - you don't have evidence.  Don't present it as fact.

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2008, 05:32:33 PM »
They're consider as one of the next possible rescue targets for the U.S. gov, too.
Oh  :censored Stop blowing my tax dollars on this crap.  :fo

What's another 200 billion among friends?

None of that is hard evidence of bankruptcy, although elements of the financial media has been quite prescient of late.

Which, of course, is the point I'm trying to make - you don't have evidence.  Don't present it as fact.

I'll stand by it as fact that they are *close* to bankruptcy. They have terrible sales (This mentions that sales are down 34% this year), they have stopped any car leases at all (Here), and it's asking for a government bailout. (Here). They are in a terrible state financially, and there is not one uplifting news item coming out of their company. I will also mention that Cerebus got paid to take over Chrysler by Daimler, as they were such a dead weight on the neck of the German company.
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AstralFire

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2008, 05:45:39 PM »
They're asking you to pay for your own training?

*wince*

That's another red flag. I'm vastly overstating the case here, but y'know who else makes you pay for training and has you make money on commissions only? Cutco.

Gotta agree here.
IF you were paying for a license, that would be one thing... even hair dressers have licensing fees, but just for TRAINING??

Although I have nothing against commission (being someone who earns commissions myself)... but this is not your industry, and you don't have any sales experience?  
I woud recommend investing your time in finding something with a bit more stability.


cutco--  HA!



Yeah. I'm not going for it. But desperation out of months of job hunting made it seem like a good idea for an hour.


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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2008, 05:54:28 PM »
You're considered an independent contractor as a salesman, aren't you?

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2008, 06:10:44 PM »
You're considered an independent contractor as a salesman, aren't you?

Most commission-only positions are 1099-- which is great, but a company is not required to place you in that status if I recall correctly (state to state law may vary)

How about that for a wishy washy peanut gallery answer?

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #15 on: September 09, 2008, 06:18:49 PM »
I would say "Don't do it" simply because you don't know beans about cars. I have a general manager who doesn't know the industry we are in or the stuff we sell (industrial/engineering items). He goes on business trips and starts making all sorts of outrageous claims and we back here have to field his mistakes and idiocy. It lowers company credibility and makes for a very bad working environment. The fool is tolerated only because he is the GM. If one of the sales staff does half of what he does, you can be sure the sales guy would get fired so fast he'd have to pick asphalt out of his teeth for the next 30 years. You may be looking at a similar situation.

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #16 on: September 10, 2008, 08:57:06 PM »
Well, I'm going to go for an interview on friday for a temp. clerk job. Hope I get it. If I don't turn it into a permanent position, it's some cash and a recommendation while I look for other jobs. If I do, hoorja.


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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #17 on: September 11, 2008, 05:40:13 AM »
If they're asking you to pay up front for your training, they plan on fucking you.  How might not be apparent immediately, but they do plan on fucking you.  It's rare that I've tried a sales job (because I suck at it), but NONE of them require money up front if they're legit.  If they're asking for a fee they expect you to screw up on the job and get fired, so they dont have to refund your money.  And they get your 200 bucks.  Plus to sell cars..you're gonna have to lie.  A lot.  EIther you put the knife in peoples back, or you get no money, and the knife gets put in yours.  Its no way to live.  If you can get something else I'd do so postehaste.

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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #18 on: September 14, 2008, 08:53:59 AM »
Having owned my own used car dealership for 8 years, I have to call bullshit on having to lie to sell cars...

Scumbags lie, that doesn't mean everybody does.  In fact, it doesn't even mean the successful people lie to sell cars.  Here's a hint, the most successful salesperson either shuts the hell up and lets you decide to buy it yourself or asks questions that when you answer will convince yourself to buy it.  The Liar (or the Hammer) may get a sale, but not the repeat business a satisfied customer will bring you.

Even though you've already passed on it, I'll second not taking the job.  Pay for training is stupid.  It's not that they will fire you, if they can't justify paying to train you they obviously don't think you will sell enough.  I've seen companies that I swear survive on people paying them for "training" (it's usually just how to fill out paperwork) and whatever the poor saps they hire can sell to their relatives.
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Re: AstralFire: Writer, Moderator, Game Designer... Car Salesman?
« Reply #19 on: September 14, 2008, 10:30:39 PM »
Don't forget Guild Master in your title, Astral! Thrinwizzle still misses Aeraodh. Of course, Thrin died (so sad). But still, I'd have to say Skyfire was the best guild ever. Except, of course, for the guild I'm in right now, which is of course awesome.