DocWard Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 So, I have a couple of interviews coming up for jobs. One will be as an "accounts receivable" administrator for a company. I met the requirements listed, so I submitted my resume, assuming I would never hear back. That one is tomorrow, but I am not expecting much from it. The second is the second interview for a company familiar to attorneys and others, where my job would be to do remote training of attorneys via Skype and the like, on how to use the companies product. For this interview, I'm being asked to do a ten minute sales presentation, even though I'm told the job isn't sales. Instead, it is to work with those doing the sales to make sure the purchaser gets full value and usage out of the product. My assumption is they want to make sure that I am comfortable "performing" in front of an audience. It is NOT to be one of the company's products, but instead something I am passionate about. I talked it over with Mrs. Doc. First idea was to sell the 1911. Since I have done firearms sales, that made sense. However, I thought to myself, why not "sell" SASS? As in explain the organization, the benefits, the fun... of membership. Now, before anyone decides to point out that talking firearms is risky, we discussed that. The thinking being they want me to be creative, to discuss something I am passionate about. Well, this is me. If they don't like me for it now, I'd rather know it. Also, I have plenty available that I can utilize, from the website, to pictures, to an actual song (cheesy, but a fun song), and more. I can discuss a bit of history, and more. I'm assuming the powers-that-be wouldn't have a problem with it. What thoughts do others have? Oh, and wish me luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Rio Pete Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Hope you get the job you'll enjoy the most. Since they will probably already know about your gun sales history, the SASS story should be interesting and different. Probably not relevant for this, but a very successful person said, "You don't sell by telling, but by asking". Do you know who will do the interview? Could you find something out about their hobbies? Perhaps you could sell a product for their hobby and ask questions about what they would want in a product and why? Good luck and let us know what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 5 minutes ago, Del Rio Pete said: Hope you get the job you'll enjoy the most. Since they will probably already know about your gun sales history, the SASS story should be interesting and different. Probably not relevant for this, but a very successful person said, "You don't sell by telling, but by asking". Do you know who will do the interview? Could you find something out about their hobbies? Perhaps you could sell a product for their hobby and ask questions about what they would want in a product and why? Good luck and let us know what happens. I agree, they know I was in firearms sales, and yes, I agree with the quote. I plan to garner as much participation as possible, given the limited amount of time, which is ten minutes. I have no way of finding out any of the information about my interviewer(s), and the directions were to do it about something I am passionate about. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Kris Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I think it's a great idea. Best of luck to you. Please let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saddle Up Slim Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Best of luck Doc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 This is a real crap shoot. Personally, without knowing the attitude of the players I wouldn’t risk it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Wear your white suit and top hat. Don't let anyone spit 'baccy juice on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Go get them Doc Best of luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactus Jack Calder Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 On the presentation: They know your firearms background and they still want to talk to you. That’s encouraging. Selling a single firearm might make some think you are “one of those gun nuts”. Selling a fun game based on history would, I believe, be considered less isolating from the “main stream public”. Certainly some of the attorneys you would deal with would have varying feelings about guns. That said, the best of luck. I hope you get the job that is the best fit for you. Buena suerte pard. PS edit: In my eyes one upside is you will be selling an activity you “love”. You may really “like” 1911’s but you can only use just so many. One in each hand one on each hip and one behind your belt buckle. What’s that? 5? OK, make it 6 and stick one behind your back. I know, I know, I’m standa on loosa dirt. Don’t everybody beat me up. I favor 1911’s myself. Doc, please forgive my weird sense of humor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 2 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: This is a real crap shoot. Personally, without knowing the attitude of the players I wouldn’t risk it. I talked it over with my wife. She is the level headed one in the bunch. She actually suggested doing something firearms related. As mentioned, I've been through one interview where my military background was discussed, along with my time behind the firearms counter. I figure I can't sell the military, so I might as well sell something I know and am passionate about. When I was thinking of the 1911, I struggled with not sounding like a "gun nut" as Cactus Jack put it. I was trying to figure it how to make it sound less "intimidating" this morning when the idea of SASS popped into my head. Not a lot of things in this world am I passionate about. I enjoy my guitars, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to do a ten minute sales presentation, and scale models simply aren't the most exciting thing in the world. Not to mention I wouldn't know where to begin. If I do a good job but my choice of subject matter knocks me out, chances are I wouldn't last long there, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I think it is a great subject. Instead of focusing on one thing you are focusing on an entire hobby with lots of different facets to appeal to people with differing tastes. Doc you might download and print out a Match Handbook from a past shoot. Especially one that has a good back story as part of the stage instructions to use as a visual aid and talking point. Working a double night shift tonight so it will be tomorrow afternoon before I can look at the ones on my Computer and see if I can find a good one to send to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Something to aspire to Doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Go with the SASS pitch. Explain how it started and how that start blossomed into a lifestyle. A coming together of people from all over the country and the world in their passion for simpler times. Explain how the competition is involved but how it’s not the main attraction for all but a main driver of what started SASS to begin with. A competition of modern people with traditional tools that do not rely on the technology for speed but skill, dexterity and determination. Talk about how The Cowboy Way. How these basic ideals attracted people over the years, some for the fantasy, some for the fun but all for the friendly competition. Bring up SASS as a business model and how it sells itself without having to sell itself because of the people and their love of the game. I’m blathering but I hope I made my point. Sell it man, sell it. I have a feeling their “product” is people and service. Sell them on bringing people together the way SASS has brought people together with the Wire and how participants come together and communicate with one another all over and build the organization basically talking about their passion for this sport. Or sell them a 1911...yawn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tennessee Trapper Tom Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Good luck Doc. Let us know how it goes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 15 hours ago, Del Rio Pete said: Hope you get the job you'll enjoy the most. Since they will probably already know about your gun sales history, the SASS story should be interesting and different. Probably not relevant for this, but a very successful person said, "You don't sell by telling, but by asking". Do you know who will do the interview? Could you find something out about their hobbies? Perhaps you could sell a product for their hobby and ask questions about what they would want in a product and why? Good luck and let us know what happens. Wisdom! Find what makes their world go ‘round and build your pitch towards them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finagler 6853 Life Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Good luck to you. Let us know the outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 11 hours ago, DocWard said: I talked it over with my wife. She is the level headed one in the bunch. She actually suggested doing something firearms related. As mentioned, I've been through one interview where my military background was discussed, along with my time behind the firearms counter. I figure I can't sell the military, so I might as well sell something I know and am passionate about. When I was thinking of the 1911, I struggled with not sounding like a "gun nut" as Cactus Jack put it. I was trying to figure it how to make it sound less "intimidating" this morning when the idea of SASS popped into my head. Not a lot of things in this world am I passionate about. I enjoy my guitars, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to do a ten minute sales presentation, and scale models simply aren't the most exciting thing in the world. Not to mention I wouldn't know where to begin. If I do a good job but my choice of subject matter knocks me out, chances are I wouldn't last long there, anyway. Souns like you already made your decision. I hope it goes great for you. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Wheeler Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Selling guns or shooting could be risky, not knowing you audience. Why not SELL YOURSELF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 56 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: Souns like you already made your decision. I hope it goes great for you. Good luck. I had pretty much made it when I initially posted. I pondered ideas and just wasn't coming up with much that I could use to "persuade." I kept coming back to their instruction, which was to "pick a topic with which you have deep knowledge and passion. Be creative!" For me, being somewhat of a dilettante in many areas, this seemed my best bet. Most other things I came up with were more teaching / lecturing rather than "persuading." As always , though, I appreciate your input, thoughtfulness and concern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 How did it go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 2 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: How did it go? The interview today wasn't so much an interview as an aptitude battery. A little miscommunication there, it seems. They'll let me know how I did and if I move forward in about a week. The big presentation is tomorrow, for a different company. I'll let you know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 On 1/23/2018 at 8:27 PM, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: How did it go? I thought it went quite well. The interview and presentation was scheduled for an hour. It was with the lady who will, if I'm hired, be my direct supervisor, and another lady who does the same job as she with a different set of clients. I started off with the presentation, which got a couple of laughs early, and garnered a few questions along the way. I had a couple of challenges because the laptop they had didn't seem to want to play well with Google Drive, but it worked out pretty well once we figured things out. A few hiccups do to that, but I hit all of my points and avoided tangents. Most importantly, they seemed interested and curious. The full interview went over an hour, and I felt good as I left. Working doing remote training for LexisNexis isn't exactly what I had envisioned doing for the rest of my career but, by all I know from others, it is a good company to work for, and the people I've met there seem like the types I would get along with. I'm crossing my fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Good to hear, Doc. I will cross mine for you too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 I didn't get an interview for the accounts receivable position. Not a big surprise to me, and I can't really say I was disappointed. I just received a call a short time ago from LexisNexis. I didn't get the position. They enjoyed my presentation, and were impressed by the fact that I remained calm and collected through the technology glitch that we had, not letting it effect my presentation. The reason given for not considering me further was my explanation of why I left the 911 dispatching position. I explained that while I can multi-task, I simply wasn't capable of multi-tasking at the level necessary for that job. I did my best to impress upon them the amount of effort and ability necessary in the position, but it seems they didn't truly grasp the nature of it. I even indicated that the supervisor and one trainer I asked were happy to be references for me. The one thing I didn't mention was that even after a total of three civil service tests to narrow down the field, the washout rate is still over 50%. Lesson learned. Yes, I am disappointed. I needed someplace to vent, because I don't want to let Mrs. Doc know in the middle of her day and ruin it for her. Oh, well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoky Pistols Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Sorry to hear, Doc. You put a lot of effort into it. Best Wishes for the next one! I'm not sure very many people grasp the intricacies of 911 operations. Might be better to come up with a different explanation in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 51 minutes ago, DocWard said: The reason given for not considering me further was my explanation of why I left the 911 dispatching position. I explained that while I can multi-task, I simply wasn't capable of multi-tasking at the level necessary for that job. I did my best to impress upon them the amount of effort and ability necessary in the position, but it seems they didn't truly grasp the nature of it. Few people can understand the stress leves that exist in that position. And every company wants "Multi-taskers" even though research shows that's not necessessarily the best quality for an employee. Perhaps just saying the job had a heavy emotional toll might work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 17 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: Perhaps just saying the job had a heavy emotional toll might work. I like that. It is the truth and no further explanation should be necessary. One door closes; another will open. Hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Hang in there Doc. We are all pulling for you, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 What's the chances you could start up a small business of your own? You seem like you have pretty diverse background. I bet you can think of something to do being self employed. I've been self employed practically my whole life ( music store, drummer and drum teacher and for the last 30 years piano tuning and repair and I sell a piano here and there too) I love being self employed and that's why I always suggest it. I'm just throwing out an idea! Good luck on whatever you wind up doing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Sorry to hear that Doc. Don't be kicking yourself and second guessing yourself. There have been a few jobs that I didn't get only to find out later it was a good thing that I didn't. Hindsight is always 20-20 but if you keep looking backwards you can miss the good things up ahead. Have a beer, rant a bit and push on. I know it's easy for me to say and harder to actually do but spending too much time dwelling on the negative brings one down and spending too much time worrying about things you have no control over can impact your health...been there, done that, have the guts to prove it. Smile...It could be worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 1 hour ago, Rye Miles #13621 said: What's the chances you could start up a small business of your own? You seem like you have pretty diverse background. I bet you can think of something to do being self employed. I've been self employed practically my whole life ( music store, drummer and drum teacher and for the last 30 years piano tuning and repair and I sell a piano here and there too) I love being self employed and that's why I always suggest it. I'm just throwing out an idea! Good luck on whatever you wind up doing! I was, and am, self-employed as an attorney. I kept my continuing education and licensing up to date even when I was working full time at Gander Mountain, and took on the occasional guardian ad litem case then. It isn't so much that I don't enjoy being self-employed as I appreciate a steady and reasonable income. Right now I have more debt than I would like, and it is a struggle to make ends meet without resorting to selling off valuable firearms, or worse (from my perspective), Mrs. Doc giving up her hobby/passion. It is frustrating enough getting payment from citizens, but when I have to send off e-mails and make calls to get the county to pay me over a month after I have billed on appointed cases, it makes it even worse. Sometimes it is very difficult to justify, especially when considering I don't actually make a lot when broken down to a "per hour" amount as a solo practitioner doing the type of work I do. The market is somewhat glutted with attorneys, with more constantly graduating. I can't bring myself to do criminal defense, I would need to sit down and re-learn much of what I have forgotten in order to do "consumer protection" type cases--and I'm confident I would hate it. The Guardian ad Litem work is the only work I actually enjoy. I plan on getting the requisite training to do some probate work, and try to expand my practice some in a few other areas, though. Otherwise, I am not sure what I would do if I worked for myself. My current debt limits my potential in starting something, and while my background is diverse, I'm more a jack of all trades and master of none. If I were rapidly approaching 42 instead of 52, I might consider becoming a paramedic / firefighter, or even law enforcement, preferably as a Ranger or something of the nature. But I believe those are games for people younger than I. As it stands, I will sit back, assume a job isn't going to happen, and set about expanding and bettering my law practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 I'm definitely down right now. It just seems the past decade, literally, has had far more go wrong for me than has gone right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Kris Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Doc, I know it's easier to say from my saddle but hang in there. The right position will come. You're a good man and work hard. That will account for something. While I don't have any magic words right now, know I'm pulling for you. Feel free to vent any time. Lots of open hearts and arms here for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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