Does this seem legit?

[BossFrancis]

So I've been busy the past while and I've finally gotten some time due to spring break so I looked up some job listings on Craigslist. I came across this:

Spoiler!

I emailed them immediately with my resume. They replied after a while:

Spoiler!

I'm thinking that it is legit but I'm wondering if I should proceed because door to door marketing is not very safe for my age. (Highskewl)
Thanks for your input!

[Santofu]

I still can see your name and your email...

[El Bastardo]

Any door to door marketing thing is BS. This is 2012, not 1962.

Nobody buys anything from someone who shows up on their doorstep anymore.

Also, that email address may not be the most professional email address to contact perspective employers with.

[Energy]

All you're going to do is talk to the guy so it couldn't hurt. Do it in a public place or through phone.

[TurboFC3S]

Selling things like screen doors is not a easy job.. And it will be even harder since your a young kid, that will turn alot of people away, try to find a paid by hour job not by comission sales

[BossFrancis]

Originally Posted by Santofu

I still can see your name and your email...

Every time .___.

Originally Posted by El Bastardo

Any door to door marketing thing is BS. This is 2012, not 1962.

Nobody buys anything from someone who shows up on their doorstep anymore.

Also, that email address may not be the most professional email address to contact perspective employers with.

This is very true, people usually slam the door on your face unless you are a girl guide or supporting some cause.

Originally Posted by Energy

All you're going to do is talk to the guy so it couldn't hurt. Do it in a public place or through phone.

First it's by the phone, then If I'm interested an interview.

Originally Posted by TurboFC3S

Selling things like screen doors is not a easy job.. And it will be even harder since your a young kid, that will turn alot of people away, try to find a paid by hour job not by comission sales

This is paid by the hour but you get more based on sales.

[Gridlock]

I played with door to door when I was in a similar situation. It blows!

It takes a VERY unique type of person to do it well. If you are in high school, you aren't it.

First, as soon salesmen come to the door, people immediately are in a no mood, so you need to charm their defenses down, then charm them enough to listen to you and then charm a sale out of them.

Why do these people aggressively advertise for people everywhere? It's a contact sport. They chew through humans at an incredible rate looking for that one guy that can charm the pants off people enough to pimp their shit.

They will promise you that you can be the next king of siam with all the money and phat bitches you'll be rolling in, but then you are dropped off in some random subdivision going door to door, for free, knocking on door after door of having angry people slamming their doors in your face. Then, you actually find a sucker that is interested, and you say, of, I made $20...maybe I'll stick with it and you keep pounding that pavement until you finally have a monopoly moment and flip the board and never go back. Oh, and they never pay you that $20 they owe you and still keep the sale.

TL;DR Fuck that shit.

[Gridlock]

Originally Posted by BossFrancis

Every time .___.

This is very true, people usually slam the door on your face unless you are a girl guide or supporting some cause.

First it's by the phone, then If I'm interested an interview.

This is paid by the hour but you get more based on sales.

Nope. Paid per lead. Check the ad closer.

[instantneedles]

Well the thing is, at your age, any type of work experience is work experience nonetheless. I've read your previous threads on struggling to get a job. Any work experience is work experience and it wouldn't hurt to give it a go if there is no serious risk to health or safety. If you end up passing the interview, good for you. If you don't, treat the interview process as an experience for future interviews you may have to go through. Remember, interviews are valuable experiences as well. It trains you to speak in a pressured environment, and tests your ability to sell yourself out to prospective employers.

I also disagree with the fact that he should turn down a job because its a paid per lead job. Employers love to see that workers have good communication skills, and this type of job will be a huge asset for you because it takes alot of balls to be able to do door-to-door.

[GGnoRE]

In my opinion, this is going to be a waste of your time. As many suggested, choose a job that you will be paid by the hour not by pure commision.
If you pass the interview and decide to take the job, be careful of companies that make the salesman commit to the job by forcing them to purchase a minimum quota of their products. This could really screw you over if you can't sell them.

[Nsane]

If you're in high school and you're looking for your first job, I'd recommend applying at Starbucks based on personal experience. Why? It helps you develop in a lot of areas:

- food handling
- sanitation
- cash handling
- fast pace
- face-to-face interaction (I was a VERY shy person; this job helped me become more outgoing)

On top of that, they dont pay you crappy minimum wage. I'm not sure about Jugo Juice, Blenz, or other premium drink places, but I'm sure they're better than a shady Craigslist ad or a fast food joint.

[GGnoRE]

Originally Posted by Nsane

If you're in high school and you're looking for your first job, I'd recommend applying at Starbucks based on personal experience. Why? It helps you develop in a lot of areas:

- food handling
- sanitation
- cash handling
- fast pace
- face-to-face interaction (I was a VERY shy person; this job helped me become more outgoing)

On top of that, they dont pay you crappy minimum wage. I'm not sure about Jugo Juice, Blenz, or other premium drink places, but I'm sure they're better than a shady Craigslist ad or a fast food joint.

Plus, you get in touch with a lot of girls in your neighbourhood

[BossFrancis]

Based on your input I've decided just to do the interview for some more experience. I think I would greatly struggle with this job due to the little work and people experience I possess.

[TekDragon]

Originally Posted by GGnoRE

Plus, you to touch a lot of girls in your neighbourhood

fixed.

Seriously though, you have to understand that most first jobs suck. They suck hard, but at least you're working at an hourly rate, not some bullshit by the sale agreement. McDonalds, I've heard, looks good on a resume because of the fast environment. As already stated, Starbucks, or any other coffee place if you can get into that.

Take all the interviews you can get. I used to suck at them. My last one, I rocked it so hard that they didn't ask me back for the second interview, they just gave me the job. Any experience is good experience. Good luck.

[Prolowtone]

i did the door to door thing for a bit......... Sold one item in a month, and never got paid for it Save yourself the time and effort - LOOK ELSEWHERE

[Energy]

Originally Posted by Nsane

If you're in high school and you're looking for your first job, I'd recommend applying at Starbucks based on personal experience. Why? It helps you develop in a lot of areas:

- food handling
- sanitation
- cash handling
- fast pace
- face-to-face interaction (I was a VERY shy person; this job helped me become more outgoing)

On top of that, they dont pay you crappy minimum wage. I'm not sure about Jugo Juice, Blenz, or other premium drink places, but I'm sure they're better than a shady Craigslist ad or a fast food joint.

This. Take this advice. Working at Starbucks also really helped me. They are super flexible with hours and the work environment is very good.

[pastarocket]

+1 for Starbucks. Good place for start out in the workplace.

[Gridlock]

I'm going to add about an experience I had in Halifax when I was about 18. I responded to an ad and ended up doing door to door canvassing for Greenpeace.

I worked 4 hour shifts and got paid $35 plus commission on anything over $100.

We ended up working in a lot of areas outside the city, so I spent a lot of time walking between driveways and up long driveways. And I sucked. So i get pulled aside and told that I suck. He tells me, what we're going to do is put you with this woman that is like god's gift to door to door canvassing. She'll show you what she does. BUT...if you don't make quota tonight, then we are putting you on straight commission, so to make my 35, I HAD to collect $100.

So off we go to some subdivision in Dartmouth. I'm working with this woman, and he's right, she can talk. Knows Greenpeace inside and out. And then I go off on my own. Come back with $20. She had $30. Turns out the local phone company was on strike. Turns out everyone that lived in this neighborhood worked for them. So I heard a lot of "we love you! but..."

So, we go back to the office, and I feel alright because we didn't even hit my target between the 2 of us. Still got put on straight commission! Hippie fucker! In fact, the only time I hit commission was when we drove for an hour back to my neighborhood and I knew everyone.

Honestly, I spent my teens looking for any place that wasn't actually "real" work. I sold bulk meat over the phone and ended up giving a deposition to the police when it was discovered that the manager was paying her self in her employees names, mine included. I sold newspapers on the phone that was mostly selling the Halifax paper to Cape Breton, an area of Nova Scotia that never even acknowledges that they are a part of the province, so that went well.

If I had to do it over again, I would pick actually working at a place that is legit, with some people exposure and a little bit of growth. Starbucks is perfect, but they tend not to hire the high schoolers. Grocery stores are great. You can come and go depending on school, you aren't working a deep fryer for min wage and hopefully your raises don't get eaten by minimum wage. PLUS...you always have a back up summer job because if you don't quit its always there. My gf did Safeway for 7 years all through the years off before school and during school. She took leaves and extended leaves and always had that back up.

I was at a disadvantage when I started working real jobs because I never learned that work ethic. I worked at a hotel when I first came to BC and was fired in 3 months. I was a lazy bastard. There were other issues there that didn't help my work ethic at all. I got into restaurants which thankfully, very quickly reformed my work ethic. You have no choice because some guy is always yelling at you.

After that, my key was always be the guy that is pushing himself further and getting others to do the same. Every job after that made me a manager.

There is something to be said for thinking out of the box, but on a lot of these places, its just not worth it. They are sleazy and second rate and you end up looking back saying what a waste of precious time.

Sorry..rambly post.

[BossFrancis]

Originally Posted by Gridlock

I'm going to add about an experience I had in Halifax when I was about 18. I responded to an ad and ended up doing door to door canvassing for Greenpeace.

I worked 4 hour shifts and got paid $35 plus commission on anything over $100.

We ended up working in a lot of areas outside the city, so I spent a lot of time walking between driveways and up long driveways. And I sucked. So i get pulled aside and told that I suck. He tells me, what we're going to do is put you with this woman that is like god's gift to door to door canvassing. She'll show you what she does. BUT...if you don't make quota tonight, then we are putting you on straight commission, so to make my 35, I HAD to collect $100.

So off we go to some subdivision in Dartmouth. I'm working with this woman, and he's right, she can talk. Knows Greenpeace inside and out. And then I go off on my own. Come back with $20. She had $30. Turns out the local phone company was on strike. Turns out everyone that lived in this neighborhood worked for them. So I heard a lot of "we love you! but..."

So, we go back to the office, and I feel alright because we didn't even hit my target between the 2 of us. Still got put on straight commission! Hippie fucker! In fact, the only time I hit commission was when we drove for an hour back to my neighborhood and I knew everyone.

Honestly, I spent my teens looking for any place that wasn't actually "real" work. I sold bulk meat over the phone and ended up giving a deposition to the police when it was discovered that the manager was paying her self in her employees names, mine included. I sold newspapers on the phone that was mostly selling the Halifax paper to Cape Breton, an area of Nova Scotia that never even acknowledges that they are a part of the province, so that went well.

If I had to do it over again, I would pick actually working at a place that is legit, with some people exposure and a little bit of growth. Starbucks is perfect, but they tend not to hire the high schoolers. Grocery stores are great. You can come and go depending on school, you aren't working a deep fryer for min wage and hopefully your raises don't get eaten by minimum wage. PLUS...you always have a back up summer job because if you don't quit its always there. My gf did Safeway for 7 years all through the years off before school and during school. She took leaves and extended leaves and always had that back up.

I was at a disadvantage when I started working real jobs because I never learned that work ethic. I worked at a hotel when I first came to BC and was fired in 3 months. I was a lazy bastard. There were other issues there that didn't help my work ethic at all. I got into restaurants which thankfully, very quickly reformed my work ethic. You have no choice because some guy is always yelling at you.

After that, my key was always be the guy that is pushing himself further and getting others to do the same. Every job after that made me a manager.

There is something to be said for thinking out of the box, but on a lot of these places, its just not worth it. They are sleazy and second rate and you end up looking back saying what a waste of precious time.

Sorry..rambly post.

Wow, I had no idea people were so corrupt. Seems like I need to steer clear of Craigslist.
Posted via RS Mobile

[Gridlock]

Originally Posted by BossFrancis

Wow, I had no idea people were so corrupt. Seems like I need to steer clear of Craigslist.
Posted via RS Mobile

Not at all. I advertise for work on craigslist, and buy cars, car parts and furniture and all kinds of crap on craigslist. I advertise jobs available on craigslist too.

The key is you need to scan through these "work from home" and "be a baller selling cheap chinese shit door to door" ads that as I said above just chew through humans looking for people to pimp their shit.

If you can work hard, and deal well with people and be open to learning and not being a young punk that thinks at 18 he knows it all, there are all kinds of places that want to hire you.

That's what I learned when I shut up, started absorbing information and put my nose down and actually worked hard.