The Interview...

So on Tuesday 3-15-2011, I was to be at Silver Leaf resorts in Canyon Lake Texas for an interview. Donna and I had been talking and realized that if this job was a "go" it was going to result in some HUGE life changes for us.

If I am offered and take the job, I am going to have to move to the Canyon Lake area as its a 1 1/2 hour drive one way and to try and do that with gas prices and the inconvenience... It just wasn't the best solution. So, the best solution is to find a place to live THERE and we see each other on our days off.... Something small, something simple and someplace just to lay my head, close to where I work and get to it!

Neither of us like the idea of living apart but student loans are closing in, motorcycle payments, expenses....AND, I am going NUTS not having a job!! Retirement will never suit me!

So, we decided to just take it one step at a time and go to the interview... I was to be there at 10:00am.

As is pretty general with me, I was there at 9:30am and went to the front desk in the lobby area of the resort...Coat, tie, briefcase...I was READY! I would rather be 30 minutes early than 30 seconds late!

As I sat there, people started to flood into the lobby... This job is a job selling timeshares....This is kinda how it goes....

You sign up for a gift of some kind at HEB, Kroger, Wal-Mart, etc.... To get your gift, you have to go to this resort and listen to a 90 minute presentation to buy into the timeshares....Well, apparently a BUNCH of people like the gift idea because this room is flooded.

Now don't get me wrong, this place is absolutely AMAZING (http://www.silverleafresorts.com/resorts/hill-country-resort), its HUGE and it sits right on Canyon Lake...As a matter of fact, I had driven by this place many times thinking it was condos and saying "Man, those are nice, I could DEFINATELY live there.... I found it odd as I pulled into the parking lot that this is a place I have admired since I first saw it 10-15 years ago.

I love the area...New Braunfels is a GREAT town, River Road is one of my favorite places in Texas...Gruen Hall is just a few minutes away, Luckenbach is about 45 minutes away, the lake is magnificent, the river is amazing, it is in the hills....Man, I just have always loved this area.... Donna and I had even considered moving to this area a few times...

No accidents??

So as I sit in the lobby, the place continues to fill up and then I see a number of people in slacks, nice shirts, ties, etc....Go grab sheets of paper, call names, people stand up and they take them off to talk to them with a little white notebook that says "Hill Country Resort" on the cover.... Almost like a conveyor of people taking people....

I sit there and now its 10:45... For those of you that know me, to have a 10:00appt and to wait until 10:45 is absolutely INSANE for me and any other time I would have left by 10:30 but something was telling me to stay.

So I walked back up to the counter, explained to the snotty little spiky haired fat boy that I was scheduled for 10:00am by the director and was now waiting 45 minutes....

"Oh Sir, surely you dint talk to XXX....You must have talked to xxx, a recruiter."

"No, I talked directly to XXX and she set this time"

"Are you sure"

I felt like saying.... Look you asshole, do I look like I am fricking stupid? I know who I frickin talked to, just go tell her she is late...And quit being a frickin jackwagon before I slap that gel out your head!....

But I didn't....

"Yes, I am positive."

"OK well let me go tell her again."

10 minutes later, a large Hispanic man comes into the room and calls my name... I walk up to meet him and he extends his hand...

"Ted xxxxx, your brad?"

"Yes sir, nice to meet you"

"Just follow me, we will go talk for a minute"

We walk into this room and it is all small dining room tables with a salesman at each table going through their presentations with the people they had called... The room is packed!

"So, tell me what you do."

I went on and explained my education, Golden Intentions, etc....

"Why do you want to do this?"

"My friend Rudy xxxxx...."

"OH, I know Rudy"

"Well Rudy and I have been friends for a very long time...he has been trying to get me to come to work for him for years but I just refuse to leave the Hill Country. He says I am perfect for it, that I will do great, and he referred me here so here I am!"

"Great, when can you start?"

"uhhhhhhhhh....I.......uhhhhhhhhhh"

"How about next Tuesday?"

"uhhhhhhh...I....Uhhhhhhhhh.....Wait a minute man, I need some details on this...How it works, how I get paid, hours...things like that"

So he went on...Talking very fast (like a salesman)....

"You make xxx on your sales....you do this, you do that, you say this, you say that, you don't close, you just do this and do that....."

"OK, wait a minute....Listening to you and Rudy talk about this...Tell me, whats the downside?"

"You have to get ready to hear "NO" a lot....for every 10 no's you will get 2 yeses....You get 2 yeses a week and you will make xxxx a week...That simple....You make 10 yeses a month and you get 10% more" You have as many ups as you want and its up to you to take what you want...Each presentation is about 90 minutes and you will never do more than 4 presentations a day."

He went on and even mocked a typical sell and how it goes...He pointed out the major issues and then even explained how those issues wouldnt be my problem...when I ot to those, I get a manager and they handled those issues.

He explained there is no cutthraots like the car busines, its all up to the individual and explained how easy it was.... I have to train for three days, ride along with a salesman on the 4th day and then I am on my own....I have to learn a script and once I get the script down, its all about personality.

"So, when do you want to start?"

"Well, I need to get a place to live here so next week is a little soon...Can you give me 2 weeks?"

"Yup, 2 weeks....Tuesday the 29th, 9:00am, right here, shirt and tie, professional....get ready to get started....4 days and then you are on your own!"

"Look man, I just want to ask you.... I have a home, I am established in Kerrville, I am thinking about seperating from my family, uprooting myself and moving here...Is this gunna be worth it?"

"Hell yes its worth it....This is the easiest sales job in the world...You learn the script, don't get in the way, you will make money.... Brad, you see that woman over my shoulder?"

I looked and say a young blonde woman giving a presentation...maybe 30 years old.... and I nodded...

"She was a teacher...Was waiting tables at night to make ends meet...Working her butt off and still not making it.... Brad, she is making 6 figures a year!  I have been in sales all my life and this is the easiest shit I have ever sold.... Its easy man, you just have to be able to hear NO and if you can handle that, then you will be fine...Your educated, your professional...You will be fine!"

"OK man, lets do it!"

"OK, C-Ya on the 29th...you got my name, call me if you need anything!"

We stood up, shook hands and he was off...

I walked out of the building and felt like I just got off a rollercoaster...My head was spinning, my stomach was in knots, I was scared, confused...HOLY SHIT!! What had I just done!!??

I drove off and went about a block and I had to pull over into a parking lot to catch my breath....

I called Donna...

"I got the job"

"ALRIGHT!! You like it?"

"I don't know, I am a little overwhelmed right now....Not sure how I feel but my stomach is twisted"

and I went on to tell her the details.... I took a deep breath and said....

"Oh man, now its time for the big shift...Guess I need to find a place....Holy shit babe...Here we go...The ride is on!!"

I hung up with her and called Rudy....

"OK Rudy, I got the job, I sart the 29th"

"Sweet man, I am excited for ya!"

"Dude, I gotta tell ya, I am scared bro!"

"Trick, you used to have fools shooting at you, trying to run you down with cars and stab you with knives and THIS Scares you!?"

"I know what to do when fools shoot at me...I don't know what to do here."

"Look Brad, you will be fine man...really brother, you are MADE for this....I have said it for years....You are going to fly man...I bet in 6 months you will be in managment....Just get in, pay attention to the training and learn the script....It will take you a couple of weeks and once you get comfortable with the script, you turn on your personality and brother, you are gunna kill it!! I have friggin idiots that have sold this shit man...it sells itself, you will see!!"

"Well Rudy, I will tell you right now...The ONLY thing I am going on in this moment is that I trust you...THATS IT!"

"Your gunna be fine bro...I promise! You will be thanking me in a month!"

So we chatted a bit and then I got back on the road and just gave myself some windshield time to think about all that was taking place....new job, me moving, etc....

By the time I got home, I realized the worst case scenerio....

"I hate it, it doesnt work, I come home.... I pay 3-4k for the move and expenses and if it doesnt work out, thats all that is lost... Lesson learned!!

I have spent A LOT more money on lessons learned before!!!

SO now it ws time to find a place to live....