Have I completely screwed my future?

"BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather" (bugeyedacura) 01/21/2015 at 21:04 • Filed to: None

0

55

Ive now spent 7 months selling cars, split between 2 dealerships. Before that I did a year in Inside Sales at Dell. Before that, I did a month at a dealership in their BDC. These are just the jobs I've had since graduating college. I don't feel like anything I've done has been conducive or helpful to my career or future. Am I stuck?

PowderHound > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:06

1

did you go to school for business?

Boxer_4 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:07

0

What did you go to school for, and what would you ultimately like to be doing?

Steve in Manhattan > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:08

2

Lots of people just out of college haven't even found a job. After the Great Recession, I think reasonable employers will understand that you had to take jobs you might not in better times. And short term jobs (a few weeks, a month) can mysteriously disappear from your resume ....

Brian Silvestro > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:09

1

Try applying at places like Porsche/Rolls-Royce/Bentley/Lotus/Aston Martin/ NOBLE /Jaguar/McLaren/Ferrari/Lamborghini/Maserati/Audi/BMW/Mercedes/etc. since you have all that experience selling things

or is that not how it works, seriously I'm clueless

Leadbull > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:10

1

I know a guy named Davy who says you should drop the car gig and sell your soul, instead.

MIATAAAA > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:13

0

What career do you want?

Tinfoil Hat in a thunderstorm, now with added diecast > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:13

1

If your future is in car sales your on the right path ; )

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:31

1

I have an IT background, degree, minimal experience. Before I landed the job I have now I spent nearly 4 YEARS selling cellphones for a particular big red corporation. Know how great "Retail Sales Rep" looks on an application for IT work? Yeah, exactly. But I played it up and stressed how even though I fucking hated every minute of it - I was damn good at it.

So for your case you have college and you have work experience in what I'm assuming is a pretty difficult industry to succeed in. Use it to your advantage and kick some ass. Also:

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Brian Silvestro 01/21/2015 at 21:38

0

You need more car experience for that. And I'm already at Cadillac. Those would be my next step if I wanted to switch brands again.

Brian Silvestro > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:39

0

I mean Jaguar salesperson does not sound like a bad job

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 01/21/2015 at 21:40

0

Thanks man! I appreciate it. And I'm glad you found a better job :)

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Steve in Manhattan 01/21/2015 at 21:41

0

How do you explain a missing month on your resume?

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Leadbull 01/21/2015 at 21:41

2

I was gonna. But then it turned into a fiddle contest. And I got to keep it and this awesome fiddle.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Boxer_4 01/21/2015 at 21:43

0

My degree is in Information Systems and Operations Management. And I would ultimately like to be in IT either ad a Project Management, or eventually in IT Management.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > PowderHound 01/21/2015 at 21:45

0

I did. My degree is in Information Systems and Operations Management.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > MIATAAAA 01/21/2015 at 21:45

0

Either Project Management or IT Management eventually.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Tinfoil Hat in a thunderstorm, now with added diecast 01/21/2015 at 21:46

0

So far it's not my favorite...

Tinfoil Hat in a thunderstorm, now with added diecast > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:48

1

Chin up, focus on your goal and kick the shit of of it!

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Brian Silvestro 01/21/2015 at 21:51

0

It still has the same issues:

- you're never truly "off"

- you can have 15 hour days where you only make $100

- you can have weeks where you make no money

- your manager thinks any time there's a slow few days, its because you're all a bunch on no-good lazy sumbitches.

Brian Silvestro > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:54

0

well at least they'll send their salespeople to drive Jaguars though

Steve in Manhattan > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 21:56

2

If one job covers only part of one month, and the new job started the same month, you can take it out. I do contract work, and my resume reads like this: Law Firm, job type (Sept 2006 - October 2006).

wafflesnfalafel > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 22:03

2

Sales is a valuable skill to have. Many folks are not good at it. And do not discount it's value when you are looking at other options. It is a sought after skill in management no mater what you are doing. That said - get the experience and move on. It's not a long term career path.

mazda616 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 22:19

1

Going to college can be utterly pointless depending on your local economy and job market. Hell, I have a Bachelor's Degree and I work a dead end cubicle job making $11.20 an hour...cuz it was literally all that was available aside from retail or fast food. Our job market is beyond patch I and I can't move due to family reasons. Sucks. So, I feel your pain, bro.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > wafflesnfalafel 01/21/2015 at 22:29

0

I definitely don't want it to be...

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > mazda616 01/21/2015 at 22:31

0

I'm sorry to hear that man. What's the economy like for your area? Where I'm originally from, $11.20/hour wasn't an insult, just slightly below average. But up here in NoVa, it's next to nothing.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 22:33

2

Nah, you're never stuck. I split a year and a half between three dealerships and then got a job delivering and servicing medical equipment. Then I went to my current job, working for a company that makes hydraulic hoses. The key, to me, is to not pay too much attention to "requirements" when applying for a job. If you've got 75% and think you're a good fit, go for it. My dad has done a lot of hiring in his life, he told me candidates they hire rarely tick every box.

But get out of car sales. It's a tiring, thankless job and doesn't pay enough unless you're the top guy there.

shop-teacher > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 22:34

1

No, you have not screwed your future. You haven't been stripping cars for drug money. You've been working sales for legitimate companies, in multiple industries.

I've been through the job hunting ringer myself, and the rejection can really get to you. Keep digging, you'll get something better eventually!

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 22:43

1

start applying for IT jobs then. where are you located?

s2000ap1 > shop-teacher 01/21/2015 at 22:49

1

BugEye

I just responded with a long post explaining I was in the same situation but it seems to have been deleted.

I live in NoVa. I work for Audi at the HQ building off the toll road. I can offer a ton of advice. Get in touch with me.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 01/21/2015 at 22:49

0

The thanklessness and uncertainty are the hardest part. Subjectiveness and the fact that everything is decided by how the wind blows stresses me out so much...

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > shop-teacher 01/21/2015 at 22:51

1

Thank you! The positive vibes really do help. Putting in 40-50 apps a week and hardly ever hearing back does start to weigh you down after a while...

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > s2000ap1 01/21/2015 at 22:53

0

I would love to work at HQ. I've applied so many times for the VW side, that's one of the reasons I ended up at Lindsay when I was looking for a start in car sales. The managers are really proud of their connections. How did you manage to get in?

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > s2000ap1 01/21/2015 at 22:56

0

It deleted my response just now as well.

I would love to work at HQ. I've applied so many times for the VW side (a few for Audi too) and just never had any luck. That's actually how I had ended up at Lindsay for a while, because the managers are really proud of their connection with corporate.

promoted by the color red > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/21/2015 at 22:58

1

I graduated college with a STEM degree in March and the only job I could land was delivering overpriced takeout to rich yuppies. Every offer was a rejection (and sometimes cruelly), but I took a chance on some temp gig that would at least give me some experience and I managed to get hired late last month.

Anyways, just keep trying and hit up Craigslist. There's a better chance you'll reach a real person behind the PC and not filtering software.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > itranthelasttimeiparkedit 01/21/2015 at 22:59

1

That's mainly what I've been applying for lately. I've been mounting a full-scale IT application war for the past few weeks. Nothing yet but here's hoping something hits. I'm in Northern VA.

MIATAAAA > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 01/21/2015 at 23:26

0

I was going to write a response, but this one pretty much covers anything I was going to say. :) Good luck!!!

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > s2000ap1 01/21/2015 at 23:45

0

It's eaten two of my responses too. I've tried applying to corporate so many times with no luck. That's actually how I ended up at Lindsay, because they're really proud of their relationship with corporate.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/22/2015 at 01:18

2

Drop me a line, since my new (since July) employer is big in Northern VA, they tend to hire referrals, and they are pretty strong into IT consulting.

orcim > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/22/2015 at 02:34

1

Dude(tte), really: The car thing can give you leg upin IT, but only if you highlight it. IT has a huge expectation of not dealing with customers, but that's not you - and if an IT manager wanted someone that was 1) competent but also 2) good with customers, guess what? You win.

Think about that. Seriously.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/22/2015 at 07:32

1

That's absolutely why I got out of it. You can do your job 100% correct, the customer loves you, but if they like somebody else's car better or if they get a better deal elsewhere, you get nothing. When I sold Volvo, I had a customer who didn't buy a car from me send me a card apologizing for leasing an Infiniti, which was $100 a month cheaper, so who could even blame them? Those people adored me, but didn't earn me a dime.

Some guys can make an awesome living selling cars, but I'm not one of them. That stuff gets to me.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully 01/22/2015 at 07:42

0

Awesome! What's the best way to contact you?

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 01/22/2015 at 07:44

0

Same here. You work so hard to build rapport and make the customer feel special. Then one little thing sends it all sideways.

s2000ap1 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/22/2015 at 08:59

0

I dont want to give out my email to all. Is there a way to private messeage me or give me your email and ill get in touch.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/22/2015 at 09:02

1

DancesWithRotors gmail.com

mazda616 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/22/2015 at 10:33

1

I'm pulling in $24,000 a year and my wife does about $35,000 a year. According to the last census information, the median income for a household in my city was $37,289, and the median income for a family was $41,333. The per capita income for the city was $21,183. So, we do okay.

There just aren't any jobs around here and the ones that are available don't pay anything. My employer is actually the #2 employer in the city (right behind the hospital) and one of the reasons they set up shop here is because it was so cheap and they could get away with paying such low wages.

Thankfully, the cost of living is pretty cheap. We paid $68,000 for our two bedroom house and it was move-in ready.

In all honesty, though, I really wish I wouldn't have wasted my time with college. I'd already be a supervisor or higher up where I work now if I had started working here right after high school. To get a job using your education, at least around here, you have to move to a big city. And I'm just not willing to do that since I am all the family my grandparents have around here.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > s2000ap1 01/22/2015 at 12:04

0

Not a problem, you can reach me at Bugeyedacura@gmail.com

William Byrd > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/22/2015 at 12:56

1

There we go. The tough part is starting at the bottom or fairly low. I'm sure you can find an IT job, but it's going to be entry level I assume. That was pretty easy when I started working in DC just out of college in the late 90s, no clue what it's like now. Around here, try and find a place where you get a security clearance. Opens up a lot more options.

Conan > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/22/2015 at 20:40

1

No. I did similar. You can go back to school or use family/contacts/Oppo (I saw!) to find something better.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Conan 01/22/2015 at 20:44

1

My Oppo family always does me good :)

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > orcim 01/22/2015 at 22:51

1

Yep. I'm an exec at an IT consulting firm and personality trumps tech every time when we hire. Does northern VA mean the DC area?

orcim > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/23/2015 at 00:00

1

This is a bump to make you read the previous reply to my last response to you from itranthelastitmeiparkedit.

orcim > itranthelasttimeiparkedit 01/23/2015 at 00:01

1

My rules for hiring (other than they wanna have the job.)

1) Do they have a light behind the eyes? Because no one is trained for any job, and will need to pick it up on the fly.

2) Would I want to drink beer with them? In tech at least, I'm probably going to spend more time with that employee than with my partner. Why would I want to do that with someone I don't like?

3) Everything else is academic.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > s2000ap1 01/23/2015 at 20:33

0

Hey buddy, I never heard from you. If the bugeyedacura email isn't working, try me at shawnsampson2013@gmail.com

PyramidHat > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/25/2015 at 23:44

1

Short answer: No. You're talking less than 2 years and I"m guessing you're right at 25, or so (based on the college comment).

Longer answer: Still, no, but more description. I've been in the working world for ~25 years. One thing I learned is that while I'm not doing the job I like now, I'm gaining some skill or experience that may get me closer to it. In your case, it's sales. Selling and general people interaction is a difficult to attain soft skill, but those that have it do well in life as they're able to persuade folks to...[buy their product, finance their project, give a raise, etc...]. This is in addition to some nuts and bolts business stuff.

What's really going to matter is how you plan to parlay this experience into the job you want that's in your field of training (by the by, what is your degree in?)

So, in closing: Relax - you're doing fine. In the words of Jamie Hyneman (saw him and Adam Savage give a talk a few years ago) "You have more time than you think."

Cheers.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > PyramidHat 01/26/2015 at 00:08

1

Thanks buddy. And my degree is in Information Systems and Operations Management. Basically a more business minded version of an MIS degree.