I made a mistake...I think.

Wow, I can't believe that it's been so long since I last posted. I mean, damn. It ain't like I've been too busy or anything. LOL! Actually, I have been a tad bit busy. You know, looking for jobs and all. And low and behold, I did find one. I found one...and then I quit. I mean, I didn't even had a chance to work it, and then I just walk away and quit. I know what you're thinking. "Girl, what in the hell is wrong with YOU?!?" I don't know, but this seems to be a pattern in me. A pattern that I cannot afford to keep any longer. But, with this job, I was a bit dubious about it. When I first went there, and after I filled out my application, I was told that this job was a "general labor" job. The job would be to clean carpets. I thought "Cool, I can dig that. I no longer have to deal with whiny and complaining customers. All I have to do is clean, and the only people I would have do deal with is my co-workers. I can clean while listening to my MP3 player. What a dream job. And it pays $400.00 a week? A WEEK? Shit, sign me up". So, after I was talking to human resources, and ultimately, my boss, I was told to call in the following week to see when I can start. I called in the following Monday and was told to come in for a second interview on Wednesday. I was so excited. I mean, $400.00 dollars a week just for cleaning carpets? To find a good paying jobs where they would train you and you don't have to sell anything was like a dream come true. I was going to make sure my ass would be there. Well, I went to that second interview. After I arrived, there were a lot of other people arriving. I mean, LOT of people. So, I thought, "Oh, this must be a group interview." Well, we got up stairs to this room. The guy that interviewed me was up there talking. One of the first things that he asked was "Anyone ever heard about Kirby ( a vacuum cleaner)?" A lot of people started going, "Oh." He says that his company sells kirbies. This is how the scenario would go. The general labor person (i.e me, and everyone else in the room) would go to people's homes and clean and shampoo their carpet. Then, 2 hours later, the "manager (salesperson)" would come and to sale the Kirby to the prospect. I thought, "Fine, whatever, just as long as I don't have to sale anything." The keyword here is "sale". He told us that he isn't going to have us sale anything. All we have to do is show up and clean shampoo their carpet. This what he told us in the first interview. He said that after 90 days, we would all be promoted to manager (aka salesperson). But, for now, we would just be "cleaning carpets." Then he went into the economic status of Michigan. He was talking about the lack of jobs and all. Well, the first (second, whatever) interview was about an hour and a half long. He told us to come back tomorrow for another "interview." This time it would be by his brother-in-law who makes millions a year. So, the next day I ended up going. Then, at that meeting, he started telling us that he makes $20,000 a week. He just started talking about himself and all the houses he has. So, then he went and just reiterated what we were told the day before. Then we had another interview the next day (Friday). The thing with these interviews was that it was getting more and more apparent that we would not just be "cleaning carpets". We were told that we would not be selling. We would just be cleaning carpets. But, with each subsequent meeting, and the more details we got, it seems that we would be doing more then that. We would be doing more than just cleaning carpets. not only would we have to clean carpets, were told to do a baking soda test to show the homeowner that the Kirby will pick up more of the baking soda then their vacuum. Then, we were told that we would have to go into there bedroom and do a mattress and pillow test. Now, even with just that, I was very uncomfortable doing. Then, we were to demonstrate the attachments. THEN that is when we start to shampoo their carpet. Not only that, we were being taught sale techniques. Now, at first I thought that they were teaching us these for if we were to become sales people. But no. They were giving us "sale clinchers" to say while we are cleaning their carpet. That's when I thought, "Oh hell no," and agitated the pavement. Another thing is that you would be an independent contractor, NOT an employee. That means that they could have us out as late as they want, and we would not get paid overtime. Plus, with being an independent contractor, you have to pay your own taxes. Taxes would not be withheld from your checks. So, if you were to do fifteen houses per week, you would get exactly $400.00 dollars a week. Even that made me a bit uneasy. I read about being an independent contractor. And it seems to me that the people at Kirby should be considered employees and not independent contractors. They do train you, and plus, you are using their equipment. *sigh* I don't know. But, that day that I left, I found myself wondering if I made a mistake walking out. I really felt bad for inconspicuously walking out without notice. I believe that Kirby is the best vacuum cleaner/shampooer out there. But, just the thought of going into strangers home made me uncomfortable. And I am sure that they would feel just as uncomfortable having me there as I was being there. And to find out that I would actually be the one selling and demonstrating for a few hours (yes, hours) while the "manager" comes in to either close the sale or not made me feeling a bit upset. I would be the one pushing the sale by demonstrating and using sale clinchers. After I'm done, they just come in and do whatever. Plus, as I've stated, it's independent contractor. But, it was a job. Something that I really needed. But now, something in me is telling me that I might have done the right thing. But, on that day that I walked out, it sure didn't feel like it.