In Other Words

Positive Deception

If everything goes well I should have a new job tomorrow or the day after. I’ll still be harassing people over the phone, but with a more noble purpose (not that much, mind you) and a bigger salary (again, not terribly much).

I’ll be surveying people over the phone for the purpose of Market Research. Since I often look at the statistics from this type of market research, I feel that I am doing more good then when I was trying to sell things to people that really didn’t want it. Research, in my book, is still a step above Marketing. (With marketing research obviously falling somewhere in between.)

I walked into the company’s headquarters, not terribly far from where I lived and was asked to fill in a form. Then a woman, the head of recruitment, came out and spoke to me for a grand total of two minutes, before telling me that she would call me back on Thursday or Friday at the latest for training purposes and writing the word ‘good’ at the top of my half filled in form. Then she informed me that it wouldn’t be necessary to schedule me for an interview, as she had already seen me.

That all sounds pretty positive, right? I thought so, though I’m not counting any chickens yet. Still going to hand in my CV at a bookstore at the center of town. If they offer me a full time position, then I might well still prefer that to the survey job. It’s going to be a whole lot easier filling my hours among books and the written word than on a phone to random strangers who really don’t want to be bothered by the likes of me. Of course, that will probably be reflected in the salary.

Still, if they would employ me full time and let me read and write during that time, I would be pretty chuffed. I’ve never yet managed to find a job like that, where I’m just supposed to be there. For some reason I’ve always managed to land those jobs where you actually have to show definite results at the end of the day. I bet there is a real advantage to the retail industry, especially in ‘niche’ markets like bookstores.

I just even had an insight where I take a wall of the shop and write out reviews for the books in the store, thereby giving people that aren’t sure what they are looking for a good place of reference. Since I can pretty much plow through a new book in two to three days, I can have a review hanging ready in about one working week. Of course these types of ideas will make little difference if I can’t get a face to face interview, so lets first try for that.

Banana has helped me update my CV, so that should help. Let’s hope for the best, shall we? Walk into the bookshop expecting an interview, when I hand in my CV. Hell, even ask for it. That takes balls, but if well done might make an impact beyond the sheet of paper that I’m leaving behind. It’s hard to stick out with a flat piece of paper. That’s why I’m always that amazed by artists, who can create three dimensions in a two dimensional space. That’s all about illusions, really. Much like the rest of life.

posted by Symbol @ 4.5.05