Sigh, another missed opportunity

[dirt dame 559]

Last week I saw an ad for a motorcycle shop that was looking for sales people. I sent my resume to them on a Monday, and they e-mailed me to say that they were interested in interviewing me on Friday. I was so excited that it was all I could think about all week long. Selling motorcycles was one of my dream jobs that I have been trying to get. I don't go after just any old thing anymore, as I have found that chasing after an ill suited, low paying, dead end job is a waste of time and a bigger waste if I get one of those jobs. So I have only been applying for things that I am well suited for.

Anyway, I went on this interview and talked to one person, passed that interview and got to talk to a sales manager, passed that interview and got to talk to a general manager. I thought that I was doing quite well till we started to wrap things up. The manager told me that he still had a whole bunch of other interviews left to do and that somebody would call me in a few days. Somehow, this did not sound good to me and I thought that the interview should have ended on a higher note than it did. I left the dealership at about 1:30 in the afternoon. It only took four hours for the polite and professional rejection e-mail to arrive. Mind you, these people weren't looking for just one sales person, they were looking for 4 or 5 salespeople.

Needless to say, I was very disappointed. I can't understand why three professional people couldn't see the talent, quality and good attitude I was projecting. I didn't give them any BS and was very upbeat and assured them that I would enjoy soaking up all the product knowledge that I would be having to learn about new models, and that I understood the sales process of selling vehicles. But whatever I said, it just didn't cut it with them. As a former manager, I used to interview applicants and I know if I had to interview me, I'd snap me up for a sales job. I've seen some pretty poor choices for salespeople at that shop in the recent past, so I think that they could use somebody like me.

There, I am done with my rant. Time to continue looking for a good employment match.

[paulmbowers 236]

Sorry to hear about your experience. You must be pretty frustrated. I could roll out the old clichés, but it would likely make it worse. But If I owned a shop, I'd hire you- does that help?

p

[dirt dame 559]

No, but thanks anyway.

[dirt dame 559]

On a brighter note, I should probably be charitable and get each one of those good folks a white cane with a red tip. :lol:

[RogerTOWM 0]

On a brighter note, I should probably be charitable and get each one of those good folks a white cane with a red tip. :lol:

Mimi do send them a each a nice thank you card. So when the deadbeat they do hire doesn't work out they will come crawling back to you. I would buy a bike from you! Oh that's right I already did.

[dirt dame 559]

Mimi do send them a each a nice thank you card. So when the deadbeat they do hire doesn't work out they will come crawling back to you. I would buy a bike from you! Oh that's right I already did.

I did send them a nice thank you back with my rejection e-mail.

There's a saying and I don't know if it's old or not, but it goes something like this; It's easier to teach somebody to sell products than it is to teach them to have a good attitude or be truthful. Who really knows what is going through the minds of interviewers or what key strange response will trip their hire-o-meter. There's lot of experienced salespeople out there, but that doesn't mean that they are all good salespeople. I'm beginning to think that I truly am too old for anybody to want to hire.

[forrest1 0]

I'm beginning to think that I truly am too old for anybody to want to hire.

You're not too old. I suspect that us baby boomers are the behind the purchases of most new bikes, even if they might be for our kids/grandkids. And especially the higher-end stuff like adventure bikes. You have a huge amount of knowledge and experience, and a huge number of friends that ride and would buy bikes from you. I don't want to buy a bike from a kid who was only 6 years old when my current bike was brand new.

The people that interviewed you screwed up, IMHO.

[dirt dame 559]

Not only that, but I let the GM know that I belonged to a prominent local riding group that had nearly 900 members on-line. To think that a top manager could throw away an opportunity to acquire a valuable employee to reach out to such a large and diverse body of motorcycle riders and boost sales numbers, well, I don't think that I need to explain much about what I think of that. He would have had free advertising, as I could have been celebrating my new sales position and plugging their dealership here on the website. Maybe he just hadn't had his afternoon cup of coffee and wasn't thinking terribly clearly.

[paulmbowers 236]

Talking social media to m/c dealerships has not yet reached it's point of understanding. Both car and cycle dealers are WAY behind the curve in promotional activities. An old college friend runs a major high-end dealership in town for a BIG car industry powerhouse. And you look at their websites- it's PITIFUL.

[roostingu 0]

On the same note, maybe this is a place we should avoid, noting the bad judgement?

[paulmbowers 236]

Ah!

Social media backlash...

[dirt dame 559]

I don't think that this dealership is frequented by the members of this board. If so, it didn't make the A list of discussed dealerships in some of the threads that deal with SDAR members dealership experiences. Motorcycle dealerships can get a lot better mileage out of customer word of mouth than any advertising or sales pressure. And they can get either axed or applauded on public forums. I don't think that dealerships in general have thought too much about that so far.

[roostingu 0]

I don't think that this dealership is frequented by the members of this board. If so, it didn't make the A list of discussed dealerships in some of the threads that deal with SDAR members dealership experiences. Motorcycle dealerships can get a lot better mileage out of customer word of mouth than any advertising or sales pressure. And they can get either axed or applauded on public forums. I don't think that dealerships in general have thought too much about that so far.

very diplomatic

is this an obamanation?

[cardiffchris 0]

"I don't go after just any old thing anymore, as I have found that chasing after an ill suited, low paying, dead end job is a waste of time and a bigger waste if I get one of those jobs. So I have only been applying for things that I am well suited for"

You can lead a horse to water.........

[dirt dame 559]

You can lead a horse to water.........

But you can't make him think.

[cardiffchris 0]

I'm thinking I'm going to cash my paycheck on Monday

Seriously Mimi:

Put an ad in Craigslist, and start working on motorcycles in your garage and do a mobile motorcycle service operation.

You have the tools and the knowhow, the craigslist ad is free.

There are more people than ever who have bikes, and there are waiting lines for service at all the shops i have been to.

Paging Mimi: Your new career is calling.

stop looking for a job and start your own business.

I'm just THINKING out loud.

[trailtracker 0]

Bahhh! You had to go through three people including a general manager? Sounds almost like a car dealership. I'll bet it's some big corporate store that has more than one dealership and they have some stupid business model and structure that won't allow them to think outside the box when it comes to hiring people. That's why they keep making the same mistakes over and over and hiring "tools" instead of serious creative sales people that aren't jaded. I've been a dealership like that in North County and I bet it's the same one that you are talking about. You're too good for them, if it is.

[dirt dame 559]

I'm never too good to prove that I can do the job and make some money.

[cardiffchris 0]

I have friend right now who has a TW200 that needs:

Tires mounted,carb cleaned & tuned, kickstart return spring replaced & brakes inspected or replaced & new battery installed.

For someone with the tools & knowhow it looks like a day's work for some easy labor $$$

The bike's owner knows less than nothing and would appreciate a mobile mechanic.

You could tear it apart in his yard or yours.

PM me if you are interested.

I have numerous Scooter Club friends who would pay for the same similar service.

[christi20 0]

If I had a position open, I would certainly hire you Mimi! Keep your chin up.

[RangerDan 0]

You are better off finding out how they really run their business "now" instead of getting hired on and then you end up getting treated like you know what. If they only put 3-4 hours into your evaluation before they call you up and give you the thumbs down...can you imagine what they would do during regular employee interactions with you?

Don't even look back at them...

[trailtracker 0]

You are better off finding out how they really run their business "now" instead of getting hired on and then you end up getting treated like you know what. If they only put 3-4 hours into your evaluation before they call you up and give you the thumbs down...can you imagine what they would do during regular employee interactions with you?

Don't even look back at them...

See there? Just like I was saying, your'e too good for them. I always enjoyed buying my fishing stuff from you over at that store you used to manage, and I know you'd make any shopping experience good for anybody. By the way, that place went down the toilet bowl after you left. Those guys don't know nuthin' over there and the the shelves are practically bare. I don't even shop there any more.

[dirt dame 559]

Thanks for all the words of support, views and ideas, guys and gal .