A View from the Back Pew by Tim O'Donnell

Author:Tim O'Donnell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SCB Distributors

TAKING THE BAIT

Without a college degree, I began to look for work. I soon discovered that the only work I could get, other than labor or factory jobs, was a position in sales. That was fine with me; ever mindful of The Deal, I was attracted to jobs that boasted the most potential for income, and I knew that sales had a big upside.

At first, I was offered entry-level jobs at several stable companies that offered steady income but not grandiose opportunities. But I wasn’t looking for safety; I wanted a chance at the big money and I knew I was worth it. Then, in June of 1980, I ran into a very slick recruiter, and although he was vague about the work, I was attracted to his persona and his pitch. Tall and athletic with a deep, resonating voice and a pleasing, confident smile, Jock exuded the easy confidence of wealth. He wore a white button-down shirt with a stylish red silk tie in a half-Windsor knot so tight it bounced on his prominent Adam’s apple every time he spoke. The air of formality was tempered by a pair of sunglasses propped casually on the top of his head, laced through his dark, wavy hair. He reminded me of all those executives whose swimming pools I had cleaned the summer before Rome. I felt comfortable conversing with him, and I thought sure I’d made a strong impression on him too, so when he didn’t invite me back for a second interview, I called him to ask why.

My call startled him a little, but I could tell he appreciated my initiative. He explained that his company had found little success in recruiting college kids—that the work was aggressive direct sales, often in the inner city, and he was looking for people with a certain amount of street smarts. “You look a little soft,” he told me bluntly. I assured him I was hardier than I looked. I told him I’d just returned from a year abroad and meeting people and encountering new cultures didn’t intimidate me in the least. He may not have been convinced, but he was impressed.

On the day Jock set for my second interview, I was already scheduled to begin work at another company where I had actually been offered a job. So I turned down that offer—from a retail loan company called Household Finance Corporation that specialized in small consumer loans—and took a chance that I would impress Jock enough to become part of his sales team.

I was sent out for the day to “observe” the position with a rough-looking, tough-talking street kid from Pittsburgh named Sal, who began the day by lighting up a joint as we drove to his sales territory. The “territory,” it turned out, was a residential neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side, where he pulled up to the curb in his Mercury Capri and proceeded to hawk kitchenware out of the trunk. After the initial shock wore off, I started helping Sal

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