Commission Based Jobs

[darkshadow0001]

So I got accepted at a commisisoned-based jobs where I go to businesses and homes to sell a product. I told I may not be interested, and that I would let them know if I decide to take it or not. Has anyone ever attempted any of these kinds of jobs and is it even worth it? Do they really deliver what they promise?

 

[RoJoHen]

Ugh, I would never take a commission-based job unless there was also a base salary that I could live off of. Way too risky.

 

[farmkid]

It wasn't commission, but for the last couple of years of my undergrad days and while I was working on my M.S., I had a job doing plastic fabrication for a local small company (really small, it was the owner, me and one other guy) making a foot pedicure tool out of plexiglass. I wasn't paid by the hour, but on a piece-rate. I got a certain amount for each unit I made, so it was kind of like working on commission. I couldn't have asked for a better student job. Because I was paid on a piece-rate, my pay per hour increased as I got better at it and as I streamlined the process and built better tools/jigs to make it more efficient. By the time I left, I could earn about $30/hour. I can't say anything about your job in particular, but jobs like this can work very well if you're good at it.

 

[darkshadow0001]

Well I lost a job I had recently and I did get another, but it it's just delivering papers. Not really what I want, but it's some money. I saw this commissioned-based job in the paper yesterday and gave it a shot, the Interview went well but I understand about no base-pay. Not sure if I like that stuff.

 

[farmkid]

I delivered newspapers for about a year while I was working on my Ph.D. I actually kind of enjoyed doing it, but the pay was horrible and the sleep deprivation meant I couldn't do much else.

 

[darkshadow0001]

The route I have sounds pretty easy. It seems like all I have to do is put the paper in the tube, I may not even have to get out of my car which is fine by me.

 

[Lindley]

I did Vector Marketing for a summer, selling CUTCO knives. It was decent enough as a sales job; the part I didn't like was having to go after new presentations by phone. (At least they're good knives.)

Did it pay well? Not by real-job standards, but it was nice by summer-job standards.

Would I do another commission-based job? Only if I don't have to develop customers by phone. If they're the ones initiating contact, that's fine.

 

[Holdfast]

Very few people are good salesmen. Most people in retail are dreadful.

It requires a fairly unique blend of skills: good communication skills, the ability to helicopter up & down from the nitty-gritty detail to your overarching negotiation strategy, patience, self-motivation, confidence and presentability. (It's no different from the skills required for politics, negotiation, and any number of other jobs involving the public, just that the ends are slightly different).

Before choosing to do this kind of job, see if you can shadow someone who is genuinely good and imagine whether you can see yourself in that role.

On a less serious note, one of the most hilarious ever sales pep talks...

Spoiler: WARNING: NSFW language!

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI[/yt]

 

[TremblingBluStar]

As a therapist, my pay is sort of commission based in that I make more when I have more clients, and less when I have fewer clients. It has advantages in that I'm making quite a bit when I have a full case load (15-20 clients). Sometimes, however, I'd rather get paid a salary that I earn no matter how many clients I serve. Even though I probably wouldn't make as much during busy months, it would be a consistent paycheck I could rely on.

 

[Holdfast]

As a therapist, my pay is sort of commission based in that I make more when I have more clients, and less when I have fewer clients. It has advantages in that I'm making quite a bit when I have a full case load (15-20 clients). Sometimes, however, I'd rather get paid a salary that I earn no matter how many clients I serve. Even though I probably wouldn't make as much during busy months, it would be a consistent paycheck I could rely on.

I do fee-for-service work within a self-employed framework these days too, but really wouldn't want to go back to being a salaried employee. The flexibilty and greater sense of efficiency (less paperwork, higher eqv. hourly rate) is definitely worth the predictability trade-off for me. The unpredictably is lessened once you develop (and cultivate) a wide network of people willing to give you work. This does mean sacrifices elsewhere, like being willing to occasionally do some hours that others might consider in order to build up goodwill, but overall it pays off as you can work less overall and build a pattern of work that suits your lifestyle.

Of course, it's not for everyone, which kind of echoes my advice upthread about the OP shadowing someone who's really good at it so they can see whether it suits their way of working/living.

 

[Snaploud]

It's probably going to take you a couple years to get the hang of it (assuming you ever do). Expect your bank account to take a beating early on. That's the advice I got back in college, anyway. I haven't tried such jobs personally.

 

[Holdfast]

It's probably going to take you a couple years to get the hang of it (assuming you ever do). Expect your bank account to take a beating early on.

Talking of the money side of things, remember to set enough aside for the taxman, depending on exactly how you're getting paid!

 

[spooky spice]

So I got accepted at a commisisoned-based jobs where I go to businesses and homes to sell a product. I told I may not be interested, and that I would let them know if I decide to take it or not. Has anyone ever attempted any of these kinds of jobs and is it even worth it? Do they really deliver what they promise?

Wouldn't touch it with a bargepole - you become dependant on making a sale and become that guy no one answers the door to.

 

[Tiberius Jim]

I wouldn't take it. After I was laid off when my workplace went out of business I interviewed with a marketing company that went to various retail stores and setup a booth to sell products. It was pure commission and I only got paid if I signed people up for whatever service we were repping that month. I actually got the job, but luckily was offered an interview (and ultimately offered a position) with a retail store that offered base pay and sales commission...as well as turned out to be the place where I met my fiancee. Moral of the story...turn down a commission sales job, find love.

 

[JRS]

I did was selling magazines via phone for about two weeks once..and I basically did not make almost no money at all,
thus I decided to quit.
So my advice is to avoid commission based jobs, unless you feel you would be really good at doing what they ask.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I've done them. They suck ass. Won't do them again.

 

[Holdfast]

I've done them. They suck ass.

I thought you were into that sort of thing?!

 

[RoJoHen]

I've done them. They suck ass.

I thought you were into that sort of thing?!

There is a time and a place.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

On a less serious note, one of the most hilarious ever sales pep talks...

I don't even have to open this to have a good idea what it is.

"I drove an $80,000 BMW here tonight, you drove a Hyundai!"

Am I right?

I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to issue a "pep talk" like that...

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I've done them. They suck ass.

I thought you were into that sort of thing?!

Only when I'm getting paid.


Hourly, not commission.