Tonight I needed to contact one of the first Sales Reps we (hubby and I) dealt with when we entered the biz. Was kinda strange because I remembered what impact she had on us then - FRESH NEWBIES - like newborns I tell you-holding on for dear life! We would go on the board and ask the silliest questions over and over again & she was always kind & helpful. No matter how many times we needed tips, answers, questions - things that were chinese to us - (but her tips worked, both in the program she took care of & in others too) she always did it with ease and a will to help.
It was strange because she was the 'inspiration' to applying for a full-time job as a sales rep at TopBucks. When we started, we thought, 'Rrred has a good life' works from home, goes to the office only when needed, spends quality time with her family, answers questions here and there - makes a few posts and she gets paid for it - travels to shows - meets all the players, WOW what a life.
Few years pass (about 5 years) and hubby & I find ourselves without a job at the same time (we worked together, company closed) and having to decide where do we go from here. So we build a paysite for him & quite frankly, I like submitting galleries & all that but I need constant interraction with people. He suggests I check who's hiring sales reps - 'you'd love that since you have experience, you love helping people & you're tired of dealing with me 24/7 - you need to chat with people all the time - it's perfect!' Remember Rrred? Damn she had the good life as a rep!
Anyhow - I was lucky as hell to be hired by TopBucks 4 months ago & although not as simple or easy as I had imagined - this job kicks ass. Helping people, finding solutions to what they want & what is possible, chatting with ( getting your knowledge tested by) some of the brightest minds in the industry, getting a thank you from someone who despises working with reps, this is all payback & recognition that compensates more than pay in the bank.
So everyone who thinks it's glamourous or just a 'figurehead' job, to look pretty and such (BTW, I'm far from pretty)
I say give it a try - being here 18-20 hours a day 'just in case' someone needs you because you worry for affiliates almost as much as your kids - that they may need you at a time you're not there, being the liaison between the company you work for and the affiliates you serve and finding a medium to get them what they want, when they want - it isn't as easy as it seems - BUT I LOVE IT!
I laughed when I thanked her but in all honesty, if she wasn't knowledgeable, helpful & devoted and the inspiration she was when we entered the industry, I don't think I would have been inclined to take on this position which I'm loving more everyday!
So thanks Rrred, for having been the inspiration & for your dedication to the 'newborns', that gave me the incentive to apply for this kickass job & although our paths may have crossed on boards here and there, there wasn't a way for you to recognize who I was yet you were always helpful - again, thanks for being there & representing the companies you worked for well!