anyone need a new driveway? Call Burlington Paving
I know this is long, but worth the read...
As many of you know, I am less then satisfied with my profession. "Well" I thought, "this is something I should change." Someday I hope to get married, but as I like to say, "Good job, then good wife". Therefore, it is time to leave the blue collar sector for something with a challenge (other then waking up at 4am), something with fulfillment, something that I could use my brains for. After a couple failed inquiries and applications, I had an interview. The company was looking for a salesperson with construction experience. I had grown up on a farm, worked at a woodshop for almost five years, did landscaping for 2, framing for one and worked with asphalt etc for the past two. It seemed like a natural progression; use what I know to springboard into something i would enjoy more. It seemed like fate; the secretary called me on Friday morning when we were rained out anyways, and the boss wanted to see me that day. So off I went to his house to meet him.
So I get to this guy's place, and he's full of tattoos etc and dressed like a complete bum. Within the first 10 words out of this guy's mouth the Lord's name was taken in vain; which I hate more than just about anything. We chat for a while, after which a client comes, and he invites me to sit in on the meeting. "This is an important client" he says. "They flip houses every month". To flip houses means you buy a house, fix it up a bit and re-sell it. Everything seems pretty cool, he tries to get the client to trust him, talks about saving them money, etc. Everything goes successfully, and he was a 7000-10,000 job. Good for him. She leaves, and he takes me on the road to talk about the job.
We climb into his absolutely filthy Jeep Cherokee, and he begins to tell me about the job. "I want you to make lots of money which makes me alot of money" he begins. "What I did with that client is what you will do. That job will cost 5000 dollars. However, I tell her 10,000, so 7,000 sounds good. Therefore, I have 2000 to play with."
Hmm....I think...sounds kinda sketchy.
"We want to attack the asphalt market" he continues in his French accent. "We have a great deal on asphalt right now. An average driveway will cost a few hundred dollars to pave. Then we try to get the curbs, landscaping etc. The goal is to get into the house, renovations are where the money is." Now I am pretty sure I do not want this job. However, what can I do? I'm driving around with this guy and another guy that started the day before. Little do I know it's going to get worse.
We stop at Home Depot to pick up some 6x6's for a job, and off we are again. "You are given a grid to work" he explains. "What you want to do is drive to a street, and walk up and down the street. Look for damaged driveways, leaking eavestrophes or a roof that needs to be replaced. If you find one, write up a quote and drop it in the mailbox. If someone calls, drop everything you are doing and go see that client. You will recieve 3% commission on all your sales. The first person to $50,000 in sales will get $1000 cash." By this time, I am absolutely sure I do not want this job and just want to get to my car and leave. However, we had just arrived at the jobsite, and he was getting ready to work.
It was 4:00, I didn't want the job, and just wanted to go home. The jobsite was two blocks away from my house, but my car was way up the mountain. This shyster was my only way back up there. "I've been down the next street" he says. "For fun, head down there and see how much work needs to be done". I had the ticket I needed. The other salesperson and I headed down the street talking about what a load of crap this job was and what an ass the boss was. It was then that I had an inspiration: maybe Laura or someone else with a car is at my house! If that was the case, I'd head home then and there. No one was, so we headed back to the jobsite, making up numbers of houses that needed to be fixed on the way. He bought the numbers, and began talking about commitment. I realized I had to tell him I wasn't interested then and there, before he made up buisness cards for me. I told him, and he didn't seem impressed and asked "What made you change your mind?" What was I to choose? It could be his personality, philosophy, quality of work (the retaining wall they were working on was leaning way over) or just the fact I didn't trust him. However, I diplomatically said I didn't realize the pay was based on commission and I needed the security of a steady paycheck. He then took me back up the mountain (they were out of stakes anyways) and we shook hands and went our separate ways. Moral of the story
Do not get your driveway done by some general contractor...most of them will just try to squeeze extra dollars out of you for things you do not need. Call someone like Burlington Paving who will pave the driveway and get the heck out of there.
As many of you know, I am less then satisfied with my profession. "Well" I thought, "this is something I should change." Someday I hope to get married, but as I like to say, "Good job, then good wife". Therefore, it is time to leave the blue collar sector for something with a challenge (other then waking up at 4am), something with fulfillment, something that I could use my brains for. After a couple failed inquiries and applications, I had an interview. The company was looking for a salesperson with construction experience. I had grown up on a farm, worked at a woodshop for almost five years, did landscaping for 2, framing for one and worked with asphalt etc for the past two. It seemed like a natural progression; use what I know to springboard into something i would enjoy more. It seemed like fate; the secretary called me on Friday morning when we were rained out anyways, and the boss wanted to see me that day. So off I went to his house to meet him.
So I get to this guy's place, and he's full of tattoos etc and dressed like a complete bum. Within the first 10 words out of this guy's mouth the Lord's name was taken in vain; which I hate more than just about anything. We chat for a while, after which a client comes, and he invites me to sit in on the meeting. "This is an important client" he says. "They flip houses every month". To flip houses means you buy a house, fix it up a bit and re-sell it. Everything seems pretty cool, he tries to get the client to trust him, talks about saving them money, etc. Everything goes successfully, and he was a 7000-10,000 job. Good for him. She leaves, and he takes me on the road to talk about the job.
We climb into his absolutely filthy Jeep Cherokee, and he begins to tell me about the job. "I want you to make lots of money which makes me alot of money" he begins. "What I did with that client is what you will do. That job will cost 5000 dollars. However, I tell her 10,000, so 7,000 sounds good. Therefore, I have 2000 to play with."
Hmm....I think...sounds kinda sketchy.
"We want to attack the asphalt market" he continues in his French accent. "We have a great deal on asphalt right now. An average driveway will cost a few hundred dollars to pave. Then we try to get the curbs, landscaping etc. The goal is to get into the house, renovations are where the money is." Now I am pretty sure I do not want this job. However, what can I do? I'm driving around with this guy and another guy that started the day before. Little do I know it's going to get worse.
We stop at Home Depot to pick up some 6x6's for a job, and off we are again. "You are given a grid to work" he explains. "What you want to do is drive to a street, and walk up and down the street. Look for damaged driveways, leaking eavestrophes or a roof that needs to be replaced. If you find one, write up a quote and drop it in the mailbox. If someone calls, drop everything you are doing and go see that client. You will recieve 3% commission on all your sales. The first person to $50,000 in sales will get $1000 cash." By this time, I am absolutely sure I do not want this job and just want to get to my car and leave. However, we had just arrived at the jobsite, and he was getting ready to work.
It was 4:00, I didn't want the job, and just wanted to go home. The jobsite was two blocks away from my house, but my car was way up the mountain. This shyster was my only way back up there. "I've been down the next street" he says. "For fun, head down there and see how much work needs to be done". I had the ticket I needed. The other salesperson and I headed down the street talking about what a load of crap this job was and what an ass the boss was. It was then that I had an inspiration: maybe Laura or someone else with a car is at my house! If that was the case, I'd head home then and there. No one was, so we headed back to the jobsite, making up numbers of houses that needed to be fixed on the way. He bought the numbers, and began talking about commitment. I realized I had to tell him I wasn't interested then and there, before he made up buisness cards for me. I told him, and he didn't seem impressed and asked "What made you change your mind?" What was I to choose? It could be his personality, philosophy, quality of work (the retaining wall they were working on was leaning way over) or just the fact I didn't trust him. However, I diplomatically said I didn't realize the pay was based on commission and I needed the security of a steady paycheck. He then took me back up the mountain (they were out of stakes anyways) and we shook hands and went our separate ways. Moral of the story
Do not get your driveway done by some general contractor...most of them will just try to squeeze extra dollars out of you for things you do not need. Call someone like Burlington Paving who will pave the driveway and get the heck out of there.
posted by daryl at 3:40 PM
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3 Comments:
thanks daryl. you're always looking out for us.
Ha, I had an interview that was all wacked-out once too. These people wanted me to quit my job, and then work for a company that was on strike. They told me it was a little risky, as the striking workers could be "somewhat violent" or do things like key my car.
doesn't burlington paving do work for AP?
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