Commissions only jobs - anybody with experience?
By TheRealDawn
@dawnald (85137)
Shingle Springs, California
January 11, 2013 3:17pm CST
Ok, so Tony's been unemployed every since Wal-Mart got him on meal violations. The way he tells it, he got moved out from under a manager who liked him to one who had her little favorites, and he wasn't one of them. He had been verbally notified that he had meal violations in the past (working more than a certain number of hours before taking a meal brak), and had cleaned up his act. This manager went back and used those to get him fired. He hasn't been able to find work since, and now there's a huge gap on his resume.
Fast forward a few years, and he is still looking and applying. Rarely does he get an interview, but so far no job.
The majority of the companies that seem interested in him are for jobs that pay on commission. Some are insurance, some are collections, etc. They train you, they give you a site to work from, in some cases they give you leads, but you don't get paid unless you bring in money.
Obvious downsides: you're using your gas and time with no guarantee of getting paid.
Possible upside: if you're really good at it, I suppose you could make good money eventually.
My observation is that if thse companies are willing to give a chance to a person that no other hiring companies will touch, people really don't want those jobs much.
What I'd like to know is if any of you have experience with this type of job (the one he's interviewing for now is Life insurance) or know somebody who has had experience. I'd like to hear about it. Thanks!
2 people like this
16 responses
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
11 Jan 13
No experience.
Though this may be a stupid point to make, make sure if he does take one of those jobs he doesn't up and buy the competitor's product instead.
I had a friend who worked for one car dealership and bought a car from the competitor, needless to say he was canned.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
11 Jan 13
yes but there may be other jobs, better commission jobs.
I think it's stupid that they will can someone but I understand it at the same time.
No btes at the ESC?
1 person likes this
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
13 Jan 13
My son was unemployed for awhile and took the first job offered to him which was a commission only job at hhgregg. He "worked" there for about 3 weeks when he finally just up and quit. He hadn't made anything beyond the initial training period where he was paid minimum wage for the first week, then nothing. When they wanted him to travel 80 miles for special training at his own expense, that was it for him, he couldn't afford this job anymore.
It's bad when you go broke working for a company!
I'd have to say that those 100% commission jobs are only for those who are super-salesmen or women. Still, in this economy, those are the jobs that are available only because no one is buying. The more salespeople the company has, the more change they have of making at least some money.
I want to get more life insurance on my husband but there's no way I could afford even the smallest monthly premium right now. I'm sure more people just aren't buying anything they can't live without right now.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
I don't like the idea at all, but nobody else is even giving him so much as an interview...
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
13 Jan 13
I must be tired or maybe it's dementia. I meant "chance" not "change" and also "CAN live without right now" not "can't". Sorry! Guess it's time for me to put my computer to bed.
Good luck to Tony. I hope he can find something soon.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
16 Jan 13
Like you say, unless you are very charismatic and able to actually cast spells over people so they gladly hand over their hard earned difficult to part with money (terrible economic times) to take out life insurance they probably don't want, he is wasting his time. If he gives it a go and achieves a fail, that's another negative for his resume.
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
If he gets something on his resume saying he was working (even if he didn't earn anything), how is that a negative?
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
13 Jan 13
i wouldn't take a commissioned job unless i was in a position where my income was "free money" so to speak-too risky.for one,you can be turned down for loans and such,because you have no "set" income and they consider it too much of a gamble.
and while when it's good sometimes,when it's on a dry spell you're screwed.
my mom sold vacuums and appliances on commission and often she went unpaid.
dad finally told her to quit wasting her time.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
20 Jan 13
yea-lemme explain that.
it's where you aren't responsible for big bills-like when kids earn an income
while living with folks,they don't have to kick in,but are expected to buy their own stuff.
or couples where one pays the major bills,and the other pays for incidentals (food,clothes,nights out,etc).
but if i needed income for house mortgage,i'd want wage or salaried.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
12 Jan 13
Hubby and I are both looking to replace our current jobs, and that's mostly all we've been getting. We both have our resumes up on CareerBuilder, which is how I got my current job, but all I'm getting is these life insurance things.. and I'm not interested! I need steady income.
Hubby did car sales once. To start they paid him salary plus commissions.. but after a certain training period he'd only get commissions. He didn't keep that job long, probably about 6 weeks until he was hired by his current company he's been with for 8 years.
Maybe for the time being Tony should just go with something minimum wage. Sometimes having something on the resume is better than having nothing.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
12 Jan 13
He gets told he's overqualified when he goes for those.
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
Maybe, but then how many people would stay in a minimum wage job forever anyway?
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
12 Jan 13
They're probably afraid he'll just up and leave as soon as he finds a better job.. which of course he will. Still he should try.. like I said, anything on a resume is better than nothing.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
12 Jan 13
I knew someone who emigrated to the US many years ago and he was in Insurance. When I asked him how he was doing he said great but it was difficult tyo fond that first person to sell insurnace to. After he got the first then gradually he was recommended and begun to build up a good base.
As he has been out of work for a while I would think that he should take it if it is offered to him as he will get experience in this area and you could be his first sale! That would impress the organization.
I also would say that experience is never wasted and this also could go down on his cv if he wanted to apply for another position in another field.
You mentioned that he attended Church - this is another area that he could tap into for sales. He could begin to build a contact list and he may be pleasantly surprised. Past colleagues should also go on this list.And yes, he could make good money eventually. Go for it Tony!
I also would say that experience is never wasted and this also could go down on his cv if he wanted to apply for another position in another field.
You mentioned that he attended Church - this is another area that he could tap into for sales. He could begin to build a contact list and he may be pleasantly surprised. Past colleagues should also go on this list.And yes, he could make good money eventually. Go for it Tony!1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
If nothing else, it would appear as "work" on a resume instead of a gap.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
12 Jan 13
Rememmber everyone he meets is a potential client - from a waiter in a restaurant etc to someone in a newsagent. Literally everyone. So he must befriend everyone he meets as they may just buy insurance from him.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
12 Jan 13
I have not had any experience with it, but have friends that tried it. They did not do well. I hope that he does. It is really rough out there.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
Not sure he has the right type of personality.
@maximax8 (31042)
• United Kingdom
12 Jan 13
In my backpacking days I was traveling in Australia on a working holiday visa. I dressed up a koala in Cairns collecting money for the Wilderness Society. I went out in the evenings outside bars and clubs with a tin collecting money for this charity. I also had day shifts and the children loved seeing us koalas. It had a tropical climate and I often felt too hot in the furry outfit. One time I had to go to a cafe and ask for a glass of tap water. I was quite good at that job and got a far amount of money.
In Sydney I worked as a charity collector for the Paraplegic Society. I liked going to places like Circular Cay. I asked the people have you a few cents and they always gave lots more money into my tin. I also asked if they could spare any change. Then they gave to the charity. Even traveling out somewhere some people rushed over and put money into my tin. I got a percentage of the money I collected. The tin was opened in their office and then they would count it all.
Commission only work is better than being unemployed. However it is best suited to a person like a working holiday maker like I was at age 20 to 21 years old in Australia. Phone sales like do you want insurance and not popular. Good luck to Tony.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
I had no idea that charities let you keep any part of the money. interesting...
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
True, but for somebody who hasn't been able to find work in years, it might at least help him find something else.
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
12 Jan 13
I have never had a job working for commissions. I do know a guy who is working for a reality company that sells homes on commission. I think this is funny because the guy is married and has gottan his family in money problems in the past! With the housing market still weak and the guy is an idiot,he'll never make money selling houses! They will get deeper in debt most likely!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
Some people make really good money selling houses. The problem is that there are too many realtors, and the newbies have trouble finding clients.
@vandana7 (102698)
• India
12 Jan 13
Dawny though I dont have a first hand experience in this, I can say it takes a few years to build up a reputation and then eventually it starts paying.
We had an LIC agent, and he had an assistant. The LIC agent used to extract a lot of service from his assistant, who was quite efficient, unlike his previous assistants. However, the LIC agent did not increase the boy's pay, and being ambitious, the boy left the agent and started working on his own. Initially it was a struggle, but today, in about 10 years time, he has established himself quite well. I remember him because I gave him his first LIC policy, and he considers that to be lucky one for him. Today, I dont have to go for paying any premiums. His assistants come to my place and collect the premium amounts and give me the relevant receipts when they are passing by. It is the kind of service he offers that prompts me to recommend him to others, and even others are very happy with this boy.
1 person likes this
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
13 Jan 13
Yes, I've worked in commission-only jobs before. I took a month off of my regular job, which I got paid for, & worked on comission selling security systems in one instance & paid collecting for charity (I also volunteered for same in another instance).
I received two-thirds commission on every security system I sold. I took the job because I work for a wholesaler & had zero customer contact. This industry also benefitted from my technical expertise & ocassionaly I could sell quite effectively just by having a thorough understanding of how the system & sensors all worked. I put a lot of effort into it, but never sold more than one a week, but the skills I learned along the way made it worthwhile & I was promoted in my regular job after that!
Charity collecting earned me two-thirds commission also. It was fantastic! In the Howard era, more people here had jobs than ever before & the country was awash with spare cash! I worked very long hours until sunset - as the rule was then - which has changed several times since & before. What's the rule in your country? I got to know everyone in the local & surrounding areas & the "lay of the land" so to speak.
All The Best Tony!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
This is life insurance, not sure what the commission is...
@alberello (4752)
• Italy
12 Jan 13
Well, in my life, to be honest, I have worked in good standing only two years and a half.
In both cases, there were two distinct large factories and my work has always been an electrician in industrial environments.
However I am not surprised that in a discussion you can see a similar problem.
Today more than ever, especially in my country that is Italy, there is a great employment crisis that seems unsolvable!
Serious harm to workers and aspiring!
However, to answer your question, I have never experienced in the past, of commission jobs. But by job interviews, all of them are always resolved with the classic nothing done!
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
12 Jan 13
I can see where the insurance companies would be commission only. I don't have any experience here. It may be below him, but a couple of fast food jobs would be better than nothing. My SIL works on commission. He has a base salary and then when he sells a certain amount if product, he then makes his commissions. He makes most if his money when schools are open. He is an ice cream salesman/truck driver. It's hard for him in the summer because his pay changes but his bills don't.
He works 14 hours a day so he can't get a part time job and get any sleep. We are just glad that he can do well during school months. He has stores, markets and schools.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jan 13
he's tried for fast food jobs. Heck, he tried for a job as a dishwasher. He keeps getting told he's overqualified.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
11 Jan 13
I worked as a real estate agent for awhile about 8 years ago. It was commission only plus there were investments you had to make. I didn't stick with it for too long and while I did I was working a part time job somewhere else to pay bills.
1 person likes this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
11 Jan 13
I've done direct sales. Eh...
Given how long he's been out of work, I would say that he should seriously consider taking one of these positions. It would allow him to stop having a gap in the resume, and being employed would make him more attractive to a potential employer. Plus, there is the chance that he might make at least a bit of money.
1 person likes this
