05.09.11 - 9:56 am

there was a lengthy, formal document placed in my hands. separated into numbered sections it detailed the job offer. and as i read it, my anxieties about the drive faded and were replaced with insecurities about the expectations i now had to meet or exceed. they laid out quite the attractive offer and it was obvious they, from joels glowing encouragement, were convinced i was someone who could bring a lot to the company.

the hourly pay is $15 an hour. but there would be a monthly commission based on sales of the aquatics division over $300,000. the actual average monthly sales of this division have been over $500,000 however. this number is expected to increase 30 to 40% over the next year. so hourly wage and commission combined, they guaranteed me a yearly salary of $40,000. i will get three weeks paid time off and sick time. seven paid holidays. ill get a 3% match for my 401k plan. my health insurance will be 60% covered by the company. ill get to travel to trade shows across the country. test cutting edge exclusive products before theyre available.

it was a pretty solid offer. and so i agreed.

however, at upscales, its just me, barry and travis. they understood that they would be taking an employee away from one of their local customers. i told joel that at the end of the month, barry will be leaving for nearly two weeks, leaving just travis and myself. if i were to start working for sunlight this month, travis would be left all by himself for nearly two weeks and that....would be very inconsiderate. so generously enough, even though they wanted me to start last week, theyve allowed me stay at upscales til june 1st so as to not cripple travis and their relationship. and joel is a bit uneasy since this would be the second time hes lured me away from upscales with prospects of a better job.

so now all sorts of things need to come together and get organized. informing my clients. selling off my accounts. getting a fuel efficient vehicle. figuring out child care. telling travis. figuring out tax info. taking a drug test. getting dates for custody and preplanned vacations squared away. familiarizing myself more with the company and their products and coming up with some ideas to bring the first day i start.

and naturally, a $450 account bid i placed a month ago now suddenly wants to hire me. maybe ill work 6 days a week.

who knows.