Friends

"Long time no see my friend!"
"Graduated? Started working?"
"Want to meet someday?"
"Let's meet individually"
"Let me share with you some plan that my XXXX financial/insurance company has to offer"

Friends that I haven't met, seen, spoken to for years suddenly called me. Not one but two and it getting on my nerves. I am someone who treasure friendship and loves to gather with old friends, catch up with them, have a nice cup of coffee, exchange name cards and gossips but friends who never met or spoken to in the past how many donkey years called you up someday and one of the first question they ask is if you graduated and found a job. Why? Simply because then you have the spending power and hence they have another opportunity to sell their products to you.

I hated it. Simply because whatever is left in the friendship is broken. No longer can I know the true intention behind your every call/concern, is it real or is it for business? And what if I didn't graduate yet, so does that means you won't want to meet me? Cause its a "waste of your time"? Have I become your prey to help you hit your monthly target?

This is the main reason why I didn't want to enter this line of work when I graduated. Yes, with commission you can earn a healthy income. But I can't bring myself to do it. Even if I going to be one, I would be more patient, ask him/her out for a few times, get friendly and comfortable, then start to bring in the sales pitch. What I encounter this week is simply left me disgusted and piss. Till the point that I would not buy any of the products that they are going to pitch to me. I am not a prey nor a tool. And if any of my "long lost friend" suddenly called up and use this "untactful" method, I would not entertain any pitch nor consider any deal. If ever I'm going to buy any insurance or financial services, I will be pro-active and ask friends who are in these lines out. I did that before ( but didn't buy cause I haven't graduated at that time). So maybe next time if I going to buy, I might listen to these "long lost friend" to gather information and knowledge and end up calling another friend who didn't call me to buy from him/her. Since you guys deem me as a tool and/or prey, then allow me to do the same to you. A tooth for a tooth. A taste of your own medicine.

My girlfriend says that it is natural that these people will target their friends first because at least there is some contacts already establish but these two incidents that I encounter simply is not tactful enough. Like I mention earlier, sincere concerns, friendly gathering, more conversations, then slowly starts to bring in the sales pitch into the conversation tactfully, it will be better. Much much better.

Hopefully I will never need to enter this industry.

Remember me.
I'm not your "long lost friend".
I'm Average Joe.