Sometimes, the thing that you fear the most will happen, does. Monday, so two days ago, I was released from Porch due to the lack of sales on my part. The term that was used, which is probably the most humane way to phrase it, is that they decided it was "time to part ways". This will not be an easy post to write, so please bear with me as I'm still dealing with this.
First off, I'm not surprised. Remotely. This particular position was not a good fit for me and I fully acknowledge it. I struggled every day and they gave me far more chances than I would have given me if the roles had been reversed. From a manager's standpoint, they had no other option than to let me go. You can fully believe in something, pour your heart and soul into it, and still not be any good at it. The analogy I used in that meeting was that Michael Phelps (the gold medal winning swimmer) can't throw a three pointer. To be honest, I'm not sure if this is true or not, but it's the best analogy I could think of in that moment. I guess a more fitting one would be that you wouldn't expect Michael Jordan to climb a mountain. I can be incredibly amazing in sales, but (as is perfectly evident) completely terrible when it comes to cold calling. Regardless of how much I believe in the company that I work for and how much good it does to the companies that I'm reaching out to. In fact, one of the things that is admitted from all the sales managers is how brutal the job can be. I fully respect them for what they did and in the humane way that they let me go.
Second, this is the first company that I've left, for any reason, that I would consider coming back to. Period. The role I was in was not a good fit for me, but the company most definitely was. They truly are doing good things and treat their employees phenomenally. I stand by them one hundred percent and, if I were a homeowner, I would use Porch myself to find a home improvement contractor. To get what it's like to work there, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLpaT20to0 There is a solid reason why I fell in love with this company and why I wouldn't hesitate to work there again if the opportunity arises. Actually, the interesting thing is that when I first applied to Porch, I applied to the sales position that I would wind up getting offered, and an account management position. At the end of my first week at Porch, I met up with a couple account managers and asked them what exactly they did, and what was described to me sounded like a much better fit than the sales position that I had accepted. When I worked at the bank in Texas, the thing I enjoyed most about my job was actually sitting down with one of my customers and helping them with their account. On the personal side, I've helped friends build their LinkedIn profiles and have written resumes for them from the bits and pieces of information that they have given me. Friends actually come to me to have me go over their resumes so they can land the jobs that they are pursuing. I know I would do extremely well in that particular role, and, now that I'm an external candidate, I plan on pursuing it.
The third thing, and this was rather surprising as it's never happened before, is that in the brief time that I have been unemployed, I have been approached by two different recruiters. The opportunity, as it appears, to get back on the horse is there. But it also means that I would have to leave behind Porch. Because there aren't any open account manager positions available and one of the two recruiters is approaching me with an account executive position, it might be time to truly "part ways"' regardless of how much I care about them. Not sever ties, by any means, but to let go and move on.
My brief time at Porch taught me a lot. They showed me that there are still some ethical companies out there that are truly doing good work. They showed me that you actually can go to work and have a good time at the same time. They showed me that it was possible to sever ties with the corporate world and still land on your feet. They showed me that there are still some companies out there that truly value both their employees and their customers. They showed me that there are still some companies out there that have big dreams and aren't afraid to "get scrappy" to achieve them. They showed me that perseverance in the face of utmost adversity is still something that is respected in the workplace. They showed me that there are still places out there that you can work at and not feel yourself lose your humanity. They showed me that failure (to an extent) is still an acceptable thing in the workplace; so as long as it is used as a building block to success. They showed me that there are still companies out there that care. And they're being run by people that care.
What happened sucks. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't still feeling the sting of this. But that doesn't change the experiences I had while I was there; doesn't end the friendships that I built there; and doesn't change the fact that I truly loved working there. What it does change is the bar in which I have set for my future employers. No more will I settle for less because it brings in a pay check. No more will I settle for less because it's "safe". Not only have my standards been raised significantly, but I know now that there are companies out there that will meet and exceed them.
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