Recently I’ve had quite a few job interviews with various companies. Some interviews have been face to face, but since I am currently out of town from the city I am moving to, many interviews have been over the phone.
I don’t mind a phone interview, especially for sales/customer service jobs. It helps the interviewer understand your personality on the phone, and in my opinion, is a great way to tell if you could do well at the position.
When it comes to interviewing for any kind of sales position, you can bet your entire savings account that you will be asked, “Do you have any sales experience?”
I’ve had one serious direct sales job in my life selling knives one summer. So as an answer to this question I used my missionary service as an example of my sales experience. I would say that it was a lot like sales; the only difference being the product.
Over the past few days I have really reflected on that response. As a missionary, I did not sell anything. I made no money. In fact, many people (myself included) sacrificed financially towards my missionary service.
There was however, a product. This is a product people believe in. A product that has affected the lives of millions. A product that affected me personally. A product I wanted everyone I met to have. And, the best part of all, it was completely free.
It’s change. Complete change through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
When you sell something, you don’t really care about the person you are selling to, at least not long term. Those I taught the gospel to as a missionary have my heart, my prayers, and my support. Even today, four years later, and for the rest of my life I will care about them and the progress they are making in their spiritual journeys.
My service as a missionary was a special time in my life, full of experiences that I will never forget. I saw people change their lives because of the message I shared with them. The same message changed me, and continues to change me. The message is this: God lives. He lives and He knows our situation. Jesus Christ has restored His Church to the earth to prepare the world for His Second Coming. Living prophets speak for Them today. Families can be sealed together as eternal units. There is hope in a decaying world.
Never again will I use my mission as an example of sales experience. Yes, it was experience, but it had nothing to do with sales. It was life experience. It was experience serving God, doing His errands. His work. It was for Him and His Son. And whenever They need me to do something, I’m ready to serve again.
The Latter-day Life 