Well, I never worked in retail because of this experience, so hope it's relevant enough...

I was unloading trucks at 5am for a department store and wanted better hours and more money...my mom was working at the store so I had her get me in for an interview with the store's infamously smug manager.

I was a rocker at the time, definitely had longish hair but tied it back and was otherwise clean-shaven and -- if i do say so myself -- dressed nicer than most of the schmo's in the men's department dressed. He thought it was the funniest thing that I was in his office, though -- I talked about being a people person and knowing the merchandise because I had been unloading the trucks and logging the inventory. Only got more scoffing.

Finally he said, "OK, if you think you're such a great salesman, sell me....this pen." And then I went unconscious and just nailed it, talking about how it was made in America, Bic is a great American company with long-time success in the pen market...it was all silliness, but delivered really well (again, if I do say so myself).

It effectively halted the scoffing, at least -- he said OK, we'll let you know, and of course they never promoted me. I ended up getting a job as a writer after that, though, so it's just as well things worked out the way they did...

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