Welcome to the dark side…
Leslie Polvado
Working to make sure every #student is #worklifeready! #ittakesavillage!
I recently got to finally connect with a LinkedIn contact in person! We’ve been chatting by phone forever, to the point where our significant others thought we had worked together previously. We have a lot in common and like to bounce ideas off each other.
Both of us come from the world of education, we both of us continue to work in education (just in a different capacity), and both of us have maintained a lot of our connections in education. And this brought up an interesting turn in the conversation – why is it getting so hard to connect with our contacts?
Welcome to the dark side. Once your contacts know you have gone from teacher or administrator to peddling an educational product or service, the emails and voicemails answered become fewer and farther between, even if it is really just to genuinely check in, grab coffee, or share some news.
Being on this side of things provided her a greater appreciation for sales reps and account managers.
She mentioned that during her time in administration, she sat though pitches and sifted through those outreach emails because she had to, but they were an annoyance; and, only if there was some time to do it. Daily duties took priority over reading an email or white sheet that could actually make those daily duties or managing a situation easier. “If I had just had the time to read it, it would have solved the problem!”
Personally, I don’t mind being on the dark side. I loved teaching in the classroom; however, with what I do now, I feel like I get to make a broader positive impact for so many more students than I would have been able to reach as a teacher.
So, is my job title “Sales Representative”? Yes, but I am so much more. I want to help solve problems and create positive outcomes for students. I want to be creative and share ideas. I want to learn about your barriers and work with you to knock them down or find a way around them. I want to hear the success stories and I want the late night email with a question about data so you can write meaningful goals for transition.
But, I need your help too. I need you to reach out when staff needs training, when there is a question, and during times of teacher turnover or leadership turnover. Take a moment to read an email or newsletter and create a quick response to keep me in the loop. I want to hear from you!
I help students learn to walk in other peoples shoes.
4 年Leslie... having just made the transition from on campus librarian, to self employed, I understand fully. It is very hard to be the “sales rep” but, it is also very important. You are the one who can truly convince those in schools of the value of your program and it’s importance to the kids who need it. It is hard for me to be rebuffed by admin who truly believe that a librarian sits in the library, putting books on shelves. I see the responsibility as mine to convincingly share the possibilities of what I can bring to the school, but it is difficult if you can not even talk with anyone. I talk with teachers and admin, but reality is that very few people have financial ability to purchase a major product, and teachers may not have the ability to purchase, but they do understand what is going on in the classroom and how to approach their own admin team.
Working to make sure every #student is #worklifeready! #ittakesavillage!
4 年Thoughts? Jan MacWatters Trevor Soponis, PhD Mike Yates Quentin Woods, Ed.D. Some' McCowan Karl Millsom ???????? Sara Baker, Ed.D.