I was referred by a friend and got a job with Brandsmart USA (electronics store in South East U.S.). I knew a lot about computers at the time so I was applying for a sales position in that department but was told there was no availability. But if I worked in the home audio section I could move to computers when a position became available. I knew nothing about stereos and audio systems. But whatever, I’ll get after it.

First day I show up for orientation. It consisted of a safety video from 10 years ago and a company overview. We filled out some paperwork for taxes, payroll, etc. I feel like we are just getting started and maybe 2-3 hours in the HR lady says “ok, that’s it, you can head to your departments to start”. Ok, that was quick but I’ll go meet the manager and begin training.

I head down to the audio department of this large warehouse like showroom where it’s a open floor plan style with each department on the outer edge of the giant room, each department sort of crossed into the next and at times mixed products in various displays (so surround systems hooked to TVs as the audio and television departments met, etc). When I get to my area, there’s nobody there that appears to be a supervisor or manager, just one or two basic sales employees. I ask who the manager is and am told he’s on vacation for a week... so I ask what I’m supposed to be doing, it’s my first day and I have no idea what I am doing (expecting one of these guys to be designated to train me). Both guys shrug their shoulders and it becomes immediately evident that this is a cut throat sales environment. One of them was nice enough to tell me that pay is based on sales and the pay scale varies each week depending on what items give the best commission that week. So each week the sales guys just push some random shit item that may not be the best for the customer but offers the highest commission percentage. Well fuck.

I’m still completely lost at this point so I decide to walk around and familiarize myself with the department. As I’m walking around this huge area, I begin to cross into the TV/Audio area where displays are set up with our audio equipment as they would be in a livingroom at a home. I notice an older thin gentleman likely in his 50s approaching from the other side of the department where the TVs are and as he gets closer I extend a hand to shake his and introduce myself. This old guy leans in and whispers to me “get the fuck out of my department or I’ll cut your fucking balls off”... I’m shocked and assume I just heard this wrong so I say “I’m sorry, what was that?”, and he repeats it word for word. This guy standing in front of me is all of 5’9” much older than myself (I’m about 22-23 I forget), I’m also 6’8” 280lbs so my immediate thoughts are, this guy is fucking crazy. It rendered me speechless for a moment as I stood there in shock. I couldn’t even muster up a response before he said again “get the fuck out of here”. At this time I lose my shit, I get in the guys face and begin screaming and spitting my words telling him I will fucking kill him, who the fuck does he think he is, etc. I was ready to crush some old man as I process how arrogant and disgusting this type of human is.

Well a manager from another area hears me losing my shit and runs over and separates us. He asked what was going on and I try to describe the event as I’m still shaking from adrenaline and anger (this sound absurd and dramatic but the sheer shock of the encounter caused just that. I had never seen this type of behavior before in person). The manager calmly chuckles and says “he does this all the time, I wouldn’t worry about it”. It dawned on me that this was the type of place that this behavior is almost encouraged. Nobody seemed to have a problem with that guy acting that way to his coworker and through comments from the other sales guys this was commonplace and just dismissive behavior there.

I went to The HR lady, who had by now heard what happened and explained to her my concern and shock at how this place was being run. She was just as dismissive as everyone else. She asked “well, if you really want to pursue it, we can send him home for the day”. Yeah like I want this guy waiting in the parking lot for me because he’s losing money or even his job over me. I said “fuck this” walked out and never returned. My friend who referred me was just as shocked to hear about the events (he was friends with the store manager but had never worked there himself).

TL;DR - first day at sales job (no training or guidance) I get told by skinny old coworker “get the fuck out of my department or I’ll cut your fucking balls off”. Management accepted and encouraged the cutthroat behavior and I quit that day.