JTSwartz94

As soon as you walk into a carrier store, the rep is going to automatically assume that they know more than you because they were trained to know more than you. If you are confident in the research you've done, I would recommend that you just tell them exactly what you want when you walk in the door. We are trained to offer you options based on what you use your current device for; just tell the rep that you already know what you want. Avoid saying things like "I'm looking for a new phone" because phrases like that are triggers for us to help you find one and ask qualifying questions.

If you browse the phones in person, I would honestly just expect to be approached and talked to even if you say "I'm just looking" because we are trained to overcome that. If you want to see the phones in person but don't want to be bothered, try a large multi-carrier like Costco and Best Buy where they have so many customers they can hardly make an effort. You are an uncommon customer. Generally, in most things, people need to be persuaded in a direction to make a choice. That's what we're here for!

Generally with cases like this you will have to pay the early termination fee if you're past the return period. In some cases, you can appeal to someone's heart and have them comp the ETF but you may have to turn in the device. DO NOT GO TO A STORE FOR THIS. Despite popular belief, sales reps can do very little about things like this. I'm sorry this happened to you, though.

My most considered qualification was people skills. There is a heavy focus during the interview on your ability to coherently carry a conversation with someone even if you don't know the answer to their question. Recommendations are also a heavy focus, for example: During my interview for my current job my interviewer said: I'm thinking of going on vacation, where should I go? Rather than just say CANCUN!!! based on my own experience, I was expected to ask qualifying questions about them like: Do you like warm or cold places? What activities do you enjoy? Are you bringing your wife/kids? Have you ever been out of the country? Things like that.

You can still get subsidized phones by opening a 2 year contract despite everyone telling you that you can't. That being said, the new way of upgrading (Device Payment AKA Edge) is more often than not the cheaper way to do it because it lowers your bill to offset the price of the phone. If you don't want to be given a hard time about getting a 2 year contract you can try going to a multi-carrier store like Best Buy.