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HP Job Posting Signals TouchPad Launch Imminent?

By: , 5/13/2011 10:45 pm | 31 comments

 

A faithful tipster browsing through Louisiana Craigslist listings stumbled across a rather interesting post in the jobs section titled, “P/T Product Demonstrator, Hewlett-Packard (Harvey)”, dated April 20, 2011. It was posted by a Talent Acquisition Specialist with MarketSource- a “leading provider of sales and marketing services in North America.”

The job posting seeks part time help with promoting webOS, the HP TouchPad, and “other mobile/wireless devices” inside of area Best Buy stores on weekends with a pay rate of $16 per hour. Even more interesting is the “end of May” target start date for these positions (give or take a week, of course).

The listing says, in part:

Position is very independent. You will receive in store training and then once comfortable will only see your manager once every few weeks.
Job Information:

• Promoting the HP TouchPad and webOS platform inside Best Buy
• $16 per hour – paid weekly
• Saturdays and Sundays = 16 hours per week total
• Product promotion focus on the new HP TouchPad and potentially other mobile/wireless devices
• Start date will be end of May (give or take a week)
• Positions will go through the end of the year with a strong chance of being permanent

See the entire posting here.

Is this further evidence that HP is gearing up for the release of the TouchPad in June? If so, it looks like it’s pulling out all of the stops including hiring outside firms to help with the leg work.

What do you think? Would you quit your day job for an opportunity like this?

Thanks wafflehaus!

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About Jesse Mendoza

Certified Computer Geek by day, WOR contributor & radio DJ by night. Loves indie music, Toyoto FJ Cruisers, and running marathons. He still owns all of his Palm devices and will probably go to the grave with them. Follow him on Twitter @JesseJstreet
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  • Anonymous

    Pretty aggressive on HP’s part. Found a similar posting for Huntsville, Al.
    http://jobnum.com/Other-jobs/329707.html
     
    If their media campaign is this aggressive they should do quite well.

    • John L. Burger

      Huntsville huh? Didn’t realize there were other webOS enthusiasts in Huntsvegas. Yeah I’d love to see someone promoing the TouchPad @ Best Buy here hah.

    • John L. Burger

      Huntsville huh? Didn’t realize there were other webOS enthusiasts in Huntsvegas. Yeah I’d love to see someone promoing the TouchPad @ Best Buy here hah.

  • Anonymous

    Cool. What I like here is the fact that HP will not be just pushing the devices and asking BB and retailers to sell, but HP is taking the initiative to drive sales by demoing the product.  Hopefully these new geeks will demo all the cool features (TTS, multi tasking, synergy, etc.)

  • TimmyB

    End of May start means “begin training”.  I wish that meant “imminent release”, but I would temper that enthusiasm a bit.

    • spare

       training and start of the job shouldn’t be far apart unless the launch gets delayed.

    • spare

       training and start of the job shouldn’t be far apart unless the launch gets delayed.

      • TimmyB

         I hope you are correct.  I wasn’t trying to be negative in my post.  I guess the reason I would prefer there to be a bit of a gap between the two is, I don’t want to see people out there who don’t truly know the product or webOS enough to do it justice.

        • Palm Junky

          Agreed!

  • Anonymous

    I’d apply for this if they had it in NYC

  • Rsr

    BTW, this company provides this service for all HP products in retail stores. This is what all the major CE providers do…

  • Rsr

    BTW, this company provides this service for all HP products in retail stores. This is what all the major CE providers do…

  • Palm Junky

    I’d love to work there… Wait, what? Saturday and Sunday schedule? Never mind, I’ll just buy one and show off to my friends (I’ll bill HP later)!!

  • John K.

    Hmmmm 16 hrs a week? Couldn’t quit my day job which I work 60+ hrs but great opportunity for a high school geek to earn extra gas money and QUIT STRAPPING HIS PARENTS. I think I’ll talk to my 17 yr old about this. Thanks for the info

    • Palm Junky

      LOL, I love it (and hope your son gets the job)!!

  • Greg M

    Wish there was some news here in Canada about these products. No reason they cant be launched within 2 weeks of each other.

  • Fango

    I feel like a promoter already. I think it’s awesome and can’t wait. It’s going to be my fathers day/bday present haahahaha!

  • PalmOn

    That’s great news for the TouchPad. So I guess Best Buy won’t be giving it away for free like the Veer? Oh well. As a side not, an AT&T employee let me check out the Veer today (although not turned on). The thing is tiny! Smaller than I ever imagined. It is clearly for the young girls. It is so cute! But girls, be careful, cause if you have trouble finding your current phone at the bottom of your purse, you ain’t seen nothing yet–literally!

    • TimmyB

       I stopped into my ATT store last night (where I am probably known at “that one guy who still likes Palm phones!) and talked to one of my contacts there.  She was a little perturbed that they had to come in early Sunday to do all their unboxing and setting up for the release.  They weren’t even allowed to see them for themselves yet.  (They have been very upfront with me on other things, so I have no reason to not believe.)  Oh, well, we’ll all see it tomorrow!  :)

      • Malette

        Ha, I think I’m known as “that one girl who actually likes palm” at my verizon store. Good stuff! I sure hope HP is pushing carriers as well as these promoters to train on webOS otherwise it’s poitnless. To people it will just be another phone on the shelf and another perfume sprayer. I simply hope webOS products are recommended and shown off for their unique features and ease of use. Overall I’m getting excited to see everything be closer.

  • PalmOn

    That’s great news for the TouchPad. So I guess Best Buy won’t be giving it away for free like the Veer? Oh well. As a side not, an AT&T employee let me check out the Veer today (although not turned on). The thing is tiny! Smaller than I ever imagined. It is clearly for the young girls. It is so cute! But girls, be careful, cause if you have trouble finding your current phone at the bottom of your purse, you ain’t seen nothing yet–literally!

  • http://sorli.com sorli

    Should be interesting and a position looks lined up for my area and I’m already checking into it.  Would love to become HP Technology Ambassador and see if I can help, show things off, and let other people know what makes webOS so cool!  Sorli… 

  • Matt_99_hey

     That’s really good news that they are hiring dedicated people to make sure consumers know exactly what the TouchPad is all about. 

  • Anonymous

    Same ads posted in Brandon and Tampa, FL. FYI.

  • JDM

    Same in Orem, UT, although for 14.50/Hr

  • JDM

    Same in Orem, UT, although for 14.50/Hr

  • JDM

    Same in Orem, UT, although for 14.50/Hr

  • JDM

    Same in Orem, UT, although for 14.50/Hr

  • http://twitter.com/nhavar Michael Ross Havard

     Similar Ad in St. Louis http://stlouis.craigslist.org/sls/2336351149.htmlhttp://stlouis.craigslist.org/sls/2336351149.html

  • http://twitter.com/bnceo Robbie C

    I just emailed the contact asking if anything is available in the North Maryland area.  I would actually love to do this and make some side $$$ for my summer vacation to Peru.

  • Dominique

    Wow – USD 16/h. A beginning cleaning lady would not work for this over here in Switzerland except utterly desperate. Good news that HP will be pushing WebOS in thé malls though.