Again I Was Asked...

Over the past two days, apart from my daughter turning eight months old (let me know what you think), I received two more questions from our readers who wanted advice on taking a job offer or ditching it. I also received one very rare but frequent question: How do you handle a phone interview?

Does the last question linger in your mind too? Not today, Jose. I'll address that later but for now, allow me to share two questions they asked me and my answers... honestly.


Question 1: "I got a job offer from Pfizer (Malaysia), based in East Coast (Pahang) for the GP sector. Should I take it? What do you think?"

My answer (honestly): "Look at the facts laid before your eyes:

 

Fact one: Early this year, Pfizer (Malaysia) conducted a VSS (voluntary separation scheme) exercise. They cut almost 25 percent of their entire staff. This means that part of your job role will be compromised, for example a lower marketing budget, tighter expenses control, and less fun (it used to be fun working there).

 

Fact two: Because of cost-cutting, you'll HAVE TO do more with less. More products to promote, more budget to carry, also means more training to attend, which reduces your 'selling time' and 'real-money-making' time. To me, more meetings and 'board-selling' time are utterly useless... simple logic will tell you that you close sales with 'face-to-face' time with customers, not bored!

 

Fact three: Only SOME and that's really a small number, in comparison with the total sales force who will earn full or slightly more than ample sales incentives. Why? Because the bulk of blockbuster products that used to have four-to-five-digit incentives attached to them are facing patent expiry like Norvasc (already expired in April 2007) or facing fierce competition from generics like Lipitor (generics seem to win this little war day by day) vs. Norvasc.

 

Fact four: big changes in top management. And that implies more policy changes, more rules, more regulation. They said, "Manage change." I mean, "Better work with the devil you know than the devil you don't know."

 

Fact five: I wrote this somewhere in my previous post, but personally, it's worth mentioning. Warren Buffett, the world's most significant investor, is adding more Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi-Aventis stocks to his portfolios. Lesson - there is a better company to work for than Pfizer now. It used to be Pfizer, but just like the stock price, it's plummeting. I recommend Jensen Cilag (part of Johnson & Johnson) to anyone who wants to earn (not just start) as a pharmaceutical salesman. I believe it's a growing company. Fast! I told them two years ago, and I'm still telling them today.

Anyway, after all, said and done, the final call is up to you. That's just my HONEST opinion. If you choose otherwise, good luck! Who knows, Lady Luck is smiling on you (like she always does on those lottery buyers ;)

Question 2: "I got two offers I'm seriously considering. One company is a newly set up established product company, and I was offered a favourable salary and benefits package. The other one is a new field altogether but with huge income potential - selling a financial product. I'm a nutritionist by degree and currently hold a position as a marketing and service executive. Which one should I choose?"

My answer: "Well, I can only offer a 'birds-eye view' answer in this situation because you leave me with too few details to work with. Include information such as your current job situation, overall, how much of a difference it will make working at the new company, in what area, and so on. Here's my recommendation: do your own research first. Don't resign from your current position yet. Take time to research the new offer within these four criteria:

 

Product - how 'comfortable' are you selling them? Are you 'sold' on the product? Are you clear about what it can do (benefit)? Other product-related issues that may arise?

 

Price - is it below, above or level with competitors? How much are you responsible for?

 

Place - this is about logistics. How convenient is the outlet? Where do they stock the products? How do they distribute? How fast or slow are they?

 

How does the company support your marketing and sales activities? How liberal are they? How democratic? Or are they autocratic (avoid this by all means)?

And a few other questions that you might come across while looking through the list. Don't just put the matter aside. If it's strong enough to create an impression, it warrants your attention. So pay attention.

P.S - I'm happy to report that the 'inquirer' to the second question is still working at her current job and current company. Maybe my advice had NOTHING to do with it, but I'm glad that she used more than a mere salary figure to 'judge' the job offer. Additionally, she told me she would improve her performance with the company, and I was happy to give her a copy of my personal collection of handling work issues.

You can also have it. It's a gift.

And tell me what you think of my 8-month-old daughter, my one and only.

 

P.P.S - What do you think? Leave me a comment.