Harris Heery - Frequently Asked Questions

You are different from the people you are competing with for interviews and offers. With some people, these differences are subtle and it therefore becomes more difficult to construct your marketing plan. In other instances, these points of difference are literally crying out for action on your part.

First, you need to determine what these points of difference are. To accomplish this you need to dissect your tenure in the business across a number of planes. These planes are as follows:

1). Your most recent company: Was it small, "non-training" company or a larger P&G type of organization.

2). Your prior companies: Anything unusual here? Were there common denominators

between these companies and your most recent one? Has the size of the company been a constant?

3). The type of products you’ve worked on: What are we talking about, HBA, HHP, Food, OTC, Ethical Pharmaceuticals, International? If you have worked on various categories, where is the strength?

4). The type of Advertising: Have your products been very consumer-oriented or trade-driven----or has it been a blend? Have you done nothing but print advertising or were the products very upscale and image-oriented (cosmetics)?

5). Type of distribution: Where would the ultimate consumer buy your product(s). Are we more apt to find this product in a grocery outlet as opposed to an auto store or mass merchandiser? Did you work with a broker network or a direct sales force? Did you have store door delivery system experience?

6). Intangible and others: This category could really be called "all other". In essence, we’re talking about style issues---not only your own but that of the companies you’ve been with as well. A highly aggressive person should not be looking at a very structured or laid-back atmosphere, regardless of whether it meets the criteria of the rest of the marketing plan. Your chances of long-term success are not that great.

Example 1:
Your background is $600M apparel company Department & Mass Merchandise distribution Heavy oriented toward sales promotion and merchandising A very "hands on" oriented person Very Image Oriented	Target Company Examples Other apparel companies Consumer durables companies marketed through department stores ideally with an image orientation Cosmetics, Fragrances

Example 2:
Your background is $100 MM Food Company Broker sales network Regional orientation Very trade-orientation	Target Company Examples Other regional food manufacturers Other regional businesses (fast food, ethnic products) Highly sales oriented companies