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Here’s another episode in the “How to Get My Job” series. In this and future episodes, I’ll interview people about their jobs, discussing how they got their job, what their job is like, and what advice they have for people looking to get a similar role.
Today’s interview is with Wes, a Video Game Buyer for a major electronics retailer. Wes talks about what it’s like to work in the video game/consumer electronics world, discussing his creative and unorthodox job application process. He’s a perfect example of how be tenacious and inventive when pursuing the job you want. Enjoy!
What’s your name and job title?
Wes, Demand Planning Analyst – Video Game Software
What type of company you work do for and how long have you been there?
Consumer electronics retailer, 3.5 years, 2 years in current role
Give us a bit of detail or insight about your day to day. Is your day a lot of internal meetings? Do you have many offsite meetings? Is heavily strategy or forecasting based?
On average I will have anywhere from 1-4 meetings a day, the majority of which are internal. Since I work at our one and only corporate office, travel consists of occasional store or local distribution center visits. I will meet with each of my vendor partners typically once a month as well.
My function is to perform inventory planning, analysis, and reporting on several different high volume gaming vendors. Might sound boring, and I’ll admit there is some number crunching and button pushing, but it is very fast paced and exciting. Every day is different and our strategies are constantly changing to stay competitive, especially to keep up with the rollercoaster highs and lows in the nature of the video game industry.
Are you part of a team (or do you manage a team)?
While I manage my own vendors end-to-end, I am part of a Demand Planning team of about 10 people that represents the entire Video Game category of my company (Hardware, software, accessories, trade-in, etc.). Although we all report to one manager, there are instances when myself or others have had to take on leadership roles on certain strategies, like holiday, back to school, or specific promotional drive times.
Let’s talk about how you got your job. What was your path like?
My path to get here was a little unconventional. When I graduated from college, the job market was weak and with student loans to pay, I grudgingly took an hourly paying job in a retail store for my current employer. It turned out to be a great, eye-opening, opportunity to learn how a business operates from the ground up and serve customers first hand. I learned a lot from that experience and knew I could leverage it in larger scale role at our corporate offices.
Note from Tim: This is awesome. Wes wasn’t having luck getting in the front door (the traditional method of applying), or the back door (through an internship), so he found another way inside. He improvised and stuck with it, opting for the side door. Beautiful.
Was it a difficult job to get?
It was extremely difficult. Hiring rounds occur only a couple times during the year, most new hires were interns at some point, and interns are recruited from all over the country with bad-ass resumes.
Fortunately, my employer does value retail store/industry experience and promoting from within (Our current CEO was a store salesperson at one time). My challenge was bridging the gap from the store/field to the corporate office; there wasn’t much outreach or support, so it was really on me to take ownership of my own advancement.
I utilized every person in the network I created until I got the job. But what really got the ball rolling for me was after I read an article in the Wall Street Journal featuring a top executive of my company. I wrote a letter to this individual about my aspirations of working at the corporate office. I knew it was a long shot, but they actually responded and I had a corporate recruiter contact me the next day willing to meet with me. It took a great deal of networking, informational interviews, mock interviews, and being turned down twice on the actual job interview before I got my foot in the door and landed the job.
Note from Tim: This is a really creative move. It strokes the ego of whoever wrote the piece, it shows you are plugged in to what’s happening with the company, and it’s a fantastic way to cut through the corporate red tape and engage an executive. That’s how you make an impression.
What sort of advice do you have for someone looking for this kind of job? What areas should they study or work in? What are the best ways to approach a similar company?
Many colleagues of mine have previous supply chain management, marketing, or general business education and training. I’m kind of an anomaly with a liberal arts background but again, I really had to play up my store experience to get this job.
If it doesn’t go your way the first time, my advice is to don’t quit there. Get creative on overcoming your adversity. If you want it bad enough, are persistent, and are willing to “bust it” for the job, good things will happen.
Anything you would have done differently in pursuing this job?
Had I known what I wanted to do in college, I would have studied a related field or been a business major (I was a Communications major). Also, I would have been way more proactive about seeking out an internship or acquiring related work experience at a much younger age.
Tim: Ugh, me too! But, we live and learn.
What’s the best part about your job? Are there perks worth mentioning?
The company culture is the best part of my job. I feel fortunate to work for a Fortune 500 company that is so progressive and accommodating in its office environment and benefits. We maintain a R.O.W.E. (Results Only Work Environment), basically set your own hours as long as you deliver results. It gives me the flexibility to work whenever or wherever I have to, and don’t have to be present in the office at all times, which is absolutely fantastic. The behemoth headquarters campus spans 36 acres and features a ton of amenities at my disposal such as a cafeteria, company store, dry cleaner, Lube-n-Go, child care, a full service bank, 3 Caribou coffees, fitness center, and so on.
Since I work on Video Games, I am part of the Entertainment category which includes working with Music and Movies groups. I get the chance to meet music artists and celebrities visiting our office, access to private movie screenings, and last but certainly not least, try all the latest video games.
Beyond the paycheck they offer full health, retirement, employee stock purchase plan, professional development education, tuition assistance, and decent employee discount.
I love Wes’ story because he busted his ass to get the job he wanted and wouldn’t take no for an answer. His creativity and tenacity are great examples for us all. If you’re facing similar hardships or setbacks keep Wes’ methods in mind and start hatching some new ways of your own.
