We have all heard the old slogan that bigger is better. Is this true?
The people in Texas would probably tell you....damn straight it is....but I am not so sure.
This economy has a lot of people scrambling for new homes, both on the supplier and the distributor side of this business.
As an individual who is responsible for hiring within our organization I meet first hand with many of these people and hear all their stories. I am on the distributor side working with The Vernon Company. In November I will celebrate 20 years with them and my experience has been a great one.
Listening to the experiences of many of these people I have to count my lucky stars that I am where I am. The truth is, in my opinion that there are lots of good companies out there, big, medium and small.
I do not believe that companies fail strictly because of their size or scope. There are more factors that need to be considered. Conversely companies do not succeed due to their annual sales volume either!
When considering new employment my recommendation would be to ask lots of questions. Sure you can ask about their size and how long they have been in business. Those are two good questions. But other questions should be asked as well. Some others to consider would be...
1. Can I see a copy of your current D & B Credit report or last years audited financial statements? The fact that you want to join a company that is financially stable, a company that is going to be around for years to come should not be construed as a negative. Make sure you closely listen to the answer to this question! Failing to answer this one could be a BIG RED FLAG!
2. If I join your company are there group health and dental benefits available? How about retirement plan options? These are very important to some people!
3. If you do not need those benefits will the company consider paying you a bonus in lieue of the benefits? At The Vernon Company we do offer this because we feel strongly that individuals should not be penalized because they do not need benefits!
4. Can I speak to a number of your top reps to ask about their experiences with your company? Do not take no for an answer here!
The reality here is that I have seen over the years big companies that treat people poorly and small companies that do the same. I have seen way too many salespeople that get locked in to a company, sometimes signing non-competes...please don't do that unless someone is giving you a boat load of money and even then you should think twice about it!
I feel badly when I speak to some of these people who fail to realize that there is a whole other world out there with companies that do value the individual employee rep. They treat you with respect. They listen to and value your opinion and craft tools and policies to meet your needs.
If you find yourself in a position where you need to make a change or are considering making a change please do your homework. I know that a lot of people historically have put more time in buying a "flat screen" television than they have in selecting a company to represent for the future.
Does that make sense?
Do not get caught up on the size of the company! Dig into the history of the company, the financial strength of the company and their reputation!
Talk to others in the industry about them. How do they treat suppliers? Other distributors? Their salespeople?
The lesson is the same as high school and college....if you do your homework...you will end up with better grades.
It has never been more important than today to get good grades as you search for a new place to call your career home!
Good luck!
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