Yesterday a headhunter called me, asking me to go for an interview for an Asia Pacific Regional post in the Group Legal Department of a United States Multi National Corporation. The company deals in healthcare and pharmaceutical products, and has forty-three thousand employees in fifty-seven countries, more than six times the size of my current company!
Even though my company is a public-listed company, it is still a medium-sized local firm, with about seven thousand employees in the various countries and fifty-five nationalities. The Human Resource Manager called me for a phone interview, and I must say, the prospects sound so impressive!
In fact, the job scope itself is not much of a difference from what I am currently doing, except with minor adjustments being in different industries. But still, it will be drafting and reviewing agreements, liaising with external counsels, dealing with international matters, translation of documents. Except because this will be a global company, the international matters will be more intense than the ones I am dealing with now.
The only difference is there will be no trademark issues and no more property transactions! However, I will get to maintain websites and draft press releases. The biggest lure is that they will give me a remuneration package that equates to fifty percent more to what I am currently getting per month.
In fact, I was told the budget does not matter, what matters is to find the right candidate and the capability of the person for the job. Does it mean I can shamelessly ask for any amount? The thing is, this will be a contract position of six months, extendable to a year, reason being they need someone urgently, so hiring first, but they have not gotten the headcount approval from the headquarters so I can only start off as a contract staff if I take up the job.
Rather risky if you ask me. I have been in enough contract positions to know I will be the first to go if the headcount is not approved, or if there is a restructuring or merger and acquisition. Just when I can finally hold on to a job (two years already!), I do not want to start hopping all over again every few months!
I took a look at the website and the company’s profile and corporate culture looks impressive! Well, every company looks impressive on the surface, but working for them is another matter. Just like before I joined my current company, I was very impressed too. I have heard of my current company since young, but did not dare dream of working here before because it came across as a prestigious company that hires only the best people.
I could hardly believe it when I was offered a job here that I took it up immediately! It is an in-house position, something I have always wanted (okay, I have worked in other in-house positions before this), and the benefits are good, much better than previous firms. So I was so excited when I joined this firm, but it took just a couple of months for my impression to change. I shall not divulge much except that what looks good on the outside may not necessarily be good on the inside.
Come to think of it, in comparison, the benefits are just normal, not extraordinary. The only real perk comes from enjoying high-class luxury resorts and spas for free, but even that is subject to availability. Paying guests get priority over staff. Personally I have not had the chance of going to any of the resorts in any part of the world because each time when I applied to go, it was rejected as the place may suddenly have an influx of guests.
Still, this is a good company to learn from. I learnt so much more from this company as compared to previous companies. I have worked in big and established law firms, medium law firms and small law firms as well as in-house departments of big companies and government-linked companies, but it is here that I learnt the most.
Perhaps it is to do with the fact that I stay here the longest, but whatever it is, this place is a very good learning ground, because we deal with international issues. I learnt how efficient our local system is as compared to some other countries. I learnt how difficult and restricted the laws in some countries can be. I learnt how to deal with difficult people (not co-workers but clients).
I learnt how to read financial reports and audit reports, how to ask for financing and refinancing, how banks work when it comes to foreign currency conversion, how to go around the system of the various countries in working things out to an amicable settlement. Honestly, I never learnt all these in school, even in tertiary! I never learnt this in the various companies I worked for as well, because those companies were too specialized in their own areas.
But here, I have to liaise with people from the different departments, and they throw everything at me, which is why I had to either do or be doomed. So I had to pick up many things from scratch, like how to analyse from a tax manager’s point of view in incorporating the necessary payment clauses in the legal agreements.
I am never a finance person. The brief period of time I took up Accounting back in school, my balance sheet could never balance. If I ever run a business, I think it will fold after a month, since everything will be in the red. Yet after working here, I could analyse and read finance reports, and even point out mistakes in the transactions as if I majored in Accounting and Finance!
I am also never a sales person. Yet with property launches and transactions and talking to clients, I had to play the role of a salesperson in order to market the properties. I had to ensure they are comfortable with what we offer at the same time being in line with the company’s policies. This was where I learnt how to talk to people, how I had to brush up my EQ in order to socialize well.
Not to mention the knowledge gained in economics and market research. Being a public-listed company, I had to learn how stocks and shares and the stock market works. I had to attend Annual General Meetings and liaise with the shareholders. Plus an update in geographical knowledge.
For someone who never did well in economics, I had to start getting in touch with it again after a lapse of twelve years or so. Thus after working here, I gained so much more exposure to law, finance, insurance, economics, geography, operations, hospitality, customer service, sales and marketing, not to mention human relations!
Okay, many companies can give this kind of exposure too. I am sure there are bigger companies that have much better learning ground and prospects. But this is one place I do not mind staying on. So many times I wanted to leave, but in the end I was asked to stay on. However, there comes a time when you have learnt whatever you can learn and things are just at your fingertips. Things have come to a stage where there are no more challenges to look forward to, and whatever I am doing now is pretty mundane.
Where it used to take me a few hours to finish a piece of work, now I do it all within an hour or less, because everything is now at my fingertips. Where I used to have to look for precedents to draft agreements, now I can draft them at the back of my mind. Where I used to have to scrutinize the whole document looking for relevant clauses, now I can state which clause it is without even looking.
Where it used to take me days to analyse finance reports, now I just zoom in on the relevant sections and point out any issues. Where in my previous companies I had to go through the lawyers for every thing, even normal correspondence, here I can have my own business card, talk to clients and external counsels on my own, send out my own emails and sign off correspondence without any need to go through anyone!
Where in my previous firms the lawyers and directors never gave me a glance, here I can communicate to lawyers, directors and even the managing directors on an equal level. I can attend meetings and give my point of view. I am so familiar with what is going on that even our group managing director comes to me when he needs certain things!
I am pretty happy where my career is going. I was resigned to just doing menial and mundane tasks, but I never know the things I can really do. I never expect my career path to progress at such a rate. And all these contributed in making me a better person. Those who know me and who have been reading my blog can probably tell I have grown as a person. I am less emotional, more confident, less affected by things. Maybe age and experiences play a part, but I daresay my work environment and job exposure contributed to that as well.
The only thing I am concerned about is office politics, but that occurs everywhere, whether in a big firm or small firm or medium firm, whether in government or private, in local or international firms. And anyway, I am never one to be embroiled with politics. Not that I have never been backstabbed or betrayed, so why should I care so much as long as work is done?
Thus, shorn of the petty human relations here, this is a pretty good place to work in and stay on. If I stay on, I will continue drawing the same pay, hopefully an increment again next year, getting about a few months bonus and incentives every year and doing the same things. If I get the other job offer, I have to start from scratch all over again in a new industry, adjusting and familiarizing to a new place and system.
But the lure of money is really too great. Yes, I know I am never one to be concerned with the pay as long as I like the job, but a fifty percent increase (and maybe more) is not a small sum. God knows I really need the extra cash right now at this point in time to tide me over. The thing is if the interview goes well and I get the job (which the Human Resource Manager says I stand a very high chance), they will want me to go over immediately after my notice period. Which means I may need to start in November, possibly after my family trip.
If that is the case, I will forfeit the bonus I will be getting from my current company. After slogging it out for another year, I am entitled to the bonus. It will be a waste to leave just when I am getting the bonus. And I am talking about at least a few months together, not a small sum. That amount can just about clear off whatever outstanding debts in one shot.
I did a calculation. If I continue staying on, yes I draw a relatively good pay, not too much but not really that little, with good bonuses and incentives. All add together, my annual income is pretty comfortable. But if I move over, with the promised fifty percent increase in my pay, my annual income is already a significant increase just on a twelve-month calculation.
In other words, what I can earn on a twelve-month package is already much more than what I am earning on a sixteen-month package! I am not even counting in whatever bonus and incentives I may get in the new company! With the increase, I can save more and still maintain a relatively comfortable lifestyle!
Which common sensical person will not take the offer? But it all boils down to whether I will get the offer in the first place. Even though I have been told I stand a high chance as they shortlisted me out of many other candidates (as was claimed), still I have to go for the face-to-face interview to see how it is like. Back to the whole process again!
Even though my company is a public-listed company, it is still a medium-sized local firm, with about seven thousand employees in the various countries and fifty-five nationalities. The Human Resource Manager called me for a phone interview, and I must say, the prospects sound so impressive!
In fact, the job scope itself is not much of a difference from what I am currently doing, except with minor adjustments being in different industries. But still, it will be drafting and reviewing agreements, liaising with external counsels, dealing with international matters, translation of documents. Except because this will be a global company, the international matters will be more intense than the ones I am dealing with now.
The only difference is there will be no trademark issues and no more property transactions! However, I will get to maintain websites and draft press releases. The biggest lure is that they will give me a remuneration package that equates to fifty percent more to what I am currently getting per month.
In fact, I was told the budget does not matter, what matters is to find the right candidate and the capability of the person for the job. Does it mean I can shamelessly ask for any amount? The thing is, this will be a contract position of six months, extendable to a year, reason being they need someone urgently, so hiring first, but they have not gotten the headcount approval from the headquarters so I can only start off as a contract staff if I take up the job.
Rather risky if you ask me. I have been in enough contract positions to know I will be the first to go if the headcount is not approved, or if there is a restructuring or merger and acquisition. Just when I can finally hold on to a job (two years already!), I do not want to start hopping all over again every few months!
I took a look at the website and the company’s profile and corporate culture looks impressive! Well, every company looks impressive on the surface, but working for them is another matter. Just like before I joined my current company, I was very impressed too. I have heard of my current company since young, but did not dare dream of working here before because it came across as a prestigious company that hires only the best people.
I could hardly believe it when I was offered a job here that I took it up immediately! It is an in-house position, something I have always wanted (okay, I have worked in other in-house positions before this), and the benefits are good, much better than previous firms. So I was so excited when I joined this firm, but it took just a couple of months for my impression to change. I shall not divulge much except that what looks good on the outside may not necessarily be good on the inside.
Come to think of it, in comparison, the benefits are just normal, not extraordinary. The only real perk comes from enjoying high-class luxury resorts and spas for free, but even that is subject to availability. Paying guests get priority over staff. Personally I have not had the chance of going to any of the resorts in any part of the world because each time when I applied to go, it was rejected as the place may suddenly have an influx of guests.
Still, this is a good company to learn from. I learnt so much more from this company as compared to previous companies. I have worked in big and established law firms, medium law firms and small law firms as well as in-house departments of big companies and government-linked companies, but it is here that I learnt the most.
Perhaps it is to do with the fact that I stay here the longest, but whatever it is, this place is a very good learning ground, because we deal with international issues. I learnt how efficient our local system is as compared to some other countries. I learnt how difficult and restricted the laws in some countries can be. I learnt how to deal with difficult people (not co-workers but clients).
I learnt how to read financial reports and audit reports, how to ask for financing and refinancing, how banks work when it comes to foreign currency conversion, how to go around the system of the various countries in working things out to an amicable settlement. Honestly, I never learnt all these in school, even in tertiary! I never learnt this in the various companies I worked for as well, because those companies were too specialized in their own areas.
But here, I have to liaise with people from the different departments, and they throw everything at me, which is why I had to either do or be doomed. So I had to pick up many things from scratch, like how to analyse from a tax manager’s point of view in incorporating the necessary payment clauses in the legal agreements.
I am never a finance person. The brief period of time I took up Accounting back in school, my balance sheet could never balance. If I ever run a business, I think it will fold after a month, since everything will be in the red. Yet after working here, I could analyse and read finance reports, and even point out mistakes in the transactions as if I majored in Accounting and Finance!
I am also never a sales person. Yet with property launches and transactions and talking to clients, I had to play the role of a salesperson in order to market the properties. I had to ensure they are comfortable with what we offer at the same time being in line with the company’s policies. This was where I learnt how to talk to people, how I had to brush up my EQ in order to socialize well.
Not to mention the knowledge gained in economics and market research. Being a public-listed company, I had to learn how stocks and shares and the stock market works. I had to attend Annual General Meetings and liaise with the shareholders. Plus an update in geographical knowledge.
For someone who never did well in economics, I had to start getting in touch with it again after a lapse of twelve years or so. Thus after working here, I gained so much more exposure to law, finance, insurance, economics, geography, operations, hospitality, customer service, sales and marketing, not to mention human relations!
Okay, many companies can give this kind of exposure too. I am sure there are bigger companies that have much better learning ground and prospects. But this is one place I do not mind staying on. So many times I wanted to leave, but in the end I was asked to stay on. However, there comes a time when you have learnt whatever you can learn and things are just at your fingertips. Things have come to a stage where there are no more challenges to look forward to, and whatever I am doing now is pretty mundane.
Where it used to take me a few hours to finish a piece of work, now I do it all within an hour or less, because everything is now at my fingertips. Where I used to have to look for precedents to draft agreements, now I can draft them at the back of my mind. Where I used to have to scrutinize the whole document looking for relevant clauses, now I can state which clause it is without even looking.
Where it used to take me days to analyse finance reports, now I just zoom in on the relevant sections and point out any issues. Where in my previous companies I had to go through the lawyers for every thing, even normal correspondence, here I can have my own business card, talk to clients and external counsels on my own, send out my own emails and sign off correspondence without any need to go through anyone!
Where in my previous firms the lawyers and directors never gave me a glance, here I can communicate to lawyers, directors and even the managing directors on an equal level. I can attend meetings and give my point of view. I am so familiar with what is going on that even our group managing director comes to me when he needs certain things!
I am pretty happy where my career is going. I was resigned to just doing menial and mundane tasks, but I never know the things I can really do. I never expect my career path to progress at such a rate. And all these contributed in making me a better person. Those who know me and who have been reading my blog can probably tell I have grown as a person. I am less emotional, more confident, less affected by things. Maybe age and experiences play a part, but I daresay my work environment and job exposure contributed to that as well.
The only thing I am concerned about is office politics, but that occurs everywhere, whether in a big firm or small firm or medium firm, whether in government or private, in local or international firms. And anyway, I am never one to be embroiled with politics. Not that I have never been backstabbed or betrayed, so why should I care so much as long as work is done?
Thus, shorn of the petty human relations here, this is a pretty good place to work in and stay on. If I stay on, I will continue drawing the same pay, hopefully an increment again next year, getting about a few months bonus and incentives every year and doing the same things. If I get the other job offer, I have to start from scratch all over again in a new industry, adjusting and familiarizing to a new place and system.
But the lure of money is really too great. Yes, I know I am never one to be concerned with the pay as long as I like the job, but a fifty percent increase (and maybe more) is not a small sum. God knows I really need the extra cash right now at this point in time to tide me over. The thing is if the interview goes well and I get the job (which the Human Resource Manager says I stand a very high chance), they will want me to go over immediately after my notice period. Which means I may need to start in November, possibly after my family trip.
If that is the case, I will forfeit the bonus I will be getting from my current company. After slogging it out for another year, I am entitled to the bonus. It will be a waste to leave just when I am getting the bonus. And I am talking about at least a few months together, not a small sum. That amount can just about clear off whatever outstanding debts in one shot.
I did a calculation. If I continue staying on, yes I draw a relatively good pay, not too much but not really that little, with good bonuses and incentives. All add together, my annual income is pretty comfortable. But if I move over, with the promised fifty percent increase in my pay, my annual income is already a significant increase just on a twelve-month calculation.
In other words, what I can earn on a twelve-month package is already much more than what I am earning on a sixteen-month package! I am not even counting in whatever bonus and incentives I may get in the new company! With the increase, I can save more and still maintain a relatively comfortable lifestyle!
Which common sensical person will not take the offer? But it all boils down to whether I will get the offer in the first place. Even though I have been told I stand a high chance as they shortlisted me out of many other candidates (as was claimed), still I have to go for the face-to-face interview to see how it is like. Back to the whole process again!
0 comments:
Post a Comment