Anonymous
Cosmetics are a risky business. Ask Victoria. She lost a $60,000-a- year-plus-company-car marketing job when sales of several prestige product lines declined.
But not to worry, she thought. A vibrant redhead with personality and confidence to match, she mailed her resume to all the major cosmetics firms in New York and got an interview only a week later. She'd gone through all the lower echelons, and was now talking with the marketing vice president for the second time, a good time to talk salary. "With my experience, I should be able to earn at least what I was making before."
"Which was?"
"Sixty thousand"
"I don't see that's a problem," said the VP, to Victoria's relief. "But tell me, if you were in this job now, how would you introduce this new lip stick line I mentioned?"
That was the type of question Vicki could warm up to. With the money thing settled, she relaxed and spent the next 45 minutes explaining all the marketing ideas she'd implement to launch the new line. The VP listened and nodded.
Got him, she thought, when he called the next day. But he wanted to talk some more. "You know, Vicki," he said, "I like your ideas. They're good. But they're marketing theory. If you could be more specific, it'd help me decide. Can you come in Thursday afternoon?"
Theory?, I'll show him. I'll give him specifics! And she spent two hours Thursday talking packaging, pricing, distribution, advertising, tie-in programs, holiday promotions and more. She was sure the VP was impressed. He shook her hand warmly and said she'd be hearing soon.
Victoria was invited back the next week - to get the job offer in person, she was sure - but the VP asked what she'd do with the company's moisturizers. Incredibly, she had a total of seven interviews with the same vice president, each time talking about a different product line. Finally, on the seventh trip, he told her he'd definitely make a decision by the end of the week.
Three days later, the Personnel Department called and did, in fact, offer her a job - at a salary of $30,000.
She turned it down. And felt used, ideas squeezed out of her. She considered suing but had no provable case: they did offer her the job at a salary she now suspected was always $30,000.
Faced with closed doors and dead ends, Victoria applied to nursing school and was accepted.
