Name: Fred Glaeser
Title: National Internet Field Support Manager
Company: Vector Marketing Corporation (VMC)
Education: University of Maryland
Work Experience: Six years National Internet Field Support Manager, six years as Division Manager for Vector Marketing Corporation, nine years as District Manager for Vector, three years as Field Sales Manager, Assistant Manager and Branch Manager for Vector.
What I do: As the National Internet Field Support Manager, my job is to work with our office throughout North America to improve our managers’ use of the internet as a personal recruiting tool. I oversee the design and management of our websites which greatly impact the receptionists’ efficiency in our offices and oversee our internal system that tracks recruiting – a very vital aspect of our business. In addition, I research and identify future company growth opportunities with the internet.
How I got there: I starting working with Vector Marketing as a CUTCO Cutlery sales representative in the summer of 1983 while attending the University of Maryland. I quickly became a Field Sales Manager and in January of 1984, I was promoted to assistant manager (AM) of the Baltimore as an AM, I interviewed and trained new sales representatives. Once the summer of ’84 came, I was promoted, again, to Branch Manager (BM) and had the opportunity to run my own office for the summer. I decided to stay with Vector Marketing, and after college, I was promoted to District Manager (DM). As the DM, I not only recruited and trained new representatives – I also mentored and developed others to the level of branch and district managers.
In 1994, I managed the #1 office in the Northeast region, which was also the #5 office in North America. The following year, I was promoted to Division Manager – managing District and Branch managers while also running a top office. During my time as the Division Manager, my division was ranked the #2 division in the Northeast region. In 2001, I was promoted to my current position, National Internet Field Support Manager.
Skills needed: To succeed in this area, it’s important to truly love working with other people. You’ll need to have polished speaking and presentation skills, be a good listener and have the ability to troubleshoot on the spot. Being able to identify areas of opportunity for growth and to develop programs that allow others to grow as well, is vital to my role at Vector Marketing.
Advice: Sales and marketing experience adds tremendous value to your resume, whether you decide to stay in sales or not. If you love working with and helping people I would definitely give it a try. It is also important to have fun and to develop your speaking skills. Success in selling is contagious. The better you do the more excited you get.
Biggest misconception: One of the biggest misconceptions about applying for jobs online is that some people think once they submit their resume – their part is finished. Most employers however, use what happens after the resume is submitted as a “weeding out” process. The employers may collect the resumes but only pursue those applicants who follow up with a phone call. Don’t rely solely on the internet or email when applying for a job – remember to make the personal touch.
To succeed and enjoy this position, you need to: You need to have a complete understanding of your product, how to market it and how to become successful in selling it. Mastering these skills will open new opportunities for you. Always strive for success and maintain a positive attitude. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you push yourself to go the extra mile and remain positive!