One doesn’t have to be a CEO in the Vegas fashion and arts area to make good money - many top earners are sales employees who operate on commission based remuneration packages
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010Traister Euvrard, author if the best selling essay ‘How to make a buck in the Vegas fashion and arts market’ suggests asking for as much monetary compensation as possible during the interview stage. “Look, if they can get you for less, they will offer you less. The object of any negotiation is to settle on terms that are parties agree upon, and when it comes to remuneration, don’t sell yourself short!” “Grassi Hegner, an Vegas fashion and arts industry veteran was our top choice for Vice President of Sales and Marketing,” said Stockard Najjar, CEO of Hollingworth Mcphie INC., “and we recruited heavily for this position. Basically, we wanted someone with a lot of experience and sales experience.” “Don’t forget to talk about vacation time, which is an essential component of any Vegas fashion and arts industry interview,” says Wimberly Schwarzer, HR director of Estrada Juncker Brothers Firm, “If you want to make a big paycheck realize that you’ll have a more stressful life. As a result, make sure that you have time to relax each year, be it one long vacation, or shorter breaks throughout the year.” Also, when taking your first Vegas fashion and arts company interview, remember to give an honest representation of yourself, including your strengths and weaknesses. “No one, not even the top guy, is perfect,” quips Kiara Russe, “so as a result, when we interview people, we try to find out how their strengths and weaknesses can compliment our current team.” On average, most entry level positions in the Vegas fashion and arts market are competitive, with only about 5-10% of all applicants accepted. These numbers are further reduced whe one considers the attrition rate after successfully gaining the desired position: almost 1/2 drop out within the first year. Accordingly, it pays to do your homework, show off during interviews, and be well prepared for an intense introduction to the business. Other HR diretors, like Alix Fine of the Hermansen Elmblad and Alyse Tufo Firm, suggest intensive interview practice sessions, where a friend or Vegas fashion and arts industry mentor poses standard interview questions. “Having you game together before you go for an interview is absolutely key to making it out in one piece. If your top choice is Company A, do some practice interviews at Companies B and C before attempting your top job choice,” replies Pinch Dunmire, HR and Hiring director. Deptula Grunewald, a Vegas fashion and arts industry veteran salesperson, suggests starting as a sales associate before moving upward into the Executive Vegas fashion and arts sales division. Deptula Grunewald believes taking on too much too soon will be counterproductive: “I’ve seen many hot shots try to hit home runs with little experience without learning to simply get base hits and doubles first. Success comes with small steps and knowledge, not one great play - no matter how memorable.” Key to any career is establishing your needs as an employee. Therefore, when taking an interview in the Vegas fashion and arts sector, go in prepared to talk about compensation, fringe benefits, paid leave, and vacaction policies. Some companies offer more restictive yet generous compensation packages, while others are more informal but don’t pay as well. Health Insurance in the Vegas fashion and arts sector has always been a difficult benefit to delegate to employees, mostly because of the commission based packages that people choose. When one is paid on commission, insurance companies are more hesitant to insure an employee since his/her ability to pay for benefits may vary based on how much money he/she makes in a given month.
