Everyone’s got a story to tell, and our Vestiigo members are no slouches when it comes to spinning a good yarn.  This week’s member spotlight features Emile Perez, an inside sales extraordinaire with the heart of an artist.  Armed only with his prose and a love of social media, will he triumph over the member spotlight?  We believe he will. 

1) Where do you work?  What do you do?  And how did you find your current position?

I work for one of the largest technology companies in the world. I’m currently in an inside sales position where social media and telephone/video conferencing are my tools for client interaction. I landed this position through my ability to network. I worked at this company during university which helped a lot, along with great references by my old manager. It really is a great place to be.

2) Who inspires you, business-wise?

I’m inspired by a sense of duty to my image as well as the image of the company that I work for. In any role, especially one that’s customer facing, I believe that your own image is tied to that of the company you work for. If there’s a disconnect, or one is misrepresented in some way, it affects the other. Because I represent my company as well as myself, I’m inspired to be the best I can be all the time.

3) What’s your dream job?  What kind of company would you love to work at?

My dream job is to be a fiction writer. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of and am still pursuing. My creativity and affinity for writing drive me to lean towards a social media marketing role. Because of my customer facing experiences, as well as past marketing experiences, I know a career in social media is best suited for my personality and skill-set.

4) What’s a memorable mistake you’ve made during an interview?  What did you learn from it?

My most memorable mistake during an interview was looking at my watch. Nearing the end of an interview I made the mistake of looking at my watch and was subsequently called out on it. It was quite embarrassing to say the least because it made me seem uninterested or in a rush to leave. It forced me to step back and realize that while it’s okay to be antsy and nervous in an interview I really need to savour the experience and enjoy it for what it is. How often do you get to talk about all of your accomplishments and skills?... I also no longer wear watches.

5) Any advice for your fellow job-seekers?

The best advice I can give is to use social media to network and find people who can connect you to companies you have applied to. Social media also helps to establish a relationship by association. When you apply to a posting, through Vestiigo for example, and it turns out a friend knows the hiring manager, find out from that person how they know each other and get tips on what you can do or say in the interview to catch their attention. If they have a good relationship with the person it provides a strong basis for that rapport you seek with a potential employer.

Emile is a Vestiigo member and inside sales specialist at one of the world’s largest technology companies. You can connect with Emile through his Linkedin profile.