Altria reviews

You will work for 4 different operating companies, with each company have several different initiatives they want executed within a very short deadline. Just when you think you're done executing those initiatives, they change again, and just when you finish those, they will change again. Your life will revolve around fire drills, the rat race never ends, its easy to get burned out with this company. Politics plays a big role in getting promoted with this company. I've seen many excellent candidate get passed up and move on that should have been promoted. The work you do mostly goes unseen and people are promoted for "playing the game" rather than their effort and merit. If you have a good unit manager this job can last you several years, if you have a bad Unit Manager, and chance are you will since they have little experience, your job will be miserable. Your best bet at that point is to make that UM your friend and play the game. Perception is reality! I used to think the more responsibilities I took on, and the more initiatives I took on would lead to a promotion, however it never did. I received multiple awards, even a vision driven award, awarded to only 2 TSM's in a Section, took on mentor roles and managed interns, represented my section at corporate meetings and took on additional account management responsibilities. After 8 years of breaking my back to earn a promotion, I got burned out and quit. I found a job with a 40% increase in salary, quarterly bonuses, and $1000. a month car allowance doing half the work.

This is NOT professional sales!! If you do not want to be a merchandiser to not apply for this position!!! You will be working with over 100 retailers going around and putting up POS (point of sale...signage), merchandising products on fixtures for top space and new products, repricing signage, looking at sales data to increase market share(yet you dont control pricing, distribution from manufacturer, advertising budget, etc.), and "selling" in new product (really just suggesting it and maybe placing an "e-order" for a couple of cartons of cigs..which RARELY per "sale"/retailer is over $200 total of merchandise). The vast amount of your time will not be selling anything. The company says they are trying to go to a "consultant sales position," but you can't separate what you truly are and what the customer (retailer) sees you as..a merchandiser from the companies idea of "sales." The position once learned (for someone of average intelligence..about 2-5 months) can become very boring and for anyone with more than basic sales (ie: summer sales jobs at the mall and a basic understanding of financial/sales concepts) this position won't be fullfilling. To illustrate this isn't really a professional sales oreinted position...the company feels the most complex financial concept learned is calculating retailers profit margin, penny profit, and mark up. The income is majority base salary (95% of it) and making a decent sales income (over $60k) will require you to move into management (generally at least a minimum of 2 years into your career). Also you have little say where you will be relocated to once promoted. Another HUGE CON is the company hires a lot of kids straight from college and they get stars in their eyes based on position title and base income out the gate...and have little to no practical sales knowledge or ability..therefore they feel selling $150 of goods in a "sale" is setting the world on fire. People also get promoted WAY too fast and without any true management experience or knowledge. Promotion is based on being liked and having a cheerleader mentality, with sales goals being secondary. Everyone talks about getting promoted even at the first training meeting. While it is a good company with great benefits...for anyone with true sales ability or who wants their income/promotion somewhat dependent on their own abilities and merits...stay away.