Just accepted a new job after 6 months of searching!

"Shmevans" (icantdriveanyslower)
04/04/2016 at 14:43 • Filed to: None

Any special features you want on this, Canada? I’ll see what I can do.

So 6 months ago I was working in the Marketing Dept. of Mercedes-Benz Canada minding my own business when one day I was pulled into a meeting room and told that after 4 years of working there I was being let go due to “changing priorities” in the department. What this really meant is that they needed to free up a headcount to hire yet another Social Media person (yawn), and it was mine they picked. Ah well.

Since then I have been searching an applying for a job at all the major (and minor) OEM’s who have head office locations in the Toronto area (basically all of them).

Now, I have a degree in Aerospace Engineering so Marketing was never really my passion per se (or my area of expertise), and I really kind of fell back-assward into it after graduating in the recession of 2008 when there were zero Aero companies hiring. So after bouncing around at a few Marketing companies and taking car-related assignments whenever I could get in on them (auto shows, mall tours, ride-and-drives, etc.) I had made some good contacts in the auto industry. When the Mercedes role appeared I emailed the hiring manager directly (whom I had pitched business to months earlier) and had the MB job about a week after that. It really is all about who you know, I’m proof of that so never hesitate to introduce yourself to the people behind the desk at the auto show, they know the people who do the hiring so get their card if you can.

On to the new job... As you may have guessed from the lede image the new job is with Hyundai/Genesis Canada. I will be a Product Planner for the Sport/Intermediate/Luxury cars. This means that I will be responsible for putting together packaging and options for all upcoming Hyundai Genesis Coupes and Sonatas, as well as the Genesis G80 and G90, which is awesome. What this will also mean is being privy to a lot of things coming down the pipeline for both brands which is very cool too. As the Genesis brand grows I will likely have more involvement of future products and packaging for Canada in that regard but for now I will very much be handling cars for both brands.

I’m super excited for the new opportunity and to be doing something closer to the technical background I have and am comfortable with. The Marketing thing was fine, but ultimately not really what I loved. This will hopefully be much closer to the dream for me and can’t wait to get started.

All that being said, hopefully I can start to be a bit of a go-to resource for Oppo on all things Hyundai/Genesis but rest assured that I won’t be spilling any future secrets or putting my neck out there for anything like that. Not planning to screw this up. Even for all of you. Sorry...

Time to start livin’ life KDM style, yo.

DISCUSSION (66)

bob and john > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 14:46

ah, another toronto oppo? theres gettign to be a few of us now...

you, me, cletus44, compromiser, das wauto (thought they are both out in guelph) and a couple more.

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 14:48

Congrats man! Sounds like a fantastic opportunity!

Noah - Now with more boost. > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 14:48

Congrats!! What a cool job. I’m sure you’re relieved

cazzyodo > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 14:49

Congrats!

Party-vi > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 14:49

AND SOON OUR NETWORK OF SPIES ACROSS THE AUTOMOTIVE MARKET SHALL BE COMPLETE

/BWAHAHAHAHA

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 14:51

Can you fix the outrageous Canadian pricing?

Steve in Manhattan > Party-vi
04/04/2016 at 14:51

Are you the source of all of Mr. Bond’s pain?

Shmevans > bob and john
04/04/2016 at 14:53

Yep. Lived here since 2003 when I started at Ryerson. I have a good friend who owns Wells Auto in Guelph. He’s like the go-to guy in Canada (and to some degree the US) for restoring DeLoreans. Actually he just bought a new space in Milton to expand into as well.

Andrew > bob and john
04/04/2016 at 14:54

Dont forget about me

Shmevans > Noah - Now with more boost.
04/04/2016 at 14:55

Yeah for sure. Just as happy I’ll have something to do as I am for the job. Not working is boring as hell!

Shmevans > jvirgs drives a Subaru
04/04/2016 at 14:55

Thanks! I hope it’s as cool as they make it sound.

Shmevans > cazzyodo
04/04/2016 at 14:56

Thanks!

Shmevans > Party-vi
04/04/2016 at 14:56

... but then what?

Stapleface > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 14:57

Congrats on the new job! Maybe you can put a little worm in Hyundai’s ear to keep the New York concept as is, but go with smaller wheels. Those 21's will make the car ride like shit I bet.

pjhusa > Party-vi
04/04/2016 at 14:59

We have those?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:01

????

Profit

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:02

Congrats man that’s an awesome job.

I hope you will limit required package bundling and go more old school with the spec sheet. (I know that the companies love those bundles though, really helps their income)

Shmevans > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
04/04/2016 at 15:07

Yeah we’ll see how much freedom there is to do something like that. Although I know that G90 gets almost no options/packages at all. You basically pick one of the two trim levels and paint and that’s your car.

Shmevans > Stapleface
04/04/2016 at 15:09

Yeah I love how it looks. Some nice 185/70/R15's should do the trick.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Andrew
04/04/2016 at 15:09

I’m not in Toronto, but close.

Andrew > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:10

Also just a quick question. It’s good when Oppo starts following you, right? Right? Anyway I’ve been reading stuff on here for the best part of 3 years or so and I’ve always wanted to post on Oppositelock. How u do dis?

Andrew > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
04/04/2016 at 15:10

Ohhhhhh

Shmevans > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
04/04/2016 at 15:11

Probably not. That’s likely a Sales-only decision but I’ll just put together a super-base Jalop model of everything I can. Wind-up windows in your G90? Sure thing.

mazda616 > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:12

Congratulations! That's so awesome.

Shmevans > Andrew
04/04/2016 at 15:13

You just need to plead your case on everything you can till one of the mods sees it and gives you permissions. Get the first comment in on a few things and ask the question, you should have no problem.

Shmevans > mazda616
04/04/2016 at 15:14

Thanks! Hopefully lots of Genesis/Hyundai goodness to come on here. It will be hell keeping cool secrets though. :(

Stapleface > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:16

Could you imagine 15's on that? They'd be dwarfed! lol And, the car probably can't take anything smaller than a 19 I imagine due to brakes. That's the tradeoff I guess. Superior braking performance but you have massive wheels.

Andrew > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:17

Ah ok, thanks, ill try my best. Congrats on the job btw, sounds really cool

d15b > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:18

Nice! My company actually has a few accounts Kia Canada, but I doubt we will cross paths (I’m not on that account).

Congrats!

Shmevans > Stapleface
04/04/2016 at 15:18

Hmmm. Drum brakes all around!

Bytemite > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
04/04/2016 at 15:19

1. Start up

2. Cash in

3. Sell out

4. Bro down

Kinja'd!!!

Shmevans > Andrew
04/04/2016 at 15:19

Thanks man! I’ll star you up. I don’t know if that helps, but it can’t hurt.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:19

This is excellent news, congratulations!

I think Hyundai is a very interesting opportunity for this type of position, especially now that they’re trying to differentiate Genesis more from Hyundai. The concepts as well as the new designs for Genesis are pretty nice (to me) so I think it’s great timing.

Don’t forget to plan for a stripped out R-Spec Genesis Coupe that we’ll all say that we want and will buy but in reality only four people will purchase and consequently get you fired .

Shmevans > d15b
04/04/2016 at 15:20

You with an agency?

DrScientist > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:21

that’s awesome! congrats!

will the equus fall under your purview?

Bytemite > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:22

So can you give any hints as to where the Genesis coupe will be going?

Is it going to move more upscale and become a Genesis GT car or is it going to move down to Hyundai’s budget Mustang competitor?

Shmevans > gin-san - shitpost specialist
04/04/2016 at 15:24

That’s basically already a thing. My soon-to-be-manager is driving one now. They are crazy affordable for the amount of go-faster bits you get on them. And I agree it’s a very interesting time there. I’m glad I got put on the Genesis business because of that. And also I find those cars much more interesting that the compacts and CUVs which are covered by a few other Planners. I love small cars and they totally have their place (usually on 3 wheels at the track) but I also love all the tech in the big ones. I guess the Fit might have to go...

Shmevans > Bytemite
04/04/2016 at 15:26

Nope sorry. I’ll know a lot more after my first week no doubt but I’m still very much in the dark since I haven’t technically started yet. And I won’t be able to say much before press releases come out anyway regarding news like that on here unfortunately. :(

d15b > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:28

I’ve worked at an agency before, doing media planning for Kia USA.

I now work at a marketing firm now which helps administer programs to designed to meet an OEM’s marketing goals.

Totally different in that one was focused on a “communications” strategy (WE NEED MOAR TRPS DURING OUR TV FLIGHTS!), the other is towards “business objectives” (WE NEED TO SALE MOAR (insert car model here), WE HAS TOO MANY MONTHS OF INVENTORIES!).

Automotive is the category to be in, for sure!

Bytemite > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:29

:( damn...but you gotta admit that the coupe’s fate is hanging in the balance. Will be interesting no matter what direction it goes.

Shmevans > d15b
04/04/2016 at 15:31

Very cool. Media planning was always a mystery to me. I was in CRM at MBC.

Shmevans > Bytemite
04/04/2016 at 15:32

For sure. That’s the real reason I took the job. To find out first what is actually going to happen.

Funktheduck > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:33

So will you be the person to blame when I want just one little option but can't have it unless it's in an expensive package full of things I don't want?

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:33

Manual drum brakes, power brakes are for the weak.

d15b > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:34

I don’t miss the hours, that’s for sure. The perks were good though.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:34

Brown, rear wheel drive, manual, V8, Wagon G90. Make it happen

Shmevans > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
04/04/2016 at 15:39

You forgot diesel but I’ll see what I can do for sure.

Shmevans > Funktheduck
04/04/2016 at 15:41

If you live in Canada then probably, yes. :( Sorry in advance.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:41

Good point and yes please. Get it done.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:43

Yeah when options are limited it’s tough. But you know what I’m getting at lol

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Funktheduck
04/04/2016 at 15:45

This please convince them to just let us tick boxes on things rather than needing a whole package to get one thing! :P

In serious, congrats though mate! I know the feeling...graduated 4 years ago and still looking for a full-time job myself...

Shmevans > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
04/04/2016 at 15:50

I do for sure. Problem is that companies carry so much inventory nowadays that it’s tough to justify doing the whole menu-option approach. This way there are like 3 different choices and you pick to one on the lot that gets closest to what you want. If everything was still order and wait 4 months it would be fine but people need their car today dammit.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:50

and a 4spd manual, n/a diesel, 15" steel wheels, and unpainted plastic bumpers.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:51

As much as I like small cars, if it was a choice between the upmarket products as opposed to Accents/Elantras/CUVs it’s a no-brainer. That said, I wonder what’s going to happen with Hyundai’s ‘N’ performance category - it’s applied on their WRC i20 only (the closest the Canadian market has to that is the Elantra GT/i30). Maybe we’ll eventually get a Genesis N Coupe (GeNesis?) with a V8 or a Elantra N with a turbo-four and AWD. Hopefully you’ll get to work on the ‘N’ stuff as well since it does fall into the ‘Sport’ category.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 15:57

hahahaha too true my friend

Shmevans > gin-san - shitpost specialist
04/04/2016 at 16:03

Hopefully you’re right. I’ve been wanting to see an AWD Veloster since they were in GRC a few years ago. That would be a cool little car for Canada. Plus VelosterN sound good. I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

Party-vi > pjhusa
04/04/2016 at 16:14

You don’t. The Mods do.

Party-vi > Shmevans
04/04/2016 at 16:14

Boxes upon boxes of Nilla Wafers, that’s what.

Party-vi > Steve in Manhattan
04/04/2016 at 16:16

Kinja'd!!!