S: Strong sales experience, strong technical experience, strong performance history
W: No direct Asia experience, no China cultural experience, salary too high for China
O: There is a leadership vacuum in emerging countries in Asia
T: Local hires and other Sea Turtles
这时已经是过了一年多了。2007年底开始,我就开始了一个marketing campaign,叫做TangTangTang’s family and friends outreach program。每一个季度我给每个熟人打个电话,在亚洲的每个月打一个。每个人到湾区来出差,我一定给他们接风,顺便问一下有什么gossips,再提一句“我会讲会写中文,对亚洲很感兴趣唷”。慢慢的公司里,熟人堆里,和我用过的几个猎头,每个人都开始知道我想去亚洲。
2008年头半年,我听到的亚太的风声越来越多。三月份的时候,在一次裁员中,那个合并后的销售团队几乎完全被裁了。我认识而且知道那些人,所以没有为公司觉得太可惜。结果五月份有一天在San Diego见顾客,晚上走过天桥到了Tijuana去吃喝,其时正值墨西哥的绑架热潮,事后想想有点后怕,但当时光想着吃soft tacos喝Corona了,完全不担心。十点来钟的时候,我正在美美的嚼着carne asada的tacos, 喝得正高兴时,手机响了,是个澳洲的号码。我低骂一声,接了。对方说“Hello, TangTangTang, this is the Australian guy whom you’ve met before, we are looking for a particular person in the region and we think you’d be a great fit. Would you be interested?”