They’re all from different backgrounds and want different things, but they have one thing in common — they all work for General Motors in Russia and the C.I.S. here in Moscow. Here’s what Dmitry Ponivezhsky, Tatiana Amelekhina, Alexander Migal and Alexander Moinov had to say on the subject.

Dmitry Ponivezhsky, 26

financial manager

CV: Dmitry graduated from the world economy department of the State Academy of Management. He did courses in economics, GAAP and business planning in AIBEC. He has been working as a financial manager at GM Russia and C.I.S. for a year and, before obtaining that position, had worked for the company in different capacities for two years.

Responsibilities: Though Dmitry not has been working as a financial manager for long, he is responsible for a great number of tasks, including preparing presentations for headquarters and making monthly and yearly business plans. One of his main responsibilities is the conversion of Russian bookkeeping into GAAP. His role is to act as a liaison between the financial department and the rest of the company, especially with the marketing department. These departments work together on price setting and they analyze sales department programs and so on to determine whether they are profitable. He says that, due to the rapid growth of the company in Russia, different projects are appearing all the time and it is essential to accurately assess their profitability.

What he will be doing in five years: "I don’t know. It is rather difficult to make plans. First of all, I want to get an MBA. I think that it will be necessary for me, because I want to be promoted to the next stage of my career: The position of financial director of GM C.I.S. But that’s not an immediate goal. I doubt that I will be able to become a financial director in five years — it might take as long as 15 years."

Advice to job seekers: "Of course, higher education is obligatory. I also advise people to get additional education above that and attend training courses. This isn’t a problem nowadays. A person should always develop his knowledge; it’s the most important thing. Another important thing is to be self-confident. One should be firm of purpose and know what one wants to do."

Alexander Migal, 30

distribution services manager

CV: Alexander graduated from the department of mathematics at the People’s Friendship Institute. He has a Master’s Degree in finance and accounting. He used to work in banking, but life changes all the time and his path has brought him to logistics. Alexander has been in his current position for three years.

Responsibilities: He is responsible for taking clients’ orders and passing them on to producers. He also has an eye on car delivery and customs payments. He is also involved in logistics in Russia and draws up the necessary documents for automobile sales.

What he will be doing in five years: "I have a Napoleonic plan: I want to be the head of GM. But it’s only a dream. Generally speaking I am going to continue my work here and do my best to be effective for the company."

Advice to jobseekers: "What can I say? Don’t give up; continue your search. A job seeker should use all the ways available. He should contact recruitment agencies and tell friends that he is looking for a job. I can propose a motto for a job seeker: ‘Struggle and search, find and don’t give up’."

Alexander Moinov, 39

marketing and PR manager

CV: Alexander has two degrees and, three years ago, he received an MBA. He has already devoted eight years to GM, one of which he worked in the United States. He received his main experience there. He has no plans to leave Russia, though; he prefers to work here because there are more opportunities to develop his career.

Responsibilities: "I manage all GM trademarks in the C.I.S.: Opel, SAAB, Chevrolet and Cadillac. I coordinate the advertisement activities of the company. I am responsible for the working out offers so that they fit the Russian market. I also coordinate relations with the mass-media."

What he will be doing in five years: "I can’t tell you what I will be doing in five years. Time will tell. I do know for sure, though, that I will be working for GM. It is a company where I can show my worth."

Advice to job seekers: "A person should concentrate on what he really wants, and he shouldn’t just work for immediate results. You have to be prepared for long and hard work and shouldn’t be afraid of it. I advise you to be persistent in striving to reach your goal. A job seeker should always improve himself and be open to new knowledge."


Tatiana Amelekhina, 39

financial director

CV: Tatiana graduated from the People’s Friendship Institute. She has a second economics degree from Moscow State University. She also attended various courses and received a certificate of competence in auditing. She joined GM three years ago.

Responsibilities: "My responsibilities are typical; the management of company funds. I also manage the work of the chief accountant. I am in charge of the company’s internal control procedures and information-systems implementation. As finance director, I also check all the company’s contracts."

What she will be doing in five years: "You know, five years is a long time in Russia. There is a lot to be done in our company, especially in this country. I want to continue my work in GM to make the company’s business more profitable, but I am not super ambitious and have a realistic idea of the way things are and what I can do. I know that I will not become the financial director of General Motors Corp., so I am going to carry out all my present responsibilities in the best way I can."

Advice to job seekers: "Life is constant training. You have to improve your qualifications all the time. I know how much time and effort it takes to find a job, but it is very important to understand what you want and to strive for it. I advise people to look for permanent work and not temporary employment. If you are offered a not-very-high salary in a firm, but that firm is growing, you should stay there to get experience. You will develop together with the company and opportunities will open for you in the future."