Appendix a - Your Career in Marketing 519

Appendix A - Your Career in Marketing 519

APPENDIX A

Your Career in Marketing

Overview

As a consumer, you already know marketing is a pervasive element in our lives. In one form or another, it reaches every person. This course informed you about the different types of marketing messages, showed you how they are created, and helped you understand the impact they have.

As you have seen throughout this course, marketing activities are interwoven in daily business processes, helping develop useful products consumers need, pricing them for a fair profit, promoting them so consumers are aware of their availability, and bringing them to market. But marketing also has a huge impact on society and the economy in general.

Lecture Outline

Appendix A: Your career in marketing
Key Terms: chronological résumé, functional résumé, combined résumé, open-ended interview
Figure 1
Functional Résumé
Figure 2
Tips for Preparing an
Electronic Résumé / 1.  Marketing costs are a big component of a product’s total budget
a.  Approximately 50 percent of the total costs of products you buy are marketing costs
b.  But costs alone do not indicate the value of marketing to the success of a product
c.  Marketing sends important messages to consumers and businesses, usually expanding overall sales and spreading production costs over more items sold, reducing the total cost to bring the product to market
2.  Marketers contribute to society as well as to individual employers
a.  Marketing decisions affect everyone’s welfare
b.  The “Solving an Ethical Controversy” features included in every chapter of this book got you thinking about ethical issues in marketing and increased your awareness of the importance of maintaining high ethical standards in every dimension of marketing
c.  Opportunities to advance to more responsible decision-making positions often come sooner in marketing than in most occupations
d.  Although many paths can lead to the top of the corporate ladder, marketing remains one of the strongest and most popular
3.  You may choose a career in marketing
a.  Of the many career paths chosen by business graduates, marketing is the largest employment category in the U.S. labor force, and job growth in the field is expected to accelerate
b.  Marketing plays a significant role in the survival and growth of all companies—which means that, as a field, it will continue to grow
4.  Your quest for a successful, rewarding career
a.  The average starting salary for marketing graduates is about $42,000
b.  This positive outlook does not mean competition isn’t tough or you can be casual in your approach to your first job
c.  You are not guaranteed anything. But if you are creative, hardworking, and determined—and if you learn everything you can about business and marketing before you begin your search—you are likely to land a good entry-level position at a company that suits you
5.  Internships provide valuable work experience
a.  Internships have been described as a critical link in bridging the theory–practice educational gap
b.  They help carry students between the academic present and the professional future
c.  Internships are gaining popularity for both employers and students or recent grads.
d.  In fact, interning is now the number one recruiting technique among employers, and 60 percent of students are hired for full-time jobs from their internships
e.  Some internships include a salary, which may be as high as $15 to $25 per hour, depending on the industry and the level of education reached by the student
f.  Other internships are unpaid, but the majority of students who participate in unpaid internships still believe the experience gained is much more important than a salary would have been
6.  Your résumé
a.  Three basic formats are used in preparing a résumé
i.  A chronological résumé arranges information in reverse chronological order, emphasizing job titles and organizations and describing responsibilities held and duties performed. This format highlights continuity and career growth
ii. A functional résumé accents accomplishments and strengths, placing less emphasis on job titles and work history, and often omits job descriptions
iii.  Some applicants use a combined résumé format, which emphasizes skills first, followed by employment history. This format highlights a candidate’s potential and suits students who often have little experience directly related to their desired positions
b.  Regardless of which format you choose, all résumés contain certain information.
c.  And they all have the same goal: to interest an employer enough to invite you to apply formally for a job and conduct an interview
i.  A résumé should be concise—no more than a single page
ii. Your contact information should appear at the top of the page: full name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Avoid using a nickname
iii.  A statement of goals usually follows
iv.  Your education information generally comes next
v. State your work history, including employment, internships, and related volunteer work
vi.  Provide a statement of your skills such as leadership, managing others, computer software knowledge, and the like
vii.  At the end of your résumé, add a note that you will furnish references on request—do not include your references’ names and contact information on your résumé
viii.  The important point to remember in creating an effective résumé is to present the most relevant information in a clear, concise manner that emphasizes your best attributes
7.  Cover Letter
a.  Your potential employer typically is first introduced to you through a cover letter
b.  A cover letter should attract attention and interest about what is inside
c.  Do:
i.  Keep your letter to a single page
ii. Customize the letter to the company or person for whom it is intended, even though you may be writing 20 such letters. Send an original letter, not a photocopy.
iii.  Proofread it several times, making sure there are no typos
iv.  Remember to sign your letter
v. Include your contact information, including cell phone number and e-mail address
d.  Don’t:
i.  Use slang or rude language
ii. Rehash your résumé
iii.  Address the letter “Gentlemen” or “Dear Sirs.” The person reading the letter might be a woman. Instead, take the time to find out exactly to whom you should send your materials.
iv.  Challenge the reader to hire you; nor should you appear desperate. Instead, briefly state what you can contribute to the workplace
8.  Letters of recommendation
a.  Letters of recommendation serve as testimonials to your performance in academic and work settings.
b.  An effective letter of recommendation typically contains the following elements:
i.  Statement of the length and nature of the relationship between the writer and the job candidate
ii. Description of the candidate’s academic and career growth potential
iii.  Review of important achievements
iv.  Evaluation of personal characteristics (what kind of colleague the candidate will make)
v. Summary of the candidate’s outstanding strengths and abilities
9.  Using paperless systems
a.  Most large firms have moved toward electronic (paperless) résumé processing and applicant-tracking systems
b.  Some human resource experts say outright that the fastest way to get your résumé to the correct person is to use the firm’s own online application system
c.  So it’s best to prepare a résumé compatible with these systems
d.  In addition, keep in mind a few overall rules
i.  First, read the directions for completing and transmitting your résumé or application carefully—and follow them to the letter.
ii. Second, complete all possible fields, even those not required
iii.  Third, if the firm offers an optional online assessment test, take it
iv.  Finally, choose effective keywords for your résumé
10.  Learning more about job opportunities
a.  Examine a number of factors when assessing each job possibility:
i.  Actual job responsibilities
ii. Industry characteristics
iii.  Nature of the company
iv.  Geographic location
v. Salary and opportunities for advancement
vi.  The contribution the job is likely to make to your long-range career opportunities.
11.  Job interviews
a.  Your first goal in your job search is to land an interview with a prospective employer
b.  Preparing for the interview - Do your homework
c.  You can prepare by researching the following basic information about the firm:
i.  How long has the firm been in business?
ii. In what industry does the firm operate? What is its role within the industry?
iii.  Who are the firm’s customers? Who are its competitors?
iv.  How is the firm organized? How many people work there? Where are its headquarters?
v. Does it have other offices and production facilities located around the nation or around the world?
vi.  What is the company’s mission? Does the company have a written code of ethics?
d.  What to expect in an interview - Prepare yourself for the questions you will likely be asked. Here are a few examples:
i.  Why did you apply for this job? Why do you want this job?
ii. What are the requirements of the job as you understand them?
iii.  What are your key strengths? What are your weaknesses?
iv.  Are you an organized person? How do you manage your time?
v. What were your responsibilities on your last job or internship? How would they apply here?
vi.  What were your biggest successes or failures—in school or work?
vii.  How do you make important decisions? How do you function under pressure?
viii.  What do you know about this company?
ix.  What are your most important long-term goals?
e.  During a typical interview, the interviewer usually talks little. This approach, referred to as an open-ended interview, forces you to talk about yourself and your career goals. This is a major reason why it is important to arrive prepared.
f.  A successful first interview may result in an invitation to return to take a skills test, tour the building, or even meet other managers and coworkers. All of these experiences point toward getting the right fit between a company and its potential employees.
g.  On the other hand, even after a good interview, you may not be asked back. Do not consider this a personal rejection—the job market is competitive, and companies must make their selections carefully to achieve the best match.
12.  Employment decisions
a.  By now, a firm that is still considering you as a strong candidate knows quite a bit about you
b.  When the interview process is complete, you may be offered a position with the firm. Your decision to accept the offer should depend on a variety of factors, including the following:
i.  Do you want to work in this industry?
ii. Do you want to be part of the company’s mission? Would you be proud to work for this company?
iii.  Could this particular job lead to other opportunities within the company?
iv.  Will you be able to work well with your coworkers and supervisors?
v. Can you already see ways you can learn and contribute your best efforts to the company?
13.  Marketing Positions
a.  The “Career Path” features that follow outline major marketing positions, providing job descriptions and projected career paths for each.
b.  Career Path 1: Marketing, Advertising, Product, and Public Relations Managers. Related Chapters: Chapters 1 and 2 (marketing); Chapters 11 and 12 (product); Chapters 15 and 16 (advertising and public relations)
c.  Career Path 2: Sales Representatives and Sales Managers. Related Chapter: Chapter 17
d.  Career Path 2: Sales Representatives and Sales Managers. Related Chapter: Chapter 17
e.  Career Path 3: Advertising Specialists. Related Chapters: Chapters 15 and 16
f.  Career Path 4: Public Relations Specialists. Related Chapters: Chapters 15 and 16
g.  Career Path 5: Purchasing Agents and Managers. Related Chapter: Chapter 6
h.  Career Path 6: Retail and Wholesale Buyers and Merchandise Managers. Related Chapter: Chapter 14
i.  Career Path 7: Marketing Research Analysts. Related Chapter: Chapter 8
j.  Career Path 8: Logistics: Materials Receiving, Scheduling, Dispatching, and Distributing Occupations. Related Chapter: Chapter 13