Basic Marketing: A Global Managerial Approach

Perreault−McCarthy: Basic
Marketing: A
Global−Managerial
Approach, 14/e

Back Matter Appendix C: Career

Planning Marketing

© The McGraw−Hill

Companies, 2002

Career Planning in Marketing 689

Product / brand manager (Chapters 9 and 10)

Many multiproduct firms have brand or product managers handling individual

products—in effect, managing each product as a separate business. Some firms hire

marketing graduates as assistant brand or product managers, although larger firms

typically recruit MBAs for these jobs. Many firms prefer that recent college gradu-

ates spend some time in the field doing sales work or working with an ad agency or

sales promotion agency before moving into brand or product management positions.

Product planner (Chapter 10)

This is usually not an entry-level position. Instead, people with experience on

the technical side of the business or in sales might be moved onto a new-product

development team as they demonstrate judgment and analytical skills. However,

new employees with winning ideas for new products don’t go unnoticed—and they

sometimes have the opportunity to grow fast with ideas they spearhead. Having a

job that puts you in contact with customers is often a good way to spot new needs.

Distribution channel management (Chapter 11)

This work is typically handled or directed by sales managers and therefore is not

an entry-level position. However, many firms form teams of specialists who work

closely with their counterparts in other firms in the channel to strengthen coordi-

nation and relationships. Such a team often includes new people in sales or

purchasing because it gives them exposure to a different part of the firm’s activities.

It’s also not unusual for people to start working in a particular industry and then

take a different job at a different level in the channel. For example, a graduate who

has trained to be a store manager for a chain of sporting goods stores might go to

work for a manufacturers’ representative that handles a variety of sports equipment.

Logistics opportunities (Chapter 12)

There are many sales opportunities with physical distribution specialists—but

there are also many thing-oriented jobs involving traffic management, warehousing,

and materials handling. Here training in accounting, finance, and computer meth-

ods could be very useful. These kinds of jobs are available at all levels in channels

of distribution.

Retailing opportunities (Chapter 13)

Not long ago, most entry-level marketing positions in retailing involved some

kind of sales work. That has changed rapidly in recent years because the number of

large retail chains is expanding and they often recruit graduates for their manage-

ment training programs. Retailing positions tend to offer lower-than-average starting

salaries—but they often provide opportunities for very rapid advancement. In a fast-

growing chain, results-oriented people can move up very quickly. Most retailers

require new employees to have some selling experience before managing others—

or buying. A typical marketing graduate can expect to work as an assistant manager

or do some sales work and manage one or several departments before advancing to

a store management position—or to a staff position that might involve buying,

advertising, location analysis, and so on.

Wholesaling opportunities (Chapter 13)

Entry-level jobs with merchant wholesalers typically fall into one of two cate-

gories. The first is in the logistics area—working with transportation management,

inventory control, distribution customer service, and related activities. The other

category usually involves personal selling and customer support. Agent wholesalers

typically focus on selling, and entry-level jobs often start out with order-taking

responsibilities that grow into order-getting responsibilities. Many wholesalers are