Perreault−McCarthy: Basic
Marketing: A
Global−Managerial
Approach, 14/eBack Matter Appendix C: Career
Planning Marketing© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2002686 Appendix C
Here we have oversimplified deliberately to emphasize the differences among
types of jobs. Actually, of course, there are many variations between the two
extremes. Some sales reps must do a great deal of analytical work before they make
a presentation. Similarly, some marketing researchers must be extremely people-sen-
sitive to get potential customers to reveal their true feelings. But the division is still
useful because it focuses on the primary emphasis in different kinds of jobs.
Managers are needed for the people in both kinds of jobs. Managing others
requires a blend of both people and analytical skills—but people skills may be the
more important of the two. Therefore, people-oriented individuals are often
promoted into managerial positions more quickly.After deciding whether you’re generally people-oriented or thing-oriented, you’re
ready for the next step—trying to identify your specific strengths (to be built on)
and weaknesses (to be avoided or remedied). It is important to be as specific as pos-
sible so you can develop a better marketing plan. For example, if you decide you
are more people-oriented, are you more skilled in verbal or written communication?
Or if you are more thing-oriented, what specific analytical or technical skills do you
have? Are you good at working with numbers, using a computer, solving complex
problems, or coming to the root of a problem? Other possible strengths include past
experience (career-related or otherwise), academic performance, an outgoing per-
sonality, enthusiasm, drive, motivation, and so on.
It is important to see that your plan should build on your strengths. An employer
will be hiring you to do something—so promote yourself as someone who is able
to do something well.In other words, find your competitive advantage in your
unique strengths—and then communicate these unique things about youand what
you can do. Give an employer a reason to pick you over other candidates by show-
ing that you’ll add superior value to the company.
While trying to identify strengths, you also must realize that you may have some
important weaknesses—depending on your objectives. If you are seeking a career
that requires technical skills, for example, then you need to get those skills. Or if
you are seeking a career that requires independence and self-confidence, then you
should try to develop those characteristics in yourself—or change your objectives.At this point in your strategy planning process, set some timetables to organize your
thinking and the rest of your planning. You need to make some decisions at this point
to be sure you see where you’re going. You might simply focus on getting your first job,
or you might decide to work on two marketing plans: (1) a short-run plan to get your
first job and (2) a longer-run plan—perhaps a five-year plan—to show how you’re
going to accomplish your long-run objectives. People who are basically job-oriented
may get away with only a short-run plan—just drifting from one opportunity to another
as their own objectives and opportunities change. But those interested in careers need
a longer-run plan. Otherwise, they may find themselves pursuing attractive first job
opportunities that satisfy short-run objectives—but quickly leave them, frustrated when
they realize that they can’t achieve their long-run objectives without additional training
or other experiences that require starting over again on a new career path.Strategy planning is a matching process. For your own strategy planning, this
means matching yourself to career opportunities. So let’s look at opportunities avail-
able in the marketing environment. (The same approach applies, of course, in the
whole business area.) Exhibit C-2 shows some of the possibilities and salary ranges.Managers needed for
both kinds of jobs
What will differentiate
your Product?
Set some timetables
Environment Analysis