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 693

To achieve your long-run objective(s), you should develop one or more short-

run objectives. These should spell out what is needed to reach your long-run

objective(s). For example, you might need to develop a variety of marketing

research skills andmarketing management skills—because both are needed to

reach the longer-run objective. Or you might need an entry-level position in mar-

keting research for a large food manufacturer to gain experience and background.

An even shorter-run objective might be to take the academic courses that are nec-

essary to get that desired entry-level job. In this example, you would probably

need a minimum of an undergraduate degree in marketing, with an emphasis on

marketing research. (Note that, given the longer-run objective of managerial

responsibility, a business degree would probably be better than a degree in statis-

tics or psychology.)

Develop short-run

objectives

Now that you’ve developed your objectives, move on to developing your own

personal marketing plan. This means zeroing in on likely opportunities and devel-

oping a specific marketing strategy for these opportunities. Let’s talk about that now.

An important step in strategy planning is identifying potentially attractive

opportunities. Depending on where you are in your academic training, this can vary

all the way from preliminary exploration to making detailed lists of companies that

offer the kinds of jobs that interest you. If you’re just getting started, talk to your

school’s career counselors and placement officers about the kinds of jobs being

offered to your school’s graduates. Your marketing instructors can help you be real-

istic about ways you can match your training, abilities, and interests to job

opportunities. Also, it helps to read business publications such as Business Week,

Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, andAdvertising Age. Applications in Basic Market-

ing,which comes shrinkwrapped with this text, provides reprints of recent articles

from these publications. If you are interested in opportunities in a particular indus-

try, check at your library or on the Internet to see if there are trade publications

or websites that can bring you up to speed on the marketing issues in that area.

Your library or college may also have an online service to make it easier to search

for articles about specific companies or industries. And many companies have their

own websites that can be a very useful source of information.

Don’t overlook the business sections of your local newspapers to keep in touch

with marketing developments in your area. And take advantage of any opportu-

nity to talk with marketers directly. Ask them what they’re doing and what

satisfactions they find in their jobs. Also, if your college has a marketing club, join

it and participate actively in the club’s programs. It will help you meet marketers

and students with serious interest in the field. Some may have had interesting job

experiences and can provide you with leads on part-time jobs or exciting career

opportunities.

If you’re far along in your present academic training, list companies that you

know something about or are willing to investigate—trying to match your skills and

interests with possible opportunities. Narrow your list to a few companies you might

like to work for.

If you have trouble narrowing down to specific companies, make a list of your

personal interest areas—sports, travel, reading, music, or whatever. Think about the

companies that compete in markets related to these interests. Often your own

knowledge about these areas and interest in them can give you a competitive advan-

tage in getting a job. This helps you focus on companies that serve needs you think

Developing Your Marketing Plan

Identify likely

opportunities