October 8, 2015
Marketing Me!
Business students are full of business acumen and know-how…ready to take the corporate world by storm…yet, when it comes to marketing oneself, they often fall short – or lack confidence that they possess the skill set to market themselves. Good news – you do have it, it’s in there! That business acumen you’ve been collecting and practicing, can and should be applied to yourself!
You know the marketing mix cold (4 Ps trivia night? Bring. It.) – the 4Ps aren’t a problem for you, and they aren’t just reserved for products coming off assembly lines, or B2C & B2B business plans. Apply the 4Ps to yourself – think of yourself as a product (because that’s exactly what you are). You’re more than a product. You’re a brand, and you’re also in charge – you’re the entire C-suite – the CEO, CMO, COO, CIO, and CFO of you! You get to make the plans, call the shots – and apply that know-how goodness to finding the right job. Feel the power! And then, consider the following (p.s., it’s never too early to start):
Career objective: What is your current career objective? What job would you like to land when you graduate or what type of advancement are you looking for within your current career? Maybe you want to be CEO of Nike – what job(s) would help you build the skill-set to get there? (if that is too abstract, think next step – internship, graduate school, etc.)
Target market: Based upon your career objective, what type of companies/schools/etc. are you going to market yourself to – describe your target market – what is it that they are looking for in a candidate (e.g., grades, experience, certifications, outside activities, etc.). This is the time to think about it, when you still have time to alter your “mix.”
Marketing Mix
Product:
What do I have to offer (value/ benefit)? What is different (differentiation) about me from many other students?
- Applicable course work
- Experience
- Extracurricular activities
- GPA
- Other pertinent stuff (awards)
Place:
Where are you willing to go – what’s realistic? Love/willing to travel?
Promotion:
- Resume (how does it look/read?)
- Letters of recommendation
- Networking within area of interest (e.g., AMA)
- Cover letter templates
- Thank you notes
- Etc.
Price:
- Competitive salary ranges
- What are you willing to take?
SWOT
- Strengths: What are your strengths? What should you highlight?
- Weaknesses: What are your weaknesses? What do you need to overcome or compensate for?
- Opportunities: Future opportunities in the market?
- Threats: Future threats in the market?
Marketing Plan/Timeline
- Develop a timeline – when will this take place? Set deadlines
Metrics (how will I know when I get there)
Apply to XX programs, for XX positions, etc.
Gain interviews for XX of them
Written By: Stacey Robinson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Dean’s Faculty Fellow
Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management
- Categories:
- Advancement/Development
- Feature
- LCD