Marketing Myself: How the Right Marketing Plan Got Me Hired

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The Problem

"Oh, jeez, good luck with that!"

That was the common response when I said I studied marketing.

“So you plan on flipping burgers, huh…” was another popular sentiment.

You see, on every college campus there are certain classes you KNOW won’t get you a job. They include: basket weaving, art history, animal husbandry, and Marketing 101. It’s commonly believed among the student population that marketing jobs disappeared alongside boy bands and palm pilots.

The Plan

Ironically, it’s only because I studied marketing that I’ve landed my dream job while most of my classmates are just dreaming in bed. People may be right when they say marketing jobs are tough to find, but what they tend to forget is that good marketers put themselves in the perfect place, with the perfect people, at the perfect time—every time.

As a Marketing Coordinator at Marketri, it’s my job to help clients achieve their marketing goals on time and on budget. I use strategic planning, social media, search engine optimization, public relations, and Web site design to make sure my clients are landing the customers they want. Though I just started training on Monday, I’ve been doing this job for months now.

But until last week, my only client was me.

Like my clients, I achieved my goal because of a solid marketing strategy. I wanted to be an outsourced marketer, and I needed a plan to get me there. I needed to answer some key questions too.

• Who should I target?

• How can I reach them?

• How can I differentiate myself from the competition?

• How can I prove my value before people lose attention?

By answering these questions, I was able to create a personalized “marketing strategy” that would position me for the right job. I also educated myself about all the tools at my disposal, and I managed to effectively implement those I needed to achieve my goal. As a result, I found Marketri, the perfect place for me to start my career.

The Result

My position at Marketri will allow me to work on many types of projects while learning from three very talented marketing professionals. I will be able to grow as a marketer while helping others push their business forward. It’s a win-win, and I couldn’t be happier.

The Lesson

As I begin my career as a Marketing Coordinator, I hope my clients will learn from my job search. I knew how to land the perfect job, and what I knew can help any small or mid-sized business land the perfect clients.

I knew who I wanted to be. I identified the kind of job candidate I wanted to be early in my college career, and I took steps to ensure I positioned myself as such. Everything about me-- my resume, my classes, my online presence, and my experience—was specifically chosen to convey the message I wanted. Every business should know what they want to be and how they will make it happen.
I knew who I wanted to work with. In applying to jobs, I didn’t just apply anywhere. The first thing I did was identify the characteristics I wanted in an employer, and I applied only to firms that match these. Every business should know who they want to serve; a great business with very specific strengths should have great customers with very specific needs.
I knew the tools at my disposal. There are a lot of new tools (social media, search engines, Web sites, blogs, email) in the job-searching process, but the traditional tools (resume, cover letters, interviewing skills) are still very relevant. I took the time to master as many weapons as I could, and I utilized those that fit my plans. Every business should be aware of the tools available, but they should also know not every tool is necessary.

Great blog and so true.

So often, marketers dilute their own effectiveness by either not keeping up with the new technology... or keeping up with it all, but not using it to it's best potential. A painter uses different brushes for different effects and coverage. A good marketer needs to really understand and remember that very simple basic lesson - not every tool works for every job. Or similarly, the use of the tools need to be combined in such a way to "build a house" so to speak.

The other trap that marketers can fall into is a cookie-cutter approach. You allude to the way you avoided this in both Lessons 1 and 2. You didn't apply to just any company, and you didn't create a generic resume. So often job hunters, as well as marketers, believe that because something worked once, it will work again. Or, even worse, they "throw it all out there and see what sticks". Those can be dangerous, expensive and ineffective mind-sets. There is value in the "tried and true", but it needs to be reviewed every time before re-use for relevance! As businesses grow, goals change, people change, approaches change. Also, just because something worked great for Business X doesn't mean it will be successful for Business Y!

Congratulations Richard, not just on getting the job, but KNOWING HOW you got it!