Introduction
Employability refers to the collection of personal attributes that one possesses making him/her valuable at the workplace, and in the global economy (CBI/NUS 2011). A marketing graduate must have work experience to be employed by either middle-sized companies or big companies. Employers assess knowledge, skills, and experience (Hall, 2012).
According to CBI/NUS report (2011), knowledge refers to analytical skills. Various selection tools, and procedures are used to assess the various competencies that an individual possesses. Assessment centers are recognized for their accuracy in selecting the right candidates. Some companies may use an additional selection process known as the graduate schemes.
A marketer in a big company may specialize in one line of operation such as account specialist. In a small-sized business, the various duties of marketing are carried out by a single individual. Employers around the world consider perfect academic grades may not be reflected in the actual performance.
However, graduates with good grades may be considered as having a successful past which may be repeated at work. Most employers find business and customer awareness as a rare attribute among recruits (CBI/NUS 2011).
Analysis
Employability in marketing
Employability is a term used to describe personal qualities that augment the technical skills making an employee more productive. According to CBI/NUS report (2011), employability is “the set of attributes, skills and knowledge that all labor market participants should possess” (p. 12). This indicates that the attributes are shared across different sectors. The main attribute is positive thinking.
Other attributes include communication skills, business and customer awareness, team-working, and self-management among other skills. These skills make it easier for a marketing graduate to fit in the workplace easily. One is able to shift easily from sector to sector according to career preference.
CBI/NUS (2011) discusses that employability is “always in demand and is never outdated” (p. 11). However, technical skills such as marketing need to be reviewed or else they become outdated.
Maintaining employability requires marketing graduates to “constantly update their skills so that they are desirable to potential employers all the time and at any time” (Ridderstrale & Nordstom as cited by Francis 2012). Employers believe that the qualities of an individual are portrayed in the brand image.
Heffernan et al. (2010) discuss that “communication, both written and oral, are to be the most important attribute for a marketing graduate” (p. 4). An employable marketer that wants to work with leading companies and middle-sized companies must demonstrate good communication skills during competency tests.
Information transfer, networking skills, and ability to engage foreign languages were considered first in communication attributes (Heffernan et al. 2010).
A marketing graduate enhances employability through “role plays, real life consultancy projects, guest lectures from respected practitioners, employer ‘question time’, and international ‘buddying-up’ systems” (Heffernan et al. 2010, p. 4). These among other techniques are also identified by Hall (2012, slides 20-23) as the practices that help a marketer build specific skills to be used for self-marketing.
Employability trends are changing according to High Flyers Research (2012). Employers are more likely to hire those graduates who have experience with them. The research illustrates that 36% of vacancies in UK’s leading employers will hire graduates who had internships with the particular employers.
According to High Flyers Research (2012), “6,200 positions from this year’s entry-level vacancies will not be available to the other finalists from the Class of 2012” (p. 12).
As a marketing graduate, it is necessary to seek internships with your target employer. This increases your suitability as a candidate to fill a position in the company. It also exposes you to the operations of the company, and the industry. This is an advantage during assessment.
Work attachments are beneficial to students by the fact that most companies are offering paid work placement. The number of “paid work experience for 2012 is 11,000” in all sectors of the economy in the UK (High Flyers 2012, p. 32).
Investment banks are the leading providers of internships with 2,700. As a marketing student, the fact that employers are offering paid work placements makes it easier to manage a personal budget while working for experience.
Employment opportunities of graduates vary according to the economic environment. It is noted that during the global recession, only the public sector in the UK increased employment opportunities. All other sectors reduced recruitment (High Flyer Research 2012). In the period 2007-2009, public employment sector increased by 44.9% while the “The Times Top 100 Graduate employers’ recruitment declined by 23.3%” (p. 16).
A marketing graduate should recognize the role played by the public sector in absorbing graduates during times of recession. However, the public sector, and the retail sector are among the lowest in remuneration in the UK. On an average, investment banks offer the highest paid employment opportunities.
Marketing may be similar to IT in that a graduate is employable in various sectors. The High Flyer research (2012) notes that “IT companies are few and yet the volume of graduates needed to work in IT functions in a wide range of employers in other industries is considerable” (p. 15).
This makes IT to hire more graduates at 57% compared with marketing at 38% (see appendix 1). Marketing applies to many industries such as pharmaceuticals, PR, entertainment, banking, and many more. A marketing graduate should have expectations of venturing into other fields apart from marketing media, and consumer goods.
Employers’ expectation
The traditional expectation of employers is that all graduates are supposed to have an “open mind, transferable skills, cultural awareness, and readiness to work” (Andreanoff 2012). Heffernan et al. (2010) note that employers constantly meet graduates who do not have the qualifications they are looking for.
This creates the need for additional procedures to test the specific attributes they seek. Carson et al. (2001) discuss that the “dissatisfaction among CEOs with the performance of marketing managers has caused the number of jobs for marketing graduates to decline” (p. 225).
The High Flyer Research (2012) discusses about a change in employers attitude towards graduates. Many leading employers in the UK are increasing their annual intake of graduates. Employers have a slight preference towards some universities and colleges. According to High Flyer Research (2012), the five most targeted universities are Manchester, London, Cambridge, Nottingham, and Oxford (see appendix 2).
This indicates that a marketing graduate may have an additional value by studying in the most targeted universities. However, other qualities such as work experience with the employer could make them overlook the university from which one has studied.
CBI/NUS report (2011) discusses the need for college students selecting universities that are “right for them and their areas of interest” (p. 16). Courses as well as universities have their own distinct approach. However, all of the learning institutions are expected to develop students’ “powers of thinking and analysis” (CBI/NUS 2011, p. 16).
What employers consider as knowledge according to the CBI/NUS report (2011) is the ability to use numerical skills, and literacy. The report discusses that graduates must demonstrate “ability to analyze facts for example sift evidence, develop ideas” ( p. 10).
Ability to reason, and present your thoughts in a convincing manner is necessary. Many universities are developing career based programs to create awareness of needed working skills. They are assisting students to get work placements.
The marketing workplace is constantly changing to successful trends in the world. The factors that marketers should update themselves about include “globalization, technology, economic/political factors, organizations, how people are employed” (Andreanoff 2012). A marketing graduate should study the emerging trends in these factors. Some of these factors are intertwined.
For example, good communication skills require a marketer be able to use social networks as a marketing tool. This falls under information technology, art and design. Emerging trends include receiving feedback from customers from social networks such as Facebook, and Twitter. Uploading files on ‘YouTube’ can also be used for marketing.
Heffernan et al. note that “customer orientation must be high for potential employability” (2010, p. 5). Employers want graduates with a global experience.
Marketing graduates are expected to involve themselves with extra-curriculum activities. Hall (2012) describes volunteering as a win-win situation for getting an experience that employers seek. Ciletti (2011, p. 42) describes a good business entity as one that “pays taxes and contributes to causes that are important to the community.” By being good citizens, businesses are expected to engage in charitable deeds.
Employers expect marketing graduates to display a high level of knowledge, skills, and experience. Hall (2012, slide 4 quotes Birchall) explains that graduates without experience “have little or no chance of landing a well-paid job with a leading employer, irrespective of the university they attended.”
This emphasizes the need to engage oneself with part-time job, or attachment while studying in college. Experience creates the marketer’s ability to solve problems, communicate, and understand customer preferences among other abilities.
Employers lay a strong emphasis on commercial awareness, and numerical skills (Hall 2012). Numerical skills mean the ability to analyze data quantitatively.
Qualitative data may be assigned weights so that it is analyzed empirically. Stanley (2003) discusses that graduates need to demonstrate “an ability with figures” (p. 70). As a marketer, it is necessary to interpret statistical outcomes such share prices, market share of a firm, impact of promotions among others.
A marketing graduate seeking specific skills to develop as a brand should consider customer awareness. CBI/NUS report (2011) indicates that most employers do not find recruits that are aware of their have knowledge of the business or customer awareness (see appendix 3).
As a marketing graduate, one should take time and study reports about consumer preferences and industry/market surveys. Being aware of business and customer needs will give a marketer an advantage.
Hall (2012) discusses that the past success of a graduate is promising enough to recommend one for a job. When such a graduate does not have the immediate skills to handle a particular job position perfectly, employers may consider training the graduate to fit the position perfectly.
Hall (2012) explains that graduates must show ability to “do the job now or be trained to do the job.” When they consider training, past competencies are relevant for consideration.
Hall (2012) discusses that “employers want evidence of success”. Research and Education Association (1997) discuss that marketing graduates need to pursue related courses such as statistics, and organizational behavior for them to be market research analysts.
The first impression of an interview matters a lot. A wide knowledge about an organization is advantageous. Hall (2012) elaborates the importance of highlighting key areas in a curriculum vitae. This includes highlighting relevant work experience. Preparing a cover letter telling what one will be offering the company in exchange for the job.
Trends in employment selection methods
Employers are seeking a distinct brand personality. Stanley (2003) points out that employers are “looking for your personality rather than your degree area” (p. 70). The process starts by selection of “a sufficient number of suitably qualified candidates from which an organization chooses” (Francis 2012).
The selection may occur in several stages. A few graduates may be eliminated at each stage. The final stage takes a few candidates to fill the needed positions. The personality brand is gaining appreciation in vacancy consideration. Francis (2012) discusses that your personal brand “differentiates your unique promise of value and resonates with the target audience.”
Francis (2012) elaborates the accuracy of various selection tools. The top three selection tools are assessment centers (68% accuracy), structured interviews (63%), and aptitude test (54%). Employers are shifting their selection methods to tools that are considered more accurate. Interviews, with 15% accuracy, may be a less determining process in selection.
Hall (2012) lists the selection trends that are put into use before the face-to-face interaction. First, a company’s recruitment exercise does not have a period such that it happens all-year round. Interactive media are used in the initial stages of selection such as on-line tests, and telephone screening. Employers emphasize the use of assessment centers for their accuracy.
Assessment centers test a number of capabilities since they apply job simulation exercises (see appendix 4). It is an integration of several activities such as reasoning test (testing problem-solving), and group presentation (testing leadership skills). Assessment centers use social events to test social behavior (Edenborough, 2005).
Information sessions test what a graduate knows about the organization or industry. Other exercises test an applicant’s abilities such as numerical competency. Performance in assessment centers rely on what you think rather than what you know (Prospects 2012).
Marketing graduates must demonstrate knowledge about the organization, and skills on the job they want to be recruited. Competency questions are used for on-line selection. There are ability tests for problem solving capabilities, client care and teamwork capabilities (Hall 2012).
Snowdon (2010, diagram) discuss the various paths taken by marketing graduates in 2008. It is noted that 30.6% were recruited in marketing, sales, and advertising, 17.9% entered the commercial /industrial/public sector management. Those who were employed in clerical and secretarial services account for 13.5%. Retailing and catering accounted for 12.6%.
From those who were employed in marketing, sales, and advertising, 59% were marketing/advertising executives. Public relations officers were 8.2%, 7.5% sales representatives, and others 14.8% (see appendix 5).
Snowdon (2010) describes that graduates in marketing can be employed in “retail, fashion, manufacturing, financial and public services, leisure and tourism, consumer goods, music, electronics and so on” (para. 6).
Their responsibilities may fall under market research, recruitment (Victoria University 2011), “public relations, sales, brand management, advertising, and general management” (para. 7). A community relations manager may be involved with managing activities for a community’s well-being (Steinberg 2006).
Marketing research involves finding out the causal agent of an outcome in marketing. A project manager is involved with implementation of research projects. Account representative “interprets client needs and represents clients to project manager” (Steinberg 2006, p. 11). Research specialist designs research, analyses statistical data, and mathematical modeling.
In advertising, a media buyer/coordinator manages “the purchase and control of large blocks of media time/space” (Steinberg 2006, p. 13). Media analyst maximizes effectiveness of advertising by studying trends in audience preference, and circulation while reducing advertising costs.
Art directors “work on the visual side of advertising as part of a creative team” (Steinberg 2006, p. 13). These indicate that there are numerous roles to play in the marketing field (see appendix 6).
Specialty is needed in some of the marketing careers such as market research analyst, and advertising art directors. A marketing manager in a small-sized company may be required to carry out all the responsibilities that need specialization in a large company.
A marketing graduate stands out in the crowd because of his/her consciousness of the immediate surrounding. A marketer using the social media, has “a sense of the rules and customs, and of who the influential people are” (Zarella 2010, p. 185). The dressing choice may match emerging fashion trends. The clothes that a marketer chooses to wear should partly portray his/her personality brand.
A marketer is an enthusiast of products. The social behavior is inviting to those who are around, and is almost influential. A marketer has an understanding of human perception, and behavior. He/she understands the market mix of characters. A marketer sells his/her brand personality, the company, and its products.
The selection process in BAT Eastern Europe starts with the filling-in of application forms, and attaching a CV. The two are reviewed, and promising candidates are invited to a psychometric test. Psychometric tests assesses reasoning and numerical abilities. The test may be done on-line in various languages. Telephone assessment is the next stage. This assesses leadership and functional competencies.
The next step is the face-to-face interview with a member of the recruitment team. This opens an opportunity for the candidate to ask questions related to the organization. The assessment comes just before the final stage which is an interview with your head of function (BAT Graduate Careers Eastern Europe 2009).
The Univar company graduate scheme takes two years. There are four placements where each takes six months to complete. Graduates can choose between two core streams, commercial or operations. One is assigned a manager in the business who acts like a mentor for the period.
Graduates are expected to travel across the UK to “experience the Univar network” (Univar Graduate Scheme 2012, p. 3). Training is provided on “time management and interpersonal effectiveness, understanding leadership, presentation skills, giving feedback, and performance management” (p. 5).
The graduates’ assessment outcome is disclosed at the end of the period. Successful candidates are placed in target position within the organization (Univar Graduate Scheme 2012).
Conclusion
A marketing graduate must have work experience before he/she can be hired by well-known companies. The brand personality is considered to portray what the graduate stands for. Assessment centers are considered to be more accurate than other selection tools because they test a multiple of skills in a single event.
Recruitment and selection happens in several stages. From application, telephone-screening, face-to-face interview, to assessment centers and graduate schemes. Companies are eager to know what value a marketing graduate will add by joining them. A marketing graduate seeking employment must know the organization, and assess what areas need value addition. One must be prepared for competency tests.
The performance of a candidate relies on reasoning capabilities. Graduate schemes are more accurate than assessment centers because they offer same exposure for candidates to access information about an organization’s operations. There is a need to study related fields of interest to have an advantage of being selected. Marketing responsibilities “vary among organizations and industries” (Mansfield 2011, para. 1).
Reflection
I chose marketing because of the freedom it gives when it comes to presentations. I admired the role played by marketers in the media industry. There is no need of similarities in appearance or character. Marketers have enthusiasm as a common attribute. Initially, I never thought numeracy is strongly considered in marketing.
Marketing absorbs a wide range of personalities while also offering a wide range of opportunities in different sectors. It would be a great challenge for me to be employed in the retail sector. This is because it has among the lowest income rates. It may be tiresome without any positive results. However, it offers opportunities to understand the customer, and the market.
The presentation by Deloitte made to long for the company but I note how much they value good academic grades before other attributes are put into consideration. I need to join academic and social clubs at the university for me polish my attributes as well as learn about about emerging career opportunities.
My knowledge about the magazine industry is that they value fashion very much. The leaders in marketing must be the first to wear an emerging trend. You magazine features have to generate debate. You must not copy from others especially those whom you share the same market. This makes hiring artists and designers necessary.
I have learnt, through this module, how import it is for a marketing student to obtain work experience through internships. I have to target a work placement with my potential employer as statistics indicate that 36% of employers are most likely to employ those graduates who have already worked with them (High Flyers report 2012). Without work placements, one is left out of employment opportunities.
I have learnt that employers are discontented with the type of graduate recruits they meet mainly because of their lack of business and customer awareness. I must study recent surveys on customer needs and preferences in my target industry. In addition to this, I should know the overall consumer behavior.
I have learnt that when employers refer to knowledge they refer to analytical skills. Employability refers to possession of personal attributes. These attributes are applicable in all sectors, and are never outdated. They are in demand in all fields. In future I will apply my excellent fluency as a complement to numerical skills that I am developing.
References
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