Career Planning Development and Management

.....personal marketing plan with the intention of marketing myself to my future employer. This is my first step into the management profession and I am excited to settle into a job in this field. This Personal Marketing Plan (PMP) will guide me on the areas I need to focus more as far as my career is concerned.

I am an American resident having completed all my studies here. Throughout my elementary and secondary years, I held various positions such as class representative. Later, I got an admission in the University and since I was inclined to the commerce side, I opted to major in management. After completing this course, I intend to sort out today's market needs and the employment opportunities just within the country (Herrick 50). My belief is that improvement and continuous innovation are the keys for competing in the currently challenging market. I have done extensive research about this field. The knowledge helps me to anticipate and understand the market needs, and trends of the companies hence set myself apart from other contenders.

As I am majoring in management, my plan is to enter the business field after my graduation. The skills I have acquired in the university have adequately prepared me to jump in the management field. With this, my primary goal is to enter into a profession that I will enjoy, so a brand manager will suit me. As a brand manager, I will be in charge of product development and marketing. I prefer to deal with products such as high-tech and software. The primary goal of brand managers is to manage and strengthen the brands since their decisions have a great impact on the company's success.

I believe that I will serve well as a product manager because I have the required skills for the position: tactical and strategic skills. My strategic skills will allow me to assess the industry trends, plan the future of the product and market the product to consumers. The tactical skills will help me to devise promotional campaigns for my company's brands and keep track of product sales (Cottrell 87).

For me to succeed in the modern competitive world, I must identify my weak and strong points including the threats and opportunities available to me. By being aware and understanding these four factors, I will be able to apply them to my advantage. By identifying and understanding my opportunities and areas of strength, I will be in a better position to stride with security and confidence. Nevertheless, by realizing the threats and weaknesses likely to confront me, I will properly concentrate on these parts hence work on my weak areas and eventually overcome any threatening obstacles.

Since I was a child, I have always been a creative and innovative person (Barrett 69). In addition, when I was growing up, my parents always told me that I was an open-minded child. These are what I consider as my personal strengths because together, they have allowed me to be effective and efficient in various ways unlike other people around me. The ability to be open to initiatives translates into an adaptive person, capable of adapting to any environment (Fabricant and Jennifer 44). In the real world, adaptation is one of the indispensable attributes because the world is continuously forming and changing. Tools such as creativity and innovation will for sure assist me as I advance my career. Particularly, my innovation will set me apart from others as I seek for employment opportunities because it is such a knowledge intense attribute likely to exemplify my abilities and education. These two tools will propel me ahead of industry competition and serve me an upper hand in my career field.

Today's world is a highly competitive one and weaknesses are seen as inevitable in such an environment. From the perspective of a company, a weakness refers to a drawback that prevents a company from pursuing its mission. As far as individuals are concerned, this definition remains same. Anything that holds me from being the best or competitive in the field is considered a weakness. In addition, a weakness may be any positive skill, which my competitors may have but I may lack, which may not necessarily cause harm to anyone. Mainly, my weaknesses are manifested in my social skills and over-commitment. Though I am an open-minded individual, when I start pursuing something, I tend to believe that it is the best and nothing can change my mind. I tend to be extremely fixated to my goals; this means I lack the flexibility to change my direction.

Though many people may not see over-commitment as a weakness, in the case of any mistake, it can turn out to be a cause for hindrances. This may be harmful to me because rather than accepting that I need to stop when am going in the wrong way, I will just continue with I may be doing until I run into trouble. This, in turn, may waste my effort and time. Though positive commitment is always good, too much of it can be dangerous. However, since I have realized that I have this weakness, I must start working on it by learning to prioritize what I do.

A threat is something that hinders the successful achievement of goals. It comprises all the negative things that may affect my ability to compete in my area of career. As for me, I have a habit of trusting others so easily and I do not think negatively about them until they do something bad to me. I have over-committed myself to school work thus I have no free time for family and friendship commitments. This puts my life at risk because if I cannot manage or control my time properly, then, I will end up ruining my academic development. For instance, in class, the teachers only provide a percentage of the knowledge required. Given that I do not give enough time to my preparation for class, then, I may experience learning problems in future. Today, the society has many individuals with varying education levels. For me to find a job and remain competitive in the job, skills, and knowledge imparted by my teachers are insufficient. In other words, I need to be an all-around individual. Therefore, I must start learning how to make useful use of my time in a profitable manner.

Looking at my career path, I see so many opportunities that I must explore. Some of these opportunities are those that I have created myself. One of them is my education. It offers me one great opportunity. I plan to take advantage of my academic certificates and do well in life because failure to do this means I will miss the opportunity. For instance, I have attended various short courses besides my major. These short courses provide me an added advantage and an open spot at a job opening even though I may have the same education background with my competitors. These extra courses make the difference for me to be given the job (Herrick 91).

I am good in networking and I have the right connections to do many things that make me do things in a better way. As a student, I face huge chances to expanding my techniques and knowledge from lectures and tutorials. In addition, the course gives me the appropriate opportunities to meet diverse individuals from diverse backdrops. For instance, in this class, I have met various foreign students. Forming friendships with them can help me widen my horizons. For me, this will be a valuable opportunity when I start working at Google Inc.; this is a highly diversified and culturally rich company. I have established positive connections with my family too and they give me the necessary support when in need. I do not have any restrictions as far as my learning ability or studies are concerned.

My first objective is to gain knowledge and then become a professional brand manager geek (Burrow, Brad and Kenneth 27). I want to learn A-Z about brand management from positioning to competitive frames of reference from brand essence to brand culture and learn about brand management.

My career goal is to become a brand manager with the best technology company in the world. Typically, all technology and software companies need a brand manager and they include Apple Inc., Alphabet (Google parent company), Microsoft, Facebook, Samsung, Oracle and IBM just to mention a few. Precisely, my target company is Google Inc. This tech giant has earned high marks on several occasions and in various areas key among them job meaning, job satisfaction and employee compensation. In fact, the company has been featured year after year, in Forbes Magazine as the number one best company to serve.

Virtually, the technology industry has a high entry barrier and a higher learning curve. This means new entrants cannot easily break into. It will be hence lucrative for me if I differentiate myself. The industry has one of the longest sales cycles because the products come with a higher price tag. I have valid reasons for choosing to worm at Google. Primarily, the company boasts of having the biggest market share hence it appeals to most consumers. In this view, it has successfully acquired massive profits, which mean they have no problem compensating their employees well. Secondly, Google Inc. emphasizes and gives opportunities for employee innovation so I will be able to practice my creativity and innovativeness in a beneficial way.

I want to be the best brand manager for the next generation of employees. Because I am only 23 years old, I can cater to executives and CEOs or even talk to college students and young professionals in my industry about brand management. People prefer working with others who are already successful in the industry. Therefore, I will teach people of all cadres ranging from executives to young professionals and provide them with what they cannot get themselves.

I have studied brand management. This class has given me enough knowledge of ranging from brand management from positioning to competitive frames of reference from brand essence to brand culture and much more.

The course has equipped me with the skills to perform business in an ethical manner. Now, I can easily identify any suspicious brand rival in the market and hence build the brand for the company I serve. With the knowledge obtained, I can now successfully assist my company to curb rival brands and detect instances of patented brand infringement (Peterson's 61).

My internship gave me the motivation and inspiration to work hard. Therefore, I am now able to work with no or if any only minimal supervision.

I plan to use direct marketing. This strategy will allow me to move from company to company selling my skills and asking them to give me an opportunity to prove my skills.

Blogs have also become a valuable tool for me to market myself. I will create a unique resume and post it on my website and other sites such as LinkedIn (West 39). Then, potential recruiters will come across my resume. My resume will show them my qualifications and skills and why it would be great to have me in their companies.

The Internet is also another avenue. I will post my resume and work experience on sites like Twitter and Facebook as well as leave my contacts. This will allow me to reach those employers that prefer using the Internet to recruit. With this, they will contact me.

The final avenue is through referrals. I will find friends who work with the companies I like and then explain to them my situation. They will also find their friends who they believe can connect me with employers of these companies. Then, the word will spread and my contacts will land on the desks of these employers who may eventually consider hiring me (Barrett 49).

I have done extensive research about brand managers and I discovered that starters receive an average salary of $7,000.