Understanding the competencies required for marketing careers

To successfully follow a career in marketing you need to be aware of the requirements for job entry and advancement. Job requirements are often stated in terms of worker competencies. Competencies in the marketing field generally fall into five major areas: (1) marketing competencies, (2) social skill competencies, (3) basic skill competencies, (4) product or service competencies, and (5) competencies relating to understanding basic economic concepts involved in marketing. Examples of the knowledge and skills required in each of these competency areas are shown in the table on page 93. The level of the position will determine how much you must know and what skills you must have in order to be successful. The more complex the job the greater the level of competency required in each of these areas.

Once you determine the level of competency needed in your chosen career field, you can evaluate your level of skill and knowledge from the table. You will then be able to strengthen your preparation in those areas which need improvement. Prospective employers will be impressed if they see that you understand both the competencies required for the job and your personal abilities in relation to the knowledge and skills needed for successful performance.

 

Competencies Required for Marketing Careers

Competencies	Examples of knowledge and skills
MARKETING competencies	1. Buying 2. Promoting (selling, advertising, displaying, sales promotion, public relations) 3. Physical distribution (transporting and storing) 4. Financing 5. Risk bearing 6. Standardizing and grading 7. Obtaining and using marketing information 8. Pricing
SOCIAL SKILL competencies	1. Human relations skills 2. Supervisory and leadership skills 3. Self-image and self-concept 4. Attitudes 5. Problem-solving and decision-making skills 6. Personality development 7. Good grooming and dress 8. Customer and co-worker relations 9. Business ethics
BASIC SKILL competencies	1. Interpersonal communication skills 2. Written and oral communication skills 3. Basic marketing math skills 4. Listening skills 5. Reading skills 6. Pricing 7. Calculating profit and loss 8. Making change and knowing cash register procedures
PRODUCT OR SERVICE competencies	1. Uses and benefits of products or services 2. Performance of products or services 3. Special terminology or technical features of products or services 4. Guarantee and warranty information 5. Knowledge of competitors’ products or services
ECONOMICS competencies	1. Relationship of marketing to the certain economic system 2. Supply and demand 3. Job opportunities in marketing 4. Channels of distribution 5. Understanding the concept of product or service utility 6. Understanding the concepts of decision making, competition, profits, and risk in affecting marketing 7. Federal, state, and local laws affecting marketing 8. Relationship of marketing to Gross National Product (GNP)

UNDERSTANDING MARKETING TERMS

 

Match each term with the statement that best describes it. Write the letter in the space provided.

a. production business f. career-sustaining jobs

b. marketing functions g. job description

c. financial services marketing h. service businesses

d. career plan i. hospitality and recreation marketing

e. marketing business

 

________	1. A business that manufactures, constructs, extracts or grows products that are marketed
________	2. A business that buys products for resale
________	3. The fastest growing segment of the business community in terms of the number of employment opportunities
________	4. Buying, selling, transporting, storing, financing, obtaining and using marketing information, risk bearing, and standardizing and grading
________	5. One of the twelve occupational specialty areas which includes banking services
________	6. An occupational specialty area that enables people to make productive and enjoyable use of their leisure time
________	7. A brief statement listing what a worker does in a specific job
________	8. The level of marketing job at which a worker has a commitment to a career
________	9. A program based on a person’s career goal which includes information about the individual’s interests, personality, and abilities

 

MASTERING KEY CONCEPTS

 

Answer each of the following questions in the space provided.

1. Explain what is meant by the statement Marketing affects each of us every day.

2. How do a production business, a marketing business, and a service business differ?

3. Name five marketing jobs that are expected to offer increased employment opportunities in the near future.

4. Explain what is meant by the statement Marketing occupations can be classified by function or by type of institutional environment or setting.

5. List the eight marketing functions.

6. List five occupational specialty areas found in marketing.

7. Explain the major differences between the following levels of jobs.

a. Entry-level and career-sustaining marketing jobs

b. Career-sustaining and specialized marketing jobs

c. Specialized and managerial marketing jobs

8. What are three different ways you can increase your information about careers in marketing?

9. Explain what should be included in a career plan.

10. Explain each of the five major competency areas included in the marketing field.

a. d.

b. e.

c.

 

SOLVING PEOPLE PROBLEMS: Career Realism

 

Jack Valdez is a senior at Lakeland High School. During the last two years he has worked part-time for a local real estate agency where he has performed routine maintenance duties in addition to cleaning the agency’s vacated rental apartments. Jack likes to work with his hands and gets a lot of satisfaction from being allowed to make minor repairs in the rental units. He will graduate from high school in June and thinks that he would like to own and operate his own real estate agency. While in high school Jack completed a number of business classes including general business, accounting, and business law. Among these his favorite subject was accounting. Although marketing classes were offered, Jack did not take any of these courses. Jack was not an outstanding student in high school and will graduate with a B— grade point average. Although he is well liked by his classmates and friends. Jack is quiet and somewhat of a loner. He is interested in real estate because he has seen that people who work in this field make a lot of money, drive big cars, and seem to work whatever hours they choose. After graduation Jack plans to attend classes at a nearby technical college which offers a series of real estate licensing classes. After he completes these classes, he will be able to take the state licensing examination. He will have to wait until he is twenty-one, however, before he can apply for his real estate license. While he waits for his twenty-first birthday, Jack is planning to work in the construction industry building houses.

1. In your opinion, what is the major problem facing Jack in selecting real estate as a career?

2. In selecting this field for his career, what are the major factors which Jack should consider in making his decision? What factors are important in making any type of career decision?

3. From the information given in this problem, do you think that Jack has a reasonable chance of success in the real estate business? Give reasons for your answer.

4. Does Jack have enough information to make a well-thought-out decision? What else should he know and where could he go to learn more about a career in real estate?

 

CREATIVE IN-SCHOOL PROJECT

 

Construct a career plan for a marketing position in which you are interested.. Include the following information in your plan.

1. What is your career goal? Into which major specialized marketing area does your career goal fit?

2. Identify the specific duties and tasks involved in this position. Do you think that you would enjoy performing these tasks?

3. Outline the working conditions you will encounter in this type of position.

4. Describe your personal interests. If you have completed an interest inventory or test at your school, what did you learn about your interests that relate to your career choice? Are your interests compatible with the requirements of the position you plan to seek?

5. Discuss the local, state, and national employment opportunities for this kind of position.

6. What are the educational and training requirements for this position?

7. What is the salary range for a position such as this?

8. Where could you look for further information relating to this career area?