1. Determine your Self-Marketing Objectives (1/2 page) which includes:
a. Short-Term Career Objectives: Specific and measurable statements about which type of job you will pursue immediately after graduation.
b. Long-Term Career Objectives: Specific and measurable statements about what you will be doing 5 10 years after graduation.
2. Select your Target Market (1 page) by:
a. Market Segmentation: A process of dividing the total market (companies and organizations) into groups with significant similarities (type of industry, needs, geography, size, etc.). In this section clearly state which variables you are going to use to segment your potential employers. You can segment potential employers based on geography, type of industry, number of employees, or other variables relevant.
b. Target Market Strategy: A decision as to which group(s) of organizations to direct your positioning strategy and marketing mix.
From all these potential employers, which one industry or few related companies will you target? Why?
This section should include a brief rationale for your decision. The rationale for your choice should come by directly referencing things you have already written in the Situation Analysis.
3. Research and develop your Positioning Strategy (1 page) to identify how you wish to be perceived by your target market.
How are you going to differentiate yourself from your competitors identified from your Competitive Analysis section?
How do you want employers to view you?
What type of distinctive competencies do you have? If you dont have a distinctive competency, what specific activities will you do to develop one? [Note: because you have time to make changes to your product, you can note things you plan to do between now and graduation or job hunt time to enhance your marketability.]
This section should also have a rationale that clearly describes the competitive advantage you can offer to a prospective employer. And how you would position yourself vis–vis competition. Logic should come from all of the four topics you covered in the first part of your self-marketing plan.
Summarize this with a clear positioning statement in the form:
Among all potential (job type) hires, (your name) is the most (list 1-3 unique qualities you bring to a company) because (proof that you actually have those qualities).
The qualities you can bring to employer (in the positioning statement) should be demonstrable hopefully with evidence or perhaps stories you can tell that show you have that quality. Develop and refine those stories then look for ways to bring them into your Promotion efforts in the strategy section (e.g., cover letter, resume, and interview.) You will work on your marketing strategy in the next part of your project.
