Step # 1 - Career Marketing Situation Audit My current strengths What is my current situation Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities and Threats (SWOT Analysis) Macro Environmental Factors- One of the elements that are external to the job seeker and uncontrollable by the seeker is economical factors, when the state of economy of the country is not doing well, companies will try to cut their budget, thus resulting in performing lay-offs to decrease labor costs and not employing new staff members. Besides that, there is demographic factor, for instance, people and businesses are shifting locations, hence creating an imbalance employment rates throughout the country. The workforces in the United States is also becoming more diverse, employees have to learn and prepare to cooperate with co-workers who are from a various ethnic backgrounds with different methods of solving problems. Other than that, there is also political factor, job seekers have to be aware of the regulations set by the government that may affect the hiring process of a company. External & Uncontrollable - US & World Economy During the period of my proposed job search, the United States is one of the most diverse and technologically advanced country in the world with a powerful economic standing. Although the productivity growth has been slow, but it is recovering from the recession in 2009. The unemployment rate has been decreasing due to an increase in job openings in various companies and a rising in the labor force participation rate. In comparison to other developed countries such as the United Kingdom and China, the United States is doing better in terms of a decrease in unemployment rate and more job opportunities, however, the labor workforce is lower. The general changes in technology and communication that will affect my marketing campaign include the excessive use of Social Media and the Internet. For instance, employers search for experienced and highly skilled employees through LinkedIn, job recruiters will go through Facebook pages of the potential applicants to find out about their personal lives and determine their ability in problem solving and managing their emotions, there are also interviews that are set-up through Skype when the interviewer and interviewee are too far from each other. Other than that, job seekers can look for jobs and apply through online recruitment website like ziprecruiter.com and indeed.com, the job descriptions, salary details and information about the recruiting company are listed in the websites, seekers do not need to search for jobs through newspaper. External & Uncontrollable - Hospitality Industry, Sub-Industries, and Specific Companies The sub-industries of the hospitality/tourism industry generally consists of lodging, food and beverage, travel and tourism as well as recreation, the industry is one of the major economic source in the United States and it created a huge amount of job opportunities. Out of all the sub-industries, the lodging industry which is also my targeted industry, generates the most revenues compared to the other sectors, and the primary factors that drive the business is travel and tourism. Besides local travelers, there is also a strong growth in international visitors, especially from Canada, Mexico and United Kingdom, contributed a great amount of profits. Additionally, the market of the hostel industry is growing among millenium travelers because of the affordable prices and they prioritize social interactions with other travelers they meet to share their travelling experiences. The companies in the lodging industry that are vigorously hiring and send recruiters to campus are properties with bigger brand names for example Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton, because the companies are constantly expanding their businesses and they are looking for fresh graduates with high potentials so that they can train them and grow their skills based on the cultures of each companies to ensure the overall quality of performances and customer service. There are also a few desirable companies that did not participate career fairs in campuses, including lower scale properties such as Best Western as well as local hostels and bed&breakfast inns, which resulted in fewer options and opportunities for the students. However, these properties are consistently accepting fresh graduates for internship positions, there are more spaces to develop skills, gain more experiences and show abilities even though the properties are smaller in size. Answer the Following About Your Selected Company: Occupants - The recruiting companies that constitute the lodging industry include upscale properties such as JW Marriott and DoubleTree by Hilton hotels, midscale properties like Courtyard by Marriott and Hampton Inns, economic properties for example Travelodge and Days Inn, as well as hostels which is currently a growing trend and the category that I have chosen to research in this project. Objects - The chosen company, which is Hostelling International (HI) USA hostels, hires several positions for instance guest service associate, housekeeping associate, group sales manager, reservation agents and network administrator, in various locations. The position that I am planning to apply for is guest services associate in Richmond, Virginia, it is a position that prefers an experience in customer service, handling cash and recording sales transactions, as well as hosteling, which refers to the practice of staying in youth hostels when travelling. Objectives - The company hires a guest service associate primarily in order to fulfill current employee shortages for the new property, this position is expected to be responsible for providing a welcoming atmosphere and ensuring guest and public contact at the reception runs smoothly and efficiently and in accordance with hostel policy. When there are other duties and or projects assigned, guest service associates have to perform the tasks to ensure the efficient operation of the hostel, and report to the hostel manager. Organization - The participant of the hiring process is the general manager of the hostel, as the hostel is a new property, the company is still working on developing an experienced management team that is able to carry out efficient hiring process for future employees. Operations - The hiring decision is made by sending an email to the general manager of the property, and the applicants have to answer a few questions including whether if they have stayed in a hostel before, the hours or shifts that they are available to work, vacation plans for the next six months, as well as experiences in customer service and hospitality. In order to successfully apply for the position, I would show in my answers about my passion and enthusiasm in believing that travelling is possible for anyone even if they have a tight budget and that hostels can represent the culture of the specific location. Micro Environmental Factors- There are a few state of factors that are internal to me and controllable by me, including an evaluation of my own professional skills, a good understanding of my own potentials can help me to monitor advancements of my skills and the methods to market them to job providers. Also, I can control my own thoughts, by having a high level of emotional intelligence and maintaining positive thoughts, this attitude is useful when I have to make difficult decisions and motivating other team members. One of the factors include being able to manage my focus on specific goals, I can develop disciplinary and consistency to prevent myself from losing concentration on my objectives, so that I put in my best effort and work hard to achieve successfulness. One of my present personal and professional strength is that I manage my time efficiently, I set my priorities according to their importance. By having time management skills, I am able to complete my tasks within the given timeframe, manage stress as well as maintaining a balance between work and personal life. Furthermore, I am also a consistent learner, I am willing to invest my time and effort in additional trainings to advance my skills and grow my potentials in order to achieve personal and career goals. My weakness is that I am always hesitant to step out of my own comfort zone, I tend to be afraid of being in an unknown environment and working with people that I am unfamiliar with. I understand that this behavior will prevent myself from taking opportunities to gain experiences and improve my abilities in the workplace, hence I will encourage myself to meet new people and accept any tasks that challenges my current abilities. The HI USA hostels have properties in major cities with high living cost in the United States such as Chicago, Richmond, San Francisco, Boston, New York, San Diego and Sacramento. Therefore if I were to relocate in these cities, the most suitable minimum immediate cash salary would be about $2,800 for myself, in order to pay rent, transportation fees and other necessities. Apart from salary negotiations, the other compensations that I must have include basic health care and insurance benefits, growth opportunities within the company to work my way up for higher positions, and most importantly, training and development programs that will help me grow professionally. I am willing to relocate within the company, because I understand that it will increase the opportunities for me to develop my skills in different locations and also regenerate my energy in the workplace. Traveling for work and relocating have different meanings to me, it is acceptable to travel to other places for business two times per month, so that it would not affect the times that I have to spend with my family. Whereas, relocating refers to moving to a new place, learning how to fit into an unfamiliar culture as well as maintaining long distance relationships with friends and families. Therefore, I do not want to relocate frequently in my career, I think it is acceptable to relocate seven to ten years per time in order for me to have enough time to adjust myself to a whole new environment. Furthermore, I require a working environment filled with positive energy, where team members communicate openly with each other to express thoughts and feelings, encourage and motivate each other when there are difficult challenges, as well as leaders or managers who recognize the hard work of team members and focuses on training and development of all staff members. Regarding my marketing efforts, I will adjust my aggressiveness and passiveness according to various situations in order to reach my career goals. For example, I will be more aggressive when I am looking and applying for any jobs that match my requirements, so that I will have more options to choose for the perfect job. During the first round of interview, I will be more passive and only answer the questions from recruiters in order to find out their expectations for the position. Then, I think it is appropriate to be more aggressive during the final round of interview where I have to show all my abilities and potentials to impress the recruiters. Step # 2 - Career Marketing Strategy - What will I Generally do to achieve my opportunities while using my strengths and minimizing my weaknesses? Goals - Identify your specific desired entry - level position - Operations, Marketing/Sales/ Other. Timeframe - When must this goal be reached? General Strategy - Broadly defined actions that must be taken so that you accomplish within timeframe. Map Your Campaign in Specifics - Multiple and simultaneous things needing to be done on this marketing project? What will you do first? Consider a Matrix with Dates. Step # 3 - Career Marketing Actions/Tactics - What Specific Actions will I take (The Who, What, When Where, and How). Often a marketing plan operates through several Programs simultaneously. Each Program is One of Multiple Channels. An example of a Multiple Channel approach that Airlines use is selling SEATS through: Travel Agents, the OTAs (Expedia &Travelocity), Online Direct (purchase directly from the Airline's website) etc. The idea for an effective Career Marketing Plan is for you to use Multiple Channels. So, below are four (4) Marketing Action Programs/Tactics that THIS PAPER WILL ADDRESS. Each Program requires an integrated 4-P (Product/Price/Promotion/Place) approach. For example, Program #2 requires a slightly different use of the 4 P's (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) than Program # 1 - but Promotion is where the greatest difference between Programs occurs. Your Marketing Plan (Project # 2) must address at least four (4) separate Programs. Program #1 - University Recruiters (4-Ps) The first action I would take when marketing to University Recruiters is analyze the position I am filling as a product. Make concrete which aspects of me as a product will benefit the recruiters. My product features would include my work experience, education, life skills, charisma and other personality traits. I would also do extensive research on the University prior to meeting with them to understand what exactly they are looking for as well as looking at what other candidates have to offer. I can only determine my price once I have a solid understanding of myself as a product. As I said before to a University recruiters this includes things like qualifications, personality, community involvement etc. These factors directly impact applicant volume, cost and rate of admission into the University. Taking this into consideration I will be able to gauge what will make me a more attractive candidate to potential recruiters and price myself at a level that is mutually beneficial. Once I have narrowed down my price and features as a product I can begin promoting it. This is where my brand steps into the spotlight. We promoting myself to University recruiters I would definitely be in business attire and ensure that professionalism seeps out of everything I communicate, whether it is in the proper or business casual voice of my resume that recruiters read, or the energy or restraint in my voice as I personally engage recruiters. Some of this will be fueled by my product and price, but along with this my promotion has to match so I find recruiters who fit my culture, understand my goals and above all have a symbiotic relationship with. University recruiters will assess the manner in which I promoted or branded myself when offering me grants, scholarships and overall admission to their establishment. Finally with my product packaged, I need to sell it, and where I sell it says as much about me as how I promote myself. I the case of University recruiters I would send an initial email before interacting with them face to face. When selling myself I believe it is vital to consciously present myself in the very best place for the right recruiters to receive all the necessary information about myself to make an informed decision Program #2 - Direct Contacts Like University recruiters when dealing with direct contacts I have to assert and clarify what position I am filling as a product; however unlike recruiters who receive an overview of me as a product direct contacts receive a more thorough brief. Direct contacts will definitely have a more personalized interaction with me as a product. I will also need to reinforce what sets me apart from the products they are considering. To help with this, I will show genuine concern and interest towards the needs and wants of my contact. When my contact has full comprehension of me as a product I will reassert my value by presenting them a price. I believe that for a direct contact this includes an in depth explanation of my personal, career and academic history. With direct contacts the price is one of the most crucial steps of the \"4 P's\" as this is where they most likely conclude if what I am offering is something they want or if they can find a better product elsewhere. If they have accepted the price presented the promotion stage is where the features and benefits are fully outlined. Based on who the contact is I will assess whether to arrive in casual dress or business attire. Approachability and charisma will definitely aid in this endeavor. Again as with recruiters I will keep a close eye on the energy or restraint in my voice as I personally talk to contacts. As stated earlier this will be spearheaded by my product and price, so that my promotion needs match and a long lasting relationship is established with a contact who fits my culture, understands my goals, and knows I am more than capable of performing. Lastly as my product is packaged I will to find a ideal location to sell it. Location is the foundation of success when selling any product or service. There are a variety of ways in which contacts can find out about me through my website, external industry recruiters, job boards/sites, billboards, emails, word-of-mouth, job fairs etc. Each place will result in a somewhat different pool of contacts. Safety and comfort are a must at this step I don't think it would be possible to have a successful interaction with a contact of neither of you feel at ease in your environment. Program #3 - Referrals Program #4 - Other (Chose One: Social Media, General Internet, Traditional Advertising). Step # 4 - Career Marketing Resource Allocation - What will all this cost? Are there costs other than Money? How do you fund this campaign? You better plan for this. Advertisement Travel Phone Clothes Other Step # 5 - Career Marketing Monitoring & Control - How do I monitor my plan with measures and when (how often do I monitor)? Do I have the flexibility (such as time if I started implementing my plan well in advance of needing the job) to make necessary corrections when things go wrong or not according to plan? Do I have Alternatives? Any back-up plans? What are the specifications of 1st, 2nd, & 3rd alternative company choices.? When do I cut my losses? - Do I just wait and hope all will work out for the best or do I proactively adjust when my plan is not working out as intended? The plan needs to be closely monitored on a daily basis. Finding work is crucial and marketing one self does not leave room for breaks. Once the job is achieved and one is content staying in that position is when a plan can be broken. The average candidate is not content staying in one position at one company though. The plan must be altered over time. It begins as a plan to find initial work by summing up the candidate and their credentials as well as advantage points to the specific company they are targeting. This means the plan must be altered for every individual company the candidate is applying towards. A candidate will usually target numerous companies when initially looking for work. Every individual company has completely different aspects they find desirable and it is up to the candidate to figure them out and make them apparent in one's own package of attributes. Not very many people can land their first choice of work as their first line of work. It would be nice to wait for the perfect job opportunity but bills must be paid. A recent graduate must find income to not only pay for their life expenses but in most instances, to pay back the education they received. This means the work must be found almost immediately. It is essential to stay out of debt, have a roof over one's head and to be able to regularly eat. Back up plans to that initial choice and plan must be made. One should always have a handful of options that will somewhat satisfy them. These plans must first and foremost consist of work that will support the life expenses and debt one holds. The companies interested in should fit the personality of the candidate. The candidate should extensively research the beliefs of the company and their standpoint of expectations of employees but also the actions of the company on the community. The approach the company takes with its guests is crucial especially if the line of work is directly associated with customer and guest interaction. If you as the candidate do not find yourself agreeing with the companies standpoints then you should consider holding back from applying to work with that company. This will be more than a job but also someone you must listen to and replicate those standards for when completing your daily duties. If you do not agree with them then you will not only not enjoy forcing yourself to do the work asked of you but you will be lying to yourself in attempt to get the work done. At first, apply to all jobs that fit a spectrum of your own beliefs with the companies that do so as well. There are plenty more than just one company or brand that can achieve this. This will fill your itinerary with an array of options almost assuring at least one job. The plan can further be extended to companies and positions that will challenge one after already being employed. Once one is already working they can further find something that is of more personal interest to them. This can be a better position within a company or a different position at a new company. Candidates can also look at other factors such a location when making these choice. They can make decisions based on hours and days of operation and workloads. Workloads can be associated with pay although not always and one can choose to have a higher one with better pay or a looser schedule but with lower pay. There is no right answer on which is better but one must make choices based on their needs and ideals in life