My Career Goals and Qualifications
This page includes my goals for working within the sales, market research, or advertising sectors of the marketing industry. These specializations interest me because I enjoy studying the psychological and sociological factors that influence consumer behavior. Below, I have listed my knowledge, skills, and abilities that make me a well-suited candidate for my targeted profession. Many of my qualifications have been derived from my coursework and organizational involvement. If you wish to view concrete examples of my coursework, please select “Coursework Examples” from the navigation toolbar. At the bottom of this section, I have listed goals I have developed that will enable me to prepare for a successful career within my chosen occupation.
Career Goals
- Stability: It is essential to work within an organization that is structurally and financially stable, so I am able to able to engage in challenging professional projects that will contribute to the growth of the company.
- Professional Development: I am seeking an employer who will allow me ample opportunities to grow professionally. Perpetual learning opportunities can only enhance performance for me, my employer, and my clients.
- Finances: I hope to find a job that can provide financial stability for my future. I am seeking an employer that will afford me the opportunity to work hard, so I can move on to successively challenging and rewarding positions within the company.
- Satisfaction: A career that is satisfying promotes the highest level of productivity. An employee with an invested interest in a company’s products and services will care more about the company’s well-being. In sales and marketing, an employee cannot honestly and effectively market services if he does not believe these services will provide a benefit to the consumer.
Qualifications
- Technological Experience: I have advanced experience with Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Visual Basic. In my Computer Information Systems course I compiled data to create a database listing college students by their individual name, address, university, and major (View Student Report and Chapter Report under "Coursework Examples to view Access databases I have created). I have also taken Principles of Programming, a course that teaches the essential elements of Microsoft's Visual Basic. In Microsoft Excel, I have experience with decision analysis, queuing, and breakeven analysis (To view examples of Excel functions I am familiar with, click the Excel files under "Coursework Examples").
- Sales Experience: I served on the Miles for Medals Committee which was responsible for organizing a relay run from the University of Richmond to James Madison University. The purpose of the run was to gain sponsors in order to raise money for the Virginia Special Olympics. As a committee member, I solicited local Harrisonburg businesses to obtain financial sponsors. I also have had significant experience persuading JMU faculty and students to make donations to various philanthropic causes. As a member of the Madison Marketing Association's Special Events Committee, I was responsible for contacting local businesses in order to seek gift donations for a raffle during our annual Networking Banquet.
- Comparative Analysis Skills: Under my technological experience listed above, I briefly discussed my knowledge of decision analysis on Microsoft Excel. Using decision analysis, I can calculate the revenue or losses from strategic business decisions to determine the highest option of profitability for a product before it is produced. In Managerial Accounting, I learned the process of market segmenting. Using this process, I can determine the costs and benefits of enhancing a product. For example, I had a project where I compared the costs and benefits of making a steak as a sirloin as opposed to producing a t-bone.
- Business Presentation Skills: In my Interpersonal Skills course, I participated in a semester-long group project where I was assigned to develop the course curriculum and structure for a sequel to the course. I also took a Business Communication and Administration course. In this course, I developed professional business presentations on topics such as Networking and Workplace Etiquette. The time frames for the presentations ranged from five to fifty minutes.
Goals To Prepare For A Career
- Understanding All Functions of Business: My goal is to have a comprehensive understanding of how a business operates. This goal encompasses everything from managerial accounting to business management.
- Participating In An Internship: I plan to secure an internship during the Summer of 2012 that will allow me the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and will allow me to hone the skills I have been developing that will be needed within a business environment.
- Knowledge Of Potential Employers: Prior to applying for employment positions, I will thoroughly research each company in order to gain a complete understanding of how that particular business operates. By doing so, I will also be able to demonstrate how I will be able to transfer my marketing skills to the specific responsibilities of a position.
- Learning Consumer Behavior: I will continue to participate in committees and organizations that offer opportunities to gain sales experience. I will use my involvement to develop the ability to quickly identify consumer trends and behaviors, and I hope that these experiences will help me to continue to hone my interpersonal skills, so I can effectively communicate with co-workers and consumers.