You know, I've answered a lot of marketing career questions as part of my Ask the Expert column on the American Marketing Association's website.
The questions have ranged from the fairly general, "Why can't I get an interview?," to the surprisingly specific, "With an MBA in International Marketing from 20 years ago, what professional degree or certificate programs can you recommend in the field of green or sustainability that would refresh my skills?"
While it can be challenging to give advice to people when you don't know them or the specifics of their situation, I don't let that stop me, and not just because I'm a pretentious charlatan.
The reason I don't let it stop me is that I am extremely confident that, on a general level, I can provide people with the basic framework for getting the job they want and it goes like this: a) cultivate a realistic understanding of your own capabilities and limitations; b) focus your job search on specific positions at specific companies; and c) differentiate yourself from other applicants by creating a human connection with hiring managers.
The hard part isn't laying out this framework for people, or even applying it to specific situations. The hard part is actually doing the work it requires to get the work you're after. No one can do that for you; you have to do it yourself.
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