Hi Nishant
Thanks for starting this thread.
My query
Is it true or myth that Marketing folks climb the corporate ladder faster and make it to the board room sooner than others(Fin, Ops, and HR guys )
How much and in what way can a major in marketing be useful for consulting job profiles.
Also wanted to know how much different is IT based sales/marketing from FMCG based sales/marketing.How good is IT sales/marketing job profile in top B-schools?
PS: A very nice initiative.Kudos to you guys.Expecting similar threads for consulting and finance.
Hi Nishant. Welcome back. 
I did not get through the b schools I aimed for this year. I won't be a fresher next year.
- How easy/difficult it is for non-freshers to get good profiles?
- kuch kar sakta hun kya marketing oriented profile banane ke liye?
- travel toh bahut karna padta hoga marketing mein?
- certifications toh hogi nhi koi?
More queries later.
Please elaborate on marketing as a career and different types of profiles that an MBA gets to work in..
Hi Nishant. Welcome back.
I did not get through the b schools I aimed for this year. I won't be a fresher next year.
- How easy/difficult it is for non-freshers to get good profiles?
More queries later.
This is something that i have heard as well and that too from students in their MBA.
A good workex in IT can be a impediment towards getting intoa coveted FMCG marketing role.
IS this a myth or a general case to which excpetions exist or a hard and fat rule.
PS I myslf have 19 months of workex in IT so i m concerned.
At this point in time my decision to pursue marketing would be based on my ability to make it to a FMCG co.
PPS Thnx nishant ....query answered in previous post
How much and in what way can a major in marketing be useful for consulting job profiles.
Also wanted to know how much different is IT based sales/marketing from FMCG based sales/marketing.How good is IT sales/marketing job profile in top B-schools?
PS: A very nice initiative.Kudos to you guys.Expecting similar threads for consulting and finance.
Just add to what nishant sir stated for IT marketing profiles
Typical Profiles offered are :
Associate and Senior Associate Consultant
Business Analyst
Presales
(Deloitte , Infosys , HCL , CTS , TCS etc )
Most of the basic responsibilities for Pre Sales include
- Work with Sales Personnel to provide product, business and technical knowledge in support of pre-sales activities.
- Liaison with Product Managers and Development to understand details of product direction and design and communicate information back to sales organization.
- Responsible for understanding business and technical problems addressed by the products including key regulations, business drivers, evolving business needs, etc.
travel toh bahut karna padta hoga marketing mein?
Just to elaborate on travelling part , even in assignments our professor gave us targets to travel at least 2000kms to have a holistic understanding what marketing is all about from Company--> Distributor-->wholesaler-->retailers , more experience you gain , more you learn 😃
hi gr8 thread,
a query frm my side..
how would an equal specialisation in fin and marketing look like after a mba frm a company pt of view??
i want to know if i want to pursue ma MBA (marketing+operations) then what kind of job can i expect?? is it a lethal combination??
Hi Nishant. Welcome back.
kuch kar sakta hun kya marketing oriented profile banane ke liye?
Adding to what Nishant has mentioned,
Apart from focussing on gathering CV points , i will suggest to expand the marketing knowledge spectrum .
Pick up few sectors of your choice and analyze them in depth. Understand how the sectors have evolved from marketing point of view, how the majors players in these sectors have modified their positioning and marketing strategies from time to time. For starters you can read about Nike, McDonald , Mahindra Scorpio, Dell, Nokia etc to get the feel of different sectors . Analyze how have they differentiated their approaches for developed and developing economies. You will find a difference in strategies for 2 kinds of economies.
Also, don't just see advertisements. Try to analyze what did the company try to highlight, what's the area of customer psychology where they tried to hit with the ad, impact of the ad etc etc.
These are few things with which you can kick off to strengthen your candidature from an aspiring marketeer point of view 😃
PS: We are also aspiring marketeers. Here to share what we know and learn from what all fellow puys know 😃
Cheers !
Does such a thing exist?
If you are talking about dual specialization, well, I think it might be looked at negatively by the marketing firms especially. But you will have to confirm from seniors of the bschool where dual specialization exists.
What I can tell you is that marketing cos in general hate taking people who come because they could not crack finance. If you can convince them(it is very much possible) that is not the case, well and good!!
Hi,
i hav looked at the BM syllabus at XL and hav come to understand tat u hav 2 choose 2 areas of specilisations...
i hav shortlisted marketing,fin and strategic managemen.Among them i wanted to get a clearer picture abt each one and as to how they would gel together and show some coherence..
so advise on this front would be really helpful..
thanks in advance..
I was looking for such a thread....
Q: If I am taking Marketing as majors, which other field would be good for minors...?? I know that depends on interest, but what is the most preferable combination.
Query solved in next post...
alpesh89 Saysi want to know if i want to pursue ma MBA (marketing+operations) then what kind of job can i expect?? is it a lethal combination??
From my point of view, it is one of the preferred combinations. Reason being there is a very strong syncronization needed between marketing team and operations team. Knowing the nuances of both shall help you in taking more informed decisions. Also, there are departments like Demand Planning department which work in strong sync with marketing team and here again your knowledge in both specializations shall help you.
Also, Distribution planning and accountability is the combined responsibility of Supply Chain Team and Marketing team which shall be benefitted by any personnel who is good in both the fields.
hi gr8 thread,
a query frm my side..
how would an equal specialisation in fin and marketing look like after a mba frm a company pt of view??
I think what you meant is the majors in one of them and minors in the other domain. Generally, the skill set of people required for these 2 specializations differ and hence we rarely find anyone going with this combination.
As an aspirant, one thinks of just packages offered in 2 fields and hence plan to go for this combo . However, once you get into a B-School, you will realize a significant difference between the skill set , work responsibilities and culture of the 2 specializations. And then ,you will be in a better state to answer whether to continue with this choice or not :)
Hope this helps !!
hi gr8 thread,
a query frm my side..
how would an equal specialisation in fin and marketing look like after a mba frm a company pt of view??
Hi
Well i have taken fin +marketing as dual but i have taken subjects which complement finance as i am more inclined towards it , subjects such as strategic marketing , marketing of services etc , typically work ex guys do it , specially IT guys , as they want to diversify risk , some do it complement their primary interests as well
PS: i believe even Finance is more than 50% marketing ,having experienced it in summers :)
PPS: for people interested in SCM and operations , read about the Dabbawala Case of Mumbai , one of the best case for LSCM 😃
Atlast a thread for marketing, I have been yearning for such a thread....but let me add a caveat here, even last year a thread started for marketing aspirants but couldn't sustain the tempo... hope this thread dosen't meet the same fate.
Ok, about me, I m a fresher and hope to pursue my MBA this year.
I am an ardent marketing fan and am convinced will make it big in this field.
My first question to guys here (for IIMs and Other top notch Institutes guys) is who do you all believe was the best marketer of all time??
my personal favorites are
1) Joseph Sugarman
2) Ingvar Kampard
and also 3) Julius Caesar
this is from my point of view,
I wanna Know who you people revere?
What your professors tell you about the most successful Marketer of all time?
Atlast a thread for marketing, I have been yearning for such a thread....but let me add a caveat here, even last year a thread started for marketing aspirants but couldn't sustain the tempo... hope this thread dosen't meet the same fate.
Ok, about me, I m a fresher and hope to pursue my MBA this year.
I am an ardent marketing fan and am convinced will make it big in this field.
My first question to guys here (for IIMs and Other top notch Institutes guys) is who do you all believe was the best marketer of all time??
my personal favorites are
1) Joseph Sugarman
2) Ingvar Kampard
and also 3) Julius Caesar
this is from my point of view,
I wanna Know who you people revere?
What your professors tell you about the most successful Marketer of all time?
ummm...The first 2 I have never heard about.. :P
The last one as a marketer? Interesting..!!
Mind tellin us more about these fellows??
At B-schools, the focus has always been over great marketing attempts/strategies, never on individuals per se...
So while I am aware of superb marketing strategies, I am not a follower of any single person.
Would love to know more from you!!
Great work to start the thread. Hope we shall keep it live and useful.
Something I could mention about the above said personalities after surfing through internet (I didn't know them earlier)
Joe Sugerman (Joseph Sugerman)
Electrical Engineering from The University of Miami
Famous works : Introduced the concept of using toll-free numbers(credit card order making)
Introduced " triggers" concept of influencing psychology to turn potential customers into actual ones
pioneered direct marketing techniques
Accolades : "Direct Marketing Man of the Year" in 1979
Source : The Genius of Joe Sugarman
Ingvar Kamprad
Swedish business magnate and the founder of IKEA, a retail (specialty) company.
162nd wealthiest person in the world
Interesting Career : Kamprad began to develop a business as a young boy, selling matches to neighbors from his bicycle. He found that he could buy matches in bulk very cheaply from Stockholm, sell them individually at a low price, and still make a good profit. From matches, he expanded to selling fish, Christmas tree decorations, seeds, and later ballpoint pens and pencils. When Kamprad was 17, his father gave him a cash reward for succeeding in his studies. He used this money to establish what has grown into IKEA.
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingvar_Kamprad
Looking forward for the interesting interpretation of Julius caesar as marketer! In mktg I'm still
How much and in what way can a major in marketing be useful for consulting job profiles.
Also wanted to know how much different is IT based sales/marketing from FMCG based sales/marketing.How good is IT sales/marketing job profile in top B-schools?
PS: A very nice initiative.Kudos to you guys.Expecting similar threads for consulting and finance.
- Consulting is part marketing honestly. The main work of a consultant is also about getting new business as well as maintaining the relationship with the existing clients - known as engagement management. In the initial years in consulting, you would be doing more back end work where the business will be brought in by the senior partners. As you move up the hierarchy, the analysis and the recommendations work will reduce and the percentage of the marketing effort will magnify.
- Let me give you a very simple explanation: Marketing career in FMCG and the related sectors like telecom, consumer durables, etc. progresses as: Sales->Branding/ProductManagement->Marketing Strategy. That is it basically moves from the field to the boardroom. Marketing career in IT moves from Pre-Sales->Business Development. This is moving from a cubicle to the field. So, in a way of looking they are the opposite ends of spectrum. IT is a subset of the B2B marketing which also encompasses the conglomerates and huge equipment manufacturers.
This is something that i have heard as well and that too from students in their MBA.
A good workex in IT can be a impediment towards getting intoa coveted FMCG marketing role.
IS this a myth or a general case to which excpetions exist or a hard and fat rule.
PS I myslf have 19 months of workex in IT so i m concerned.
At this point in time my decision to pursue marketing would be based on my ability to make it to a FMCG co.
PPS Thnx nishant ....query answered in previous post
Many FMCG companies have an upper cap of 24/30/36 months as their eligibility for prior work experience. This is not specific to any sector - it could be IT work ex or from any other sector. Typically, most FMCGs prefer to take in freshers because they would like to mold them according to the way they themselves do business. Work Experience people sometimes have pre-conceived notions about lots of things. However, I personally know a large percentage of students who have been placed with FMCG companies even after a work experience in IT of about 2-3 years.
hi gr8 thread,
a query frm my side..
how would an equal specialisation in fin and marketing look like after a mba frm a company pt of view??
Typically, you could move in Marketing for Financial companies and that sector is quite big with lot of money and huge growth opportunities.
Nishant, Vision and Abhimukh - I hope I am not intruding 😃
Hey guys. First of all, fantastic initiative 
I didn't convert the cals of the B schools of my choice this year. So wont be a fresher next year
I am a Chemical Engineer from UDCT. I have been placed as a Business Analyst at Evalueserve from campus. I have poor acads but fantastic extra curics. And my interests and experiences make me tilt towards marketting and operations. Now what I want to know is
Q 1) What kind of a profile can I be offered with this combo(as in the kind of work I'l have to do, not counting consulting jobs)
Q 2) Will my job as a Business Analyst help at MBA in understanding things better, and post MBA in placements in the profiles that you describe from question 1, or will it be counted as relevent work ex for consulting firms only ?
Q 3) Do I need to look for an alternative job/profile ? And if yes, can you tell me some companies that I can apply to ?
1) What are the most important skill sets required for an aspiring marketeer (see the thing is i have a genuine interest in marketing and business strategy.I possess fairly good communication skills but nowhere near great.I have been hearing from ppl that one needs to possess 'out of this world' communication skills to succeed in marketing.This has made me rethink my specialisation choice.)
2)secondly am a fresher.am i in a level playing field for marketing profiles in bschool placements.or at a slight disadvantage?
3)does every marketing profile neccessarily involve a stint in sales?
1) What are the most important skill sets required for an aspiring marketeer (see the thing is i have a genuine interest in marketing and business strategy.I possess fairly good communication skills but nowhere near great.I have been hearing from ppl that one needs to possess 'out of this world' communication skills to succeed in marketing.This has made me rethink my specialisation choice.)
2)secondly am a fresher.am i in a level playing field for marketing profiles in bschool placements.or at a slight disadvantage?
3)does every marketing profile neccessarily involve a stint in sales?
- You do not need to necessarily have exceptional communication skills to be a good marketer. A marketer is one who is related to making the products of the company popular and actually selling them. Now, in order to do so, you need to have sound knowledge about the product, the company, the sector, the competitors, and some other factors such as regulations, etc. With a logical flow and sensible communication, you can do the job really well. In fact, you need good communication skills for any area of management if you want to succeed.
- Freshers have been observed to be preferred by most B2C companies. So, you don't need to worry about it.
- Not necessarily. Some companies also offer you direct marketing and branding roles and don't put you through Sales. However, according to most industry veterans, it is necessary to get your hands dirty (read: do sales) when you are in the marketing field. It helps gain respect of your subordinates and peers and also allows you to be conversant with the ground realities of the field.
1) What are the most important skill sets required for an aspiring marketeer (see the thing is i have a genuine interest in marketing and business strategy.I possess fairly good communication skills but nowhere near great.I have been hearing from ppl that one needs to possess 'out of this world' communication skills to succeed in marketing.This has made me rethink my specialisation choice.)
2)secondly am a fresher.am i in a level playing field for marketing profiles in bschool placements.or at a slight disadvantage?
3)does every marketing profile neccessarily involve a stint in sales?
I would say something from my summer internship experience.
Marketeer is a broad term. Skill set requirement differ depending on which part you are working on (work may range from packaging design development to overall product development, it can be product launching including pricing, advertising, remodelling of product)
Find your interest. Skills can always be developed with significant efforts. U'll learn this in your basic HR subject in MBA ;)
No disadvantage as a fresher. Infact few companies prefer only freshers. Relevant experience is a bonus. However in B-school environment, for marketing, experienced guys are thoroughly checked for their flexibility.
Marketing is a varied job according to Industry and customers targetted so companies prefer fresh minds to mould to fit their strategic plans
Sales and Marketing are differentiable. However, the ultimate goal of marketing is still to improve sales and to improve them effectively which means, improving just volumes is no good. Marketing needs to make selling sustainable in consistently gaining and retaining customers as well as make profits. So thorough understanding of selling and its trends is important.
I personally suggest to definetely study the selling procedure of any product or strategy you work on because selling of the product is the base as well as goal of any marketing strategy