Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

A couple of thoughts:

For the "what support will you expect" portion, I'd talk about the fact that you would want candid discussions with key staff members (through the CEO) about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, corporate objectives, values, etc. so that you can accurately and faithfully represent the company's best interests as you do your job. You might also suggest that it would be useful if you could have interviews with a few important customers to get their perspectives too.

For the "what you will contribute" portion, I'd stay strategic -- development of a marketing plan that will set the stage for thoughtful and purposeful communication of the company's positioning promise to the relevant target audiences.

If you get into too many details, you run the risk of positioning yourself as a permanent "gofer." Better to have them see you as a potentially senior person, even though you're starting as a Marketing Coordinator.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes!

In the first few months, your job should be exclusively to listen: to staff, to management, to the customers, to the Board, to your agencies, to the media, to your reps, and to your competitiors. You're simply trying to get an accurate sense of how the company is perceived.

Once you have listened, then your next step would be to write a report detailing your findings. First, reflect back the key sections to those that you interviewed to make sure you're accurate. Then, compile the report into an executive brief for management. The full details would be available as well, but not required.

After reviewing the brief/report with management, create a strategic marketing plan for addressing management's needs, given all the data you've collected. You should have plenty of information to move forward.

After the plan is created, you'll need to sell it to management. If you've done your work, then they'll agree with the raw data, their goals, your steps, budget, and milestones you've set up.

As a new position in the company, you'll be watched closely. By listening, you won't be threatening anyone's job. People will see you listening, summarizing, thinking, and planning. Then they'll get to see you as a leader.