Question

Topic: Career/Training

Preparation For Successful Brand Management

Posted by Anonymous on 7/30/2008 at 10:27 PM ET 250 Points
Hi, I'm a high school graduate; I found MarketingProfs a while back and have kept up with it until now. I'm very interested in pursuing an MBA with emphasis in Marketing, and my career goal is to become a Brand Manager. Unfortunately, although I have those two goals clearly set in my mind, I'm completely lost at how to attain them ...

First things first, I need to earn my undergraduate degree. I understand that most MBA programs place little significance on undergraduate study when reviewing applicants. My dire question is from a more macro viewpoint, however: what undergraduate degree would best complement an MBA: marketing, as well as aid me in becoming a successful brand manager?

Thank you in advance! Please help an aspiring marketing student!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Phx SC on 7/31/2008 at 12:13 PM Accepted
    Oh, boy. There is so much to say. Be patient with me, and read on.

    Your degrees alone won't be the driver to reaching your goals. Your experiences, your perspective, your passion, your networking, and your ideas--and yes, your education--will get you there.

    The best part of college is discovering who you are and learning to challenge yourself. Open your eyes to topics you would never study, people you would never meet, and attitudes you might never consider. Just seize this opportunity.

    These experiences will make you a more well-rounded person. These experiences will give you better context for excelling as a marketing professional.

    Brand Managers are not identified by what their degrees have been. They are developed overy time, crafted into those roles because of what they bring to the table. It's not your degree that makes or breaks this for you, but the package that you become will make or break this for you. You might even discover along the way that another career or title beckons.

    So, major in Marketing, major in communications, major in something that excites you and gives you perspective when you are reaching for ideas to promote a product in your first internship or entry-level job. Speak to a marketing professional whom you admire and ask about his/her path. There's no set formula, so make your personal growth the top priority. That will pay dividends.

    Best of luck to you!
  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 7/31/2008 at 11:58 PM Accepted
    Want to truly differentiate yourself..? Get an engineering, math, coputer or science degree and an mba in marketing.

    Its the combination of left brain logical thinking and right brain creativity that drives things forward...

    In my humble opinion...
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 8/1/2008 at 12:20 PM Accepted
    Why not start and the endpoint? Identify people in positions that you'd like to work in, and approach them for an informational interview. Find out how they got where they were, how they were hired, what skills they most used, what they look for in hiring people, etc.
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