Know-How Exchange : Branding

Richard,

The CEO's comments could be interpreted a couple ways: First, he could be saying there is a talent shortage, but NOT talking about Brand Management specifically. It could be in the design area, for instance. Or just because Essec's CEO sees a shortage, maybe that's just his view and other luxury brands don't see the shortage. So unless the Brand Management job you're looking at is for Essec, the comment can be consistent.

And even if there is a shortage, perhaps filling the shortage with people who lack the necessary (in their minds) experience isn't the right answer. If I told you there was a shortage of heavy aircraft commercial pilots, would you think it inconsistent for me not to want to hire a taxi driver as a pilot for my airline? They are in the same profession - transportation. They both move people from here to there. And this taxi driver have been on an airliner before and even read books on flying a plane. He even has a copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The requirement is a requirement. You either have the experience or you don't. Arguing the paradox might make you feel better but it really doesn't make you satisfy the criterion.

I know - you are saying that if you continuously look within the same pool for talent and complain there's not enough, but refuse to look outside the pool - then the pool still doesn't get any bigger and there's always going to be a shortage. Right. But perhaps the pool gets larger from the bottom, not the outside. Perhaps you should set your sights on a lower job in the luxury area if your bent on getting into that area. Instead of Brand Manager try Assistant Brand Manager or Marketing Specialist. Then you will have both brand management and luxury experience, and thus meet the criteria.

As a help, you could organize your resume into a "functional" resume versus chronological. This format highlights the skills, experience, and accomplishments you DO have that would pertain to managing a luxury brand and deemphasizes the companies you worked for that are NOT known for luxury brands. This "markets" you in the right light and you can tell the recruiters about your experience pertinent to luxury brand management. Many recruiters and HR professionals will see through this, but it still may help.

Another thing you can do is be the very best in your present field of Brand Management. If you were a standout and getting notice in your profession as a thought leader - this would help you jump the gap. Write articles, participate in conferences and deliver them, write a blog. Cover topics on how luxury brand management is not so far off from non-luxury brand management and that luxury brand managers can learn from non-luxury brand management techniques and technology. Help them to see how their talent shortage can be solved outside the pool. Demonstrate that skill you feel you have that isn't being recognized.

I hope this helps.

Wayde

In my humble opinion. I think that there may be some other underlying reason that you are not getting hired and they are only telling you that you MUST have luxury brand experience as a polite way to let you down.

I think that firstly you need to be more specific about what kind of luxury brand you have in mind.

Are we talking about super luxury watches or cars which means that you are selling strictly to AAA super rich clientèle.

Or are you looking at Gucci bas and watches which are sold to an aspirational market that can afford $500 for a bag but are definitely not in the VHNW category.

If you want to sell to very high net worth individuals, then the brand s are typically looking for someone with the 'right' connections. the right school on your resume etc.

Considering that you will need to meet, converse and blend with super high end clients, you need to be able to carry it off with respect to how you look and how you speak.

If you 'sound' like you come from a top 'ivy league' school and you dress accordingly and already have a contact list of ivy league friends and associates that you can tap into for a). sales opportunities and b). a nice reference for the job application, then you should be ok.

If you don't have these things - then start mixing at the right parties, go to better more upscale clubs and start building your contact list.

Do you have memberships at the 'right' organisations for instance? Golf? polo?

What about your 'facebook' profile? Don't forget that your potential employers will be checking it to see who your contacts are.

Ideally, it should not be this way but always remember that as you move up in terms of the products you sell, the potential employer is more interested in your track record of selling high end products and more importantly, who you contact list is. They are literally buying your contact list - you access to the right kind of buyers for their products.

It is a tough world :)

If I were you, I would try to talk again to the head hunters and tell them that you want to have a completely FRANK and open discussion and that you want to understand what the real requirements are to move into the world that you want to move into.

Don't take no for an answer and show them that you are a go getter. This may impress them enough to at least get you an interview scheduled for you.

Good luck.

Matthew

It's been my experience that MOST clients think you need to have experience in their industry in order to be considered for a position. It's the same for consulting projects: they always ask if we have experience in the industry, even though they're probably better served by hiring a marketing generalist who can bring some new thinking from other industries.

My suggestion is that you actually take on a project of your own in the industry you want to move into. Do store checks, interview current employees and customers, competitors, market research suppliers, etc. Then approach the company you want to work for and demonstrate how well you know their business and how right you are for them.

That's the underlying philosophy described in The Potato Chip Difference. Probably worth reading if you're really serious about wanting to crack into this "closed" club. The subtitle of the book is How to apply leading edge marketing strategies to landing the job you want.

Same idea expressed in a consulting context in Rasputin For Hire. That even has a couple of examples of how others applied the concept successfully on their own.