Question

Topic: Career/Training

Futher Career Choice

Posted by Anonymous on 6/21/2013 at 1:36 PM ET 250 Points
Hi Fellow Marketers,

I am put in front of a pretty difficult career choice and I would appreciate a piece of professional advice from my fellow marketers.

Here’s the story:

After owning a private small business that went bust, I decided to get back on my feet by choosing a career in marketing (after all I got a degree in this field). So at some point I found this job for a payment processor for digital goods. Their marketing was shit when I started, so I considered this is a good place to prove my talents and get the necessary experience to move up the ladder. And experience I got: for the past two years I developed Social Media strategy, community strategy, improved online presence, started blogging, represented them at industry events, produced content and PR. I was even confronted with a huge PR scandal and took a lot of shit from angry vendors at some point (a pretty difficult lesson to learn). Everything alone, I was the only person in the marketing department. As I came to this company for experience, I put the money question aside. It was hard, but it was challenging and interesting, plus this job is remote, I have all the freedom I needed, meaning travelling whenever and wherever. The CEO named me marketing manager after just 6 months of working doubled my salary as well, so I was pretty motivated to continue. Also I got along pretty well with the top management, these are some talented people but pretty unorganized which often gets frustrating, but this is not the point.

OK, to cut the introduction and to stop boring you with my background. Recently the CEO hired a VP of business development, who is a pretty sharp girl. The CEO for some reason thought I would feel insecure, but I told him I will be as accommodating and nice to her as possible. They took the decision to develop my department further, hire people, because they understand I do the impossible here. The VP has been working with us for a month, but she already started doing amazing things to the product and I like the way she works. As the product I work with is B2B and we work with developers, and content authors, lots of these folks are on forums and social media, that requires a lot of time consuming searches and communication (which I just hate doing, I am a lot more into content production and campaign development). So after the first meeting with the new VP we agreed that we will hire a community manager to ease my work load so I can concentrate on other things. I started interviewing people for this position, but then nothing moved forward.
Today we set-up a meeting and the VP told me that they monitored my activity on SM and forums etc and they realized I am very good at this. So they decided to hire another Marketing manager and put me into Community Manager position. Meaning that Marketing Manager and I would report directly to her, as at this point there is no point in having one person on top of the other. When I asked the CEO to clarify this, he said that he cannot trust a new person for community management position and he fully trusts me on this, this is necessary to get the job done, as we are completely rethinking the product and the company and we need to be like an oiled machine (one of the reasons he hired the VP).

Although I tend to think it’s an apparent step back in my career, and it won’t look good at all on my CV, they said it’s not like that. That the community management is a much respected job in online industry and even more appreciated than the Marketing Management. Also the CEO told me that eventually, when we hire more people, I will move on top of them, because he saw me grow and I have the overall insight on our business (honestly, life has taught me not to rely on promises). Also gave me assurances, called my mobile to tell me that he really values me as an employee and doesn’t want to lose me and I have his personal promise (in writing if needed, lol) that I will manage the team when there is actually a team. Also if I feel uneasy about this, he can give me the marketing manager position and hire a community manager instead.

So, what do you think? Am I being screwed over and I should just quit avoiding a setback, or should I accept the community management position? Or am I just acting crazy? To give you a better insight I am posting the job outlines the VP gave me:


Marketing Manager

1). To contribute to the strategic planning of an annual or long term marketing plan to drive forward agreed company objectives.
2). To budget manage and indentify advertising opportunities, monitor the implementation and review performance and the result.
3). To building and maintaining contacts with the company audiences, customers and partners
4). To manage the production of marketing materials, including leaflets, posters and flyers. This can involve writing and proofreading copy, and liaising with designers and printers;
5). Improves product marketability and profitability by researching, identifying, and capitalizing on market opportunities; improving product positioning; coordinating new product development.
6). Coordinate and participate in trade shows, working with developers, advertisers, and production managers, to market products and services.
7). Responsible on the website creation, update, maintenance and manage the content with the community manager
8). Manage the newsletter and create the content together with the community manager.
9). Analytics – use Google Analytics and other measurement tools to provide reports on website metrics, and continually find ways to improve on those metrics through testing and initiatives.
10). Confer with legal staff to resolve problems, such as copyright infringement and royalty sharing with outside producers and distributors.

Community Manager


1). Represent the company by actively driving, growing and managing the company community, building healthy relationships with community power users and influencers, and engaging directly with users, online and offline.
2). Evangelize the open architecture and educating our users via forums, blogs, social media, events, webinars and other external communications channels.
3). Use qualitative feedback to identify key trends and insights in user needs and communicate them. Champion recommendations for product or process changes.
4). Develop, own and execute community strategy and contribute to Company’s overall community strategy.
5). Create content together with the marketing manager: write blog posts, articles, newsletters, communications materials
6). Social media marketing – create, manage, and grow the company’s presence through blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and other relevant online properties.
7). Attend industry events in your city and plan meetings for our community
8). Public relations – manage incoming media requests and build relationships with industry journalists; creating, executing and measuring media campaigns


I apologize for making it very long.
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/21/2013 at 2:30 PM Accepted
    I'm not a corporate girl - so let's get that straight right now.

    Firstly: your manager has expressed his confidence in you - and you don't trust him when he says this? If not, why not?

    Secondly: even with you being "equal" to the new position of marketing manager, remember that you will be helping this business expand further - and you are in the preferred position. Plus you know a lot more about how the marketing side of things works - which is one huge advantage over your "equal" - and so any promotions that occur are most likely to happen in your direction.

    I would stick with it. Reckon that the business is expanding, and quite rightly, people are being taken on to share out the otherwise onerous tasks.

    I do feel you should have a little more open respect in this instance though - some kind of modest superiority, just to identify the work you've done. Perhaps a gentle nudge to the boss - or more likely your new VP. She's a girl, a Moriarty (as my partner Brian would say) and therefore more likely to listen. Add to this that she's positive about you - not an easy task with a bright woman where men are concerned.
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 6/21/2013 at 3:59 PM Member
    I understand your concern. The Marketing Manager job is a more strategic job, higher level job, where the Community Manager is more tactical, day-to-day get the work done job. If growing to a more senior position is your goal, the Marketing Manager sounds like a better position.

    Truthfully, it sounds like you know this already, as you said " lot of time consuming searches and communication (which I just hate doing, I am a lot more into content production and campaign development)".

    It is possible that they don't see you as the strategic type needed for the marketing manager. if this is the case, your choice is the community manager position or look outside.

    Then again, it also seems like the marketing manager job may have been in many ways trumped by the BizDev position, so there may not be much there for growth anyway.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 6/21/2013 at 4:57 PM Accepted
    Ignore the titles. Is being a Community Manager more interesting/rewarding to you than Marketing Manager? If so, then all's well. Your apparent demotion is normal in a growing company - and can be explained in the future (if need be). What is key is your relationship to the C-level folks. If they like/trust you (and vice versa) then enjoy the ride. As a Community Manager, you'll be developing a lot of contact in the world - that could serve you well into the future. If you still want to have your fingers in the Marketing Manager area, then ask to be included in various meetings/projects. Learn from those around you. Find out what you're best at - and keep honing that edge.
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/22/2013 at 5:14 AM Accepted
    Great advice from Jay.
  • Posted on 6/22/2013 at 6:44 AM Author
    I would like to thank everyone for your great pieces of advice. I must admit that I was still a bit flipping while writing this post.

    After giving it a little thought, it's true that I have to deal with a pretty narrow niche and the community is pretty closed circle and it took me some time to be acknowledged there (something that would take a lot of time for the new person, which we cannot afford right now). Having the advantage of being known and recognized in this community represents a big advantage for the job I was named for. Plus, I speak Russian and we have a very strong position in the Russian market at the moment, meaning that I would have to do this anyway even being in the other position, which could prove inefficient.
    After all, I think most of you are right, since I am the best person for managing the community, being known there, it serves the best interest for the company. Logically, as a marketing person I should pursue the company's best interests. This will also earn me some points in front of the executives.

    I think I'll go for it and see how it goes. My primary concern was in case anything happens and I would need to look for another job, how would it look in the eyes of my future eventual employer. But after all, this position will enable me to be closer to the authorities in the industry and build relationships. My work will be much more visible which would enable me to build a more high quality work portfolio for my future.
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/22/2013 at 7:13 AM Accepted
    When you say "My primary concern was in case anything happens and I would need to look for another job, how would it look in the eyes of my future eventual employer." - don't forget to mention that your apparent demotion owed its nature to an expansion of the business.

    You are also stronger in this position as you understand the way marketing is carried out in this business. You can also lend support to the incoming marketing manager while he finds his feet.

    I'm glad that you've taken our criticisms with such heart - to me you're in the right job!!

    Speaking several languages is a real asset when communicating. I know when translating from other languages the issues they raise often lead to ideas as to how to approach the original copy that needs translating!

    Best wishes and make sure you shine in your position - you really are the right guy for your job.
  • Posted on 6/22/2013 at 8:07 AM Author
    Moriarty, thank you for your kind words and your support!

    Please allow me to wish you the best of success in your endeavors as well!
  • Posted by Moriarty on 6/22/2013 at 9:04 AM Member
    Thanks, I really appreciate that - I'm still in the startup phase of my copywriting business. Not the easiest things to do in the winter of a depression.
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Career/Training)