Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

What is your definition of branding?

What do you think it is?

What is its function?

What is its value?

Well branding and corporations kind of go together. They need the same attitude - and the disadvantage there is that corporations also like paper certifications and experience. In this instance a course that leads to a recognized qualification in marketing or advertising would be necessary so that you can establish with them that you're the person they need to hire.

Financial analysts for ADP to brand manager (likely for a consumer goods company, as they seem to most often use this position) is a pretty big change.

There are two routes I can see:

1) find some way to work off of your current position toward a brand manager position. Does ADP use brand managers? If so, talk with them and figure out what it would take to do an internal transfer toward that position (likely through an intermediary position or two). Might involve more education, but might now.

2) go and get a certificate or degree in marketing/branding and then start from scratch and aim for an entry level position in a branding manager track. You likely would have to take a pay cut (entry level) and having lots of years of experience in your current job likely would work against you.

Direct change will be hard. Even with extra qualifications, you'll be at a disadvantage as others in your age-group will be competing on experience, not on qualifications.

If you have analyst skills you might be able to move sideways towards marketing analyst, but an analyst is more backroom than an out-front 'brand manager' who is expected to be more pushy, salesy and ebullient.

A financial controller for marketing (or a small marketing agency) may be a steer at least towards marketing management.

But I'd also expect a brand manager to have some solid sales experience in their background and so experience of selling to retailers, distributors and consumers - even if it's just a short term (but high quality) sales training position.