Introduction
Happy day everyone! Have you ever tried to search for connections to determine if something is meant to be? Well, my name is Caroline Chong, and everything about me starts with a “C.” I am a Canadian, Chinese, Chilean Capricorn that studied Commerce! I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada and coming from quite a traditional family, I did not really think that studying away from home was an option. Fortunately, I was accepted into a very well-respected University about an hour from home, so this is where the stars aligned, and the universe decided I would go. I had thought about becoming a doctor, but my heart was not in it, despite coming from a family of doctors, so I jumped headfirst into getting accepted into the Sauder School of Business. The competition was fierce, but I got in and decided I wanted to major in Marketing.
Looking back, I am so happy about the path I chose and the places and adventures this decision has taken me. I really did not know what I wanted to do with my business degree when I graduated but this journey led me across various positions in sales, trade marketing and brand marketing, including leadership roles. I love the fact that throughout my career, whether I was working in food, household, or beauty, at the end of the day, being successful in your role all comes down to the fundamental core skills built and developed from day 1. I just started a new adventure as the Global VP of sales for a privately backed company, and before this, I was the VP of Brand Marketing for a well-known luxury skincare brand. It is amazing to be able to give consumers what they want and to see value creation in action!
Market Research Fellow
career options
Having expertise in Business Administration, Marketing Research and Marketing Strategy opens a wide range of career possibilities. Here are some common options and specific examples:
Market Research Fellow
skills
What are the main hard skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
Knowledge and ability to build customized marketing strategies based on specific KPIs (key performance indicators) and target, budget, etc. Robust marketing plans and strategy is developed every year with my team so that we fully understand what we want to achieve and the best way to accomplish that. Marketing strategy can be built for individual projects like seasonal campaigns, but it all needs to Ladder up to the overall Brand strategy.
Knowledge of how to build the right marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) to achieve marketing objectives. This is complementary to the overall marketing strategy and more specifically drives the execution of new product launches as well as positioning of the core portfolio. This is refined annually to ensure it is aligned to the Brand positioning and it takes into account changes in the category or environment. For example, if the competition goes up in Price by 10%, this may provide an opportunity if you are using that Brand as a benchmark.
Knowledge of the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data about business’ target market, consumers, competitors, and the industry as a whole. Research is used often to gain consumer insights, make decisions on new product development, help to frame a big idea for a campaign, derive key claims that will resonate with consumers, and more. The possibilities are endless. But it is important to make decisions based on fact, but also taking the data into account with qualitative context as well.
What are the main soft skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
Being able to clearly articulate thoughts, needs and actions is a skill that can continue to be refined. I have been working on my communication throughout my career and I continue to do so on the daily. Proficient oral and verbal communication is the best tool to educate, delegate and to convert thoughts into action. This is a soft skill that I use everyday 24/7 whether at home or in the office. People need to be heard so that you can give them what they need and it’s important to make accurate and clear statements so that there is never any misinterpretation or miscommunication.
Every problem has a solution. To be an effective leader and valuable contributor to an organization, it is an asset to be able to look at the big picture and suggest ways to resolve issues or challenges. Many times problems can lead to untapped opportunities. To problem solve, you need to define the problem, determinine the cause of the problem, identify, prioritize and select alternatives for a solution, and understand how to implement a solution. Being able to resolve problems reduces stress and anxiety.
There is so much noise and potential distraction in the workplace. Clear prioritization and workload management is critical to be able to meet deadlines and deliver with excellence. It is important to efficiently allocate time to various tasks and responsibilities so that you are laser focused. I learned the hard way by saying yes to too many things and then in the end doing a lot of nothing as it was virtually imposible to close off projects/ tasks when there was so much on the go.
Caroline
’s personal path
Tell us about your personal journey in
Market Research Fellow
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Looking back at my personal career journey, I can see that I was quite lucky. I was that student that did not see the value in networking or researching too extensively where I wanted to work in terms of company, etc. so that I could manage expectations and I somehow thought that “everything would work out.” Fortunately, it did, but I realize now that things could have gone very differently and if I had to do it all again, I would have been much more proactive in my research of industry, category, and company so that I was intentional in my journey.
As I was finishing my final year, it finally dawned on me that I would no longer be a student, which meant I needed to figure out what I was going to do next. I used my university job posting site and found 2 companies whose postings called to me, Kraft Foods and Rubbermaid DeWalt. I applied to both and was called to both for interviews. I had booked some travel and had to do my first interviews after a red-eye flight, not smart. I remember my body felt numb and my mind was somehow disconnected from my body. I remember thinking, never do this again, make sure you get good rest, and you anticipate every possible question that may come up. Despite how poorly I thought I had gone, Kraft pushed me through to the next rounds and I was of course better prepared. In the final selection between myself and another candidate I was not selected. It was the first time in my life that I had been ‘rejected.’ I really did not know what I was going to do next, as I had bet on this option. Again, another life lesson popped up, never have all your eggs in one basket. Put yourself in a position where you thought through your plan A, B and C. I could not find anything that intrigued me over the summer, so I resolved that it would be ok to take my time if I found something by the fall. By some miracle, I got a call from Kraft at the end of the summer, 2 months after the rejection, and they offered me a job! Since joining Kraft, I have never looked back in terms of the trajectory of my career. Say yes to possibility and you will see that more doors will just automatically open.
What would you tell your younger you regarding building your current career?
Often, people have a preconceived notion of what success looks like because of societal and family expectations. Out of duty, many choose career paths that will please others, but it is not truly what brings the individual joy. It is important to also consider passion so that there is a true sense of purpose from what occupies most of our daily lives. A feeling of purpose is sustainable and drives longevity.
Final thoughts & tips
Always keep in mind that nothing worth having comes easy. It is very normal to go down different paths and try different things until you find what you’re most interested in and what drives you. Breadth of experience is as valuable as depth of experience. There is not just one way to get where you want to go. Be the owner of your career and success. No one else will drive it but you.
Resources to dig in more
15 jobs you can get with a Marketing Degree (Career Guide)
This link outlines 6 different potential marketing career paths, along with skills needed, and what could potentially be your best fit.
Marketing Careers: 6 Areas to Explore
This link outlines 6 different potential marketing career paths, along with skills needed, and what could potentially be your best fit.
What is Marketing? Definitions, Strategies and Best Practices
This article defines marketing, explains the benefits and advantages of marketing, provides examples of marketing strategies, best practices and FAQs.
