Career Reflection Report: Marketing Goals, Skills, and Action Plan

This career reflection report details a student's aspirations in the field of marketing, outlining their personal analysis, career goals, and a comprehensive career action plan. The report emphasizes the importance of understanding employer expectations and developing relevant skills, including critical thinking and problem-solving. It explores the student's past experiences, including internships, and how they have contributed to their understanding of marketing strategies, consumer behavior, and market research. The student sets SMART objectives, identifies skill development areas, and proposes timelines for achieving their career goals, including obtaining internships and developing industry-relevant skills. Appendices include a CV and LinkedIn profile. The report concludes with a reflection on the structured approach taken to plan the career in marketing.

Career Reflection Report
Career Reflection Report
Student Name:
Institute Name:
1

Career Reflection Report
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................3
Reflection..........................................................................................................................3
Personal Analysis..............................................................................................................3
Career Action Plan.....................................................................................................................4
Conclusion........................................................................................................................7
Referecens.........................................................................................................................8
Appendix 1 CV..................................................................................................................9
Appendix 2 LinkedIn.......................................................................................................10
2

Career Reflection Report
Introduction
For any future employee, it is essential to have an employer who not only understands them,
but also values them for the work. however, for this, it is important to understand that the
employees should develop a certain level of clarity with the client to ensure that the
expectations are set properly and meeting them does not come out to be a challenge (Mathur
& Indradevi, 2015). Employers on the other hand should be aware of what they require in
their future employees, and what are they ready to provide to them in this context.
This reflection report will discuss my career aspirations and how I aim to bring out myself to
my future employees so that I am able to ensure clarity as much as possible. At this stage of
life, my career is essential to me, and hence, I make sure that I am clear and honest about
everything to my desired employer, and I am able to present myself better. I am currently
looking for opportunities in the field of marketing and hope to make it big there.
The report will detail how I have managed to done this, and subsequent reaction from the side
of the employer.
Reflection
The following reflection will detail my accounts of my journey as an employee for several
employers. The reflection will include my personal analysis and career aims and how I will
achieve them in the longer run.
Personal Analysis
When I talk of myself, I prefer to use the adjectives: hardworking, sincere, analytical and
honest. I believe in giving my 100% to anything that I do. Since I have been a student, I have
ensured that I utilise my time well in learning new skills. The current world is extremely data
driven, and for a field such as marketing where my interests are high and deep rooted, this is
extremely essential (Masdonati, et al., 2010). Hence, I have not only “Self-taught” myself
these skills, but I also aim to keep building on them and being updated so as to not miss a
single opportunity.
3

Career Reflection Report
While most people call me a little too hard on myself, I know I am the kind who loves
working in a high pressured environment and I am the most optimum when I am entrusted
with responsibilities and I know I have to achieve them no matter what.
While I feel I am a self-starter and disciplined, I also know that I am the kind puts in too
much effort also. My knack for detail often costs me time and people. However, over the time
I am starting to loosen up a little so that I do not come across as too much time consuming
and as a tough task master.
I want to work on my strengths as a marketer, especially in the consumer behaviour segment.
I want to make sure that I am able to focus all my energy on creating the best customer
experience by my marketing even before the product is sold to the customers. I want to create
the need for a product more than a want, and if I am able to do this, I know I will be quite
satisfied with myself in the longer run. This is my ultimate goal!
Career Action Plan
I wish to pursue a career in marketing. Marketing is one of my favourite subjects as it allows
me to tackle real world problems which several brands face. The subject further allows me to
discover various aspects of how brand and products can reach out to the customers, what
strategies can be adopted and much more. The career action plan allows me to understand
the path that I have chosen for myself in detail, and further how I ca get on to becomes
successful on it (Accenture , 2018)
The career action plan for me is focussed on three main areas: skills, industry and growth
quotient. Marketing has a lot of scope of employment, especially for young and energetic
professionals such as me. However, I have to build my skills relevant to the requirements of
the market, and ensue that I am able to sustain them as well. The focus has to be given on
employer favourite skills such as critical thinking, lateral thinking and problem solving.
These are all essential to be a good leader as they add to an improved decision making.
Hence, I believe it is essential to improve and maintain the right level of professional
behaviour. I wish to the trajectory of a career go well. for this, I have to start with proper
planning of how and where all I will apply. I want to start with certain corporate programs
which take interns. If not then, I shall be working upon my personal contacts to get myself a
4

Career Reflection Report
good internship opportunity which will help me get started in the field of marketing at least.
Marketing is not just advertising, but is so much more than it (Whitney, 2018).
My previous employers were two very famous companies in the marketing field. I interned
with them for two months. With one of the companies, I was responsible for market research.
This was essential since it helped me understand the process of marketing from scratch, and
what exactly is the first step in this process. Marketing is not just about the publicity or
promotion of a brand, but it is about connecting the brand and the consumers. I understood
how the company took a customer centric approach and how they focussed on structuring all
their processes around it. For example, I worked on the perfume market. I undertook several
quantitative as well as qualitative studies to reach the desired results of “ Understanding the
customer driving factors about preferred perfume brand” This has contributed greatly to my
analytical thinking and a knack for numbers. This skill will always be required in any
industry, hence, I made sure to work hard on it by either seeking help or by self! My manager
then told me how the quality of reporting was essential. This was one part where I am not
particularly great. But my team helped me a lot and helped me specially in understanding
how the customer (businesses in our case) wants to understand of our study, and how we can
promote it most effectively. Globalization is at a rise right now and has impacted the trends in
marketing. Besides this, I also learnt the proper implementation of various elements, theories
and models in strategic marketing such as SWOT, PEST, BCG Matrix etc. This was a hands-
on experience as I got to implement everything that I got to learn in the class.
The second company I worked with was more towards the end-customer oriented. It was an
advertising company. Here, I worked closely with the manager to learn and understand the
nuances of consumer behaviour and how customers can be handled the best.
All soon-to-be marketing professionals should have an eye for detail and should be
innovative enough to come up with these several kinds of strategies for the company. Also,
young students who wish to seek employment must also have the relevant knowledge about
what goes into the branding, instant and in-depth understanding about the needs and wants of
the consumer behaviour pattern, should also be able to analyse available data for marketing
and use them for developing different marketing strategies. However, even with all these
things, it is important to establish certain SMART objectives to ensure that I approach this
plan systematically.
5

Career Reflection Report
Following are the SMART Objectives I have identified for myself:
 Specific: I have outlined the objectives for my career pretty well. this ways I am
sorted on what I have to approach and only thing left is to decide how do I approach
it. I am clear about the kind of job opportunities I want, and the companies and all I
will be targeting it for this reason
 Measurable; we have to measure the quantum of my achievement! Hence, after this
specificity regarding role, I have to settle certain aspects of the kind of job I will get.
This will include financial measures, the time spent in studying, loss of people and so
much more. After my own calculations, I can clearly say that for the money I invested
in studying marketing, I shall be able to make double of it annually
 Achievable: I will start slow and get an internship. Jobs can be tricky, given the
political and social unrest amongst the nation. Hence, this achievable goal will help
me a lot by boosting my confidence (BFR, 2017)
 Time-bound: time cap or deadlines are needed. And to ensure proper rules are being
followed and that I keep up with my deadlines, I will work and ensure that we are
updated with everything now.
6

Career Reflection Report
This action plan
can help me immensely
provided I stick to it.
Conclusion
This career action plan
gives a
7
Task Deadline
Identifying and Setting goals To be done as soon as
possible however it has to be
kept quite open ended and
dynamic.
Identifying skills to develop After understanding the
nature of job and
requirements. Continuous
process
Calculating rewards Job rewards are essential,
and should be clearly sorted
before the job is taken up.
The job will help me in
understanding of the market
in terms of training
opportunity; and it is also
because this the job
opportunities are ample and
so is the starting salary.
Marketing is vast and hence
I have to work a lot on my
skills; I know I will need
help and the role of
Quality and Marketing
Assistant, can help me get
ahead in marketing and
allow me to ensure that I
clinge on to the skills.
Internship Final year of graduation. I
can either go for corporate
programs of companies to
make my permanency even
more accurate

Career Reflection Report
comprehensive review of how my entire career plan has to work out. I have to put in a lot of
efforts for the same, and I have realised that going by a structured manner this will be quite
useful as well. it is essential to identify aspects of working which will help in getting better
job opportunities for me, and how I can be more efficient in the process of job hunting.
8

Career Reflection Report
Referecens
Mathur, G. & Indradevi, D. R., 2015. Importance and Effectiveness of Training and
Development. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences , 6(1).
Masdonati, J., Massoudi, K. & Rossier, J., 2010. Journal of Career Development. Journal of
Career Development, 36(2).
Accenture , 2018. DATA SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE. [Online]
Available at: https://www.accenture.com/t00010101t000000z__w__/gb-en/_acnmedia/pdf-
60/accenture-data-skills-for-the-future.pdf
Whitney, M., 2018. Impotance of Graduate Programs. [Online]
Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/gdpr-consent/?destination=%2fsf%2fbrand-
connect%2fwp%2f2014%2f03%2f14%2foverall-trends%2f%3futm_term%3d.e4e7c85264ef
BFR, 2017. The Best Career Objectives In a Resume For a Fresher. [Online]
Available at: https://buildfreeresume.com/blog/the-best-career-objectives-in-a-resume-for-a-
fresher/
9

Career Reflection Report
Appendix 1 CV
Miroslava Marinova
496 Ripple Road
London, UK
Ph: 0000000000
Education
 Bukhingamshire New University
2018-2021
 Health and social care , Diploma level 3,
Abies resources college 2017
Professional Experience
Office secretary, Club 777- SPS Plovdiv, Bulgaria 2003-2008
Restaurant Manager 2008
Professional Skills
Computer Skills, Planning, Language Skills, Leadership quality and Organising
Languages
English (Proficient)
Russian and Bulgarian (Native)
10

Career Reflection Report
Appendix 2 LinkedIn
11