Alberta Business Marketing

Time and time again employers focus too much on the technical skills instead of the behavioural qualities of prospective employees.

Technical skills can be taught, however being polite and having a genuine care for human beings is something that is very difficult to “train”.

Let me give you an example. I recently visited a big box electronics store to buy a universal remote control. The person serving me was technically very competent, however, not very friendly and lacked patience and listening skills. I found him to be condescending and rude when I asked questions, which he seemed to think were basic and juvenile. I explained to the salesperson that I was having a challenging time understanding what he was saying, and that I was technically illiterate. He ignored my transparency and continued to go over the technical specifics of the converter. At that point, I left in frustration.

I ended up at a competitor with a less technical individual; however he was willing to listen ask questions for clarification. When he didn’t have the answer; he apologized and used his resources to get me the right information. When I told him I wasn’t technically competent and useless when it comes to reading directions, he empathized with me by saying, “few of our clients admit this but we’ll make sure that you can get the converter working to your satisfaction.”

He asked me where I was having the challenges and proceeded to help me by writing out a high level description of what to do. I was so pleased with his patience and understanding. I ended up buying the converter and was able to install it correctly without the help of the store.

What this experience reminded me is that you hire for attitude and train technical skills. You can teach someone “bits and bytes” but not how to be polite, that is learned behavior.

David Bradshaw

Tags: Human Resources, Marketing Talent
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I had the pleasure of attending the Annual Rotman Life-Long Learning Conference for Leaders May 6, 2011 at the new Ritz Carlton in downtown Toronto. The keynote speaker was Daniel Pink, past speechwriter for Al Gore, bestselling business author (Free Agent Nation). He was speaking on the topic of motivation and his most recent New York Times Bestseller, DRiVE – The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. .

Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation. Daniel delivered an entertaining speech on the juxtaposition of what we think motivates employees and what is the most effective means. This content built on the general theme of the conference, which was “How to Get Your Business Back to Reality.” Pink discussed what he found to be the three elements of true motivation – ‘Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.’ He advised on how to set context as a leader to truly inspire employees. Contrary to traditional theories that financial reward works best – he challenged that this really works better with more mechanical work not today’s knowledge workers. Pink advised that long-term motivation and productivity is best achieved by using the three elements of ‘Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.’ Autonomy was stressed as a key factor to allow people to do better work. The Google 20 per cent time projects policy was cited as an example of greater autonomy resulting in greater productivity and creative gains.

Pink briefly overviewed the importance of ‘Mastery’ as key to employee engagement. He advises that, “only engagement can produce mastery – getting better at something that matters to you…it is a mindset that you can always improve”.

‘Purpose’ was explained as the importance of finding meaning and context in your work. Several examples were cited of the importance of finding meaningful work with business school graduates within the first 10 years of their career and non-profits’ ability to attract highly skilled employees from the corporate sector.

Perhaps these are not brand new themes in what motivates us mere mortals to be more productive in our work. However, when these three themes are combined this does make a strong argument against avoiding too much of a focus on traditional monetary rewards in the workplace. I would add that this provides insight towards greater engagement of our Gen-Y workforce.

Patricia McQuillan

Tags: Marketing Talent
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This month, about 70 students enrolled in business programs at eight Canadian post secondary schools are spending quality time getting to know marketing at some of Canada’s leading organizations, as part of the Canadian Marketing Association's (CMA) Marketing Mentorship program. After hosting several Rotman School of Management MBA students for one day, we (CMA) asked Dan D’Alessandro, VP Marketing, Cheese & Dairy at Kraft Canada, for his take on what this kind of initiative is accomplishing.

Rotman alumni and former participant in the program, Brenda Balcazar, is currently Associate Brand Manager, Miracle Whip, BBQ Sauce, Shake N Bake at Kraft – she organized the day’s activities and gives us her perspective on what it takes to be an effective mentor.

Q. Kraft Canada is known for having a robust internship program – so what was appealing about participating in the CMA marketing career mentorship program this year? (Dan)

A. As the leading CPG company in Canada, we thought it was important to be the first to engage in this mentorship program. It offered a unique way to reach and help students who might still be evaluating different career options by giving them some insight into what a career in marketing at Kraft Canada was all about. CMA’s mentorship program differs from our internship program in that the latter is intended to recruit talent, whereas the CMA initiative is an opportunity for students to learn more about the marketing profession and why marketing may be the best career choice for them. So we're looking at the CMA mentorship program as having the potential to develop into a great complement to our highly regarded internship program.

Q. Can you talk about the mentoring team you put together? (Dan)

A. Brenda assembled a team of about 10, that included managers, directors and VPs. They were all from our Cheese & Dairy sector and they were from both line marketing and marketing services. They shared their personal experiences with the students and listened to their comments and answered their questions about Kraft’s products and campaigns. Our approach was to have an organic and candid discussion with them - open them up to the many different marketing roles and career stages that you could experience during a career in marketing at Kraft. I’d also say that the opportunity to provide career coaching benefited everyone on the team. I think we all remembered and empathized with what it was like to be in the students shoes. And having the chance to talk about what we do with an external group like this, helps get our heads out of our day-to-day work and reminds us how interesting our roles really are.

Q. Having participated in this program last year when a student and now on the organizing side at Kraft Canada, what advice would you offer other companies that want to get involved? (Brenda)

A. Students are looking for a two-way dialogue. They are hungry to get a sense of the kinds of activities that take place on any given day; to experience the day in the life of a marketer. While presentations are useful and a way to communicate the more technical aspects of a role, a free flowing dialogue allows students to ask thoughtful questions and experience how to approach problem solving. They really appreciate the opportunity to be invited to participate in brainstorming or briefing sessions too, where they benefit from group discussions and get the chance to voice their ideas. Overall, it’s important to structure the day so the students have a holistic understanding of how marketing works at the company. Not all students will have previous experience in marketing.

Q. It’s felt in the industry that the CPGs were once the stomping ground where just out of school marketing hopefuls would learn the ropes, but that the large firms no longer provide for such extensive training – what’s your reaction to this and what positions Kraft Canada as a great marketing shop? (Dan)

A. That's definitely not the case at Kraft Canada. I've been here for 27 years and started my training with what was then General Foods, a highly regarded marketing training shop (big shout-out to all the ex-GF'ers out there!), and I've seen the training program get bigger and better since. Kraft of today has grown 10-fold since then, both organically and through acquisitions, so it has been a priority to keep the marketing function strong. Training budgets have consistently grown and rarely seen a cut. Today, we have probably the largest marketing shop in the country. We include in that not just line brand management, but also marketing services like consumer insights, marketing strategy, innovations, graphics design, consumer promotions, media services, consumer relationship marketing and kitchens. So training isn't a pastime or a fad here.

Q. Based on your recruitment experiences, do you see a marketing talent crunch looming in the future? (Dan)

A. The quest for talent will be on-going. I don't think it's any better or worse than years before. The schools are graduating students with great skills and abilities. It's up to us to attract, recruit and retain. So it's important for leading marketing companies to continue focusing on showing students what a career in marketing is all about, as well as the development opportunities available for them to build successful careers. We know how lucky we are to work in this fast-paced world of marketing. Seeing the students we recently hosted express so much interest in the profession bodes well for its future.

Q. Having gone through Rotman's MBA program with students who may have selected other careers, what one thing do you think we as a community of marketers should pay attention to in our messaging about a marketing career? (Brenda)

A. It’s really important to get the point across that by choosing a career in marketing there will be many opportunities to grow into a successful leader and general manager of a brand or business. For example, activities such as heading-up projects and cross-functional teams hone the kinds of leadership skills these roles demand. Marketing encompasses positions that have full ownership and accountability of the business results and the strategies to achieve goals. From my experience, many students have selected other careers looking to develop these leadership and general management skills but don’t realize that marketing offers such opportunities.

Tags: Human Resources, Marketing Talent
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Canadian Marketing Association is a real enthusiast when it comes to McMaster University’s Top Ad Exec competition (ie, ideation-a-thon), run by students from its DeGroote School of Business. The competition, founded in 2007, is now running like a well-oiled machine, with an executive team at the helm of it. I caught up with Meghan Brennan, who is this year’s co-chair (along with Jeff McLay), for a bit of history on the competition and to hear about the impact its having on schools and on students looking to a career in marketing and/or advertising.

Q. Meghan, talk to us about the growth of the Top Ad Exec competition?
A. In year one we had 45 entries from 11 schools and it is now up to 170 from 32 schools. One of our goals this year was to increase the reach of Top Ad outside of Ontario. We are proud to say that we had submissions for 32 different schools, 16 schools in Western Canada, 6 in Quebec and 23 in Eastern Canada. Our Top 25 consisted of 17 different schools; 3 in the East, 1 in Quebec and 5 in the West. And lastly, our Top 10 represented 10 different schools, 2 from Eastern Canada and 3 from Western Canada.

Q. What kinds of students are attracted to the competition?
A. The competition is open to students in Business programs and/or those minoring in Business -- MBA students too. We do frequently get requests from students outside of Canada to participate but due to the nature of our prizing, the students must reside in Canada.

Q. Can you tell us a little about some of the previous finalists and how their careers have progressed?
A. Monica Walker from year one is doing her MBA at Harvard University and is a Consultant with Boston Consulting Group. David Sherrard, also from year 1 is now at Mercedes Benz Canada as a Product Manager. Renzo Mendoza from year 2 is working at Juniper Park Advertising as an Account Executive. And Bram Warshawsky from year 4 is at Johnson and Johnson as a Brand Manager.

Q. Competitors need to do quite a bit of research to respond to the challenge of developing an ad campaign and likely need to tap into industry experts – what are we hearing back from the students about the industry’s helpfulness in this regard?
A. Through our competition, we are helping to connect students with industry experts. PepsiCo has provided a marketing mentor for each of the Top 25 teams. As well, our marketing agency, MacLaren and our lead sponsor, GM, all answer questions from the Top 10 teams. With that being said, typically the winning teams are those that are most resourceful in making connections within the industry to discover those key insights that put them a step ahead of the other teams.

Q. How is the competition impacting interest in marketing at DeGroote?
A. The program has captured the imagination of not only students but marketing instructors at business schools across Canada. We are seeing faculty working closely with students and mentoring them and sharing the desire to learn more about the field. At DeGroote, we have students seeking more learning opportunities and the school is now offering new electives and seeing an increase in enrolment for marketing courses. Students are also seeking out internships and career opportunities in marketing with renewed enthusiasm.

Q. Finally, who should come out to the closing ceremonies & are there going to be any surprises this year?
A. Our 'Pitch & Perish' and Awards Gala on March 29 are open to both industry and student guests. We’re offering tickets to attend the full day or for the awards gala only (student pricing makes this an affordable night out). You can download the invitation at the TopAdExec website.......and yes, there will be some great surprises!

Sandra Singer

Tags: Marketing Talent
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Recently I was invited to speak to some marketing students at George Brown College. The topic was about social media and how students could leverage it in their job search as they get ready to embark on their careers.

I don't know about you but it's tough finding a job much less your very first one. The adage we all know comes to mind. 'You can't find a job without experience and you can't find experience without a job.' Furthermore current economic conditions bring another layer of challenge into play. Times are tough and people are suffering.

When I spoke to the class I asked the question of how many of them were on various social networks. "Facebook?" "Twitter?" "YouTube?" Pretty much 100% of hands went up each time. When I asked about LinkedIn about 50% of hands went up. When I asked how many of them completed their profiles 100% on LinkedIn about only a third of hands had not fallen.

That surprised me. If you were a student looking to find a job in marketing - how could you not be on LinkedIn? It is free to use. If I was a hiring manager on the client side or agency side, I'd be questioning your capabilities. I'd expect someone graduating with a post-secondary education to be on LinkedIn. I told the students that many in my network share the same philosophy.

But my post is not to criticize George Brown College or the students there. On the contrary, I'm very impressed with the work that institution is doing to get its students prepared for the working world. Whether it be mentorship sessions or adding 'non-traditional' taught classroom skills to the curriculum that are required in today's business world. The students were very engaged and kept me back for more questions over 30 minutes after I got off my soapbox. The best part? Many of them created or updated their LinkedIn profiles afterwards. (Below is a copy of the presentation.)

This brings me to you the reader. Students may not know any better. They might figure it won't be a problem finding a job when they graduate. (I know I did.) Unfortunately there are many professionals out there in marketing, advertising, finance, accounting, operations, logistics, technology, administration and legal that are not on LinkedIn. Or they have a lousy profile completed. It totally blows my mind.

Cynics will say that LinkedIn is only beneficial to marketing, sales and 'tech' people. But if it can work for financial advisors then what is your reason not to have a profile? Some argue that LinkedIn is like other online network sites that sprout up every day and then fall by the wayside. Indeed, but how many of them have over 3 million Canadian members alone or an IPO planned?

I once recall a senior executive telling me LinkedIn was a waste. He had better things to do with his time. He didn't need to get spammed with invites. A year later there was a corporate restructuring and that executive was unemployed. Having a LinkedIn profile was suddenly no longer such a waste of time. That same executive now swears by it and is gainfully employed elsewhere. Care to guess how he found his new job?

Now I'm not on the LinkedIn payroll but I know and respect a few people who work there. The quality of a team often speaks to an organization's products and services. Most importantly I believe in the product. LinkedIn has done me a world of good over the past 6 years. How so?

1. Google my name 'Sulemaan'. On regular text results it's fine. Now Google my name 'Sulemaan' under images. Stop laughing. No I'm not related to the OctoMom. It's not that funny.

My point being that you don't know what comes up when people type in your name into a search engine. And make no mistake they do type in your name into search engines. By having a properly completed LinkedIn profile it puts your best foot forward. Usually one of the first search results that appears are either LinkedIn, Facebook and/or Twitter. (Also your blog or personal website.) If you don't believe in the importance of 'personal branding' let my Octomom experience be an example to you.

2. The average tenure in a CMO position is roughly 23 months. People change careers more frequently and it's hard to keep track. I received an email from LinkedIn in January advising that 25% of contacts in my network changed their job title in 2010. Twenty-five percent. Think about that figure for a second. LinkedIn becomes an updated online rolodex where you can keep in touch and stay up to date on the comings and goings of your network.

3. The whole concept of 6 degrees of separation comes into play. You may not know someone at company X or someone with specific skills (i.e. ability to write marketing copy in mandarin for search engine ads) but someone in your network probably does. Or they know someone who who knows someone that does. LinkedIn helps you find them. Do you know of a better way to quickly meet someone in targeted manner via a personal referral?

4. If you're going for a business pitch or interview you can leverage LinkedIn to give you information on the company and who you are meeting. You no longer have an excuse not to do your homework ahead of time. If you want to go about doing 'homework' discreetly on LinkedIn as one friend recently recounted then remember to turn off profile views & network update in your privacy settings while you research others on LinkedIn. Once completed – turn it back on.

5. Paying it forward by using LinkedIn. By helping others in need, be it those looking for work, searching for top notch candidates or facilitating introductions that create solid business partnerships/friendships you become a mensch. Guy Kawasaki describes the term as follows: "Mensch is the Yiddish term for someone who is ethical, decent and admirable. It is the highest form of praise one can receive from others whose opinions matter." Be a Mensch.

So if students have absolutely no excuse not to be on LinkedIn with a properly completed profile - what about you as a business professional? Are you in? Otherwise you are definitely out.

Tags: Branding, Digital, Human Resources, Marketing Talent, social media, This and That
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