Why marketing executives ought to take care during their next job search, according to Chief Marketing Officer David T. Scott.Hereâs a bit of news. Chief marketing officers (CMO) get fired. A lot. In fact, according to a 2013 Korn/Ferry study, weâre the most fired executive in the board room. At any given time, itâs estimated that about one-third of all CMOs are out of work or looking for their next gig.
Almost makes you want to switch careers and become a Starbucks barista, doesnât it?
The thing is, you might be the greatest marketer on the planet, but that doesnât mean anything if youâre not in the right environment to succeed. For instance, you struggle to see eye to eye with a CEO that doesnât understand marketing or appreciate the value our profession provides to the company. Or, maybe the product just doesnât live up to its potential. CMOs spend a lot of money but we donât hold ourselves accountable to the numbers. In the end,, we find ourselves hitting the pavement and digitally knocking on doors looking for a better match.
With that said, CMOs need to choose our next positions wisely.
[caption id="attachment_25956" align="alignright" width="520"]![Are marketing executive job prospects so dim that CMOs may rather change professions to coffee barista?]()
Are marketing executive job prospects so dim that CMOs may rather change professions to coffee barista?[/caption]
To start, we need to extinguish the belief that cool companies are cool to work for. Thatâs hard to dispel when you look at companies such as Coca-Cola, Disney and Facebook.
I used to think that way until I worked at some great brands and realized that the work environment didnât exactly fit the brandâs outwardly cool factor. Itâs not always the case, but if weâre looking for a healthy career, we need to dig a little deeper and look beyond how we perceive the brand from a consumer standpoint â itâs not all Mickey and Pluto and loveable polar bearsâand see it for what it really is.
What I discovered was that the brand of the company doesnât really matter as much as having a solid working environmentâone where you are supported and are set up for success. Weâll get into the litmus test on the next entry, but goal is to find yourself in a job surrounded by a great management team, a working product that customers like, and a budget you can spend.
Editorâs note: David will expand upon what makes for a good career fit for a CMO, and how to determine it during the job interview process, in Part 2 of âWhen Marketing Jobs Become Uncool.â
Are marketing executive job prospects so dim that CMOs may rather change professions to coffee barista?[/caption]
To start, we need to extinguish the belief that cool companies are cool to work for. Thatâs hard to dispel when you look at companies such as Coca-Cola, Disney and Facebook.
I used to think that way until I worked at some great brands and realized that the work environment didnât exactly fit the brandâs outwardly cool factor. Itâs not always the case, but if weâre looking for a healthy career, we need to dig a little deeper and look beyond how we perceive the brand from a consumer standpoint â itâs not all Mickey and Pluto and loveable polar bearsâand see it for what it really is.
What I discovered was that the brand of the company doesnât really matter as much as having a solid working environmentâone where you are supported and are set up for success. Weâll get into the litmus test on the next entry, but goal is to find yourself in a job surrounded by a great management team, a working product that customers like, and a budget you can spend.
Editorâs note: David will expand upon what makes for a good career fit for a CMO, and how to determine it during the job interview process, in Part 2 of âWhen Marketing Jobs Become Uncool.â