Career Worksheet

for
BRAND MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

Congratulations! You have made the first, most important step towards advancing your career. The worksheet you are about to complete is a profession-specific assessment tool, which covers all of your skills, employment, responsibilities, and achievements. In order to serve you best, each answer must be completed thoroughly. This worksheet will also help prepare you for upcoming interviews.

Sample Position Titles

Assistant Brand Manager / Assistant Product Brand Manager / Associate Brand Director
Associate Brand Manager / Associate Brand Public Relations Manager / Brand / Product Manager
Brand Director / Brand Manager / Brand Manager Consultant
Brand Marketing Manager / District Sales manager - Limited Brands / Global Brand Development Manager
Interactive Brand Manager / Manager, Brand Marketing Practice / Manager, Brand Strategy
Marketing Brand Manager / Marketing Manager / Merchandising / Brand Manager
Private Label Brand Manager / Product Manager / Senior Brand Assistant
Senior Brand Director / Senior Brand Manager / Senior Marketing Manager, Innovation
Vice President / Manager, Co-Brand / Vice President, Marketing / Other related positions

Instructions

1. Complete all answers thoroughly. Form fields allow unlimited information. If a question is not relevant, type “N/A”.

2. Please use upper and lower case as appropriate, and do not use abbreviations.

3. When complete, save a copy of your completed worksheet to your hard drive, and e-mail it back to us.

Personal Information

Name: / E-Mail Address:
Street Address: / Town, State, Zip:
Home Phone: / Business Phone (if okay to call):
Cellular Phone: / Fax:
Last Position Title: / Position(s) Sought:
Most Recent Salary: $ / Salary You are Seeking: $

Employment Information

List your current and former jobs starting with the most recent. (You will use the respective job numbers later.)

Then list the primary functions you performed at each of those positions.

Job
No. / Position Title / Company, City, State / Type of Firm / Start
Date/Year / End
Date/Year
1
Primary Job Functions:
2
Primary Job Functions:
3
Primary Job Functions:
4
Primary Job Functions:
5
Primary Job Functions:

Areas of Expertise (Keywords)

Place one “X” before all areas of expertise in which you are knowledgeable.

Place “XX” before all areas in which you are highly proficient and they directly target your profession.

BRAND MANAGEMENT

Advertising Campaign Development / Brand Development
Brand Management / Brand Marketing
Brand Positioning / Brand Strategy Development
Brand Strategy / Business-Building Opportunities
Budget Development / Budget Management
Classic Brand Marketing / Competitive Analysis
Consumer Brand Discovery / Consumer Packaged Goods
Custom & Syndicated Research / Distribution Channels
Distribution Channels Support / Extended Brand Teams
Forecasting / In-Stock Position Tracking
Legal Interaction / Licensee Requirements
Licensing Relationships / Management Consulting
Market Analysis / Market Research Activities
Market Research / Market Strategy
Marketing Plan Development / Marketing Plan Implementation
Negotiation Tactics / New Market Development
New Business Development / New Product Launches
New Market Identification / New Product / Platform Development
New Product/Packaging Innovation / Online Content Development
Operations / Packaged Goods Marketing
Packaging Creation / Presentations
Pricing Strategy / Private Branding
Private Label / Product Development
Private Label Business / Safety Assurance Process Management
Product Lifecycle Management / Promotional Events Preparation
Royalty Collections / Sales
Sales Materials Creation / Segmentation
Strategic Customer Relationship Building / Strategic Growth Opportunity Development
Strategic Product Plans / Strategic Product Plans
Strategic Relationship Management / Trade Shows & Promotional Event Planning
Variance Analysis Preparation / Variance Projections
Vendor Relations / Other:

MARKETING

Advertising Communications / Campaign Management
Category Marketing / Competitive Analysis
Competitive Product Positioning / Corporate Identity
Customer Needs Assessment / Customer Relationship Management
Customer Retention / Data Collection
Demand Forecasting / Demographic Analysis
Direct Mail / Marketing / Direct Response Marketing
e-Business / e-Commerce / Economic Trends
Event Planning / Global Markets
Incentive Planning / Internet Marketing
Internet Research / Market Analysis & Assessment
Market Development / Market Identification & Capturing
Market Intelligence / Market Launch
Market Positioning / Market Research
Market Share / Market Surveys
Market Trend Forecasting / Market Trend Forecasting
Marketing Campaigns / Marketing Strategy
Media Packets / Multimedia Advertising
Multimedia Campaigns / New Market Identification
Niche Markets / Personal Branding
Print Media / Product Analysis
Product Development / Product Launches
Product Lifecycle / Product Management
Product Positioning / Product Presentations
Product Testing / Promotions & Campaigns
Psychographic Analysis / Social Trends
Strategic Marketing Planning / Strategic Positioning
Strategizing Client Needs / Tactical Marketing
Trade Shows / Trends Analysis
Trends Forecasting / Visual Communications

ADVERTISING

Account Billing / Account Servicing
Ad Development / Advertising Campaigns
Advertising Planning & Strategizing / Advertising Promotions
Advertising Sales / Advertising Script Writing
Client Advertising Needs Assessment / Client Contracts
Client Presentations / Communication Media
Contract Negotiations / Coordinating Audience, Message & Medium
Copy Writing / Cross-Selling
Corporate Image Projection / Customer Service
Graphic Design / Inside Classified Sales
Job Estimate Preparation / Maintain Account Base
Marketing Campaigns / Marketing Objective Identification
Media Analysis & Selection / Meeting Tight Deadlines
New Business Development / New Business Proposals
Newspaper Advertising / Newspaper Promotions
Outside Classified & Retail / Printing Coordination
Public Relations Efforts / Radio Advertising
Radio & TV Promotions / Resolving Client Concerns
Retail Advertising / Sales Programs
Special Sections Coordination / Strategic Marketing Plans
Telemarketing / Television Advertising
Other:

PUBLIC RELATIONS & PROMOTIONAL FUNCTIONS

Advertising / Brand Expenditure Management / Budget Development
Business Analysis / Business Establishment / Communications Strategy
Community Relations / Creative Media Services / Editorials
Fund Raising Benefits / Internet Marketing / Internet Research
Key Growth Initiatives / Long-term Product Planning / Marketing Campaign
Development
Marketing Plan Creation / Marketing Plan Execution / Marketing Strategizing
Media Analysis / Media Events / Media Friendly Materials
Media Packets / Media Relations / Media Sourcing
National Conventions / New Product Forecasting / News Coverage
P&L Preparation / Party Sponsorships / Photo Sessions
Political Trends / Post Release Product
Performance Analysis / Prelaunch plans
Press Conferences / Press Releases / Product Development
Product Plans Implementation / Promotional Displays / Public Contacts
Public Relations / Public Relations Plan
Development / Public Relations Strategies
Public Speaking / Publicity Programs / Radio Broadcasting
Sales Campaigns Development / Sales Volume Projections / Scheduling of Agenda
Script Development / Special Events Planning / Special Interest Groups
Speech Drafting / Spending Projections / Spokesperson
Sports Reporting / Trade Shows / Television Broadcasting
Working with the Press / Brochure Development / Direct Mail Campaigns
Ad Development / Internet Marketing / Newspaper Inserts
Catalogs / Exhibits / Websites
In-store Displays / Telemarketing / Product Endorsements
Other:

TYPES OF VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS

Advertisements / Advertising Campaigns / Annual Reports / Banner Ads
Billboards / Book Design / Brochures / Business Cards
Calendars / Catalogs / Corporate Identity / Direct Mail Pieces
Display Ads / Displays / Envelopes / Exhibits
Flyers / Forms / Journals / Logos
Magazine Layouts / Manuals / Marketing Campaigns / Media Presentations
Menus / News Releases / Newsletters / Newspapers
Package Design / Pamphlets / Postcards / Posters
Presentations / Publication Design / Recruitment Ads / Regulations
Report Covers / Research Papers / Retail Display Ads / Signage
Stationery / Technical Illustrations / Trade Publication Ads / Trade Show Displays
Valpac Coupons / Website Design / Other:

Brand Management Questions

When answering the questions below, please refer to the job number you listed under “Employment Information” so we can match your responsibilities and achievements with the appropriate position(s). Answer each question thoroughly. If the question is not applicable, type “N/A.”

1. What are the primary branding, marketing, and/or advertising functions you manage or perform?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

2. What stages of brand development have you performed or managed?

Advertising Campaign Development / Brand / Product Development
Brand Planning / Brand Positioning
Brand Strategy Development / Budget Creation
Business Growth Development / Communications Strategy Planning
Competitor Product Evaluations / Creative Implementation
Customer Complaint Planning / Distribution Channels Support
Market Research / Market Strategy
Marketing Plan Development / Marketing Plan Execution
Packaging Creation / Position Tracking
Public Relations Activities Development / Public Relations Plan Supervision
Pricing Development / Pro Forma P&L Preparation
Product Launch Scheduling / Product Lifecycle Management
Profit Responsibilities / Promotional Events Preparation
Promotions Development / Sales Materials Creation
Trade Marketing Strategy / Other:

3. What type of product marketing plans, strategies, and/or campaigns have you developed, managed, or executed?

New Product Forecasting / Business Analysis
Business Establishment / Marketing Strategy Development
Marketing Plan Creation / P&L Preparation
Communications Strategy / Budget Development
Public Relations Plan Development / Marketing Plan Execution
Brand Expenditure Management / Product Plans Implementation
Prelaunch plans / Sales Volume Projections
Key Growth Initiatives / Spending Projections
Long-term Product Planning / Post Release Product Performance Analysis
Other:

4. What factors do you consider when formulating and defining brand project plans?

strategy / scope / goals / objectives
deliverables / needs identification / costs / required skill sets
tasks / resource allocations / work assignments / scheduling
technical scope / timeline check points / risks / packaging
pricing / competition / growth opportunity / other:

5. Have you maintained the day-to-day management of a brand portfolio? YES NO

If so, which one(s)? What was involved?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

6. Were you responsible for managing a key business or portfolio of top-name brands?
YES NO

If so, which brands and for which companies?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

7. Do you have full P/L responsibility for creating new revenue streams? YES NO
What is your involvement?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

8. What type of changing trends and/or behaviors has had an effect on a brand you managed?

ANSWER:

How did you tackle these challenges?

ANSWER:

What was the result?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

9. Have you helped build upon the success of an existing brand? YES NO

ANSWER:

For what brand?

ANSWER:

How did you accomplish this?

ANSWER:

What were the results?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

10. What methods do you use to make existing products meet current consumer trends and needs?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

11. What incremental product opportunities have you identified and/or launched for an assigned
product or brand?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

12. What strategies do you use to identify core consumers?

ANSWER:

What means have you used to reach consumers?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

13. What steps do you take to ensure a product integrates well within the Corporate product development process?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

14. What type of opportunities have you created for brand exposure?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

15. What methods do you use to analyze a branding challenge and problem-solve its solutions?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

16. What strategies have you developed and implemented for new product launches?

ANSWER:

For what type of products?

ANSWER:

Were they successful? If so, in what ways?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

17. Provide examples of how you used effective collaborative skills to develop brand strategy
or positioning.

ANSWER:

In what ways were you successful in influencing a positive result?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

18. Have you developed any strategic business plans for a core business? YES NO

What was the core business?

ANSWER:

What was involved?

ANSWER:

What were the results of your initiatives? (Use dollars and percentages if possible.)

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

19. What type of new business opportunities have you identified and/or solicited?

ANSWER:

How did you accomplish this?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

20. During your branding career, what new products / product lines have you brought to market?

ANSWER:

How did you identify these products?

ANSWER:

What was your involvement in developing and launching them?

ANSWER:

What part did you play in helping to brand them successfully?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

What were the results of your initiatives? (Use dollars and percentages if possible.)

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

21. What product enhancements have you recommended, developed, and/or implemented?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

22. How do you achieve optimal branding / product profitability?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

23. What distribution channels have you worked with in launching a product? Explain fully.

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

24. How have you built stronger brand strategies? (Such as through competitive analysis, identifying merchandise trends, positioning, pricing, communication, etc.)

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

25. Have you led cross-functional teams in the execution of marketing plans? YES NO

ANSWER:

Who is your extended brand team?

ANSWER:

What marketing plans have you executed?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

What were the results of your initiatives? (Use dollars and percentages if possible.)

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

26. What key brand performance indicators do you use to determine how well a brand or product is fairing and if changes are needed?

Review marketing performance of brands via (method used):

Evaluate brand sales and profitability via (data used):

Evaluate all existing marketing programs via (method used):

Make post-analyses studies to determine (what?):

Track and monitor business trends (which?):

Identify risks and opportunities for product enhancements (which?):

Other indicators or methods you use: JOB #s:

27. Explain a time when you aggressively pursued a business opportunity that you knew
would succeed against adversity.

ANSWER:

What challenges / obstacles did you face?

ANSWER:

Why did you strongly believe it would succeed?

ANSWER:

Was it, in fact, successful?

ANSWER:

How did you accomplish this?

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

What were the results of your initiatives? (Use dollars and percentages if possible.)

ANSWER: JOB NO.:

28. What communication, training, or other practices have you put in place to ensure marketing strategy is clearly understood and practiced by all organizational levels?