Amanda
Job title
International Product Manager
Company and location
Stannah Stairlifts, Andover
Industry sector
International marketing
Background
Took part in exchange trips and work experience at school
BSc (Hons) Modern Languages and Marketing from Salford University
Undertook work placements during year abroad
Previous roles in sales, marketing and brand management
CIM (Chartererd Institute of Marketing) Post-graduate Diploma in Marketing
What does your job involve?
I have marketing responsibility for global markets, ensuring we meet customers’ needs around the world. I am also tasked to drive new product development, especially for export markets. All of the above involves contact and communication with our overseas customers (often using a foreign language). I also oversee brand communication in all markets i.e. development of advertising, trade shows, PR in many languages. I have sales responsibility for certain export markets for example Spain, Portugal, South America, Austria and Switzerland, where my languages are essential.
What skills are important for a marketing professional?
Above all I have found that a marketing role involves communication, at all levels. Marketeers need to act as an interface between customers, the finance team, engineers or sales people amongst others in order to understand how best a company can profitably meet customers’ needs. Communication skills are essential and these very often come from being able to speak languages. The Chartered Institute of Marketing run a number of courses that have helped me very much in developing the skills necessary for a marketing role.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Working with a great variety of people makes for a very interesting job. I also get to travel frequently to Europe and further a field.
How did past experience help you to get where you are today?
I always had a passion for languages and was lucky enough to be able to take part in exchange trips and work experience whilst at school. I knew I wanted to study languages at university, but was keen to combine my language study with a relevant business discipline that would help me ultimately get a job in business. At the time Salford University was the only university offering a combined course of Marketing and Modern Languages with equal weighting given to all three subjects (in my case French, German and Marketing). The course also offered six-month work placements in both France and Germany. I was able not only to perfect my language skills, but also to gain experience and knowledge of the business world, and develop my cultural and social skills. The language skills were essential for my first job as a marketing assistant and whilst in the interim I focussed on brand management, I am now back in an international marketing role where all of my languages are invaluable.
Any tips?
Think about the other skills that language learning brings with it. Cultural awareness, listening skills and summarising skills are just a few things which will help you get on in your career.
Source: Regional Language Network North West