Response to the 4 P's of Marketing

This is in response to Alex's post on applying the 4 P's of the marketing mix for a job. I agree with what he said about the place component of applying for a job. Like he said, similar to a grocery store, if a person is within a close proximity to the job location, this may increase the likelihood of being hired. I think that the place component can also be applied to the person applying for the job also. The job will be more appealing to them if they already live close to the business and will not have to drive far or relocate.

Alex also brought up a good point about the price component of the marketing mix. I never thought of it as, the less money you are willing to work for, the chances of you getting hired increases. Often times when applying for a job, however, I think many people will have done some research into that job position and what it usually pays. I also think that many people will often ask for a salary that is higher than the minimum salary that they will actually work for. This will help the person applying for the job try and maximize the amount of money they can make.

Overall, I think Alex is correct that the 4 P's of the marketing mix can be applied to interviewing for a job. What do you think, Alex? Do you agree with the salary negotiating?

The 4 P's of Applying for a Job

When applying for a job, one could potentially apply the 4 P's that make up the marketing mix.

Naturally, the person applying for the job would be the product. This interviewer brings many skills, talents, and abilities which make up several features of the "product." Each interviewer also brings his/ her own style, which can play a big role in determining if they get the job. If an interviewer has a unique style and can bring many new ideas to a company, he/ she will want the interviewing company to see this. I believe that even an interviewer has his own packaging, in how professionally he is presenting himself and how he handles himself, which includes his demeanor and sense of professionalism when speaking. The options that a product will come with, in this case, could be looked at as the person's history, education, previous work history, etc.

The place of applying for a job often times plays a large role in where someone will apply. Typically, a person looking for a job will look at companies that are in a close proximity to where he/ she lives so that transportation costs and time spent getting to and from work can be minimized. Also, the person looking for a job may want to know if the job is in danger of being outsourced or is they may need to relocate for the job. Finally, a person looking for a job may inquire about different channels that will be established through this job. Will they meet new people? Will there be new channels and lines of communication that will need to be learned?

Promotion will be the first step to applying for a job. Promotion includes preparing and submitting a resume and cover letter typically. This is usually the first step in the job hiring process. Should a person get an interview, they must sell themselves in a way that the interviewer will be impressed. By showing strong points, previous work experience, and education levels, the interviewer is promoting themselves to the interviewer. How the interviewee behaves and how professional he/ she acts is also part of the promotion process, as they must influence the hiring company that they can maintain a business like demeanor while at work.

The final 'p' of the marketing mix is price. Naturally, the price of applying for a job is the salary and bonuses that will be associated with the job, should they be hired. This may not be set in stone, however, as salaries can often times be negotiated. The price can also be applicable to the interviewee also, as there may be relocation costs, transportation costs to get to and from work, and other expenses such as new attire, etc. Another component of the price component of the marketing mix is the payment period and how often he/ she will be paid if hired. And finally, are there any incentives or bonuses that are associated with the job? This will play a major role often times in whether or not a person accepts a job.

Overall, the marketing mix serves as a practical example as to how a person can go about applying for a job. While keeping the marketing mix in mind and applying the proper mix of these 4 p's, a person should become more successful and increase their chances of being hired for the job being applied for.