Applying Market vs. Product Orientation to Your Career

Market orientation vs. product orientation are terms commonly used in strategic management or marketing. Are they relevant to your career? YES.

A business that is "market oriented" looks to needs and demands of the market and seeks to fulfill them. A business that is "product oriented" focuses on pushing whatever they are selling on the market and convincing buyers to make a purchase.

Which strategy is more sustainable? Market orientation.

So how does this relate to an individual's career trajectory?

Those of us who are both "seasoned" and successful have often had many zigs and zags in our career path. Three pieces of advice I've given to my own children, as well as thousands of undergraduate and graduate students I've taught are:

(1) Be a lifelong learner. Advances in technology makes knowledge and processes obsolete rather quickly. Stay abreast of new research, trends, products, and processes.

(2) Look at the demands of the market - both as to your job and your finances. Don't be one of those folks who lacks cash reserves for the unexpected, rides a declining stock to the bottom, or ignores declining revenues at work and gets RIF'ed. Don't expect others to warn you or take care of you.

(3) Always be open to new opportunities on the horizon. Network. Diversify. Take some freaking risks.

As always, if you need someone to bounce ideas off of or a foot to give you a kick onto a new path, the Epic Learning Team can help...it's not just for academia.

Published by Sharon Jumper: Higher Education Management | Learning & Development Consultant