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  • BUS 117
    Fall 2020
    Final Exam
    “Applying Advertising to the Job Search”
    Total
    30 pts.
    Due
    Tuesday, Dec. 15
    In this final exam, you will be exploring an important topic of interest: yourself.
    This exam is meant to be a look into you, specifically you as an aspiring professional. Given that
    approximately 90% of the class is composed of seniors and juniors, your life after UCR is probably a
    very salient thought at this moment (even for those who are not upperclassmen, the earlier you begin
    thinking about these issues, the more prepared you will be for the future). You will thus have the
    opportunity to explore yourself as a young professional, through the lens of advertising.
    While the tendency is to cram for finals, I’m confident in saying that this is the one final where I’d
    encourage you to not cram the night before – instead, take some time to think through the parts of
    this exam. As you put in more time, you’ll put yourself in a better position to earn a good grade, but
    more importantly, you’ll put yourself in a better position to do well in an important area of your life.
    Part I – The Application
    The first part of this exam coincides with the first part of the job search cycle – the application
    process. Many of you will be sending out resumes to a wide number of jobs in the very near future.
    Most likely, your application criterion is based purely on interest – if it sounds interesting, you’ll
    apply. However, is that really the most optimal strategy? If you learned anything from this class, then
    you know the answer is clearly hell to the no! This section will thus walk you through the application
    process, while using the concepts of segmentation, targeting, and positioning to guide your thought.
    Step 1: Pre-STP (1 pt.)
    1. List 7-10 positions you’re applying for/are interested in.
    If you’re not on the job market quite yet, use this as an opportunity to look at potential
    jobs/internships you would apply for in the future. If you already have a job, then use this as a chance
    to think about jobs you’d consider applying to sometime in the future – it never hurts to have a threeyear plan in mind (…oh wait… it’s almost as if that was one of our assignments in this class… 😉
    Step 2: Segmentation (5 pts.)
    Take a look at the positions you just listed. These positions are obviously not all the same.
    1. Create a set of segmentation variables to segment your positions.
    2. Explain why you selected these segmentation variables.
    For the purposes of this final exam, you don’t need to use the demographic, geographic,
    psychographic, or behavioral distinctions that we’ve discussed in class (since they may be an
    awkward fit), but you will need to come up with your own segmentation variables (e.g., industry,
    skills required, job duties, etc.). nonetheless by which to categorize your list of jobs.
    Step 3: Targeting (5 pts.)
    Now that you’ve segmented your list of jobs, read through the job postings once again.
    1. Create a target market for yourself.
    2. Explain why you chose this target market.
    A few possible things to consider as you think about your choice: Is this target market a good match
    for your skills? Are you interested in this field? Are you qualified for this specific line of work? What’s
    your long-term goal? Can you see yourself in this career for the next twenty years? What do you think
    will bring you the most job satisfaction? etc. Think through questions such as these carefully – don’t
    mindlessly apply without putting thought and effort into why you’re applying.
    Step 4: Positioning (6 pts.)
    Now that you have a target market, how would you position yourself for that market?
    1. Write a positioning statement relating how you plan to position yourself as a professional, for
    your target market.
    2. Explain how your unique value appeals to your target market.
    3. Explain how your reasons to believe support your unique value.
    The key here is not just to say whatever unique value you can think of (even though you are a great
    person with many good qualities). What unique value will match well with what your target market
    is looking for? What reasons to believe will provide evidence of your value? That’s the key, and that’s
    why many people get frustrated during the application process – what they provide does not match
    well with what their target market is looking for! It’s important to have a unique value, but it’s more
    important to have a unique value that your audience actually values!
    Part II – The Interview
    Now let’s assume that you’ve applied to all the jobs in your target market, and given that you’ve
    followed the principles of advertising, you’ve received an interview for every job, of course. Now
    comes the second part – thinking about how to take what you’ve learned from Part I and apply it to
    the interview process.
    Step 5: Planning & Development (5 pts.)
    Before any interview, you should take some time to mentally project how you’d want the interview
    to go. By the end of the interview, what do you want the employer to know about you? In ten words
    or less, what do you want them to walk away saying about you (e.g., “This applicant is really
    personable and friendly,” “This applicant is knowledgeable about different programs,” etc.)? Think
    about this as you consider what your major selling idea (MSI) is.
    1. What’s your MSI? Explain how it builds on your positioning.
    2. Which of the two categories of MSI does it fall into line with? Explain why.
    Your positioning statement should be the backbone of your MSI. For example, if your unique value is
    that you have strong interpersonal skills, your MSI may be something like, “Tanya is very friendly
    and engaging.” If your unique value is your leadership abilities, then your MSI may be, “Paul knows
    how to work with all kinds of people.” Think of your unique value as the general principle of how you
    present yourself, while your MSI is a further elaboration of this general principle, specifically applied
    to how you present yourself in the context of an interview.
    Step 6: Implementation (8 pts.)
    Now that you have your major selling idea, it’s time to think about the execution techniques you’ll be
    using to actually communicate this idea. For the purposes of this final, we’ll assume you’re using both
    rational and emotional appeals, so we’ll skip that part and go straight to execution. During an
    interview, you’re going to be asked several common questions, as you see below. Here’s where you’re
    going to need to execute everything you’ve discussed in the previous parts of this exam – here’s
    where your positioning and major selling idea “come to life,” so to speak.
    Answer each question below, relying on the execution technique shown in parentheses.
    For each question, make sure to complete the following two parts:
    a. Present the response you’d give to the interviewer
    b. Explain how your response aligns with your major selling idea
    1. Tell us why you’d be a great fit for this job. (Personality)
    2. Why should we hire you, over anyone else? (Comparison)
    3. What are your greatest strengths? (Technical evidence)
    4. Tell us about a time you stepped up and took leadership in a difficult situation. (Slice of life)
    If your execution aligns with your major selling idea, then you have a coherent story to tell.
    As a note, take time to think through your answers – remember, this is not just another final
    exam you have to complete, this is practice for a future interview!
    Ending Thoughts
    At the end of the day, this final is an opportunity for you to think about an important part of your life,
    through the viewpoint of advertising. You may not all become advertisers, but you all can apply
    principles of advertising to guide your everyday life. This class is not just about memorizing some
    facts; it’s actually really about applying principles of thought by which we can better understand
    ourselves, others, and the world. And if you realize that, then you will have truly mastered this course.
    Write-Up Instructions
    6-8 pages, double-spaced, 1” margins, 12-point Times New Roman. Writing should be clear,
    articulate, and concise. As a note, 6-8 pages is a guideline; if you take a little more space, that’s fine. If
    you dip into the double-digits (10+ pages), then I would advise you to start cutting things down.