Dev Patel's Blog

In light of the social trend that has moved millions of people all around the world towards social media, LinkedIn has recently enjoyed an advent of fame and has become a significant tool for people regardless of their occupation. In Jordan Sandler’s article on the Canadian Marketing Blog, ‘Are You LinkedIn to the Max?’ the countless useful tools are described in order to show how beneficial this site is for people to get jobs and to be connected in a professional sense.

One of the tools which attracted me to LinkedIn is the resume builder tool which allows you to list your experiences and apply for jobs. From here I began to wonder what the difference was between applying to a job – and marketing. We have been discussing the use of STP analysis to target a market and position said market in order to successfully advertise a product. So what is the difference between Pepsico using the Superbowl to target the male demographic during the commercials, and me using LinkedIn to target a potential employer. In my opinion – there is none.

For example:

– Differentiated targeting suggests that Pepsico produces both Pepsi and Doritos, and both products were advertised in the Superbowl targeting different segments. I also see myself as someone who can offer many qualities, and I can target specific qualities to specific employers.

– The next step is brand positioning where Pepsico aims to position itself in the consumers’ minds and make itself desirable compared to its competition. Any student looking for work is also trying to position himself in a potential employer’s immediate memory and uses social media like LinkedIn to stand out compared to the competition – other candidates!

So whats the difference?