Nowadays the most successful product is a product which stands out, which has a unique feature that fulfills specific consumer’s need or desire, a product which adds value. Even though the receipt for success seems relatively simple the ability to deliver that extra value is a great achievement and its undermining has driven many out of business. However, those who managed to take advantage of value-adding enjoy substantial profits and are unlikely to stay behind in the race. Is there any chance that an undergraduate commerce student can benefit from learning about adding-value strategies long before being responsible for designing strategies for products in big corporate companies?
If we conclude that on the job market what constitutes a sophisticated product is an employee then we can assume that marketing of people should be done just like the marketing products – by adding value. Despite obvious differences in both types of marketing, this tactic seems to be extremely successful and has been widely advocated as a helpful tool to stand out in ever more competitive job market. Thus, to be able to compete for an attractive internship good university degree is no longer enough, the source of advantage is this elusive extra value that an intern or an employee adds when joining the company. It can be many different things. An exceptional skill a person decided to develop, an innovative approach towards specific problem, an interesting experience. Whatever the source of added value is it should be well-considered and chosen with a specific goal in mind. The successful marketing plan of oneself sends a clear message to the employer that the applicant is aware of how the market works and what are its needs in terms of skills. It also reveals an ability to look ahead, come up with a plan and execute it. It shows that one has a vision and although it is bound to undergo changes overtime it is never too soon to start shaping it.

source: Friedman, Thomas L. The Internship: Not the Movie, The New York Times, 2013 Jun 8

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/the-internship-not-the-movie.html?_r=1&