Your Strategic Plan to Find a Job in Marketing and Sales

Are you in your final year and looking to land an internship or your first job in marketing and sales? The key is not to apply just for the sake of applying, but to follow a system you can repeat every semester, measure, and improve. In this post, I’ll explain how the plan works; the operational template with calendars, checklists, and scripts will be available for you to download in Word at the end. My recommendation is simple: first understand the strategy, then download the template, and finally execute it week by week with measurement and adjustments.

Hello, how are you? I’m Dr. Carlos Valdez, founder and director of MercadotecniayVentas.com, an educational portal where 90% of our content is freely available. Our mission is to educate and inspire students, academics, and professionals in the areas of marketing and sales through innovative and practical content, helping them develop essential skills for creating value.

And this is our video audio blog from September 27 of 2025, titled:

Your Strategic Plan to Find a Job in Marketing and Sales Now, let’s begin.

Why a semester-based plan?

Because a semester gives you a realistic horizon to build your personal brand, open relationships with recruiters, generate interviews, and move closer to an offer. If you still have semesters left, use it to secure internships and cases for your portfolio; and if you’re already in your last one, focus on closing an entry-level offer with a clear growth path. The logic is progressive: internships first, an offer later, with evidence and confidence gained along the way.

How to use this guide and the template

First, read this guide to understand the strategy and avoid shortcuts that don’t work; then download the PDF template with the operational plan; next, apply the plan with discipline—that means researching companies, tailoring your CV and LinkedIn, activating your networking, personalizing applications, and practicing interviews; and finally, measure and adjust at the end of each month to repeat the cycle with better results in the following semester.

The four pillars of the plan

The first pillar is the signal of value: your CV, your LinkedIn, and your portfolio should tell a clear story of problems solved, metrics achieved, and skills that drive business.
The second pillar is networking with intention: connect with people before vacancies, have short conversations, add value, and follow up consistently.
The third pillar is visible preparation: rehearse interviews, bring smart questions, and take care of your executive presence both in-person and online.
The fourth pillar is professional persistence: always thank, ask about the next step, and keep doors open; many offers come to those who keep the process alive.

Phase 1 (Weeks 1–4): Fundamentals and brand

This phase is about building the assets that represent you. Create a one-page master CV and a few tailored versions by role—analyst, growth, content, CRM, or sales. Optimize LinkedIn with a headline that explains your value proposition, an “About” section with achievements, and a couple of samples in “Featured.” Build a portfolio with two or three real or simulated cases where you show analysis, execution, and results. Also, define your 30–60 second elevator pitch and align your professional look with the message you want to project. The goal here is simple: be ready to showcase yourself without improvising.

Phase 2 (Weeks 5–8): Pipeline and networking

Here you build your opportunity funnel. Make a list of 40 target companies divided into A and B, research their mission, market, products, competitors, and the keywords that will help you with ATS filters. In parallel, activate your networking: follow these companies, connect with recruiters, executives, and alumni always with a personalized note, and schedule one or two 15-minute informational interviews per week to learn about the role, understand real needs, and introduce yourself professionally. The goal is for specific people to know you by your value, not just by a document.

Phase 3 (Weeks 9–12): Applications and interviews

This is where focused action happens. Send applications with a personalized CV for each role—adjusting keywords, achievements, and relevant portfolio samples—and at the same time, rehearse interviews: practice behavioral answers with the STAR method, prepare smart questions for the interviewer, and define your close by respectfully asking for the “next step.” The goal in this phase is twofold: generate interviews and perform at your best in each one.

Phase 4 (Weeks 13–16): Closing and follow-up

This is where everything is decided. After each conversation, follow up within 24 to 48 hours with a thank-you message, three clear points of value you can bring, and when appropriate, a one-page proposal with ideas for the role’s challenge. If you advance, you enter negotiations with a focus on learning and medium-term growth. If you don’t close in this cycle, do an honest retrospective, adjust your strategy, and activate plan B for the next semester with better data and new contacts.

AI as your co-pilot

AI plays the role of co-pilot, not pilot. Use it to polish your CV and messages, extract keywords from job postings, simulate interviews with common questions and case studies, and speed up content creation for LinkedIn; but remember that human connection, credibility, and negotiation are on you. Technology enhances your work; it doesn’t replace it.

What results can you expect?

If you still have semesters left, your priority is internships that give you measurable evidence. If you’re finishing, focus everything on entry-level roles with a clear growth track. Don’t obsess over counting “applications sent”; instead track new connections with personalized notes, real interviews, and quality follow-ups—that’s what moves the needle.

Quick answers to common doubts

If you feel you “don’t have experience,” create demonstrable projects such as a competitor analysis, a mini-funnel, or a prospecting cadence, and measure something concrete like CTR, leads, demos, or response rates. If your university doesn’t have career fairs, combine digital networking with open events and informational interviews; wherever there are people, there’s opportunity. As for time, 5–6 consistent hours a week are enough to progress; consistency beats bursts of intensity.

Download the template (Word) and closing

To execute this system in an organized way, I’m giving you a Word template with the step-by-step operational plan: 16-week calendar, checklists, pitch scripts, connection and follow-up messages, and a metrics table to track your progress.
https://www.mercadotecniayventas.com/offers/UikAFpwN/checkout

 If you apply this system with discipline, every week will bring you closer to your internship or job offer. I’d love to hear about your results at [email protected]. Remember that 90% of our content is free at MercadotecniayVentas.com, and that the Red Manual for Marketing and Sales Coordinators can accelerate your performance once you’re inside.

In marketing and sales, we must always… generate value!