I know from personal experience during my MBA career search process that getting your foot in the door of a CPG or FMCG firm as a brand manager is extremely challenging.

Many employers recruiting entry-level candidates for brand management are looking for previous brand marketing and/or brand management experience; however, the “Catch 22” in this situation is that many entry-level candidates haven’t had previous brand experience due to the lack of opportunity.

Well, I just learned that RB is creating such an opportunity for students in the U.S. to break into brand management with the launch of our Campus Brand Manager program at Penn State University, Columbia University and University of Michigan. This program has been very successful in other countries worldwide, and for the first time in the U.S., students will have the chance to develop their marketing skills and gain valuable brand marketing experience with a global leader in the FMCG industry.

What do Campus Brand Managers do?

As a Campus Brand Manager, you will help raise awareness of the RB brand on your campus. That includes coordinating career events, promoting RB and our opportunities to your fellow students with provided materials and resources and working to develop and execute your own ideas and creativity in getting the RB name out there.

What do Campus Brand Managers get out of it?

As I mentioned above, most importantly, this is a great opportunity to work with a global leader in the consumer goods industry and to gain invaluable experience, skills, network contacts and references to add to your resume and job search arsenal.

In addition, you do get paid a base salary of £400 (over $600) per semester and a stepped bonus against achieving various targets upon which you agree. I also understand that RB not only gives out an award to the most successful Campus Brand Manager at the end of the year, but also gives this individual a cash bonus and a fast-track onto the second stage of our graduate program.

If you attend Penn State University, Columbia University or University of Michigan and are interested in applying for this rewarding opportunity with RB, go to http://www.myrbopportunity.com/career-opportunities to download an application form.

If you’re interested in learning more about a career with RB and other available opportunities, please visit http://www.reckittbenckiser.jobs and continue to read our blog at http://www.myrbopportunity.com to learn more about our company and culture from our RB team members.

Whilst at university you are constantly looking for ways to stand out, to build on your skills and to make sure you have the best chance possible of getting the job you really want at the end of it.

Recruiters are looking for the most proactive candidates, ones that show they can produce results – both in and outside the classroom. It’s not enough to just be qualified for the job you want, you need to demonstrate you have gone above and beyond the rest. You want to get potential employer’s attention from the minute they see your CV, but how do you do that in such a crowded market?

RB has launched a fantastic opportunity for 5 ambitious graduates in the UK to really make a mark for themselves. It’s a chance to build on your marketing and communication skills and gain valuable experience to really boost your CV.

RB is looking for Campus Brand Ambassadors to raise awareness of the company.
We’re a global success story – number 12 in the FTSE 100 and a world leader in household, health and personal care. In fact, RB is probably the biggest name you’ve never heard of! And as one of our new Campus Brand Ambassadors you will help to change that.

So who are we looking for?
You need to love a challenge and like to win.
You should already have a good network of friends and fellow students.
You enjoy coming up with creative new ideas to achieve your goals and be successful.
You’re determined, persistent and a bit of an entrepreneur.
You’re probably already starting to think about what career you want to go into after graduation.
You can dedicate around 20 hours a month to promoting RB.

And what’s in it for you, you’re asking?
You get a unique opportunity work with a world leading consumer goods company.
There’ll be an award for the most successful Campus Brand Ambassador over the year – as well as a cash bonus, you’ll get a fast-track onto the 2nd stage of our graduate programme.
From the experience you’ll gain useful stuff for your job interview portfolio, including references from a global FMCG company, not many new graduates will have that on their CV!
It’ll give you a great chance to further build on your network within the student community and develop different relationships with tutors, other students, clubs and societies.
And you will get paid. A base salary of £400 per term, and a stepped bonus is offered against achieving agreed targets.

This could be the perfect opportunity to ensure your professional career is kicked off to an amazing start!

For full details of what the job entails and which UK universities are involved, visit the Career Opportunities page of this blog.

Or you can chat with myself or others at RB via commenting on any of the blogs on myrbopportunity.com

To apply: Download the application form and email it along with your CV to learnwithrb@rb.com by February 10, 2010.

And good luck!