Notes from 2/11/2011 - A Branding Presentation

We didn't have a large group this week. I'm not sure how we got on the topic of presentations, but we did.

I ended up pulling out and presenting a deck I haven't worked on in a while. It explains a model of branding especially useful for "Personal Branding". Since I haven't actually seen this deck since November, I rambled. But Mark felt it was valuable and suggested I post a slide here on the OCA website and give people a taste of what they missed.

Above is the slide I use to illustrate the point that people are only curious about what they are curious about. They aren't interested in you because you want them to be. Pushing yourself on them, and yelling your merits may get attention but it won’t get a following. Draw people in, involve them, appeal to their natural curiosity. Then they'll come to you. In marketing speak we'd call this developing and presenting a compelling value proposition. When herding cats or fishing we call it using the right bait.

As I have time I'll continue to work on this, and will re-present it if there's interest.

Notes from 2/4/2011 - Podcasting with Michael Surkan

Michael Surkan was our guest at last week's OCA meeting. Michael, a 20-year technology business vet, has recently turned his attention to the technique and power of podcasting - as a way of building a valuable, credible network.

Podcasting is not new to Michael. He's been getting together with friends to talk about and share ideas on economic topics, but after a round of layoffs ended his 9-year career at Microsoft, Michael started Entrepreneurs Northwest to create a new network of career-building relationships.

His easy-to-follow recipe for starting your own podcasting channel is a sure-fire methodology for increasing your connections while learning more about a particular subject. And by sharing that knowledge with others, you not only give back, but you begin to be seen as an authority on the given subject. If you're looking for work, and in today's economy many people are having to reinvent themselves to do so, this could be a valuable way to open new doors.

I took great notes at the meeting, but why don't we have Michael tell you everything you need to know to start podcasting.

Notes from 12/3/2010 - volunteering and alumni connections

At our 12/3 OCA meeting, we talked about volunteer opportunities that job seekers can take advantage of - to give back, to widen and sometimes deepen your experience, to network, and to pursue a particular passion - all while you have the time. Every city has a multitude of opportunities where you can provide time or expertise to help others. The city of Seattle's web site provides ideas for ways to contribute around town or in your community, and it also has a calendar of events which can be viewed to show only volunteer opportunities.(Under event types, click 'None', then click 'Volunteer'.)

At our meeting, we also talked about the importance of tapping into your alumni network(s). It's an easy connection to make with someone while networking if they went to the same college and rooted for the same team. As different as they may actually be from you, there's almost an instant connection where they can relate to you from the simple fact that you both chose to attend the same university.

In addition, schools brand themselves by the quality of the alumni they produce. Many companies tout the education of their management team, so why wouldn't a university want to help promote its "leaders of industry" who once walked their halls and campuses? Reach out to the career center of your school to see if they can offer any job search assistance or advice.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend

Assuming many people may be headed out on their final summer vacations, we'll cancel our weekly 10:30 on the 3rd and reconvene the following week, Sept 10th.

Notes from 7/30/2010 - Applying Brand Techniques to the Job Search

The words "Brand" and "Branding" are tossed around quite a bit in the advertising and marketing arenas. But how many people truly understand their essence, and more importantly, how many know how to help their clients create strategies for managing them? And how can we apply what we do know to the job search?

At our 7/30 OCA meeting, our guest speaker, Jessie Lernmark - Sr Strategist with MODO Group, does know 'brand' - and gave a fantastic presentation on the topic. Jessie, whose background includes sales, marketing, advertising and an MBA, has been working within the branding realm for over 4 years, the last two of which have been with MODO. Her group, which is small but has folks working in Asia and Europe, consults such companies as Grupo Modelo (Corona, Pacifico), Microsoft, Sony Ericsson, and Starbucks - helping them with a wide variety of brand services.

MODO's client services include everything from researching Insights and Trends, creating Brand and Marketing strategies, to developing Tools (such as brand books and guidelines) and analyzing Metrics. They are brought in to help a company wade through the complexities of managing product brands, and in many cases, to help the company figure out their own brand.

"Fundamental to any business is understanding the customer and their evolving needs." Starting with qualitative and quantitative research, MODO looks to uncover the needs and motivations of its clients' customers - both the emotional (heart-based) side and the rational (head-based) side. They look to understand the motivation that a consumer has that leads them from awareness and trial through purchase to advocacy of a particular product or company.

"Brand Strategy is more than a logo."
Brand = our identity (how we view ourselves) + our reputation (how others view us).
Brand Strategy = managing any variance between the two, looking to match our reputation in the eyes of the consumer with our own view of ourselves.

To position a brand then, you need to understand your target, your category, your consumers' needs, and most importantly, your point of difference. What is it that makes your product or service different in the marketplace that will satisfy your consumer's need.

It's no different when searching for a job. Jessie suggested that anyone looking for work needs to do the same thing. We all know that if you are pursuing a position with a particular company, you need to understand as much about that company as you possibly can. Use informational interviews and resources, such as LinkedIn, to research 'the target.' Secondly, study the category. If it's a marketing position you're going after, know about the latest trends and happenings. What brands are making an impact?

Third, understand what a company needs. Here, again, utilize research to see what issues a company may be looking to solve, what their competitors are doing, and any pain points the hiring manager may be experiencing. Develop a point of view with regard to how you'd tackle those needs.

Lastly, what is your point of difference? What are your key strengths and benefits that you can provide a hiring company? What makes you distinct and unique? As fellow OCA member, Duane Hobbs, has stated: "Each of us is the unique answer to one exacting question. What's your question?"

Notes from 6/18-7/16 - Catching Up

In the past 5 weeks, we've had four OCA meetings, only taking time out for the 4th of July holiday weekend. At most of these recent meetings, we've focused on helping each other, working on our own "personal brands." We've reviewed and critiqued resumes and portfolios and delved further into how to position ourselves with perspective hiring companies.

We've discussed the conundrum of "finding a job to get buy" vs. "finding a job that is right for me AND the hiring company. A recent conversation also brought about the notion of being "Overqualified" - and you could see the exasperation on the faces of those who had heard that word before, a word that can, unfortunately, sometimes keep you from making your case with a hiring manager. It's a label tossed around by recruiters that can mean one of several notions:

- "You're a flight risk." As soon as the economy starts to really turn around, you'll leave for a better job.
- "You'll be bored." Someone with your experience and expertise would not be happy operating at this position's level. See notion #1.
- "We can't afford you." We can't pay what you're worth or expecting to make. See notion #1.

Ask anyone who's been looking for a job for a while if they'd be OK taking a lower salary than they'd previously made. While you're at it, ask them if they'd be bored working for a new company, learning the culture, and absorbing information about new products and services. Regarding flight risk, someone yesterday said, "Are you kidding me? After looking for this long, a company would have to push me out the door before I'd consider leaving."

Welcome to new OCA member:
- Cary Seely, previous Sustainability Account Exec/Business Development at Grays Harbor Paper.

OCA: The Reunion Show - The Recap

Last week's OCA event, The Reunion Show, was a big hit.
We had a panel of speakers, all of whom have navigated the "Great Recession" and landed jobs in which they are extremely happy. New titles for this group of OCA alums range from Web Marketing Manager to Marketing Director, Advertising Strategist to Sr Marketing Coordinator, and even a Lean 6-Sigma Facilitator. Over the course of a 1-hour plus Q&A session, the panel of speakers did a great job providing current OCA members with a wealth of advice, lessons learned, and anecdotes from their own personal, successful job searches.

The event was also a great chance to catch up with friends, practice our networking skills, and I'm sure a lot of new connections were made.


"Lessons Learned" from the panel:
- When interviewing, establish parity - why you fit the qualifications and experience required for the job - but get past that, and provide the hiring company with a reason you stand out above the others. What is your difference?
- All interviews are informational. You're interviewing them as much as they're evaluating you.
- All informational meetings are interviews. Treat every 'casual' coffee session as you would a real interview. Someone doing you a favor by providing information in a more casual situation is still, at the end of the day, checking you out. Could I work with this person? What would they have to offer, if a position opened up? Make sure you don't provide a reason for them to not hire you later.
- There's a danger to being too wide or too narrow in your job search focus. If you're trying to be all things to all people, companies don't get the sense that you know what you want to do. At the same time, if you're too focused on exactly what it is you're pursuing, you may miss out on many other opportunities. At the end of the day, it's about finding a balance and knowing what you want.
- Network, network, network. And then network some more.
- When writing cover letters, drop names of people you know (due to all your networking. See above.)
- Fit your resume to the job description. Make it easy for anyone screening your resume to see how you fit the requirements for the job.
- Be prepared. It's not just the Boy Scout motto; it applies to interviewing, too. Do your homework and go in knowing yourself, the position, the company and with whom you're interviewing.
- "Don't be a 'fanboy,' be a peer." Enthusiasm is key, but don't go in so over-the-top that your excitement could be a turn-off. Remember, if you fit the requirements, after that it's a cultural fit.
- Take contract jobs, if you can get them. They keep your skills and your resume up to date, they provide another source for networking, and they pay better than unemployment.
- When you are hired (and you will be), try to get some time between the offer and your start date. While many of us have had several months off work, job searching is non-stop and not relaxing. Having just a bit of time that you can spend as you want, knowing that a paycheck is coming, is time that you can truly enjoy.
- When you do start work, keep track of all that you're doing and document your accomplishments. You never know when you might need to update your resume again.

During the panel discussion, it was quite clear that many of our alums had similar experiences during their job search. In most cases, they each:

• Built up visibility within a small community of some sort (engineering, operations, advertising). This is key.


• Volunteered for industry activities that helped them gain visibility.


• Had timely and specific skills that an employer needed.


• Were focused and crisp about what they wanted to do.


• Targeted smaller firms, not necessarily going after companies that are on everyone else's wish list.


• Encountered some good fortune. All were ready and in the right place to take advantage of an opportunity.

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this event a huge success!

Notes from 6/11/2010 - Networking Tips from a Networking Guru

Welcome to two new OCA members:
- Louise Matthews has an extensive marketing background, most recently in the banking and insurance industries (JP Morgan Chase/WaMu, Safeco). She's pursuing marketing positions that would utilize her branding, direct marketing, and marcomm experience.
- Scott Stracener is a process improvement & Supply Chain Management expert, with purchasing and production experience. He was most recently with Group Health and is looking to continue his career in the health care arena.

Our June 11th OCA meeting welcomed guest speaker, Sandy Jones-Kaminksi, business development consultant and networking guru. Though she's a bit reluctant to claim the title, "Guru," Sandy is increasingly being recognized for her networking talents and is the author of I'm at a Networking Event -- Now What??"

Sandy has a background in market research and broadcast media, but it's been her extensive work in business development that has honed her networking skills. After attending countless events, where she watched people flounder at making connections, she put a white paper together that led to her writing the book. Sandy genuinely wants to help others make the most of any encounter, and with networking being so important with a job search, it made perfect sense to have her in to talk with our group.

Crafting your Intro. Sandy recommends developing (and practicing) something between what she calls the "bumper sticker" (a personal tagline) and an elevator speech (your pitch). Make it memorable, and make sure you say what you're looking for. "A closed mouth does not get fed. You have to ask.") People remember company names, and as we've witnessed over and over again with OCA, it's easy to then make the connection between a company you're targeting and someone they may know at that company. Sandy put this into practice with our own group by asking everyone in attendance to name one company on which they're focusing. The conversations that followed were chock full of the phrase, "Oh, I know someone at..."

When you're at the event. Be the one to initiate the conversation. Sandy suggests the following lines as a way to get a dialogue started:
"What brought you to this event?" "What are you working on these days?" If the person you're talking to is somewhat adept at networking as well and tells you what they're looking for specifically, you can then easily jump in with, "What kind of help do you need with that?" This then leads to her next point.

"Start looking at networking as community service." People have a natural tendency to want to help each other, so why not use that notion while networking? Sandy suggests going to an event with the intention to help. In her book, she references this as the "give to get" philosophy. It also falls in line with what she calls "The Pay it Forward Approach." "... by helping [others], you can quite possibly change people's attitudes about at least a little part of their world through your unobtrusive acts of kindness."

Finally, "Never stop networking." Meetings, volunteer work, classes, etc. They are all opportunities to meet others and to help make connections. Plus, practice your networking skills by talking to people you encounter each and every day. You never know where it might lead.

Notes from 6/4/2010 - Crowdsourcing, Social Media, and More

From Mark Farmer and Duane Hobbs, who stepped in last week and led the OCA meeting...
The combination of rainy weather and a lack of parking (SVC had both a seminar AND a tree blown down in the parking lot) kept the meeting smaller-than-average level of attendance, but the attendees were top of their field and compelling!

Of discussion was:

Crowdsourcing: What it means to Creatives
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Discussed that crowdsourcing DOES radically affect creatives. It is hard when you've spent years developing and honing a craft that was once highly valued, but is now becoming commoditized. Never the less, arguing against evolution leaves you with the dinosaurs.

Evolvers may find themselves:
- Becoming the in-house creative that -- rather then produces from start to end -- now manages crowdsourced resources, educating the company on what quality is, what is needed and managing the crowdsourcers.
- There will ALWAYS be a place for specializing: that is, becoming one of the top 5% at doing ____X____
- Joining in the crowdsourcing

Social Media Metrics: Quantity vs. Quality
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With Social Media becoming more and more evolved and valued, the question remains: How do you MEASURE its efficacy!? There are ways to measure ROI, but all of these ways NEED to differentiate between *quantity* (how many connections, subscribers or followers, how many page visits, how many re-broadcasts) and *quality* (was the re-broadcast in a positive light -- "you have to see this, it's so cool!" -- or negative "Watch this: BP STILL doesn't get it!").

Quality often requires a different, subjective standard of measure, but frankly, is more important in social media, than quantity.

In discussing social marketing's strategy of strengthening relationships, Duane added in a profound observation that "Asking people for something often strengthens the relationship," and companies AND people can use that, by judiciously asking others for something they are easily able to supply (opinions?) and willing to supply.

Resume Review and the Job Search
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Members spent time critiquing others resumes. Duane observed he felt he would be FAR ahead if "If I spent as much time improving my resume and asking people out to coffee to learn about them as I do in applying [for jobs]", a point well made: Your resume is ONLY "marketing" for YOU. A/B test it and actively solicit consumer (erm... prospective employer) market research on it's efficacy in marketing YOU.

Duane offered to be a guinea pig on this one, committing to reporting to the group in 3 weeks HIS results in asking at least 3 prospective employers to critique his resume.

What Help Do You Need!?
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We ended with a recommendation Gayle Rose had made some time ago: By going around the room, each person announcing what help or connection they needed assistance with this week; the entire room brainstorming connections and tangible help.

Notes from 5/21/2010 - with Dan Ratliff, Sr Recruiter

At last week's OCA meeting, we got two treats in one. Dan Ratliff, a senior recruiter from Allyis, visited the group and talked up the company he's recently joined AND was able to provide a wealth of recruiting knowledge after having been at staffing agency, VOLT, for 7 years.

Dan's new position at Allyis has him working on staffing assignments for the consulting company, which does roughly 90% of their business with Microsoft. Out of Allyis' 200 employees, three quarters of them are V-dash consultants working on project-based roles for the software giant, with the other 50 employees working in-house.

From their web site: "Allyis offers solutions that help organizations excel in the next generation business environment where knowledge is king, agility wins, a new generation powers the workforce, and social technologies are part of normal business operations." The company has been recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal as one of the fastest growing private companies over the past six years and has been honored as one of the "100 Best Companies To Work For" by Washington CEO Magazine, earning 1st place in 2008. Needless to say, these were some of the reasons Dan took the new position.

So, with all the consulting talk, what's this have to do with OCA?? Glad you asked. Dan's goal with Allyis is to leverage his extensive experience in the creative staffing arena to build out the firm's capabilities in that particular area. And, they have several marketing roles currently open.

Part two of our meeting had Dan answering a ton of questions from those in attendance about recruiting and HR tactics.
- The best way to work with a staffing agency or recruiter? "Transparency and open/honest communication." They want surprises as much as you do during the process.
- Dan's thoughts on where hiring is currently? Things are starting to pick up. However... hiring managers, unfortunately, still think they can drag out the recruiting process, waiting for the (unrealistically) perfect candidate, only to lose out to another company.
- Advice on how to break into some of the hotter job areas (social media, UX design, etc.)? "Networking." Take classes, get some experience, but more importantly, start talking to people in those areas.
- Resume tips? Spend much less time on a cover letter, and more time customizing your resume to the job you're seeking.
- His take on following up with recruiters: "Walk the fine line of being persistent, without being a stalker." Someone once waited at Dan's car to speak with him. It wasn't viewed as a positive thing.

Dan's contact info: dan@allyis.com

Notes from 5/14/2010 - with The Creative Group

Welcome to new OCA member, Laura Broyhill. Laura is a sales / marketing / product design professional and has more than 15 years of experience building unique brands and sales channels in the consumer market.
She also owns her own wholesale company which manufactures high-end, green garden accessories. Be sure to check out her site, Rainrock.com.

Last week's featured guest speaker was Terah Brossart, an Account Manager from The Creative Group. Terah and one of her colleagues, Maria Scheleen, visited us last year, and we were very glad to have Terah back for a return engagement.

Terah introduced her TCG, which is part of Robert Half, the world's largest staffing company. Because they're connected to such a large entity, they can offer things like health care and free online training. On the flip side, however, TCG also provides personalized service, as their Seattle branch (one of 30 locations) has 4 people looking to staff creatives.

TCG has over 600 active companies that they work with to staff with contract help. This ranges from 2-person operations to companies such as REI to the likes of Microsoft (though Terah was quick to point out that only 11% of their business stems from the latter.)

As for current trends, Terah has seen more work materialize recently. "In the past 3 months, we're actually seeing multiple offers." Of course, a lot of these are in areas that are in demand, like motion graphics, UI, and information architecture. Another trend is that companies looking to hire are moving away from marketing generalists and are rather searching for people who have specialized skills, such as CRM, SEO, and Social Media.

Social Media has been one specific area of growth, in terms of employment. TCG has placed "marketing coordinator-level" employees, who can help, while companies look to sort out how to exactly play in this new space. Also hot in this area are research and analytics.

Terah also made a point to the group that, if we see a full-time position at a company they work with, she is more than happy to help, by looking to get in touch with a hiring manager to make a recommendation. It's all about relationships, and she sees this as an easy way to "pay it forward."

Contact Information:
Terah Brossart: terah.brossart@creativegroup.com
601 Union Street, Suite 4300
Seattle, WA 98101
206/749-9046

Former OCA members, Wes Youngquist and Lane Bueche, were also on hand to introduce their new creative marketing agency, Motherlode. They've teamed up with Jim Zimmerman, also an OCA alum, and the three are doing well enough that they're looking to hire some freelance help in the digital space. Specifically, they're searching for an online producer and flash and web developers. The agency has, what they call, an "inside out approach" to marketing, as two of the three have been successful in executive positions on the client-side.
If you think you might fit the bill, feel free to get in touch with any of the three.

Notes from 5/7/2010 - "Managing Social Media"

Last week's meeting started off with a bang, literally, as we somehow got sidetracked into a lively discussion about gun control and the 2nd Amendment. (We might all be marketers, but some of us are clearly on opposite sides of the table when it comes to the subject.)

We quickly, however, got back to business and talked about more pertinent topics, such as how to effectively manage multiple forms of Social Media. One recommended application that several of us are employing is HootSuite, which lets you manage multiple Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts in "one easy to use interface." The free software application lets you schedule tweets, track statistics, and personalize how you view what's going on in the social realm.

NEWS!
Friday's guest speaker will be Terah Brossart from The Creative Group, a national creative staffing agency. Terah will tackle all our questions about the Seattle market and will bring along some Salary Guides TCG has produced. Upon request, Terah will also discuss the rise of Social Media and how folks are landing jobs in this area.

Congrats to Meghan Ragsdale, who was elected Chair of Ad 2 Seattle, the AdClub's sub-group for those 32 years of age and under. They just had their 1st event last night, as they are looking to 'relaunch' the group back into prominence within the creative community.

JOB NEWS!
Jen Pearce has recently started in a contract role as Media Author II with Xbox. She said the connection was made when she met reps from Creative Circle at our April 2nd meeting. Congrats, Jen!

And I've heard of two other offers, but I'm waiting (as are they) for final confirmation, before broadcasting to the world.

Notes from 4/30/2010 - Interview Etiquette

Welcome to two new OCA members:
- Michael Heavener has more than 10 years of experience managing external and internal communications programs or projects, and has recently done so with Microsoft in several contract positions.
- Jennifer Wilson, Meeting and Event Specialist, was most recently with the The Red Lion Hotel at 5th Avenue. Prior to that position, Jennifer worked with Seattle's World Trade Center for 4 years.

At last week's OCA meeting, we talked about, what I'd refer to as "Interviewing Etiquette." Not from the job seeker's side, but rather from that of the hiring company. Specifically, those at Friday's meeting aired their thoughts and opinions on the difficulty, at times, of trying to find out exactly where you stand in the interview process - especially with a final decision. Call it the "Seattle passive/aggressive approach," but many interviewers simply won't tell a candidate, "No" - even if there truly isn't a fit or they've "decided to move on with other candidates." And rather than being up front, companies sometimes simply don't get back to the job seeker at all. Are they waiting it out, hoping the candidate decides to move on as well?

As a friend of mine once said, Sometimes a 'No' is just as good as a 'Yes.' If you know exactly where you stand, you can close the loop and focus your efforts elsewhere. You can also sometimes gather valuable feedback that could help you down the road in your job search. One of the most difficult things to decipher is why you may have been passed up for a position, but if you can get someone to divulge that crucial piece of information, you're that much better off for knowing.

Some of the best conversations I've had have been with hiring managers or recruiters who have specifically called to let me know I didn't get the job. Rather than a form letter, it's personal, and while rejection isn't fun, you leave the process feeling good about the company and it's representatives. It also opens the door to be able to connect with them for future openings.

All that being said, we completely realize recruiters and HR departments are slammed right now. During a recession, when employment is down, those areas are one of the first to go. And as hiring starts to pick back up as it has, recruiters (or, in many cases currently, contract recruiters) are often doing double-duty and wading through hundreds of applications for every job opening they're responsible to fill.

Still, in a world where relationships are proving to be the best thing a company can develop, wouldn't you want to have everyone who has interacted with your company feel good about their overall experience?

Notes from 4/23/2010 OCA Meeting, Job News!

Last week Bill Munroe, veteran high-tech marketing strategist (and active OCA member), gave a presentation to the group that was informative, insightful, entertaining, and inspiring. He talked about himself, his experience with the job search, and what he has learned along the way.

We all know Bill - he's the one who, with a sense of humility and a touch of humor, asks the pointed questions, looking for straightforward answers to get to the bottom of things. Sure, we know him, but we didn't really know him, so he started out with his credentials: more than 20 years experience in senior leadership positions, specializing in the development of innovative technology-based product solutions. Chances are you've interacted, at some point, with a product he's marketed.

I've read your resume. So, what is it that you do?
During an interview, where someone actually looked up from his resume and asked this of him, Bill realized that he needed a way to sum up his experience and easily explain what unique qualities he had to offer. He needed his own Value Proposition Statement. So he worked on one.

Then he was told he needed a portfolio and a web site. Check. And check. When he stepped back to assess his progress, he realized he was focused solely on B2B. The problem? The market in the Puget Sound area had clearly shifted to B2C.

All of this lead to a reexamination of how he was approaching the job search and a realization that he must show companies how he could Add Value. He needed to be able to answer the following questions for any organization in which he was interested:
- Can you make us money?
- Can you save us money?
- Can you solve our problems?

Getting to the Questions
To even get to that point where he'd have a chance to answer questions, Bill would first need to be invited to interview. And that means 1st, making sure his resume could legibly navigate the various automated scanners employed by today's HR. [Bill's advice: Pay special attention to how your resume is formatted, making sure it's not garbled by the time it makes it to a hiring manager's desk.] And 2nd, simply "getting noticed" - rising above the hundreds of resumes that are submitted for each job opening.

Bill says, "Hireability = Experience + Affordability + Enthusiasm + Pedigree"
Experience is obvious. You need to have the qualifications to do the job, and companies these days can be quite picky. Affordability. If a company deems you as 'too expensive,' you're a flight risk for when the economy picks up. Again, they can look for candidates that meet their criteria and aren't quite so seasoned. Enthusiasm. Because companies are skeptical and a bit wary of bringing full-time employees on board, hiring managers need to know (or feel) that you're excited about the company and it's mission / values and what it's selling. Lastly, pedigree doesn't just mean where you went to school, but where you've gathered your experience.

Bill's take on Coaches.
Along the way, Bill has worked with several of the top career coaches in the Seattle area. All of them he'd recommend, but all of them also come with different perspectives and, therefore, different opinions on how to approach the search.

I'm In Control
Lastly, Bill suggests that job seekers need to ditch the thought of, "It's not me, it's the economy." This passive view makes us victims and needs to be replaced with the attitude that, "I'm in control." Get back to that list of questions, define those answers which show how you can add value. Get noticed, and get hired.

Job News!
Last year, my uncle introduced me to Carl Dahl. Carl had lost his job with a boat manufacturing company that closed its doors. He decided on the career path he wanted to take, and while networking and interviewing, signed up for an extensive Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification course. I'm very pleased to announce that Carl just accepted an offer to start May 10th as a full-time Lean Six Sigma Facilitator with Aviation Technical Services in Everett.
Congrats, Carl!!

Notes from 4/16/2010 OCA Meeting

In-depth and very engaging discussion at last week's OCA meeting.
Below are three different subjects that we covered:

All-in-One Job Descriptions
- We've all seen them... job descriptions that encompass everything plus the kitchen sink. Below is a shortened list of duties from an actual job posting on Craigslist:

• Write, design, and produce materials, including proposals, presentations, corporate collateral materials, and more.


• Write press releases, seek opportunities for press coverage, track press activity/presence.


• Advertising concept/writing/design for newspapers, sponsorships, and other publications.


• Website design and maintenance for corporate site, intranet, extranet, and property sites.


• Develop and maintain corporate mailing list/company database for use by sales force.


• Research new technology, resources, and marketing tools.

And this is for a Marketing ASSISTANT position, looking for 5 years of related experience.

Someone in the group had an interesting point and analogy. Would an engineering firm post a job position that required a candidate to have mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experience? We understand the need for marketing generalists. And, of course, smaller companies can't afford to hire specialists, but rather need employees who can wear several hats.

Regardless, there's an overwhelming sense that recruiters and hiring managers are expecting the recession's talent pool to produce all-in-one candidates - at bargain prices. In addition, all too often job seekers are interviewing for positions that are mislabeled. PR/Communications roles, for instance, that are titled "Marketing Director," etc. and the kitchen sink mentality could indicate a lack of real knowledge of how the many functional areas of marketing actually work within a business.

Social Media
Another interesting position requirement we're starting to see everywhere is a need for "Social Media experience." Not only are companies looking for this, they're searching for job candidates who can lead them in this area. Postings for Director of Social Media and Social Media Strategist are popping up across the job boards.

Is it a fad or a viable marketing tool companies can utilize? Our group definitely skews toward the latter view. SM is a way to build relationships with customers, opening a two-way conversation. This added avenue of communication can then lead to product improvements, address customer satisfaction complaints, and help launch new products or services.

While Social Media may not result in a direct correlation to bottom-line sales, monitoring tools, such as Brandwatch and Radian6, are helping marketing organizations realize their return on investment.

Networking
While most of us are exceptional at dissecting positional statements and recommending communications strategies, it's an interesting conundrum when we need to look inward and market ourselves.

One obvious way to do so is by networking. Two weeks ago, we touched on the need to build tactical relationships with companies and hiring managers. What's often lost, however, is the crucial aspect of casting a wider net.
- Let everyone in your professional and personal network know that you're looking for work. You never know who may hear of an opening.
- Stay top-of-mind by doing so more than once. If time has passed, people may assume you've already landed something and not think to pass you the lead.
- Be specific, and ask for help. Let people know what you're looking for and ask if they know of anyone with whom you should connect.

Notes from 4/9/2010 OCA Meeting, Job News

ONE NEW MEMBER joined us Friday:
- Dianne Stiefel has more than 20 years of sales experience, most recently in the mortgage banking industry.

THIS PAST WEEK, we broke into smaller groups to further network on a more intimate basis. We also discussed issues that we're encountering during our job searches with the idea of looking to address them through OCA and possible guest speakers.

Items we talked about:
Social Media - The advent of this area has been exponential, and there are many jobs in the market looking for experience at various levels. Razorfish, for example, currently has an opening for a Director of Social Media. Curator PR is interviewing candidates for a Social Media Strategist. A quick survey of Craigslist shows 64 positions posted in the past 30 days looking for some form of Social Media experience.

Action Item:
- Identify and contact a Social Media expert (or group) to come in and provide a primer and to discuss where this area is going with relation to marketing. Last July, Spring Creek Group did a guest appearance with OCA. I'll see if we can get them back in. Another resource might be Ben Straley, CEO of Meteor Solutions.

Building Tactical Relationships - It's one thing to work a room at a networking event, gathering cards and asking how you can help other people. But it's another with taking those 5 to 10-minute relationships to the next level, and really getting to know people. How can we build tactical relationships that we can leverage during the job search?

Action Item:
- Reach out to Sandy Jones-Kaminski, networking guru, to see if she can visit us and impart her wisdom.

Age Discrimination / Being Overqualified - Call it what you will, it's something many of us have encountered. We've got years of experience, but maybe more experience than the job description calls for. Or, we're pursuing a new area of interest, something we do not have as much actual experience with. And despite being very willing to take a lower- or entry-level job, we're still deemed as 'too expensive' or labeled a 'flight risk.'

Changing Directions - For several OCA members, the job search has taken us down a new career path. Graphic Designers are pursuing the web. Marketing professionals are exploring Social Media. How can we best position ourselves to employers (and to those with whom we are networking) to demonstrate the new direction we're taking?

Action Item:
- Contact trusted recruiters and HR reps at the companies we're targeting, to see if we can get a panel discussion lined up to tackle the two points above.

Job Search Tips - What has worked for others, for those who have been successful at landing full-time or contract positions? What did they learn from the career coaches, the job consultants? Did they spend time concentrating on networking or honing multiple copies of their resume to fit the job description?

Action Item:
- Contact OCA alums to see about setting up a "Reunion Show" to discuss what they've done to land their current positions.

JOB NEWS:
Donna Sellers is now Director, Brand Marketing at Parallels.
Congrats, Donna!

Notes from 4/2/2010 OCA Meeting; Job News!

Four new people joined us at the 4/2 OCA meeting:
- Karen Holum, most recently the creative director for One World 2011, has over 20 years of creative services and design experience.
- Jill Schultz, a graphic design and marketing specialist, actually just took a role as Proposal Coordinator in the Energy, Environment, and Transportation group of ICF International, a global consulting firm.
- Zrinka Sliskovic was most recently a print/web designer with United Reprographics and has done freelance work for the Linden Tree Retreat Center.
- Doug Sutherland, a graphic designer, was most recently with the Hacker Group.

Kirsten Thompson and Sara Westerlund, recruiters from Creative Circle, were our guest speakers this past Friday. They introduced the staffing agency and provided tips on how to best work with them.

With 7 offices around the country, Creative Circle focuses on (obviously) the creative side of things. They primarily work with agencies and marketing groups, staffing candidates into 1 of 3 types of placements: 1) freelance, 2) freelance to full-time, or 3) full-time. Typical roles include: account management, art/design/creative, marketing, and media buying / planning.

Recent trends. They've had a significant uptick in placements, which they refer to as "starts." The number of starts per month has nearly doubled since last summer. And they are also seeing more full-time placements, as clients are beginning to feel a bit more secure in their hiring.

What is the best way to work with them? Make it easy. When applying for a particular job opportunity, highlight in your cover letter the skills that are applicable, so the recruiter can more easily match your experience with the job requirements. This will also let them respond quicker to their client. "Speed counts." They are paid for quickly gathering and positioning the best candidates for a position, and for a recent posting, they had over 400 responses within 2 hours. And speaking of cover letters, don't attach a separate Word doc. Bullet list out your key qualifications in the body of your e-mail.

Keep in touch. Creative Circle makes a point to meet with every candidate, to get the best sense for what candidates are looking for and what they have to offer. Considering you're part of a large talent pool, make sure you touch base with them on a regular basis, so that you're top of mind. They recommend at least once a month. Another rule of thumb could also be to reach out every time you update your resume, letting them know of the change and that you're still available.

Be mindful that recruiters are an extension of the hiring company. How you work with a recruiter is also a good indication of how you may work at a client site. Seems obvious, but key components to consider: "preparation, reliability, and flexibility."

Another interesting point that Sara and Kirsten made was to "Have a visual component that you can use to help sell yourself," regardless of position. Have a portfolio that you can point to and show off your work. If you're just starting out or changing directions, as many people are in the digital spectrum, put together comp work to demonstrate what you can do.

Contact info:
Kirsten Thompson - kthompson@creativecircle.com
Sara Westerlund - swesterlund@creativecircle.com

Job News!
Jenna Swalin has accepted a contract position as a Communications Assistant with the Initiative for Global Development.

Notes from 3/26/2010 OCA Meeting

Three new members joined us as we had another big meeting.
- Melissa Baldwin, who was at WaMu in their Experiential Marketing group for 12 years, most recently finished a project with Starbucks and is also a volunteer marketing manager with Taproot.
- Caylee Betts, who recently completed her BA in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Phoenix, is currently an Art Director intern at Square Tomato.
- Michele Powell, who was most recently with AMEC Earth & Environmental, has 15 years of marketing experience, primarily in the industrial and technology sectors.

Fantastic speakers last week as OCA welcomed Kristina Muller-Eberhard and Thomas Lamprecht of Plume21. The two of them have recently started a new creative agency and visited us to talk about launching a business in today's economy and to share their thoughts regarding work, clients, and the future.

Their background. The two of them each have more than 20 years of ad agency experience, having worked with some of the top brands in the world (Oracle, T-Mobile, Sun, Adobe, Wells Fargo, Nestle) while at some of the top creative shops (Grey, Publicis, DraftFCB/Hacker). Thomas started Grey San Francisco and built the office into the agency's fastest growing division, starting with 1 employee (himself) and eventually managing more than 200 people before moving to Seattle.

Why start a business in today's economy? This is a question they've heard, many times, before. Easy answer: "It's better to start at the bottom, than it is at the top. There's nowhere to go but up." Competitive rates in a down economy mean everyone is looking for a deal. Because they are small, and therefore more nimble and more efficient, Plume21 can approach companies that are "fed up with large agencies."

Who are they targeting? What industries? Kristina and Thomas are looking at growth areas, as well as ones in which they have experience, such as technology, services (intellectual properties), hospitality, health care, communications, and foundations. As one would imagine, they would love to add a couple Fortune 100 companies to their client roster, but are currently focused on small businesses which have potential for growth. "We believe small businesses are the future of this economy."

How are they prospecting potential clients? "We're plugging into our network as we socialize the idea of the business." As with searching for jobs, Plume21 knows the importance of networking. Before they were even able to hang an OPEN sign in the window, they were starting to receive referrals. They are also tapping into the venture capital market, as there is a mutual need that can be satisfied. They need clients, and start-ups need help developing their brands.

Their philosophy. "We approach things from the point of sales. As much as advertising would like to think it's about Art & Poetry, it's not. It's about sales."

Today's audience. According to Thomas, in 1998, people were exposed to 1,800 messages a day. Today, that number has climbed to 6,000, and it's extremely easy to filter out what we don't want to hear. "We scan, we go to what we need. Relevance Rules."

Their approach. Thomas used the analogy of designing and building a house when describing their approach to architecting a brand. "Too often a brand is developed in a vacuum. The brand has to be constructed to function in all spaces." He and Kristina think about all aspects of a client's marketing when developing a brand platform. "We build houses that are pre-wired, with all the plumbing installed. You'll get outlets where you (will) need outlets."

Project specific. Talking about a current project with a company based in Portland, you can hear the excitement in their voices as they describe selling a logo as part of developing the company's overarching brand. "We would normally show 3 or 4 designs, but we gave them more options - because it forced the client to focus on the idea behind the work."

Finally... What's the meaning behind the name? Another question they've answered before. Project Lamprecht und Muller-Eberhard, 2 people, 1 company. (The "und" - which means "and" in German - is a nod to the pair's European background).

Notes from 3/19/2010 OCA Meeting, Job News

With another record crowd (21 people at last week's meeting), we welcomed two new OCA members:
- Jen Pearce is currently a design intern at Wexley School for Girls.
- Bronwyn Webster was most recently a graphics designer with Highline Community College.

Two agents from creative staffing agency, Aquent, were our guest speakers. Kelsey Foster, who specializes in Online Marketing, places candidates throughout Washington and Oregon. Joining her, and visting from Minnesota, was Gretchen Stanford, who handles staffing needs more on the traditional side of marketing.

Last year, Eric Smith visited from Aquent and provided resume tips. Since then, Aquent has changed its staffing model, where its agents focus on particular practice areas. In addition to online and traditional marketing, Aquent also places staff in client engagements needing resources in UX (user experience), interactive design, and graphic design.

Kelsey and Gretchen talked about recent trends. Both see that things are picking up in the market. Companies, which have made it through lean times, are realizing they need additional help and are handling staffing needs through contract opportunities. Some companies are also hesitant to staff full-time positions with full-time hires, and are rather using "contract to perm" work to feel each other out.

Aquent works quite a bit with Microsoft and has a team dedicated to meeting the software giant's needs. The agency places primarily a-dash contracts (where you're on-site dedicated to a particular project team), but can also handle some v-dash work, where you're a 1099 employee. In addition to Microsoft, Aquent also works with several other well-established Seattle-based companies, such as Expedia, Amazon, REI, Nordstrom, and Getty,

What's the best way to work with Kelsey and Gretchen and their fellow agents? Continue to check their job board. (They're working on an outbound communication that will alert candidates of open jobs.) Also, touch base with your respective agent. They're looking for opportunities for us, but remember to stay top of mind.

Contact info:
Kelsey Foster - kfoster@aquent.com (Kelsey's LinkedIn link)
Kelsey is posting jobs on Twitter @OnlineMktgNW
Gretchen Stanford - mailto:Stanfordgstanford@aquent.com (Gretchen's LinkedIn link)

Job News!
Congrats to Deepak George, who will start next Monday with Zimmerman Advertising out of Florida. Deepak, who also recently won a student ADDY, is a recent copywriting graduate of the SVC.

Notes from 3/12/2010 OCA Meeting; Job News!

Last Friday's OCA meeting welcomed another 4 new members:
- Bill Johnson, former project manager with C2 Media and ProLab, has extensive print production experience and is seeking another PM role.
- Kate Larson, is also a project manager, but comes from the world of construction, where she was most recently with Northshore Sheet Metal.
- Meghan V.H. Ragsdale, who has media sales (Clear Channel) and promotions (Red Bull) experience, has just moved to Seattle from Virginia, where she had completed her masters degree in Creative Brand Management at the VCU Brandcenter.
- Jenna Swalin, communications and administrative associate, is a fairly recent graduate of Virginia's College of William & Mary.

Paul Anderson, career psychology consultant and owner of ProLango, was our guest speaker for the 3/12 meeting. Paul, a former recruiter at Microsoft and Expedia, presented his Career Search Optimization seminar and provided many insights regarding today's job search.

From the recruiting end of things, it's a numbers game. On average, posted positions are receiving 900+ resumes per job. And on Craigslist, a job posting can generate up to 400 resumes per HOUR.
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), such as Taleo, not just manage the masses on the hiring side, but they keep tabs on how many positions you've applied for and can easily serve as a source for quick background checks. Recruiters can compare your previously submitted resumes, and an ATS can also profile you through public information shared on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and even Zillow.

Trends in the recruiting industry have changed the rules of the game. Companies have made it harder to get directly to the source. Early last year, Microsoft instituted a vendor management system, a go-between cutting off direct contact from the the staffing agencies and the company's recruiters. With an average rate of 20% charged by the agencies (and the aforementioned number of applicants per position), many companies are now forgoing the agencies altogether and relying on word-of-mouth. A great example of this is the influx of opportunities that have come to OCA from friends of friends, and thus the importance of networking the 'hidden job market.'

Speaking of which, Paul then covered "What not to do at a job fair or networking
event." Don't sell yourself. Make a connection. People don't want to be sold and won't want to help you unless they like and trust you. Don't practice the 30-second elevator pitch; practice being a resource. When networking, Paul recommended a 5-step process that should also be used when interviewing:
1) build rapport
2) ask questions
3) find a need
4) link their need to your offer
5) close and handle objections

A topic of conversation that has come up at several OCA meetings, and Paul has been featured in a Wall Street Journal article about, is the subject of "Blacklisting" - when a company just doesn't want to consider you, for whatever reason. How does someone get blacklisted?

• Mass (e)mailing your resume, and applying for every position listed. "Did he even read the description before he applied?"


• Lying on your resume. Paul said people sometimes have a tendency to explicitly tell the truth on a LinkedIn profile (because they're connected with friends and colleagues who know their work history), but feel it's OK to fib on a resume, because it might only be going to a select few. Only problem is, the ATS we mentioned earlier (remember?) and how easy it is to compare your resume with your LinkedIn profile.
  It's one thing to tweak a description to better match the verbiage used by a employer, but you can't make major changes.


• Social Media mistakes. No need to get in to any details or examples here, but you can easily imagine that posting certain things to the World Wide Web can knock you out of consideration (forever) with a company recruiter.


• Recruiter stories. It happens. A bad screening, an errant remark, etc. can keep you from getting a job at Company #1. But unfortunately, recruiters talk, and Recruiter #1 may happen to know recruiter from Company #2 and can too easily pass along any mishap.

Paul finished out with 3 Key Elements of Successful Job Seekers:
1) Mindset. Your attitude and belief system have to be positive.
2) Strategy. Do your research and develop a plan. Determine who you need to know and how you're going to meet them.
3) Relationships. Create and cultivate a network where you are seen as a resource.

Job News!
- Andrea Lewellen landed a 6-month contract with Moss Adams, as an in-house creative group Account Supervisor. Congrats, Andrea!!
- Dale Cody is Manager, Interactive at Central 1 Credit Union. He landed the job a while ago, but I was able to finally catch up with him recently. The new job also meant a new location: Vancouver, BC.