The Laid Off Chronicles — Chronicles End

This is not going to be a surprise for some,  but here it  goes: I am employed again!!

Who says you can’t go home again? I have gone back to where I enjoyed my greatest success- TracyLocke. I will be working with an independent Pepsi Bottler that is the largest in the U.S. From now on, my house will be fully stocked with Pepsi products: Shameless plug alert!

For example:

• SoBe Life Water: You have to try the Apple/Cherry flavor
• Wild Cherry Pepsi – My absolute favorite flavor
• Pepsi Max
• Dr. Pepper
• Crush

 

 

 

 

 

Since being laid off in November, I’ve had to adapt to a difficult way of life. Not only was my family’s well-being on my mind ,but I also struggled with my self-confidence. With that said, I want to thank all my family and friends for their support during my time being unemployed. I know it was only a short time, but your support got me through this difficult time. I made the realization that a positive outlook was the only way to get through this trying time. Yes ,I had my down days, but I never let that become my mind frame. I had too much at stake to let self-doubt consume me.

I would also like to share with everyone, the  keys to my finding a job so fast. For starters, I revamped my entire resume. I looked at my resume compared to other professionals in my field and noticed that my resume was an eyesore. In the end, I developed a “grown up” version of my resume that I believe got the attention of employers. I also credit my personal network, job boards, and social media for opening up doors that 10 years ago there wouldn’t be any.

Here are some of my top sites that helped me in my job search:

• LinkedIn – This is where I would us my personal network to find job opportunities
• Indeed.com – I used Indeed.com at least twice a day to help pull job listing from Charlotte and other cities.
• TalentZoo – This site is great for people in marketing and advertising.
• Monster and CareerBuilder –  Both sites are useful in searching for jobs. Just make sure you keep your resume fresh. Change it every 30 days to keep it current.
• Elance.com – Elance is not a job board but an online freelance job site. Through Elance you can set yourself up as a freelancer and build a portfolio by contracting for jobs.

Social media also helped in my job searching. Sites like Twitter and Facebook helped me find opportunities through my personal network.

So it is with a heavy heart that I retire this segment of my blog……..

As always the Laid Off Chronicles are brought to you by FireFold.com. In need of HDMI Cables? Head to FireFold.com to get HDMI cable and all other computer accessories.

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• 10 Tips for Integrating Social Media and LinkedIn in to Your Job Search in 2011 (customerthink.com)
• 20 Best iPhone Apps for Job Hunting (vasilestoica.wordpress.com)
• Ways to Stay Positive During Your Job Hunt (money.usnews.com)
• 10 Tips for Integrating Social Media and LinkedIn in to Your Job Search in 2011 (windmillnetworking.com)

The Laid Off Chronicles — The Interview

Week 5:

I’ve been on the job hunt over the last several weeks. I have had a couple of bites from employers in the Carolinas as well as outside the state, but nothing to report yet. However, I have been on numerous interviews both by phone and face to face. Which brings me to this weeks topic, “the interview”:

The interview process can be nerve-racking to say the least. Interviewing is like dating,  you get a few minutes to make an impression before opinions start to form about you. The way I have approached the interview process is to practice interviewing. It has been years since I’ve gone through this process and I needed to have someone help me practice. I received help from a couple of different people, my wife, father-in-law and my friend Matt Hames. Matt gave me what I consider the most important advice so far, “don’t be afraid to say a promotion or social media campaign wasn’t successful. Then follow-up and explain why the campaign wasn’t successful and what you would do differently.” This is good advice on being accountable. My wife and father-in-law gave me advice on what interviewers are looking for in terms of body language, appearance and tone of voice. They also said know the company before you interview with them. My wife has had several people interview with her company that had no idea what her company was all about. It made her feel like they didn’t even care about the position they were interviewing for.

Since I have received help with interviewing, I’d thought I would share some of the tactics I use before, during, and after the interview. These tactics work for me and hopefully if you are reading this, they can help you as well.

Interview Techniques:

Research the prospective company

Nothing will turn off an interviewer more than you not knowing about their company. Try to find out as much information as possible on the company you are speaking with.  Google them to see if there are any news articles about the company. Also, go to their website and see what they do and what their mission statement is. Another tactic to use is using social media to see what people are saying about the company.

Research: (if you can) the person interviewing you

LinkedIn is a great tool for this.

This may sound a little creepy but people put their profile on LinkedIn for a reason. If you know the person you will be speaking with, look them up on LinkedIn. This will give you an idea of their background and also let you know if you have anything in common with them. If you have  something in common with the interviewer, it  can help break the ice.

Confidence:

Phone interviews:
Be confident when you answer the phone. Make sure you are clear and up beat. This sets the stage for a more personable exchange.

Face to Face:
The first impression is key. Be confident and lead with a firm hand shake. Make sure you are energetic  and have a positive tone when greeting the interviewer.

Q&A:

During this part of the interview, try to go over your  history in a positive manner. Nothing bores an interviewer more than a monotone account of your past work life. When the interviewer asks questions regarding your work experience, try to interject examples of your own work experiences. Showing how you are able to work speaks volumes to the interviewer. This can lead to great follow-up questions from both sides.

A critical part of the interview is to be honest when answering questions. If you don’t know the answer it is better to own up to it then to make something up. The interviewer will probably see through this and ask a follow-up question to catch you. At this point the interview is over and you can kiss the position good-bye.

Wrapping Up:

During the last part of your interview try to leave on a positive note. Ask questions about the company and the position. This shows you are interested and wanting to know more about the company. If you feel the interview is going well ask about next steps. This will give you an opening to follow-up with the interviewer later that day.

Thank You:

After the interview is over wait a couple of hours before sending a thank you email to the interviewer. Let them know that you appreciate the opportunity to talk with them and let them know if they have any questions to contact you. Also, let them know you are looking forward to the next phase of the interview process.

Hopefully these  tips will help you out. If you have any suggestions about interviewing, please leave a comment. I am open to any ideas or suggestions. I have also included a link for DOs and DON’Ts at interviews.

If you want an example of DONTs during an interview check this video out:

This post is powered by FireFold. In need of computer or home theater equipment? Make sure you visit FireFold.com for all your equipment needs.

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The Laid Off Chronicles – Marketing Evolution

Week 4:

As I was pursuing the online blogs last week, I came across an article on TalentZoo– Marketing’s Future and What It Means For Advertising by Mike Ogden. Mike’s article talks about how advertising/marketing professionals are needing to adapt with the times or get left out in the cold. What is it that advertising/marketing professionals need to change? They need to integrate themselves using traditional media (tv, radio and print) and mix in digital. Marketing campaigns need to take on a life outside of traditional media now more than ever. Advertising/marketing professionals that can intelligently plan a media strategy that uses TV, radio, social media, smart phones and other digital elements will provide a service that will be invaluable to an agency.

Some agencies may have advertising  professionals still trying to play catch up and learn the digital side of the business. I feel fortunate that I was able to get ahead of the crowd and  was able to immerse myself in social media and SEO a couple of years ago.  In my opinion, the most succesful advertising professionals will be the ones that have knowledge of how to integrate traditional and new media together.

Out in the job market, I am seeing job posting that look for advertising professionals that have both traditional and new media qualities. If you are in the advertising/marketing field and need to make a job change, make sure you understand digital advertising/marketing. In order to keep up with the marketing evolution, expertise in  digital marketing will enable you to be a become a needed asset to any organization  instead of being as extinct as the dinosaur.

In order to get well versed in digital media, my suggestion is to get hands on experience using it. My first suggestion, is to start using social media -create your own Twitter, Facebook and YouTube channels. You should start using smartphone apps like FourSquare and TriOut to learn about GEO targeting apps. With all of the various social media channels out there you will need to learn how they can all connect with each other to help build a strong social media presence. Make sure you also learn how to monitor your social media channels. More and more clients are looking for people who have a grasp on social media analytics. My next suggestion is to learn SEO. You can learn SEO on your own by taking a course in SEO or if your agency employs a SEO professional go and learn from them. My last suggestion is to learn how to incorporate new media into marketing campaigns. Social media should be used to complement the overall campaign. All points of the marketing strategy should be woven together to create a campaign that reaches your target audience.

Lastly, continue to evolve. Read industry publications and blogs, try out different types of social media channels and  see what works for you and what doesn’t. The more you know, the more you can stay relevant.

This post is powered by FireFold. In need of computer or home theater equipment? Make sure you visit FireFold.com for all your equipment needs.

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FireFold

I’d like to welcome my blogs first sponsor, FireFold.

FireFold is one of the online e-commerce divisions of Grouse Industries,

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The McRib!

Mmmmm McRib

 

Every so often I allow myself the indulgence of eating the McRib from McDonalds.

I’ve been eating McRibs since I was a kid. I always look forward to when they come back on the menu.

McDonalds does a great job in marketing the McRib. They take a niche product and reintroduce it every so often to create new news advertising for the brand. This creates incremental sales for the chain during key periods of time. This also sets customers into a frenzy for the McRib. People write songs and post blogs like this all the time talking about the McRib.

When I see the commercial on TV telling me that the McRib is back I make it my personal goal to have one before it leaves again. Sure, I have no idea what kind meat is in the McRib. And yes, I know there is 10,000 calories in each one. Given all that nothing can compare to the saucy goodness of BBQ smothered pressed meat.

Until next time McRib. I say next time since it will take me at least a year to recover from the one I just ate.

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Diving into the social media pool.

To any marketer out there that is thinking of diving into the social media pool, below is a newbies guide to getting started.

Part I:

I have read countless blog post and news articles by the so called “experts” of social media telling me what social media  is and how it should be use. I know, I know I am going to be a hypocrite right now but I swear you’ll appreciate it.

Ok, so a few months ago I was starting out in the new social media world. I was a kid in a candy shop, all these wonderful toys to play with and no one to tell me how to use them. I first started out using Facebook, connecting with friends and reconnecting with old friends. From there I stumbled upon LinkedIn and reconnected with old colleagues. Later, I moved onto the wonderful world of Twitter. I now write my own blog, albeit about nothing.

Starting out, I purposely didn’t read any articles  just so I could have an untainted experience in social media. It seems that every Tom, Dick and Harry has an opinion about social media. This person says you have to do this. This person says you have to do that. How can you put rules and guidelines on something that is social? Isn’t that the point of all of this? We the user makes social media what we want it to be. I have all the control on what I want my social media experience to be. I have experienced different social media tools and decided what I wanted to get out of them. Some I like and some I don’t but the point is that it’s all up to me. Oh and I forgot one really big piece of advice. “Have fun” in social media. If you are not having fun it becomes work then you won’t get any enjoyment out of being part of this brand new medium. Also, remember it’s an experiment. You are out there trying new things and gaining new insights.

For more on getting started see my previous blog post about integrated marketing (I know shameless plug).

Part II:

Brands and Social Media:

So how do you take what you have learned and apply it to brands/clients/marketers? In gaining your own experiences in social media you can  help guide your clients in this brave new world. What I wrote above can be thrown out the window when it comes to brands and social media.  Brands do need to think about how to use the social media tools. What voice should the client have in interacting with people? What should they say? How should they say it? Does every company need to use social media? Let’s use the current Twitter debate as an example shall we:

One interesting debate that is raging right now is whether or not Brands should use Twitter. I ask, why shouldn’t brands use Twitter? If a brand is truly engaging with their customers who’s to stop them, especially if the customers follow and engage them back. Using Twitter is still in it’s infancy stages, marketers are still trying to figure out how it can benefit their business. If a brand actually engages with their fan base as opposed to trying to sell them they will have a better experience with Twitter.

Personally, I follow a number of brands on Twitter. Some get it and some don’t. I see brands post price points and offers while others actually try and engage their followers. That’s the real key. People don’t want to be sold to. People like to feel like they have a voice and business’s that engage allow those people to have that voice.

The Twitter debate is really the key in all of this. How does a brand/client/marketer use social media? The answer? It is all an experiment. It’s trial and error. What works for one brand may not work for another.

I told you in the beginning that I was going to be a hypocrite didn’t I. That said, I think what I said has value. Don’t let others influence your experience (like me:). Go in and explore this new world, it’s not going away. This will help you in guiding  your clients in the social media world.

One more thing. I am not a social medai expert. I am a user of social media trying to help other newbies.

So we’re in a recession. Who knew?

This past week the  National Bureau of Economic Research announced that the US economy has been in a recession since December of last year. Wow, it took them a whole year to determine this? This news didn’t come as a surprise to US citizens, what with the housing situation/high gas prices and now the layoffs.The endless news feeds telling us that another bank has problems or that the auto industry is in trouble.

For all of this I have two words. PRESS ON!!

I was recently in a meeting where the speaker talked about “Press On”. He was referring to the fact that the recession we are in right now is a mere moment in time and that it makes no sense to dwell on the abysmal economy. But to focus on what we personally can control. Making sure that your family is safe and secure. Make sure you are in good health both personally and professionally. With the holiday season is full swing it becomes difficult not to dwell on the negative but remember, a new year brings new possibilities. Think about ways to positively effect what you can control. If you have to make monetary cut backs for the time being then do it. Recessions always end, it just may take longer for this one to end.

So Mayhem, aren’t you concerned about the state of the nation?

Yes I am. Working in the advertising field makes me a prime target for layoffs. For a company the first thing they usually look to do is cut marketing budgets. Which means that my job and others in my field are not as secure as we would like. Everything I have heard points to a reduced advertising/marketing pressence for 2009. Even from a QSR stand point the budgets could be lower in 09. One thing that concerns me with QSR’s is the franchisee’s. Not the really big ones but the “little guys”. The guys that own a handful of stores. I am already hearing that the “little guys” are in financial troubles and that a prolonged recession will all but close them down.

Mayhem, How are dealing with things then?

Well, I crank up the metal \m/ to 11 (Spinal Tap reference) and rock out. I also enjoy the time I have with my wife and kids (I know sappy). I also follow my Redskins and Capitals!

Oh, and I “Press On”.

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