For the past few weeks I’ve been interviewing with a local Charlotte company for a Marketing Specialist position. I was contacted by a recruiter, asked to submit writing samples, completed a writing assignment, and then asked to talk with the Sales & Marketing Director. All seemed to be going really well, and then it went horribly sideways. I understand that nothing goes away in the digital age, so I’m very mindful of what I share, post, and tweet about. Not that I censor myself, but I make sure that whatever I do, I would stand by. So when I was told by the recruiter yesterday that they had found a photo that was highly inappropriate and really shouldn’t be shared, I was confused. I was terrified. I was hoping that maybe they got my Twitter handle wrong. Nope. It was all me.
In the fall of 2011, I was lucky enough to intern with another Charlotte firm, Tattoo Projects – Ad Age’s 2011 Small Agency of the Year Silver. A branding firm of 10 that does mostly design work; they took a chance with me and brought me on as an Account Planning Intern. I did research, assisted with some social media projects, and helped with whatever needed doing project or office-wise. Not surprisingly, they were selected to brand the upcoming Charlotte Addy’s in March 2012 – their theme “Achieve Rockstar Status”. And rock it they did, incorporating everything that signifies being a rockstar in the music world – Cigarettes, booze, and leather pants – and then added the one thing that only the best of the best can possess – bottled lightning Read the rest of this entry »
It’s been about a year since my last post, and I’m sorry about that. The last we spoke, I had planned to write throughout my adventures in Blacksburg and it just didn’t happen. I could’ve made it happen, but quite honestly I felt a little too overwhelmed because I ended up bouncing from place to place a bit, so it made things a tad difficult over the summer, which then gave way to wedding responsibilities which gave way to etcetera etcetera…so if something was going to be left behind, it appears writing was it. I’m not proud of it, but I want to be honest.
It’s been nearly 2 months since I posted something substantial about myself. Personally, I’m all for keeping attention off myself, but that’s not what this blog is about right? It’s about getting stuff out there and seeing what happens. So here’s what you’ve missed so far: I’ve been seriously ill twice, had a major breakthrough in wedding planning, watched one of my best friends get married in a simple municipal ceremony, volunteered for a film festival (ActionFest) organized by folks involved in the International Toronto Film Festival, and got a full-time internship in Blacksburg.
Derez: short for Deresolution; a term from the Disney series Tron which refers to someone being dissolved. For a computer program, deresolution equates to death.
Weird way to start a post, I concur, but I use it for two reasons: 1) the song from Tron: Legacy inspired by the term is a favorite and 2) death doesn’t mean the end of all things, just the end of something. Whether human life or that of a computer program, all things are energy and energy never dies.
Yesterday was like many others – I got up, walked the dog, had breakfast and started going through my email. Mixed between MediaPost articles and Monster Job Alert was a message from a Charlotte marketing firm responding to my application for a Public Relations AE position. Unfortunately they determined that I wasn’t qualified for the opening, which surprised me given that they wanted someone with a minimum of five years experience in marketing and a familiarity with social media. That’s when it hit me – Finding employment is like trying to get a date.
Rules of being a "Bro"
So what is The Bro Code and what does it have to do with all this? The Bro Code is an invented set of rules and regulations created by fictional character, and perpetual lothario, Barney Stinson of CBS’s How I Met Your Mother. The “Code” is intended to help “Bros” know how to behave with other “Bros” when it comes to women. For example, article 87 – “A Bro shall at all times say ‘Yes’” – meaning that if 1 “Bro” is trying to pick up a woman, the other “Bro” must always support whatever the first “Bro” says, even at the risk of incurring shame or public embarrassment. Or article 29 – “A Bro will in a timely manner alert his Bro to the existence of a girl fight.” This one is self-explanatory. (They can’t all be winners, but you get the idea.)*
While these rules of comportment might help one “Bro” in his quest to woo a lady, there are no real rules for job hunting. And as someone who’s been searching for nearly a year and a half, rules would help. It does seem, though, that the similarities between the “rules” of getting a date are quite similar to those of finding employment.
Cute, right? I can only imagine it must’ve been REALLY confused when it came too.
I give my pup another 3 months before she does this. She’s already got the paw movements, but hasn’t developed the full running stride. Just takes patience and time.
In other news:
No word yet from the good folks at Hulu, but I remain positive. Sent the two folks I interviewed with thank you cards on Superman stationary. Hope they dig it.
Just applied for 8 more gigs – a few local, a few not – and we’ll see how it shakes out. Will keep my fingers crossed, especially since I turn 30 in December. Like to be employed by then. Could be worse, though. I could be this guy. (Sheesh)
Soooo, I was going to post a sort of “Year in Review” type post (and I still plan too), but for now I’ll give you this. Last night while working at the Charlotte Film Festival I got a call from Hulu. That’s right, Hulu. I had applied back in August to be an Associate Campaign Manager in the LA office. Today, I had my first interview and tomorrow my second. For discretionary reasons, I won’t get into much more than that for now, but it is REALLY exciting.
Last week had a very up and down feel to it. Applied to quite a few positions and thankfully heard back from two of them. Though it didn’t go as I’d hoped, I’m attempting to be optimistic about it. What happened? Keep reading…
A lot of the advice you get from “experts” in the field of job hunting tells you that while applying, try not to submit to everything. A blanket approach doesn’t work. As someone who has been very picky about what I send my resume in for, I can tell you that selective submission doesn’t necessarily work either. heh
Since last week’s post I’ve gotten a little bit of feedback, applied for at least nine more positions and worked LinkedIn for everything its worth. (side note: if you’re thinking of signing up for a premium account, be forewarned – there is a business and a job seeker upgrade. I didn’t realize until too late. )
