Life of an (Aspiring) Media Maven 2.0

Special Report: Media Mavens 2010 - Advertising Age

2010-10-09T10:26:00.000-04:00

Just a sampling of people whose careers I aspire to emulate. Check it out: Special Report: Media Mavens 2010 - Advertising Age

What’s your clutch?

2010-08-04T13:04:00.001-04:00

A few years ago, when I first set out to blog, I took a decidedly reserved (a.k.a stiff) tone. *Imagine a snooty, British accent* I wanted to come across as intelligent, worldly, eloquent in word, thoughtful in manner and discriminating in taste. My creative labor of media love – lain bare for all the Intrawebs to see – was to always be serious. If it were a woman in a painting, it would the farmer’s wife in American Gothic – not the Mona Lisa (she smiles too much). No, my child would be as austere as the musings of a 20-something liberal arts grad could make her…

But fast forward to 2010. This (Aspiring) Media Maven has become way more comfortable in her professional skin, and is a bit more willing to reveal a personality! However, shallow, silly and sensitive in spots that personality might be :-) So, just to keep it interesting:

On vacation with girlfriends during 4th of July weekend, one of them – a sorority sister of mine – unprovokingly said,
“When I carry a clutch, I feel a little bit better than everyone else.”

…At first, I was unsure I had heard her correctly. “Excuse me?” I said. “What was the bourgeoisie ignorance that just rolled off your tongue? Please explain.” The soror, who for the rest of this post shall be called ‘Sassy Snob’ repeated her sentiment. But added, “You know, carrying a clutch just makes me feel confident and like I can do anything.”

“Oh,” I replied. “I see…and now that I think about it, I like to carry my clutch with just the fingertips. Makes me feel very swank!”

Now, you may be judging. But some of you can surely relate. One of my roommates shared that she feels royally wonderful when she drinks out of a certain juice goblet. My other roommate said she feels unstoppable when carrying a designer handbag (actually, her words were, “I feel stush (sp?).” She was born and bred in Harlem, so I’m just going to classify the etymology of that word as ‘NYC 1998’). Anyway, for me, I feel like I can take on the world when wearing one of my "’Michelle Obama-style dresses – accented with pearls.

For further clarification, my take on the purpose of these items is not to make others feel less than. Their purpose is to make the person who possess them – unique to the individual – feel better than themselves (and everyone else) on a normal day. This may lead you to deduce that they serve a word that rhymes with clutch instead – a cruch. And perhaps you’d be right. But let’s face it, some times we need that ‘power suit’/favorite lipstick/best belt to give us the courage to share an unpopular idea in a big meeting or flirt with the cute eye candy across the room.

So, what’s your clutch? Which article of clothing, pen, PDA, stuffed animal or whatever makes you feel at the top of your game? It’s okay, you can share and we won’t judge :o)

'Run Tell Dat' Follow-Up: WAFF 48's Stance

2010-08-01T12:23:00.006-04:00

A friend sent this to me:

I still disagree. The news channel could've better reiterated the point of the story - that the woman was almost raped and that there is a potential rapist on the loose. I have a hard time believing that news professionals would not be able to predict how the words of the victims would be perceived by the general public. I think it was their duty to provide more seriously-worded context for the content - in addition to the victims' own comments. First-hand accounts are of utmost importance in any journalistic piece and every person involved who wants to tell their story should be able to. However, as professional storytellers, it is WAFF 48's job to give its audience a filter and frame through which to process information. Another j-school example: If a source may have a biased/conflicting motive, let it be known and/or provide an equally-weighted opposing source...Thoughts?

10 Things that Go the Opposite of Soft

2010-07-31T20:26:00.001-04:00

Thoughts on the D train to Brooklyn, listening to Lupe Fiasco’s “Enemy of the State” mixtape:

Friends who call you out on your faults, and love you despite of them
Make Up Forever by Sephora
Video on Demand databases
Size smedium shirts on muscular men
Chick-fil-a sandwiches
Chipotle chicken burritos – hold the beans
Managers who want to see their employees grow and advance
Rooftop parties in mid-summer
Unlimited mimosa and sangria brunches
Any rhyme that Lupe Fiasco spits (i.e. “BMF (Building Minds Faster)”)

Run Tell Dat: Missing Point on Local Rape Story

2010-07-30T20:29:00.018-04:00

Today was a Summer Friday for this young media professional. I awoke, engaged in a leisurely breakfast and settled in front of my laptop to read morning news reports (with a quick peek at Facebook and Twitter first - of course).

While scanning my Facebook newsfeed, I happened upon two clips on the same AM news story out of Huntsville, AL. Apparently, a young woman had made a rape claim a few nights ago and a police investigation unit - followed by a WAFF Channel 48 camera crew - had been dispatched to the scene. Here's what resulted:

Now, upon first viewing, I admit I reacted the way I assume most of you did. I laughed uncontrollably and thought:

- Is this real?!? Are these people seriously speaking and acting this way?

- Wow, that guy is funny! If he rolls his neck one more time I'm going to die! I can't breathe!

- And the reporter and anchorman were able to keep straight faces?!? Man, this is hilarious!

But after I stopped ROTFL, I thought, "Why did two people I know think it was appropriate to post this on their profiles? And could only do so because someone before them thought it was cool to post on Youtube? Why is this slightly bothering me?" Nevertheless, I then went about my day - moving on to other Youtube clips and then, oh yes, those morning news reports :o)

Later, however, I found myself still thinking about those clips. Something about them disturbed me, and I showed them to my roommate when she got home. Her reaction was much the same as my initial one. But then, with her to bounce my thoughts off of, I realized what had continued to bother me.

I asked, "Do you think this story would've been as funny if it had been a white woman in a trailer park accusing a man of rape?" She replied that she didn't think it would, because "a white woman wouldn't react the same way". Reluctantly, I agreed.

The humor lay in the manner in which the woman, and more so her brother, recounted the incident and vented their frustration. The rape allegation itself - the reason the video had been made in the first place - was no laughing matter.

Regardless, the gravity of the situation was lost because of the angle the news crew (reporter, camera person, producer, etc.) chose to use in covering this crime story. When I mentioned as much to my roommate - who is a market researcher's dream by the way - she said that she could see that. "Why did they include the woman's opinion that her perpetrator might be a crackhead? Why does that matter?," she wondered. I, once again, agreed.

The idea that black women's sexual morality is viewed as having little value in the U.S. is well known. Thus, so is the same for the notion of violations against it.*

[Note: This is not to say that this line of thinking is correct. As a black woman who knows more than a fair share of black women - and women in general, I fervently disagree...To put my opinion plainly, with a modern reference: Whorish tendencies know no race, ethnicity nor creed. Just watch any VH1 dating reality show; the United Nations are well represented. And more importantly, when rape comes into play, promiscuity should not be a consideration. Legal consent should be. Case, point, period.]

At first I couldn't place the source of my disappointment. Was I upset with my Facebook friends who posted the clips - one a white male and one an Asian female, by the way - or the Youtube users who uploaded them...or myself for finding the footage funny?

Ultimately, I decided most of my ire should be reserved for the professional journalists who chose not to edit out the most colorful, unnecessary parts of the alleged victim and her family member's interviews.

In j-school (scratch that - high school newspaper club), one of the first things I was taught is to preserve the integrity of the story, get the details, but do so in a manner that does not unduly paint sources in a bad light or add bias. Oft-used example: If the mayor says 'ain't' instead of 'is not', and as long as it is within the guidelines of the news organization, it is acceptable to correct for grammatical purposes - given that the correction is denoted. Another example: if the race of an interviewee is not germane to a story, don't include it.

So, where do all these thoughts leave me, as I step off of my soapbox? They leave me wanting everyone - including myself and the producer who ok'd the story package to run - to pause and think about the historical and social contexts of issues like this before taking action. Some might discount my views as overly sensitive, but there's something to be said when we can publicly laugh at an alleged rape victim who just so happens to live in government-aided housing.

Articles on This Topic:

"The Sociocultural Context of African American and White American Women's Rape" by Gail Elizabeth Wyatt
"Black Women and Rape: The Shocking Secret No One Talks About" by Kelly Starling
"Trying to Break a 'Culture of Silence' on Rape" by Jennifer Lenhart
"Twitter Used to Trivialize Rape" by Clutch Magazine

10 Things You Could Do Better Today

2010-07-30T09:13:00.000-04:00

Re-posted from Chris Brogan's website:

Consider this to be a list of friendly suggestions. I could use these, as well. Can you?

10 Things You Could Do Better Today
- Improve your response time to requests.
- Improve the brevity and simplicity of your email correspondence.
- Connect with five new people and seven existing colleagues or friends each day.
- Inspect your business process cycle from start to finish for improvements.
- Rethink your approach to helping others succeed.
- Increase the amount of times you connect others together to build new relationships.
- Resolve three pieces of unfinished business, no matter how painful.
- Live closer to your goals and your main points of focus, and less by reaction.
- Take time to thank the people who make your life possible.
- Rest and unplug.

10 Things You Could Do Better Today

Life Resuscitated

2010-07-28T23:13:00.010-04:00

Seeing as I've never returned from a year+ hiatus from anything, I don't know exactly how to start. So, I'll skip the awkward placating and jump right into what has changed since I last wrote:

My fellow contributor/best friend, BeeCee, followed the path of so many others before her - Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Baldwin...Madonna - and became an expatriate. She now resides in Santiago, Chile, where she teaches English to college students and drinks Pisco Sour quite frequently. Check out her travel blog at http://www.brittaneysdestination.blogspot.com/.

I landed a job at a well-known cable network owned by an even more well-known film studio...And resigned last week. I'll write a subsequent post about this, but for now just know that I'm not a job-hopping flake (please!)

Jossip went on "pause", but really turned the movie off (ie. doesn't look like "play" will be getting pressed anytime soon). At first I was very sad, wondering to myself where I would get accurate media and entertainment news with a gossipy flavor from then on. But just like a best guy friend who has been waiting to get out of the 'friend zone' since junior high, Gawker stepped in to fill my void and I have been in love ever since.

I joined a professional organization for women in my industry (AWNY) and a mentoring program for urban high school students (M.O.V.E.). And you should too! You don't necessarily have to join the same ones I did. In fact, if you do and I don't know you in reality that might be creepy. But, nevertheless, networking within your industry and volunteering your time and skills to people are always worthy causes.

U.S. troops were pulled out of the Middle East, newspapers officially died and global warming ceased. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly) none of these events have occured. According to Vice President Joe Biden, troop levels in Iraq will be at 50,000 soldiers by the end of August - down from 145,000 at the beginning of the current presidential administration. And while newspapers aren't officially DOA, the hyperlocal sites we envisioned back in 2006 are finally making sizeable waves in the media landscape. (Side Note: Patch.com is growing like a weed. A number of jobs are available with that venture.) And alas, global warming still seems to be heating up. Plus there's oil along the Gulf Coast...So, that is your 'Eyeore' sad news for the day.

I met my goal of eating lunch with cute guys in suits at Bryant Park (summer '09)...stopped dating, started dating someone new, stopped dating, spent time with a rebound, started dating someone new, got broken up with, heartbroken...started dating someone new... What can I say? The life of a single woman in New York City. No one said it was going to be easy and, as I told an intern who asked my advice the other day, "The dating scene in this city is as competitive as its job market. Bring your 'A' game."...On further reflection, I could've added "Always Be Closing"*, but that might've been too much ;o)

So, that's the short and the short of it. I'm thrilled to be in a mental place where I feel comfortable enough to blog again. So much creative energy and so many thoughts built up. Now I can - and will - share. But until then, please enjoy this random Youtube video that popped up on 'clips recommended for (me)'. Don't know if I Google searched something about ComicCon to deserve this, but found it amusing all the same.

Much love and success,

~The (Aspiring) Media Maven 2.0*

The Guild - Do You Wanna Date My Avatar

* Note: The ABC Art of Selling clip is harsh, uses foul language and is a totally inappropriate comparison for how dating relationships should go. I know this. So please, don't message to inform me of that. Love :o)

Indefinite Hiatus

2009-05-28T11:50:00.000-04:00

Hello,

The Lives of (Aspiring) Media Mavens blog has gone an indefinite hiatus.

Much love and success,
~The (Aspiring) Media Maven*

Tax Time for Freelancers

2009-04-11T16:45:00.003-04:00

Hi All,

Quick post: remember to file your taxes by April 15. I know you know this, but seriously - it's crucial. And if you're a freelancer new-to-the-game, make sure you know what you owe and what you don't. Check out the IRS site for self-employed peeps and consider paying in installments throughout the year.

'Tis all for now!

(I have to finish straightening out my own taxes :-)

~The Enterprising (Aspiring) Media Maven*

A Chance for Female Media Pros to Rock the World

2009-03-03T23:31:00.005-05:00

Remember when you got into J-school and vowed to change the world through your work? Well, if you're a woman and a journalist, here's your chance. The McCormick Foundation is giving away three $10,000 grants for projects in new media that will impact the world. Check it out at the New Media Women Entrepreneurs Web site. As always, you can thank me later.

Fashion Week Coverage from an (Aspiring) Media Maven

2009-02-20T11:42:00.001-05:00

New York City's Fashion Week has been going on for about a week, and one of my friends - another (aspiring) media maven, is covering it all - LIVE! Check out her finds on her blog, Around Town Brown.

Get some mentorship in your life!

2009-02-19T00:55:00.009-05:00

This week I'm beginning a new formal mentorship program tailored toward young media professionals. It was started this winter by a group of friends who wanted to share their knowledge of the industry, learn a thing or two and have cocktails along the way :o)

Its members are mostly in their 20s and 30s, work at well-known media companies and are part of great professional organizations. (For those of you "in the know," it's a burgeoning Ed2010 - minus the no-TV-people-allowed rule and plus the have-a-little-melanin-in-your-skin request.)

Anyway, side-stepping some connective dots, here I am with yet another person to offer me advice on my career. And I say another because I collect mentors and career advice like middle-age women collect Hummels. Ever since middle school I've sought out people to emulate professionally (you know, other than my artist/guidance counselor mom and minister dad). I never did it because anyone told me to, or really even suggested it. I started sitting at the heels of the well-heeled because I wanted what they had achieved and knew that they knew how to help me attain it.

Now, this may seem like a no-brainer to you, but I'm sure someone out there needs this advice: mentors, whether informal or formal, can provide you with professional insight, give you an industry status boost and help you develop career clarity. If you're older than 18 and don't have one, you need to get like Beyonce and "check up on it" (um, for all you non-pop culture savvy folks, that means "inquire about the matter :o)

With that stated, I'll be posting more about mentorship relationships and my own new experience in the near future.

Until then,

~The (Apprentice) Aspiring Media Maven*

P.S. For information about the growing networking group I'm a part of in the Big Apple, contact me directly.

UPDATE: You can still contact me directly, however, the group - Color Bars - now has a website: http://www.colorbarsnetwork.com/ Go check it out!

Why Katie Couric Rocks...

2009-02-05T22:40:00.004-05:00

Back in the day, I loved Katie Couric on the Today Show. Then, she went to CBS to be the nightly news anchor. Clearly it was a promotion - her chance to run with the big boys (first female nightly news anchor in U.S. broadcast history) - but it didn't allow her to shine. Now, the station unofficially for old people has given her that chance.

Tonight I finally got around to watching the primetime interview special she did with Lil Wayne. And though she seemed a tad uncomfortable at first, she eventually owned that interview - creating a nice juxtaposition between interviewer and interviewee. In my opinion, this was a great example of entertainment journalism. And that's why Katie Couric rocks :o)

Date Your Network

2009-01-07T21:35:00.002-05:00

A few days ago I sent New Year greetings to people who'd motivated me to continue reaching for my goals in 2008. It was a heartfelt approach to interacting with my network - you know, those people whose business cards you have, collecting dust in a shoe box (or b-card holders)?

For my take on dating your network, or making use of the professional contacts you've made, check out my latest vlog post.

Courtship on the Clock: Can you make Mrs. by 28 and VP by 30?

2008-12-23T18:23:00.002-05:00

It's vacation. I'm watching The View. And I've got to say, those old chit chats have a good opening topic today. Apparently, the New York Times just published the results of a study that found young adults no longer "date". Instead, we (the collective youth of America) "hook up," live together for an extended length of time and then maybe - and that's an increasingly large maybe - get engaged and married. Let's not even mention divorce rates.

"Under the old model, you dated a few times and, if you really liked the person, you might consider having sex. Under the new model, you hook up a few times and, if you really like the person, you might consider going on a date."

Now, I wouldn't say I'm a traditionalist per se, but there is a saddness to this increasing trend - a personal sadness. You see, dearest reader, the article goes on to say that the new way of doing things has more of an adverse effect for women than it does for men. Whereas we (the collective women of America) tire of "hooking up" - being "friends with benefits" - in our mid-twenties, men operate like the Enigizer Bunny: they just (if left to their own desires) keep going and going, playing the get-the-milk-for-free-and-possibly-the-whole-farm game.

So, what's the cause behind this semi-resurgence of free love? According to the study, the imbalance in the ratio of educated, career-minded women to men has a lot to do with it. You hear that, sisters (ref. second use of the collective "we": our desire to achieve outside of traditional gender roles has thrown off the traditional dating pattern. Who would've thought (-->insert sarcasm here<--)

I mean, sure, it may be a surprise to people 30+, but for me and young women I know it's an everyday reality. We - collectively - don't make time to be courted, wooed and swept off our feet. Just as our male counterparts, we want to make partner/vp/executive producer/some great title by the time we're 30. At the same time however, just like the not-so-fairer sex, we desire physical companionship. (And not in a sex addicted way, perhaps just in a hug or kiss every Tuesday kind of way :-)

So, what are we - and this time I mean 21st century Western society as a whole - suppose to do about this? How can we reach for our personal goals, as ever lofty and (aspirational) they may be, and still find time to create the foundation for a strong nuclear family by the time we can make out the outline of that corner office in the distance? I have no answers. What I do have is a long-distance boyfriend and a great desire for hugs on Tuesdays. If you've got an answer, let me know.

~The (Non-Hook Up Great Date) Aspiring Media Maven*

Moral Meltdown? The Dream of J-School Hotties Everywhere

2008-12-15T12:27:00.005-05:00

This morning I read an interesting blog post about a j-school senior whose life is financed by an older (apparently buff - see picture :o ) sugar daddy who also works in the media industry. In her first post on the topic, published November 30, she explained how she met him and how they decided to enter into a relationship akin to - in her own words - "prostitution":

"But when I got to college, I spent the first two years straining for financial independence. I tried working, but in retail, surrounded by temptation all day, I spent more than I made. Waiting tables was exhausting. I went on several job interviews, but all of the internships were unpaid. As my years in college wore on, it was evident that the job market was sliding into decline. When the economic climate grew worse, my friends panicked that their resumes and high GPAs wouldn’t be enough to give them a leg up on the competition, and my goal became getting my foot in the door before everyone else.

And then, just such an opportunity presented itself. During my job hunt, I met a potential employer. He was in his early 30s, single, and successful. He didn’t hire me, but he did suggest a position that seemed perfectly suited to my attributes and skills: He proposed that he become my benefactor."

Wow, talk about a job interview going better than expected!

But after posting, the author received a number of negative reader comments and decided to write again about her living arrangement - this time with input from her sugar daddy himself:

"[J-School Student]: So the majority of bloggers felt that our relationship was prostitution, with me as the prostitute and you as the john, mainly because of the financial aspect of our relationship. What would you say to them?

[Media Sugar Daddy]: Well, I would say that I think of our relationship as pretty much a marriage. Just like a husband provides for his wife, I provide for you. I'm lucky enough to be able to financially give you anything you could want, and if people resent that then that's too bad for them. I think the biggest misconception with some of the readers was that we aren't monogamous. Neither of us have any other kind of relationship, whether emotional or sexual, with anyone else."

Now, I feel some kind of way about this - a mixture between jealous, morally superior and outraged. I'll tell you why in a subsequent post, but for now, what's your opinion of this J-School Hotties' hotbed of money lifestyle?

CNN's Don Lemon Is My New Hero

2008-12-11T14:36:00.006-05:00

Every once in a while some major news breaks, prompting cable news producers to act like monkeys at the zoo. This week it was the news of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich being taken into custody for...well for a lot of things.

In the circus otherwise known as the 24-hour news cycle, CNN has been looping a clip about Patti Blagojevich letting a couple of wordy-dirties slip in the background of a phone conversation about her husband's plot to force the firing of Chicago Tribune's editorial staff in exchange for state assistance in selling Wrigley Field. I guess when you've exhausted the possibilities of the real story, there's always profanity use to fall back on.

But! Today I rejoiced as I came home, turned on the tele and watched CNN Newsroom anchor Don Lemon challenging the previously produced segment about Patti B. Before airing the clip, Lemon said, "I think we're beating up on her a little. Who hasn't said something bad while on the phone?" After the clip, Lemon came back and admitted, "My producer yelled at me for editorializing, but I still feel the same way [...] Let's cut her some slack."

The whole thing took all of 20 or 30 seconds, but it was if ole' Donnie had read my mind. It's no secret that producers and reporters often have different agendas, and I think the world--and the news--would be a lot better if those producers just learned how to shut the hell up sometimes. Anybody with me?

Family: What I'm Thankful For

2008-12-02T23:45:00.004-05:00

First, I know I owe everyone an apology for neglecting you all for much of November. The truth is that my life got really real - or rather my job did - and I began to find it difficult to keep up with the demands I place on myself outside the office. Plus, the freelancer freeze and production hiatus took effect at the end of the month and threw my routine off a bit. I'm now more work in fewer on-clock hours. A couple of the people I would normally depend on to get what I need done around the office are gone - laid off.

So, as an understatement, November was a difficult month for me. One that made me question my decision to move to New York and my chosen career path.

Anyway, it's officially the holiday season. I have two weeks off from work this month. And I got a new digital camera to replace the old one that went to that NYC Lost and Found heaven on Long Island. So, I will be doing way more video blogs (cross my fingers that my virus-infected laptop that stores my editing software recovers) and a lot more commentary and analysis posts. Look out for that.

In other news, my holiday season started off right. I caught homesickness at the beginning of November - told you it was a rough month - and held onto it until my family traveled from Georgia, Alabama and Texas to see me for Thanksgiving. We had a blast: visited my cousin's college in a picturesque New England town, ate turkey with relatives in Connecticut and toured New York City (which most of them had never visited).

The entire feeling of desperate longing for my people finally made me realize that that moving to a city where I had no family was sort of a big deal. As an (aspiring) young professional, career counselors and recruiters tell you all the time that moving may be required - are you ready? And initially you may think, "Of course I'm ready! I'm young, single and hungry to climb that professional ladder." But when you're in the middle of nowhere, or even in the middle of it all (like in NYC), without the ones who love and know you best, emotion can overtake you out there - considering the big move out of your hometown/college town/region/country.

Thanksgiving Dinner at Cousin Andy's House

The Media MBA: Forcing liberal arts kids to do math, one econ. problem at a time

2008-11-16T20:03:00.005-05:00

You may not be, but I've been thinking about getting an MBA. And now that I'm officially an adult - with bills and broken dreams - it's almost time to put my plan into action. GMAT prep. course, here I come! So, why would a self-proclaimed media dork consider something so sinisterly business? Well, newsflash: the media industry is a business - uniquely creative, but - just like all the others. Don't believe me? Check out this exerpt of this article from TVSpy.com:

"Not long ago, the creative types in media kept a wary eye on the suits or the bean counters, as the business side of media is known. For years, Wall Street paid little attention to the media biz, an industry it didn't take that seriously. Now with the rise of the global conglomerates and the aftermath of dot com meltdown, many media professionals, both on the creative and business sides, are finding it necessary to pursue an MBA.

A New Order
"When we started I had 2 courses and we had about 40 people in each. Today, in any given semester we have about 400 to 500 students taking one or more classes," says Al Lieberman, Executive Director of NYU Stern's Entertainment, Media and Technology Initiative. Started in 1996, Stern's EMT program awards a certificate to those students who complete at least 9 credits in courses like Entertainment Finance and The Business of Sports Marketing. Over at Fordham Business School, Dr. Everette Dennis, Chair of the Communications and Media Management program has also seen an increased interest over the last couple of years, "We have a relatively small program, but we've had probably a 20-25% increase in applications." Fordham's program, believed to be one of the first in the country, began in the mid-80s when Arthur Taylor, a former President of CBS Network, arrived as the business school's new dean and brought in William Small, another CBS executive to head up the program.

So why are more and more media professionals interested in an MBA? Of course, many can argue that a wave of dot-comers have decided to hide out in business school in the wake of the collapse of the dot-coms and the weak ad market. Lieberman argues that this is no trend, "It's a fundamental change because the competitive factors that are driving this are not going away. They are intensifying." He is talking about the shake up of the media landscape. Deregulation and mergers have given rise to media behemoths. Technology, without a doubt, has wreaked havoc in the industry, forcing firms to rethink their business strategies. That's one reason why Jason Oberlander, a first-year student at Columbia Business School has found the business side of media so attractive, "The technology that comes out, it's coming out so quickly, that it requires people who are able to adapt and think on their feet and are able to pursue new opportunities in order to be successful and compete effectively."

Consumers today have a rainbow of media products to choose from. Dennis says the media industry has become an important economic engine and Wall Street has taken notice, "All of the sudden this was an industry to be reckoned with." Lieberman points to shift towards cooperation and the building of alliances as well, in an industry that has been notoriously competitive. The current negotiations between CNN and ABC News would have been unheard of just ten years ago. Not only has media seen enormous domestic growth, but abroad as well says Lieberman, 'For every dollar that is generated in the United States, 15 years ago the most they could look for was maybe 25 cents outside, as an export, now it is dollar for dollar.'"

10 Things I Like About My Job

2008-11-15T03:02:00.011-05:00

Because the country has the highest unemployment levels in more than a decade and media peeps are getting laid off left and right, I decided to let Thanksgiving come early to Lives of (Aspiring) Media Mavens. The following are 10 things I like about my current job - which we should all pray I have come November 24 (I'm serious):

10) It's a media job that pays!
If your college internship experiences consisted solely of investment banking, engineering or the like, you won't understand how major this detail is. But, if you have ever spent a summer putting in as many hours as one of those Wall Street kids (...ok, maybe not that many hours - but hey, working in a fashion closet involves manual labor!) and not gotten paid one dime for it, you can empathize.

9) It's a media job in the general area that I'd like to pursue (that pays).
So, if you took a glance at my resume, you'd quickly notice that most of my media experience is editorial. In fact, all of it leading up to summer 2008 is clip-worthy. Why? Probably because I didn't realize there was a whole other side to media management that could be attractive to me until I took my core classes the last three semesters of college. By then, I'd already invested seven years to preparing to be a professional reporter. As a result, I don't think any hiring manager has seriously considered me a strong candidate for any position other than one with a large writing/creative element. And based on quantifiable, documented non-academic experience they'd be correct. However, I'm glad someone finally gave me a chance to prove that I can do way more than churn out an inverted pyramid-style masterpiece.

8) I get to work in two mediums that I hadn't tried - TV and radio.
I've mentioned several times on the blog that I want to be a print publisher and editor; that has always been my goal. However, I don't want to be inflexible. But, much like my obstacle transitioning from church to state, I've had trouble convincing hr reps that I can understand TV lingo and not just print speak (ex. Nielsen viewership vs. Arbitron cume vs. ABC circulation - see what I mean?).

7) I'm given actual responsibility; what I do matters.

6) I get to live in New York City and find out more about it, through my job.

5) Most of my co-workers are friendly (in a New York kinda' way) and interesting people.

4) My manager is cool.

3) My actual work is interesting; I'm learning a lot.

2) I'm making connections that I can leverage latter.

1) Did I mention that it pays?

Dead trees good for one thing: capturing history

2008-11-13T21:54:00.000-05:00

In an article entitled, "Can Obama Save the Media Industry? How the president-elect has reinvigorated newspaper and magazine sales," reporter Johnnie L. Roberts recounts the surreal demand for print documentation of Barack Obama's historic election win.

"It's at least a temporary reversal of fortune that the print industry plans
to bank on up to and beyond the inauguration. In the market for news, where the
Net and 24/7 cable networks have increasingly become the first and last stop for
many readers, consumers' Obama obsession is an adrenalin shot to print media's
sense of self-worth and self-image. The Obama story is 'something the print
industry has been dying to come along,' says Janice Min, Editor In Chief of US
Weekly. 'You can't save and treasure a PDF file off of your computer. That's the
transcendence of print that everyone in print has talked about, a certain
tangible quality that can't be translated online for certain big momentous
events.'"

Interesting article indeed; to read it in full, visit here.

To see November 5, 2008 newspaper front pages from around the world, visit the Newseum archive online here.

The irony, however? The story is a "Newsweek Web Exclusive". My guess is it's a little somethin' somethin' to let all the diehard web readers know what they missed last week - the great print partay, woohoo! :- )

Consumer Marketing or Bust!...Time Inc.: bust :- /

2008-11-11T10:33:00.004-05:00

Check this out:

TO: Time Inc. Consumer Marketing and Sales
FROM: Brian Wolfe
RE: Reorganization

"I’d like to provide further detail regarding our new Consumer Marketing & Sales organization. These changes were driven both by the current economic landscape, as well as the opportunity to be more focused on activities that drive our bottom line.

Each of our magazine and digital properties will be assigned to a brand leader, who will set strategic direction for our consumer activities and manage the P&L for their respective magazines. Their focus will include net paid and rate base planning, research, relationships with edit and ad sales, audience development, branding, and newsstand. Titles that already have substantial partnership volume will maintain partnership sales/operations teams; the balance of partnership activities will be managed by Synapse. Each brand leader (VP) will manage a ‘group’ of magazines, which align with the 3 different business units that Ann Moore detailed in her memo 2 weeks ago. Consumer Marketing activities for all U.S. Time Inc. magazines will now be managed in New York."

For the entire internal memo, visit Peter Kafka's Media Memo.

So, as you may or may not know (I'm guessing 'non'), to work specifically in consumer marketing has been my goal since last year.

(Nerdiness to take over in 5, 4, 3, 2...1)

Because of a senior project I did for a strategic newspaper management course, I fell in love with consumer research and distribution planning. ESRI's Community Tapestry became my real-life version of The Sims 2 (I mean, look at this). And conducting surveys to find out how people interact with the daily paper was fun. It was way more exciting than reporting had ever been to me because I was focusing on my real passion - which is not content, but rather the means (media) to receive the content. I know it sounds dorky (and I'm aware of the fact that it is :o ) but I just really love media, and learning how people react to and interact with it...

Okay, enough of that. Back to my original point - if there ever was one. My junior year I'd planned to intern at Time Warner and meet the people who ran the Logan Associates Program at Time Inc., so that I could increase my chance of getting into that after graduation. However, the program was cut before I had a chance to apply. My senior year I made it to final interviews for Gannett's Talent Development Program in circulation (1 of 3 for that position, I was told), and wasn't accepted :- ( Both of these programs would've given me a leg-up on the whole consumer marketing world. And both accepted people prior to graduating. However, after one graduates and still has no job (like me ;- ) they may begin to set aside goals for a while and start to pursue the positions that companies are hiring for and not the ones they really want...So, for now at least, I'm in marketing - at this level, no in-depth audience research for me. But, I will keep trying to land a position in the specific area of media sales and marketing that I'd like - just definitely not at Time Inc., 'cause they're not hiring a newbie like me any time soon.

Hey! Wait a minute...

2008-11-05T20:33:00.007-05:00

...so, while people are celebrating (or lamenting) one of the most memorable moments in American history, they're also scrambling to buy out every major newspaper in the country dated for today. Now, call me self-absorbed, but do I get points for pointing out that this type of placemarker in history (today's newspapers) is an area not filled by the online media outlets?

Just a thought. Carry on, proud Americans.

Thanks to New York Times for the photo.

Ladies Night Out

2008-10-30T22:03:00.007-04:00

Last night, with two of my newish city friends, I went to dinner at Yum Yum - a Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen.

One of them, who works at a cable channel owned by MTV/Viacom, fancies her and her friends a nouveau version of the Sex and The City girls. I, on the other hand, see us as a younger, broker East Coast rendition of Girlfriends (shoutout to all cancelled UPN/CW shows!)

Either way, we'd gathered that evening because our other friend - stylish like Charlotte, all prim and proper pearls - was in the city to interview for jobs and wanted to make the most of it. You see, right now she lives on the Jersey Shore with her parents, but she (like most young adults within a 100-mile radius) would love to move to Manhattan.

But instead of discussing romance and the social scene as we usually do, the conversation for the night turned strictly to jobs and negative media industry trends. (I should mention, the friend from Jersey is a hardcore PR chick; she's interned at Edelman, Time Inc. and a number of other star companies. Holla' at me if you know of any job openings for her :o )

We scoffed at the belief that anyone thought print was going to last, as I told them that sadly 600 people at Time Inc. are set to lose their jobs over the next few months. But, secretly I wanted to cry into my drink about this - as it's been my dream to be a print (newspaper or magazine) publisher and editor since at least 14. We weighed the pros and cons of our current freelance statutes at work, and discussed independent health insurance options. We lamented the fact that we each have to make budgets now, and that none of us have a lot of money to budget with. But most of all, we commiserated over the realization that our childhoods are truly gone. We are single women, living in a big city, who each must stand on her own two Steve Madden-heeled feet.

Not exactly the glitzy cosmo-drinking story you thought I was going to share, right?...Well, that's (real) life for an (aspiring) media maven in the Big Apple. See, I told you we're more like Girlfriends! (You know that except for Joan, all of them were broke or in debt most of the series.)

Don't let my current troubles dissuade you from pursuing your glamorous dreams though. We did still eat delish food and drink yummy spirits (try the Sexy Asian Bartender if you're naughty ;- )

Living on a budget: Recent Grad Style

2008-10-26T17:04:00.005-04:00

I'm building my first serious budget today, and maybe you should be too. Here's what I'm using:

"Putting together a post-college budget is crucial if you don't want to spend your way into serious problems. You're also developing a habit that can serve you well throughout your life.

"You're committing to managing your money instead of letting your money manage you," said economist Kathy McNally, head of financial literacy for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. "The earlier you start, the better."

You'll probably find it helpful to first track how you're spending money
now. Review one of your recent bank statements to get an idea of your current
monthly expenses and your monthly take-home pay. Then track every dime you spend for the next three or four days to learn where your discretionary money goes.(For more, see our Managing Your Budget Decision Center.)"
~MSN Money*

See the full article here.

History Lesson: Soap Operas, Original Gangstas

2008-10-25T21:00:00.002-04:00

For those who didn't know: Hybrid Ads are really nothing new. Their recent popularity is a throwback to an earlier time and dominant medium...the 1920s radio era, perhaps? Check it out:

And that concludes your history lesson for the day. You're welcome :o )

Q: Can Hybrid Ads revive ad revenues on life support?

2008-10-25T20:55:00.013-04:00

A: Maybe, maybe not. But media outlets are sure going to make them try.

Last week as I was watching Law & Order: SVU on the USA Network, I had an idea for a blog post that never got past a thought (sorry guys :o ) During commercial breaks there was a "series within a series," otherwise known in 'real talk' as an advertorial - not editorial - production, sponsored by Pontiac. Normally, I would cringe as this sort of content (despite that since I decided to go into media sales and marketing I've found ideas of this sort financially genius!). I mean, what average consumer consciously likes advertising? Ads are often gimmicky; they stand between you and what you really want to see (never mind the fact that they probably pay for it). The simple truth is most people don't want to see pitches for products and services when they're trying to read their favorite blog, watch primetime TV or tune in to the big game (ok, the last case isn't true. I watch the Super Bowl for the ads...and so do you.)

But this time around, I actually enjoyed the not-so-subtle auto endorsement. There was a story line, similar to that of the real show (minus the hotness that is Det. Elliot Stabler ;o ) and great cliff hangers that made me want to see each one - no channeling flipping that hour!

So, what's the take away from this? HYBRID ADS are the (not quite new, but oft overlooked until the economy went into the crapper) NEW SCHITZNICK!

Just read this post over at Jossip, which talks about these numbers over at NielsenWire. Which both lead me to think that advertisers would be smart to invest more in integrated marketing campaigns and media company sales divisions should operate more like mini brand consulting firms than in decades past.

So, what are your thoughts on this? Do you think traditional advertising is on its way out? Will every teeny-bop show be sponsored by Cover Girl and every manly broadcast brought to you by Miller Lite? Leave a comment, let us know.

Oh, and just for a fuller grasp of how everything you consume has been paid for by companies looking to woe you to their products, here's samples of previous and current hybrid partnerships GM - owner of Pontiac - has done with USA Network - distributor of Law & Order:SVU:

Trailer for "The Last Ride," an 85 minute film created to showcase the 2004 Pontiac GTO

Screen shot of the website Burn Notice Covert Ops, an interactive web game created to promote the 2009 Saab 9-3 Convertible

Link to the July press release announcing details of the USA Network - Saab USA partnership

Crackberry Land - Not the adult version of Candyland afterall

2008-10-24T00:48:00.011-04:00

So, I've been meaning to tell you about the evils of BlackBerrys as I've discovered them over the past two weeks. You see, for this new job I have (yay, I'm employed! :o ) it seems that everyone who isn't an intern or a delivery guy gets a company smartphone. Initially I thought this was a great idea; me - being one who can tell you all about the latest in mobile technology, but not being one who can afford it - I was thrilled to receive a new toy to play with. After all, I'm practically addicted to my personal email and all of my favorite websites (YBF, Jossip, Facebook, CNN - no special order). So, having a BlackBerry to use for enterprise purposes (a.k.a. work Outlook messages) and free-to-me mobile Internet service was a golden, novel idea.

But then the messages began rolling in.

And they didn't stop.

7 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 8:17 p.m. 8:45 p.m. 9 p.m. 9:16 p.m. 9:17 p.m. 9:18p.m.
somebody was burning up the key pad!
12:10 a.m. 3:32 a.m.
WTF! 3 questions for that person:

why are you awake?

if you're awake, why aren't you making proper use of prime 'hook up hours'? and

why are you emailing me? get up and make a midnight snack. do anything but work!

It should be needless to say, but for those of you wondering, I didn't check the ones received after 9 p.m. until the next morning. I did, however, give into my anal-retentive-always-on-top-of-things nature and check the ones before 9 p.m. I believe I was out on a date at the time too...

Do you see, do you comprehend the evil?!? The purpose of your employer giving you a BlackBerry is not to make it easier for you to do your job; it's to make it easier for the company to have evidence that your boss told you what your job was (albeit at 3 o'clock in the morning) when you don't do it...

The joys of having a BlackBerry on the office isn't all that it's cracked up to be. But, overall, I'm not complaining about it. All it means is that I have to gain more self-control and skill at separating 'work time' from 'personal time'. In May, my b/f and I took a mini-vacay to South Beach, Miami. We were both excited - it was a chance for us to relax together after a long academic year. But, I brought my laptop along and nearly ruined the first two days of the trip by doing MPA project work and participating in conference calls. This time, really needless to say: he hated it, threatened to throw my computer and cell phone into the pristine Atlantic and said that I could never take my work on another vacation with him. So, I don't want to be that woman - the one who can't put aside the 'productivity technology' when it's time to. That's not me. That's not how I operate. So unless it's THE project of the quarter, don't hold your breath for this work-life balanced chica to get back to you before the morning.

*Note: I'm not alone on this one. Check out Notes from a Recovering Crackberry Addict, and see the Mayo Clinic's suggestions for Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stress.

Job Alert!

2008-10-22T22:14:00.004-04:00

As I've been hinting at for the past few days, I have something somewhat like a job now. How did I get it? Stroke of luck, actually.

I'd applied for an unpaid internship on a whim back in August. It was a slow day for job searching, and one of my friends had told me that she was working a post-graduate internship at a local media company. I remembered the name; so I visited its website to peruse its 'careers' page. Around the time I forgot that I'd even sent a resume, I got a call asking if I wanted to interview for the position. *Not so long story even shorter: they liked my M.O. so much that instead of giving me the standard, "Don't call us; we'll call you," they offered me an open entry-level gig. SCORE!

So, what have I learned from this?

It's never a bad idea to apply for a position that you're interested in and qualified for, even if circumstances surrounding it (i.e. unpaid, no benefits, temporary) seem unfavorable. At the very least, you can closely examine the company and land a spot on the HR department's radar for other positions that sound better.
Show up to show out - no matter what. When I went into the interview for the original internship position I acted just as I would've if I'd been meeting to discuss an executive post (well...maybe not exactly - I'd have more experience - but you get the picture). Remember: you're selling your(best)self first and foremost; you're a quality product. You're not selling a sub par version based on how someone else may value you in a certain position.
Know your worth and options. Before I accepted the job - which is full-time freelance at this point (Translation: I'm still in play; holla' at me if you're an HR manager w/a full-time w/benefits job to offer :o ) - I took two days to weigh the pros and cons. During that interval, I checked my job prospects Excel sheet to make sure I didn't have any positions in serious play. I also looked on here to figure out a fair pay rate for my skills and experience. By doing this, I was better prepared to seize the opportunity with a clear conscience - confident that I was making the best decision/deal for myself. After all, at the end of the day, you owe it to yourself to be your own best agent/manager that you can be.

And with that, I'm out! Look forward to more posts about my new gig (I've already got stories ;o )

New Vlog! Press Play!

2008-10-22T11:05:00.003-04:00

Quick weekday update

2008-10-22T01:05:00.004-04:00

I'm about to go to bed (a locale I should've been hours ago), but I want to introduce a new feature on the blog. From now until it goes out of style, or until I lose interest, I will be Twitter-ing about media and careers. So, since I've got freelance work at the moment I'll have a sizeable amount of experience to draw from. Brief posts to come soon:

Just across the park in nyc doesn't mean something is a walkable distance
How to get work done in a chatty office enviro, social scientists want to know
Mastering the blackberry...and all the follow-up obligations that come with it
Return to the days of radio soap operas: why HSBC and others sponsor media (in a big way) now

Stay tuned ;o )

D.L Hughley on CNN?

2008-10-20T11:36:00.005-04:00

Okay, I'll bite. Followed by a news advisory last week, The Cable News Network has been airing commercials to get viewers ready for the get-ready. Apparently, the comic has a new spot on CNN--Saturday nights at 10 p.m. starting this week. Currently titled, "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News," the show will be a comical take on the week's news in review. Now, I've seen his work--a LOT of his work--and I watch a lot of CNN. This will be interesting to see how those two things come together...

Help, I've fallen and I'm a freelancer!

2008-10-19T09:59:00.007-04:00

Health care: The (big) necessary evil that will cut into my shoe budget

For the past week, I've had sharp pains in my shoulders. Plus, my back bones have been cracking - every vertebra - each time I stretch during a yawn. At first I thought these things might have been caused by my irrational need to carry a suitcase-sized handbag at all times (it's like a security blanket for chic young women). Or maybe they were effects of moving 20lb. file boxes every day at one of my temp gigs. (workers' comp case much?...j/k...I think :o )

But since the pain started I've stopped that temp job and lessened the load I carry in my purse. Nevertheless, the searing feeling hasn't subsided. So, I did what any 80s baby with a non-life threatening health issue would do (according to generational stereotyping): I promptly called my mommy to ask her to fix my boo boo...

No, my plea for assistance wasn't that juvenile. It was more along the lines of, "Do you still have me covered under your insurance? Because I need to see a chiropractor stat." I was a tad taken aback by my mom's response though. Whereas a year ago she would've softened the blow of a non-affirmative answer with a short list of viable alternatives that I didn't have to think of on my own, today she simply told me that 'NO' I was no longer covered and 'NO' she couldn't give me money to pay for a doctor visit without insurance. (sad face all around)

Instead of whining and pouting like I wanted to do (ok, I pouted - but she couldn't see me because we were on the phone), I confidently told her, "I understand. I'll figure this out myself." Then, as I was about to hang up in anger and despair, a bit of my old mommy returned :o ) She suggested I look for a free clinic that treats the uninsured - afterall, she said, it's New York. The old me - All-American-raised middle-class suburban cheerleader-type - would've scoffed at the thought.

*To put my experiences with healthcare up until now into perspective: my immunization shot records were always ahead of the scheduled 'expiration' dates because my mother monitored my childhood well-being like CIA agents guard the president. At the smallest sniffle, my brother and I were likely to be carted off to the family physician for a general exam. Even when I left the lollipops behind and started seeing a gynecologist, my mother was there - or dictating via phone - to make sure every part of my anatomy was properly inspected. Annual eye exams - of course. Regular teeth cleaning - sure. Braces - got them off May 31, 2002. And family therapy sessions - I don't want to relive. All performed by reputable licensed medical professionals; all covered by a pretty darn good employee (my mother's) health plan. In light of opening my eyes to the real world, I now know that I was blessed to grow up as I did. Proper health care was a given fact for me - not something to agonize over majorly.
So, to say I handled my mother's suggestion well is putting it mildly. I immediatley got off the phone and Googled clinics in the city. Fortunately, New York seems to have a comprehensive network of free or cheap health care providers. In fact, if you live in the area and find yourself in a similar situation, here's the website I visited: The New York City Free Clinic. I'm going to check it out tomorrow. Hopefully I can get someone there to refer me to a chiropracter who gives deep discounts. Or at least a massage parlor minus the 'happy ending' (afterall, this is New York, right?)

That solution might work in the short-term, but what about the future? Well, my current manager (oh yeh, I got a job - didn't I tell you? ;o ) suggested I look into health insurance for contract workers through the Freelancers Union. It's an organization started in the city, but expanding nationwide, that brings freelancers from all professions together to qualify for group health care rates. The lowest monthly price for an individual is about $130 - for 100% coinsurance for most everyday medical visits. Ofcourse, there are stipulations. But it seems pretty easy to qualify for. So, in the meantime in between time, I'm going find a way to get by.

Life Lesson #254: Health care doesn't come easy and it doesn't come cheap.

*Note: For a first-person take on shopping for healthcare as a freelancer, visit my friend Justin and read his post, Damn that benign testicular cyst.

I'm coming out, I want the world to know

2008-10-19T08:00:00.002-04:00

My main hang up with this blog up until this point has been my feelings about personal privacy. Sure, I seem like a 'no holds barred' citizen of Web 2.0 on the surface. I have profiles on most of the big social networking sites; I freely let interviewers/HR managers know I blog; heck, I put my website on my personal business cards.

But secretly (or not so secretly, if you're my close friend), I avoid as much as possible exposing the intimate details of my life to prying eyes. Because of that, I've struggled internally with how much I should reveal here.

Nevertheless, as of this post, I'm letting my guard down a little further - for the sake of fulfilling my goal to be a support to other (aspiring) media mavens.

In the words of Diana Ross - the supreme diva before Beyonce was even a thought: "I'm coming out!" Get ready for posts much more colorful from me than you're use to ;- )

~The Liberated (Aspiring) Media Maven*

Leave of Absence Excuse

2008-10-15T21:56:00.002-04:00

Hi All,

Sorry that I haven't blogged in a few days. My life has just gotten a whole lot busier (and more interesting :o ) I'll fill you in when everything has settled down this weekend.

'Til then,

~The (Aspiring) Media Maven*

Mastercard commercial makes my day

2008-10-08T19:58:00.002-04:00

This little spot has hardly anything to do with what I normally blog about, but I thouroughly enjoy watching it! These kids are adorable. Back-to-school themed commercial (think: use your Mastercard to buy school supplies, perhaps?) Idk, but great ad idea people!

Remaining sane during the job search

2008-10-06T22:50:00.007-04:00

I'd thought about writing this post yesterday, but relegated it to the "things I'll do later" basket in my mind. Then, a few minutes ago, I read this story and watched the following videos:

Then I knew i had to share my opinion on tragedies like this one.

At the beginning of my job search (two months ago now :o ) my boyfriend's mother kept close telephonic tabs on her son and I, to make sure we were both happy and healthy. Now, this woman is definitely a smotherer - if her son and I get married I know we're going to disagree on how self-reliant I plan to raise my children. But, in this case, she had somewhat of a legitimate concern. In August, a nursing student whom she'd been mentoring committed suicide after failing a certification test for the second time. According to my b/f's mom, the recent college grad had always been at the top of her class and a general "perfect" youth - great grades check, extracurriculars check, personality check, good looks check and desire to spend her career helping people double check. For some reason though, she couldn't seem to pass this one last exam to complete whatever certification she was attempting to obtain. She studied and failed, studied and failed. Then, after writing a note, she shot herself at point blank range with a shot gun. Success.

I know my description is grotesque, perhaps morbidly inappropriate for an upbeat career/lifestyle blog, but the sense of hopelessness that a person must feel to kill themselves is no prettier.

During a job search, we - the (aspiring), perfectionists, never-had-a-barrier-we-couldn't-overcome individuals - can feel extremely sad about the state of our lives. However, there is never a need to feel that the only way to end emotional pain is through suicide. When I get down on myself, because I do sometimes, I call my friends/family members to receive words of reaffirmation in my abilities. Or, I make a list of goals I will accomplish in the long-run to "keep my eye on the prize".

The following links are sites you can visit to learn how you can reduce stress during a job search:
- Seven strategies for reducing stress during a job search

- Job search stress: what to avoid

- Keep stress at bay during your job search

So, what are ways you've found to reduce stress during a job search, or in general? Post it in the comments section. I'm sure other (aspiring) media mavens would love to know.

Resume building a no no?

2008-10-05T12:08:00.006-04:00

This morning I read an article posing the idea that resume building for the sake of resume building is always a bad thing. Here's an excerpt (read the rest here):

I feel like there are a lot of people who look at opportunities through that lens. They look for the next opportunity to put on their resume or the next opportunity that will get them a promotion. Personally… I feel like that’s a really bad idea.

By focusing on getting a promotion, you don’t look for the project that you’re passionate about… You look for the project that will advance your career. There is a world of difference between working on a project because you want the end result versus working on a project that you’re passionate about. And it shows in the work you do.

When you focus on building a resume, you lose sight of your goals.
You stop doing what you want to do, and you start doing what you think is best for your career. But what’s best for your career is finding something that you truly love. If you continue down the path of trying to get the next promotion, you’ll end up with a powerful position in a job that you hate.
~The Brazen Careerist*

Now, in my opinion, resume building in the workplace is sometimes necessary. Why? Because not many people are going to trust you to do the big jobs that you want to do right off the bat. If you want to be an account executive or senior editor, you have to do the grunt work that doesn't inspire you first. If this doesn't appeal to you, or you find it unbearable, you become an entrepreneur a.s.a.p. Though this is common knowledge (I think :o ), that doesn't mean you have to love the job that you hate.

I'm of the mindset that there is always a silver lining, and that everything is a learning experience. Sure, you don't like sorting your boss' mail and fact checking behind freelance writers whose work is sub par to yours (oh yeh, I've been there - shout out to my editorial assistants!), but think about what you can be getting out of the drudge work (using the EA scenario as an example):

you get exposure to a senior employee who can champion your promotion within the company or get your name out in the industry

while looking through mail, you see which agencies/businesses your company interacts with on a regular basis, and you can suggest ways your boss can strengthen these relationships - assisting him/her with their business, which in turn makes you look good
you gain one or two years of general professional experience, which is the base line requirement for any next-level position (don't you hate that?) Though you may feel like this is an unnecessary barrier to your advancement (didn't you do all the internships and edit all the student publications in college?), most HR managers don't feel the same way. They want to know that you showed up on time (to get coffee for the office) every day for 104 weeks. That you thrived in a formal professional setting (by compiling calendar listings quietly in your cubicle). And that you're not a flake (writing drafts of your first novel in the bathroom after lunch, or job hopping "to fulfill yourself" the first year out of undergrad)

So, to sum it up: resume building your life (with extracurricular organizations that have worthwhile causes - like homelessness or educational reform - that you should be passionately involved in to participate) is wrong. Resume building the first five years of your career? Absolutely necessary, in the eyes of this (aspiring) media maven. What do you think?

New Series! (Aspirings) Who Inspire

2008-10-02T22:04:00.025-04:00

Contributor's note: Here at Lives of (Aspiring) Media Mavens, we're all about celebrating the accomplishments of our peers. Thus, we begin a series, (Aspirings) Who Inspire, bringing you profiles of young media professionals who not only aspire but inspire us all. So go ahead, read on, and brace yourself.
~Sincerely, BeeCee

Meet: Sammy Davis, Hearst Digital Media

As far as (Aspiring) Media Mavens go, this is the girl you want to be. She’s worked at Life & Style, Self and Glamour. She writes feature stories for Esquire, and she’s worked New York Fashion Week. She graduated from Temple University in May, and for the past few months she’s been learning the ropes at her current job—Assistant Editor of digital media at Hearst. And that’s not even half her resume.

Her name is Samantha Davis—Sammy, everyone calls her—award-winning editor and writer. Thursday evening, I dialed her up for a chat about work, life and…work. She graciously dished about what it takes to be successful in media.

Living In a Digital World
One of the first things Sammy talked about is what it’s like to work in the digital realm. As the Assistant Editor of Digital Media at Hearst, she’s got a list of responsibilities as long as her arm. On a daily basis, she can switch from comment moderation on Hearst’s Web sites to creating a holiday gift guide to making the rounds at each editor’s desk. And when the execs want to bounce ideas, they come to her. “It’s really cool because I’m 22, and my input is really valuable,” she says.

Sammy has worked on a number of print pubs, so she also had some insight on what it’s like to make the big switch. “Digital media is interesting because there’s so much money going into it right now, plus print media is more conservative. There’s always something new. You’re always asking, ‘Oh, really we’re doing that project right now?’” she says. “There’s so much creative energy in digital media because there’s a lot more opportunity for growth.”

How She Got to Hearst
Although she’s still in her early twenties, Sammy has held jobs that most journalists only dream of. She insists that her start in big media came from sheer luck, but I suspect it had a little to do with her talent and drive, too.

After she got to college, she got to work. “I knew I had to get an internship, so I didn’t wait. I interned my first semester,” she says. “I just had a collective understanding of what it takes to be successful.” After that first internship, she set her sights on the publishing capital. “Sophomore year I was just like, ‘I’m going to go to New York. I’m just going to do it,’” she says. She admits that she was still a little green at that point (“I had no idea what I was doing,” she says), but after knocking on a few doors, one of them opened. Life & Style magazine just happened to be on the other side.

That internship was a springboard into a noteworthy career—Draper’s, a London-based fashion business weekly, and Self followed. Sammy has also done work with New York Women In Communications and has been subsequently showered with accolades for her performance.

On Being AWKWARD
One of her greatest accomplishments to date is a witty women’s blog called AWKWARD, which she co-founded with good friend and colleague Erin E. The two aspiring mavens met last summer while they were both interning in NYC. As media pros, they know the industry landscape like the backs of their hands, and there just wasn’t anything out there that resonated with them. They are young and intelligent women, and they celebrate their imperfections. What magazine wants to tell you about that?

“There’s this empty hole in the media for women in their 20s, I woud even say online, too,” Sammy says. Referring to the self-help cover lines that are always telling us how to improve our ‘something’ or increase our ‘other,’ Sammy says, “The media tells you you’re not happy. They tell you how you feel.”

She adds, “You read men’s magazines, and they don’t tell them anything. They just assume they’re happy and confident.”

Thus, AWKWARD was born. A blog created just for us twenty-something women who don’t mind our love handles, the fact that we occasionally snort when we laugh and we never really grew out of that ‘awkward phase.’ All because, as the blog’s tagline reads, ‘Perfection is Boring.’

“It’s a platform for you to be yourself,” she says.

Not Your Average Media Pro
If you’re looking for a ‘queen bee’ type of story, you won’t find it in Sammy Davis. Straight out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she’s a media professional that advocates investing in other people, not just networking.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to meet people,” she says. “But not just to meet them to meet them, but to connect with them. And ninety percent of the people that you meet, it’s really easy to connect with them because they’re passionate about what they do, and you are too.”

Her biggest pet peeve about this sometimes cutthroat industry? “I hate that the industry thinks it has to be so competitive,” she shares. “I’ve never been mean to people, I don’t blackmail people, and look at me. I’ve done pretty well.”

She is also one of those rare New York writers who realize that there’s a whole world outside of the city. “Big media is so New York-centric. You know what I wonder sometimes? What does the girl in Kansas want?” she says. “I love the digital realm because I don’t have to fly to Kansas to get to know that girl.”

And there you have it. Sammy Davis just might be the girl you want to be, or she may be the media professional you thought never existed. She’s sharp, witty, stylish and…nice. Either way you look at it, she is raising the bar and making all of us mavens look at little better on the job.

To read Sammy's AWKWARD confessions, go to http://www.awkwardisawesome.com/.

This just in: Temping is the Shiznick!

2008-09-29T22:10:00.005-04:00

Today was a pretty good day for me. It was the first day I worked for the temporary employment agency that I'd signed up for about two weeks ago. And here are a things few I've learned (already!):

If placed in the right position, temping can really be a contract-long job interview

Still, if it doesn't lead to a more permanent gig, you've at least got a few more people who can vouch for your professional integrity (if you exhibit it ;o ) And you've expanded your network

Plus, doing so solves the tricky problem of answering the interview question, "What have you been doing since you graduated/ended your last job?" HR managers, or at least the ones I've met, seem to respect the fact that you're getting your skill development hustle on instead of sitting at home on the couch...It's like in grade school, when you received an 'S' (satisfactory) for using free time wisely - for the record, I always got an 'S'. (needs improvement)/(unsatisfactory) is for suckers!!!

*Two final notes: For someone like me, who needs to stay active at all times, this is good. It keeps me from worrying/stressing/obsessing about hearing back from hiring managers of jobs I've applied to...But, a great temping firm that specializes in creative media jobs may not be available in your area. So, be...(are you ready for this?)...creative - no, scratch that, prove your ingenuity - and tell your temp agency manager about the type of companies you'd like to work at.

Spike Lee's Philosophy on Creative Works

2008-09-28T14:11:00.008-04:00

On Friday night I did as I'd said I was planning to do - went to see Spike Lee and James McBride at the New York Public Library. My sorority sister went with me - loves her :o ) And the only truly positive thing I can say about the way Mr. Lee and Mr. McBride conducted the interview (because yes, they ran it - the poor Austrian-by way of Haiti-American man who tried to lead it inevitably got shut out), was that I took away advice on a relationship to have with one's creative body of work.

When asked by the interviewer (ok, he did get a couple of questions in), what was next for him concerning Miracle at St. Anna, Mr. Lee said a premier the next night in Rome and nothing else. To paraphrase, he said that once he is done filming and launching a movie, he moves on to thinking about what he will do next because he has no time to rest on his laurels.

"Focusing on work you've already completed is not the way to get a body of 23 feature films."

Now, I can't say I much liked his attitude toward the interviewer or his crass way of explaining his dislike for the Republican party - though I agree with the sentiment - but his way of viewing his work struck a chord with me. As an (aspiring) media professional I cannot focus on accolades I may have garnered in the past if I am to be a success in the present. Because truly, that is the only place to be a success - the present. People quickly forget the past and the future is continually becoming more uncertain. Dispute me if you wish, I'd love to read it.

~The Evolving (Aspiring) Media Maven*

P.S. I hope my sorority sister will post her video and/or pictures of the event on Facebook.com soon, so that I can post them here also. I lost my camera in a taxi a few weeks ago, so that's why I have no visuals :o ( Sadness abounds about that.

Salary In Six Steps: The Conversation That Will Affect The Rest of Your Life

2008-09-27T11:44:00.005-04:00

You're in the preliminary stages of really competing for a job--meaning that the editor/publisher has called you up for a chat--and the topic of salary comes up. After combing your memory for valuable advice on how to negotiate a salary and coming up with nothing, you freeze. Is this you?

Well, it was me a few days ago, so I thought a refresher course in how to negotiate a salary was in order. Maybe it will help you out, too.

Don't Let This Be You!

1. First of all, timing is everything. The only time you should speak about salary is after they have offered you the job and before you accept. *This was my first mistake.*

2. Having a figure in mind in just not enough to begin negotiating your salary. Do research on what a typical employee in the particular area gets paid. Salary.com and payscale.com are pretty good sites. In addition, a career counselor once told me to present your salary request in the form of a $5,000 range. Start with what you should get paid, and add 5k to it.

3. Make sure you're familiar with the responsibilities of the job position, and weigh them against your experience. This will give you ammo if your new boss begins with a flat-out 'no.'

4. Always let them make the first move. If you get them to show their cards first, you stay in control. *Blunder #2 for me.*

5. Keep in mind that compensation should come in a package, and your paycheck is just one piece of that package. Ask about health benefits and vacation time. And if the company really can't offer you what you want in a salary right now, ask them when you could potentially be up for a performance review and a raise.

6. Remember, this isn't a bid for homecoming queen/king, and you're not asking for their vote for head cheerleader. What I mean to say is that salary negotiation has nothing to do with friendships or how much you want your boss to like you. You have to live off of what they're going to pay you, which in these here hard times, is going to be a challenge if you don't stand up for yourself and demand the salary that you deserve.

Review: Had I even gotten to step #1 in my crash course, I would have known that now is not the appropriate time to discuss a salary with this particular employer. However, as with everything in life, this was a lesson learned for me, even if it was the hard way. And if this job doesn't work out, I will know what to do next time. Wish me luck!

Thanks to abc.com, acetheinterview.com, valhenson.org and my wonderful Aunt J for the advice.

Recap of my week

2008-09-25T11:29:00.024-04:00

Let's look at the (Aspiring) Media Maven's "Job Search Week" in review, shall we?

Monday, September 22: Thought about how much I enjoyed my weekend. The only thing that would've made it better was having a job to go to today and daydream about it. Helped out the lady I'm staying with by typing up flyers and tickets for a gala sponsored by one of her organizations. She told me my work was worth $1000 to an un-computer savvy senior like herself. I thought, "I wish companies thought the way you do." Went to the Dominican hair shop around the corner for a $10 weekday special wash and blowout (but it was $15 for me because I have long, thick hair). Prepared for my interview the next day by researching the company and practicing a few answers to tricky questions I knew might be asked (in hindsight, I wish I'd reviewed more). And watched Gossip Girl on the CW - think what you want, but that show about rich, spoiled girls on the Upper Eastside is addictive ;o ) Oh, and took a phone call from a *certain someone* who was adamant about me watching the Heroes: Villains season premier on NBC. I tried, I really did, but that show just doesn't do it for me :o /
Tuesday, September 23: Woke up and casually got dressed. My interview wasn't until 3 p.m. and the career fair wasn't a big priority. Put on a black suit, black blouse and leopard print heels. I would've worn something else, but I lost my favorite pair of black (power) pumps at a cafe last week - no exciting story behind this, they just fell out of my bag. So, until I can afford a new pair, leopard, round-toe or flats it will be. In any case, I figured that wearing all black with one little pop accesory would be taken as personal flair, and not as unprofessional attire. Organized all of my resumes in my portfolio. There was one to hand out for sales jobs, one for marketing, one for editorial and one for media research. Hey, you never know. Thought about the new business cards I ordered. Wished that I had done so sooner. (I changed the entire design, btw. This came after a girl at a networking event said, "Oh, isn't your card cute!" I'm sure she probably didn't mean anything negative by it, but "cute" is not the image I want to portray. Let's try "professional and creative".)

Got on the subway, headed for the city and got off at Broadway and 32nd St. Stepped into a line of pure frustration, anxiety and starched business suits (well, mostly...some people need to go home and look up what to wear to career fairs). I thought the people clogging up the sidewalk were in an unorganized huddle - not a uniform line as I soon found out. Two passive agressive women directly behind me informed me of this. The tall one whispered something to the short one. The short one said, "Excuse me, but were you in line in front of us 10 minutes ago? Because I don't remember seeing you, and we've been in line since 11 a.m." (It was 12:15 p.m. at this point). I smiled, confused and said, "No, I wasn't. I just stepped off the subway." She then asked me if I was here for the career fair. I said, "yes". She informed me that the line started three blocks around the corner. (The subway stop I got off at was right outside the hotel doors - fewer than 15 people away from the front of the line.) I said I understood, they slid past me, but I didn't budge after that. You can think my actions were wrong, rude or whatever, but after looking at that line I was not going to the back if I didn't have to. I chalked it up to fortune. Some people have all sorts of advantages in life (I was just reading about this one last night) and some people have none. Today, my advantage was that I got off at the right subway stop (by H opstop-ing directions before I left the house :o ) So, after about another 15 minutes I got into the career fair. One phrase can sum it up: waste of time. I won't elaborate, and this is not a slight at Monster, but for me there was little point in attending. Mainly that was because I hadn't known the type of event it was going to be. This wasn't a professional affair; it was a general one. You see, I'd never been to a career fair outside of college or professional organization environments. And this probably comes off as snobbish, but I now understand why. For the most part, the recruiters at this one were looking to fill positions that don't require a college education. So, for me to come up in there expecting otherwise was just a disappointment to me, the recruiter trying to talk to me and a general waste of time. I did, however, talk to a nice woman about networking opportunities and earning an additional income with her company. So, what's the lesson here? Two things: (1) Find out what kind of career fair you're planning to go to. Ask for a list of the companies that will be there, and what positions they're hiring for. (2) Always try to see the silver lining in any situation. My intial idea was to walk out as soon as I realized what kind of event this was. But, I stayed a few more minutes and met a great woman who can connect me to people in the industry I'm actually interested in.

After that little boondoggle, I ate lunch with another (aspiring) media maven who I'm becoming fast friends with. We swapped stories about The Search - where we're looking, where we're getting interviews, how they're going, when we estimate the job market will loosen up, etc...Misery does love company. That saying is so true. Because, while I wish the best for everyone in the long run, it is slightly comforting to know that you're not the only one struggling out there.
When we'd talked and ate for almost two hours, we parted ways. My interview was in less than half an hour, and I didn't want to be late. Due to my paranoia about HR people and hiring mangers who troll the internet for information about prospective hires, I will not write a play-by-play of what happened next. I will, however, state that I think it went okay. I have a shot. Finally, after all of that, I met yet another (aspiring) media maven for drinks and dinner. We'd met at the ed2010.com networking event two weeks ago and I'd emailed her since. Because she graduated a year before I did and is no longer a struggling, unemployed mavenette*, I wanted to pick her brain (such a morbid phrase, ok, scratch that) get her insight about the advertising industry in the city. We had a great conversation (and great margaritas :o ). Her experience gave me hope that I'll land something. I just would like it to be sooner rather than latter...
Wednesday, September 24: Felt horrible all day. Not going to go on about it ad nauseam, but to sum it up: disconnected from the world to reevaluate my life.
Thursday, September 25: Nothing as of yet. I'm suppose to have dinner with one of my sorority sisters who is in town. She's an (aspiring) media maven too. Still doing interviews as well...Ahhh, the life of a recent liberal arts graduate :o ) Oh yeh, and I have to go by the temp agency office to show them my Social Security card. Yes, it came in the mail last week - in 10 days, just like they said it would. Also in the mail: my absentee ballot for November. I quickly filled it out and mailed it back in. If you're an (aspiring) media maven who's not living where you're registered to vote right now, you should do the same.

Friday, September 26: Plans to hear Spike Lee discuss Miracle at St. Anna at the New York Public Library. Geek, chic, exciting!!!

Well...maybe not

2008-09-22T21:58:00.004-04:00

About a week ago I wrote that media companies seem to be fairing decently after the Wall Street financial meltdown. Most of them weren't seriously backed by Lehman Brothers and the buy out of Merill Lynch to Bank of America absorbed any potential casualties there.

But, the article I linked to didn't say anything about another side of the fall out: continued historic decline in traditional advertising revenue, excelerated by the state of the economy. For that perspective, check this article out here. The small upside? National broadcast and cable television revenues are proving to be resilient.

New flair!!!

2008-09-22T12:54:00.003-04:00

As of today, I'm a member of Twenty Something Bloggers - a network of web writers in their 20s. (I think that's pretty obvious) The topics they (we) cover vary from the intellectual to asinine, and everything in between. So check us out!...Oh, and as a constant reminder of my newfound web status I've added a "badge" to the right hand column of this blog. But, because I'm an Office Space fan, I'm calling it "flair"...who moved my stapler? lol (that's right, I'm not above corniness, people :o )

Failures in communication

2008-09-20T12:55:00.002-04:00

I came across this when surfing the web this morning. Probably insentitive of me, but this is hilarious! Let this be a warning of what NOT to do for all ad production people out there:

If you find this amusing, check out 180 more (and counting) failures in communication at Fail Blog.

Great Read for (Aspiring) TVNewsers

2008-09-19T12:44:00.005-04:00

I found this article when I was cleaning out my email inbox today. If you're a TV news kid, you may find it helpful.

Great Read for Aspiring TVNewsers
ANZIO WILLIAMS
News Director, KCRA-TV NBC

When it comes to tough crowds, it doesn't get any tougher than KCRA news director Anzio Williams. Williams, a rock star in the news business, has a reputation for hiring only the best and turning weak stations into ratings leaders. We talked to him about demo tapes and preparing for the big interview.

How much time do you devote to watching a demo tape?
I usually know in about 16 seconds whether I'm going to continue watching. If there is something I like, I keep watching. If not, I will stop.
How many stories should be on a demo tape?
There is no magic number when it comes to the number of stories on your tape.
So, what catches your eye immediately?
The first thing I look for is subjective. This is a subjective business... so you have to look the part, be attractive. This is TV. It’s not radio. I look for a look we may not have at that time.
Your tape has to speak for you when you can't. I'm watching live shots for someone who can handle breaking news without stumbling. Someone who can go on and on for a minute or two about a story…I'm looking for the type of questions you ask. Most reporters don’t realize it, but I can tell what kind of questions you ask by the type of bites you use in your package. That tells me if you can interview. I look for short, tight writing…someone who can take a big story and tell it in 1:30 or less. The bar has been raised in our business. We need tighter, faster writers. That’s what I look for. This is a competitive business. I need to know that you are competitive. You need to show that on your demo tape.The demo tape is kind of like your greatest hits. Everyone has them. But don’t be taken off guard if I call and ask you to send me what you did Friday or last Wednesday…in other words recent stuff. I want to see what you do on a regular basis. For instance, I hired one of our current reporters, in part, because of the kind of live shots he had on his tape. He had a lot of active live shots, with movement and creativity.
How aggressive should you be when pursuing a news director?
If I’m interested, you’ll hear from me. I'm not going to say don't email or call, but if I'm not interested, I may not return either. Sometimes I do respond.
What do you want to hear during the interview or during an initial phone conversation?
I want to know what your plans are for your career. I want to know where you see yourself in 10 years. I want to know why you’re in this business. I need you be a communicator on every level. I may ask you what your current news director would say about you and your work. If you don't have a perception of what other people think about your work, you can’t work for me.
I'm really looking for cues that you are coachable and how you take criticism. I think about whether I'm going to have to tell you something once or over and over again. You have to have personality and be a good communicator across the board.
Any advice for diverse candidates?
Be excellent at what you do in this business. Imagine yourself as a sponge soaking up information. KCRA’s parent company, Hearst-Argyle, has made a huge commitment to diversity and is one of the best companies to work for in that regard. Take advantage of all opportunities and network as much as possible. I understand diversity and this company understands that if you don’t have a diverse staff, you can’t properly cover a diverse community. I value contrast of people. In my newsroom, people who think differently than I do aren't afraid to voice how they feel. That’s important and I consider those people good journalists.

Got questions? We have answers! E-mail your questions to the nation’s top news directors at talkback@diversitydemos.com

http://www.diversitydemos.com/ask-the-director.php
Christopher E. Nelson
NABJ Student Representative
WJZ-TVBroadcast
Apprenticecenelson08@gmail.com
cenelson08@yahoo.com

Brand Yourself!

2008-09-18T15:55:00.003-04:00

I wish I could take cred for this fabulous advice, but it was actually the Aspiring Media Maven herself who put me on. She called today to tell me about free business cards from vistaprint.com. Yes, I did say free. And with all of the job interviews and career fairs we're bound to end up at, these are a great way to seal the package when you sell yourself to employers. If you're looking to update your business cards, or if you've never had any before (like me...I know, I should be ashamed), you can make a brand of your name for less than $6. That's what I call spending smart :-)

They're available for a very limited time only, so sprint to http://www.vistaprint.com/ for details.

NYC Monster Career Fair

2008-09-18T02:12:00.001-04:00

Speaking of branding yourself and career fairs, Monster is having one in Manhattan next week. Check it out if you're in the area and still (aspiring) to get that first job, like me :o )

New York Job Fair
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Radisson Martinique On Broadway Hotel
49 WEST 32ND STREET
New York, NY 10001
Get directions or call 212-736-3800

An Art Deco kinda' year

2008-09-16T11:12:00.009-04:00

Today I had some time to kill between an interview and the NAMIC career fair. So, I did what any single girl in the City with dreams of being Carrie Bradshaw would do. I visited the New York Public Library at Bryant Park. I'd never been inside, even though I've passed by numerous times (and taken a picture in front of the lions :* ) But I'd always meant to go, and felt like it was my bibliophilic duty to do so. Aside from being a beautiful marble palace with corridor after corridor of subject-specific mini libraries, it was a quiet oasis on a busy metropolitan street. And I wish I could say I chose one of those rooms and curled up with a good book for an hour, but I didn't.

The woman at the information desk - very nice by the way - excitedly implored me to join the Art Deco Design: Rhythm and Verve discussion, "Starting now, just beyond those glass doors!" Now, if you knew me, you'd know that I'm not an art aficionado, but that I am a lover of trying new things. I visit museums frequently, but I've rarely - if ever - participated in a curator's (or in this case, art librarian's) discussion of an exhibit. So, I figured I'd give it a try...and I loved it!

The curator made a case for the undervalued art style. She framed it with events of the decades the pieces were created, and her story made me think deeper about our current time, economic and social trends. Back then - 1919 to 1939 - Europe, and the U.S. in a uniquely American way, went through boom, bust and rebuilding periods. French couturiers bankrolled the design of everyday items, like wallpaper, to entice the rich to resume purchasing luxury goods during the bust. As the curator said, "Even Matisse did some carpet work." This circumstance reminded me of a story I read a few months ago on the "Luxury-Magazine Bubble" that's predicted to pop amidst the current recession.

Right now, everyone is having to reinvent themselves - "do carpet work" - to make it. As a recent graduate, I did have a small sense of that fabled Millennial Generation entitlement - minus the stereotypically horrible work ethic and unrealistic salary expectations. However, I've had to quickly let that go through this humbling job search. I still have high ideals of what American journalism/media is suppose to be, and great expectations for myself in it, but right now I'd really just like to pay a bill. One more thing on the discussion: the curator said that a lot of the works artists created during this movement - pop culturish and apparently not MOMA-worthy - have now been turned into "bastardized" design imitations found on department store junior apparel. Her phrasing and stuffy art world disdain for the common made me laugh (Target is awesome!!!), but I extracted a warning out of it.

Never let others undervalue your work to the point that it can be turned into a "bastardized" version of your original intentions.

Don't lower your overall standards during this rough time; you'll regret it later if you do.

You're not the only one

2008-09-15T16:21:00.009-04:00

First off, sorry I haven't blogged in a week. I took a temporary break to check on some other important aspects of my life - namely career (interviews), friends (guys :o ) and family (Hurricane Ike devastating the Gulf Coast). So, since everything in those areas is now manageable I'm back!

I've definitely gotten past the whining phase of job hunting. No more, "Why is this happening to me?" "Why do all my friends have jobs and I don't?" "Doesn't God still love me and want me to be financially stable?"

THERE ARE SO MANY MORE IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE WORLD BESIDES MYSELF!!!

And before you form an opinion of me, yes, I already knew this. I just needed a perspective check.

Today, for instance, I went to the Social Security Administration office to get a replacement SS card and realized how fortunate I am to be a native of a country with a stable government and economic system. Notice I didn't write economy. That sucks here right now. To even be allowed entrance to the room where the customer service reps were I had to stand in an incredibly long line for an hour. Then I went through a metal detector, went upstairs and had to wait in another line for 10 minutes. While I waited I listened to stories people at the windows were telling the reps. Most had recently immigrated from countries in Africa, South America or Eastern Europe. Half had problems communicating with the reps because they and/or the reps didn't speak "perfect" American English. Another fourth were turned away and told to "try again" because they had incorrect or incomplete application documents. I thought to myself, "Why would people go through all this hassle for a flimsy paper card? For that matter, why would they take such a big life gamble - moving to a new country with limited knowledge of the culture and not a lot of resources (I'm just assuming here)?" The answer, of course, is always to gain a better foothold in life than the one they had before, whether that be through education or employment...

Also today, the proverbial shit*ake mushrooms hit the fan at Lehman Brothers. Not a big concern if you don't follow Wall Street or invest outside of a 401k. But a life-altering concern if you work(ed?) there. A couple of people from an organization I'm an alumna of were directly affected. Imagine graduating from one of the nation's best universites in May, with the assurance that you'll start a job at a prestigious 158-year-old investment firm in late summer - way more job security than any media job ever can give, only to be let go a couple of months later. Back in the job market. The words of my boyfriend this morning: "You know how they say it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all? Somehow I don't think it's the same with jobs. That sucks." Yes, yes my friends, that does suck.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, in light of my thoughts on those topics, I've moved on to 'fierce warrior mode'. Tonight I'm going to a Ed2010.com networking event, tomorrow an interview and the NAMIC Diversity in Communication Career Expo and Wednesday another informational interview. Let's get it!

*UPDATE:

Lehman Brothers's employees may not be out of a job yet. A foreign company may soon bail them out. Yay for them :o )
In other news, the Social Security office still has slow lines and somewhat peeved workers :o /
But entertainment companies are doing just fine, thank you. None of them were heavily financed by the sinking company.

Rejected but confused: How to Ask, "Why?"

2008-09-05T12:09:00.004-04:00

Today, after being told I wasn't selected for yet another job offer (I write that like I've been rejected for a million, but that's not true), I went online to learn how to word an email asking, "why?" Here are two places I found my answer:

Get Interview Feedback - Artbistro.com: it's Mediabistro.com, but for artists!

Ask a Manager blog: I love this site!!! It answers all the questions I've wanted to ask and should really know the answer to, in a great tone that I like. I'm sure the woman who writes it is a good manager (and if she's hiring, I'm here - call me :o )

Check them out for yourself, maybe you'll learn something.

The HR Black Box

2008-09-04T09:46:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I went into the city (a.k.a. Manhattan) to eat lunch with a former manager of mine. I hadn't seen her in more than a year, so that was one reason to go. Plus, I wanted to make sure that she still likes me - you know, enough to give me a glowing recommendation to any potential employer who may ask ;o )

Anyway, we had a good conversation over sandwiches and salads (no soup - it was too hot outside for warm and too cool inside for cold). She told me about all the employee shake-ups that had occurred since I left. It was unbelievable how fast things change in a few months in a corporate environment. Talk about stability? There is none. Change is constant and stagnation is death. We also discussed the media industry as a whole. She said that a lot of her friends at other companies around town are in bad shape themselves. Basically, everyone is just trying to hold on to their jobs amidst ripples of layoffs everywhere one looks.

Then we hit upon the "HR Black Box" topic - which is something that frustrates me to no end.

[Warning: You are now entering the blogger's personal rant section, followed by sound advice.]

Why is it that all - meaning most, and everyone I've applied to for the past two years - HR departments require you to submit your resume into an online system with information that ends up who knows where? I mean, for all I know, the staff could be checking it once a month just to clear it out! Is anyone actually looking at those resumes? I mean, there must be at least a thousand submitted each day at some of these companies. Who looks through all of them? How can they?!?

I bring this up because I'd applied for a position at a company I use to work at, in the same department I worked in, for the same manager I use to work for...AND MY APPLICATION DIDN'T EVEN GET SENT TO THE HIRING MANAGER FOR REVIEW. You would think that someone reading my application would look at it and at least think, "Hey, this might be a decent candidate for the manager to review, since they use to work together in the same capacity as would be now." But no. The manager later told me that she never even knew I'd applied (and before anyone comments, I'd already tried to contact her personally, but she was on vacation).

So, what's the deal HR people? Why do things like this happen? What more can I do to stand out in an applicant pool of 3 million? Anything? Nothing? I don't know...but, someone thinks they do: The Standout Job Candidate is an article that suggest tips on how not to get lost in HR neverland. Good luck!

May cause false advertising

2008-09-02T19:29:00.004-04:00

Here's an excerpt from an interesting article I read today. Check out the full article too:

Pfizer Is the Leading Expert In Getting Around Prescription Drug Advertising Rules

"Drug maker Pfizer is responsible for saving, let's say, millions of lives.
Many of their drugs do really nice things for people, like help them go to the bathroom, keep complicated breast cancer survivors chugging along, and let old people and party boys get it on. But like any pill pusher, Pfizer cares more about its bottom line than patient health, which is why they're such an easy case study for Ways The Pharmaceutical Industry Misleads The Public...Can we really blame Pfizer for its advertising practices? Sure, but that'd be like blaming capitalism for all the world's woes. The FDA sets the rules for drug advertising, and it should be expected that a company with a market cap of nearly $130 billion is going to do everything in its power to get around the rules if it means buffering the bottom line. So how to keep companies like Pfizer honest? Stop crossing our fingers thinking they'll do it on their own — and start valuing patient health more than shareholder interests by passing stricter advertising rules." ~Jossip*

Spice up my life!

2008-09-02T12:28:00.006-04:00

Today I'm feelin' pretty good about life. I've begun to realize that I cannot accurately plan for every bump in the road to my success, and that's okay. I can only plan what I'm going to do about an initial plan not working out - and keep plugging along until I get where I want to be. These past few weeks I've been so worked up about finding a job, to the point that I've been losing sleep, eating poorly and having bad dreams when I do get some shut-eye.

But toward the end of last week I decided that my approach was counter-productive at best and downright self-destructive at worse. After all, what was making myself ill going to do to increase the chance of landing a job? After a long period of that behavior, I'd probably finally get a full-time gig only to faint and be hospitalized on the first day of work! So, I signed up for Salsa dance lessons. Really simple. I realized that I need a stress relieving release from the madness that I'm going through day in and day out. I love to dance :o ) Plus, I need to divert my attention away from my problems sometimes. And tonight is my first night of it. I'm so excited!!!

After I committed to doing something fun, I loosened up all around. On Sunday night I went dancing with some friends and met a lot of cool young professionals. One of the guys I met told me about an opening at his company that seems right up my alley. When he told me, it also sunk in that I've been blocking vital networking opportunities by being totally engrossed in the search. Now that I'm learning to be more patient and accepting, I'm feeling better. And things are going my way again. In fact, I have an interview tomorrow that I'm very excited about. So, now I'm off to study up on the company, get my hair done (gotta' look super together) and plan my outfit for class tonight. Viva la vida!

~La Experta (Ambiciosa) de Medios*

Portland, Maine may lose its newspaper :o (

2008-08-30T18:20:00.002-04:00

Overnight Celebrity

2008-08-30T13:11:00.005-04:00

Here's a link to a blog that has become tremendously popular overnight for its coverage of Alaskan politics. I, like several other voting age Americans I'm sure, was on the Internet searching for more information on the Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin when I came across it. So far, the blog has received attention from the Chicago Tribune company and several other political bloggers.

Mudflats
Tiptoeing through the muck of Alaskan politics

Its recent claim to fame goes to show that blogging about a topic you love, no matter how insignificant it may seem to...I don't know, people in the 49 other United States of America...can payoff given the right conditions.

So, yay! for a now much more exciting national political race. And yay! for new media reporting. It should be noted that the blogger wrote that he'll be going to Wasilla - Palin's former mayorialship - during the Labor Day weekend to take photos and get local reaction. This is a good example of a one-man-band doing a job formerly performed by working journalists backed by company money. I say, good for him.

But, from a media business model standpoint: how can you make people pay for news that someone else (i.e. this blogger) will gather for free because he loves the subject matter that much?

CNN's coverage of the DNC

2008-08-29T11:29:00.011-04:00

Last night, like a lot of Americans, I watched Senator Barack Obama accept the Democratic Party's nomination for 2008 presidential candidacy - the first black person ever to do so. As a woman whose grandparents met on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala. and whose family lived through much of the struggle of the civil rights movement in this country, I was greatly moved by the occasion. Not only did he make a great speech in front of thousands of people in Denver; he also made it on such an auspicious day - the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. For me, this will definitely be a mark in the history of my generation: right along side 9/11. I'll remember it always, and tell my children about it as my mother told me about watching the first moon landing on TV.

Ok, enough waxing poetic. Down to my review of CNN's* convention coverage:

Great use of multimedia

As a person whose laptop is an extension of her arm, I appreciated that viewers could follow the coverage on TV and online simultaneously. CNN.com was streaming the event while the channel had to cut to commercial break, which was great for political junkies who didn't want to miss a minute but couldn't afford a plane ticket to Colorado.

There's a researcher who did their job, but could've done better

During each night of the coverage there was a fact graphic scrolling in the bottom left corner of the screen. While it was neat to find out that 12 presidential candidates in history were younger than Obama at the time of candidacy and that the main stage stadium could seat 76,000 people according to fire marshal code, there were not enough facts presented to warrant a continous scroll for four days! I understand, it's CNN, creator and expert of the 24-hour news update. But, is it really an update if your audience is likely the same group of people four nights in a row? Maybe I'm far off base; maybe the channels viewership research for the event says differently. But I would venture to say that a significant portion of viewers watched a little bit every night and would've appreciated a greater assorment of tidbits. But kudos on the scroll concept :o )

Questionable ethical treatment of news event

So, by now you might've guessed that CNN is my favorite TV news station. In fact, it states that at the bottom of this post (see asterik*). But, in all fairness, I have to call out something that is questionable in my opinion. One of the points that the commentators kept noting is the large number of people engaged in the historic event. A neat thing they did was show footage of self-organized viewing parties around the country. That was fine, in fact, it was smart. It made me feel connected to my fellow countrymen in a way that just seeing on-site footage could not. However, they also showed footage of people gathered in Times Square, NYC to watch the channel's coverage on the humongo screens there. One commentator said that CNN had gathered them there, which leads me to believe that it was not an organic event. Now, you might say, "But I've been to Times Square. Tourist stand around and stop to look at anything with flashing lights!" Yeh, I know, I've been one of those tourists. But, this was different. This was planned news coverage, partially of an event that the news channel created...I don''t know, maybe I'm asking too much of TV news. But I'm tired of "straight news" channels creating their own news. (And I want to be in media marketing? I know, it's crazy.)

Possible liberal biasis

So, it's no secreat that CNN has some liberal ideals. But, an interesting thing that I didn't notice that was pointed out to me was the choice of commentators used. Most of them were stated or evident Democrats. I assume that its commentators next week will include Lou Dobbs. Plus, CNN seemed to really do a great job of playing up the grandiose setting of the event...I'm not going to pass judgement on this issue yet. It'd be unfair. However, I do hope that the channel's coverage of the GOP's convention will be as spectacular. Let's hope so. If not, I may have to turn to Fox News to get the best from that side :o /

*You may ask, "Why CNN?" and I'll tell you: it's because I like its content format and viewpoint most times. I'm a blogger, not an objective working journalist, so don't come at me if you don't like the network. Loves ya'! ~The (Aspiring) Media Maven*

Would-be sports writers need to know the score

2008-08-27T14:05:00.002-04:00

According to a well-known sports journalist, there's no future for his kind in the traditional newsroom.

Mariotti quits Sun-Times, says sports journalism is "a website business"
Chicago Tribune Chicago Sun-TimesSports columnist Jay Mariotti says he decided to quit after 17 years at the Sun-Times because it became clear while in China that sports journalism has become "entirely a website business. There were not many newspapers there." He adds that most of the journalists covering the Games were "there writing for Web sites." Mariotti says he's talking with "a lot of websites" and adds that the future of his business "sadly is not in newspapers." Reaction from Sun-Times readers. ~Romenesko*

Political Party Parties

2008-08-26T22:44:00.008-04:00

*Notice to All Readers: If you're not watching the Democratic National Convention this week, you should be. Political news is one of the most intricate and juicy areas of media (in my opinion). Have you ever actually stopped flipping through the channels and landed on C-Span? A Hollywood catfight has nothing on an angry senator arguing about a propsed bill. Plus, the issues discussed affect all areas of our lives in some way. And don't think it ends this week: next week, watch the Republican National Convention.

Yes, I wrote it: watch both. Research both candidates, no matter your affiliation. Be informed.

And to get you started, here are links:

Advice to get you through the week

2008-08-25T09:11:00.007-04:00

Happy Monday, Media Mavens!

I know, I know. I hate Mondays, too. Luckily, this morning before I pound the virtual pavement in pursuit of a job, I was perusing the Web and found this encouraging tidbit at Ed2010. It's an interview with Seventeen In-Chief Ann Shoket. I swear, she spoke to me:

"The job market is brutal. It’s so important to just get a job—even something that’s only vaguely related to the industry—because you need to be learning [...] I started out at The American Lawyer magazine. It wasn’t my passion to write about law, but I learned a lot and worked incredibly hard."

So, I'm heading to Miami later this week (because that's where I really want to be) to see what the Gateway to the Americas has to offer me. I've gone from magazines, to PR, and now I have a friend with contacts in broadcast down there. The question is, could I work in television? According to her advice, Ms. Shoket seems to think so.

Read the rest of her words of wisdom at Ed2010.

Wall Street may like media again

2008-08-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

"Either someone at Harbinger Capital Partners knows something the rest of us don't, or they're just hoping that saying so will make something true. Despite months of reports about the NYT Co. declining stocks and calls for it to cut its dividends Harbinger, which holds a 20% stake in the company, has reportedly been shelling out cash in the belief that the Times stock will be heading "north" in the near-ish future." ~fishbowlNY*

I hope this is a harbinger of positive things to come. The Lord knows we need some positive reinforcement from the cool kids on the Street. Read the rest here.

New York, New York

2008-08-23T10:29:00.012-04:00

Now that my prospects in other cities seems to have been exhausted (I can't even get a decent interview in my home state capital - sadness abounds), I can finally write this.

Last week, I packed up as many of my things as I could fit into 2 suitcases, 2 carry-ons and moved to the Big Apple!

I had been contemplating it for some time previously. I just had to work up the courage to actually go through with it. Then, after my only bad interview ever in life, I definitively decided that home (i.e. Georgia outside of Atlanta) wasn't for me right now...or probably any time in the foreseeable future. My brain already knew, but a piece of my heart had been holding on to the notion that I could be unbiasedly successful and happy in familiar places.

So, what makes a 22-year-old from South Georgia think she can land a job in the media capital of the world? Here are a few things:

I'd previously established connections with NYC HR people in my field before I got here

I had at least 5 job leads going in, with interviews already set up when I touched down

I interned at the largest media & entertainment conglomerate in the U.S. last summer

My resume is pretty decent

I have some time to play with: family friends agreed to let me board at their home and my parents agreed to financially support me during my "transitional phase"

I have a number of friends and associates who live here

I know it was a big decision. But I think I'm experiencing some emotional dissonance because everyone keeps reminding me how big a deal it is and I don't feel it yet. Sure, I left my boyfriend 800 miles away to finish his last year at Georgia Tech. And sure I'd love to be closer to my aging grandparents who live in Alabama. And of course I wish I could be there to help my church chart its new direction and be a mentor for the youth. But right now I'm putting my goals first because I feel I have a higher purpose than just getting any job. I really want to make a difference in the media landscape one day, and I know I need to start in an area where there is room for growth...Ok, enough preaching. Here's a link to an ed2010.com letter about what I'm going through: Can I get a job in New York if I don't live there yet? I promise I didn't write it :o ) But the answer does support my move.

Tips for the Limited Job Search

2008-08-20T20:53:00.003-04:00

So, remember last week when I dished out advice on job searching in the magazine industry? Well, Monster.com's Peter Vogt recently wrote a column about The Geographically Limited Job Search. Of course, never one for limitations myself, I much prefer the advice of Allan Hoffman in his piece, Moving Without a Job? It's perfect for the twentysomething who doesn't mind flying by the seat of their discount designer denim. Either way, both writers offer sound advice on successfully searching for that first job.

On another note: more interviews tomorrow. Wish me luck and say a prayer ;o )

New Moderator in the House!!!

2008-08-19T16:33:00.004-04:00

Hello all,

Today I became a moderator for a really cool new journalism message board. It's call 20SJ, or Twentysomething Journalist. It's simply a place where aspiring media professionals (like me and probably you, if you're reading this ;o ) can get together to discuss the industry. Plus, you can swap job info. - who's hiring, who's not. And - the best part - it's grammer Nazi free!!! Trust me, I read one post where a grammatist totally got shut down. So check it out, and feel free to type as you speak (but only if you speak decently. I mean, we're journalists - not translators).

P.S. Copy Editors are welcome, from what I understand...I think the main caveat, though, is that you have to seperate work from casual message board (*read: do not chop up my message board posts like you do my stories every night after last read).

She shoots, she scores!

2008-08-18T15:36:00.003-04:00

Cue the dramatic music. Pan to still shot of Tyra with two photos in her hands, looking solemn.

You, DeShaun Harris, are still in the running to become the Next Top (job title).

In my last post, I was freaking out about the impression a desperate email left on the hiring manager at a national magazine. Long story, short: I'd been counted out of an applicant pool because I wasn't a local candidate and I bypassed the chain of command to get to the decision maker. This morning, I received a phone call from the hiring manager to let me know that she'd really been moved by note and would allow me to interview regardless. (Score!)

So, what have I learned from this? Sometimes it pays to take a bold step to get what you want. You'll never know if you don't try. Plus, it's also good to patch up any hurt feelings you may have caused when everything is said and done. After writing the email to the hiring manager, I went back and thanked the gatekeeper for all her help as well. Afterall, she wasn't trying to exclude me for personal reasons; she was just doing her job in the most efficient manner possible - keeping the gate.

Now I just have to go in and blow them away with my interview. It's later this week. As always, wish me luck (and pray for me :o )

~The Hopeful (Aspiring) Media Maven*

Too much?

2008-08-16T12:06:00.006-04:00

Is it a bad idea to contact a hiring manager directly, bypassing the gatekeeper, if you've made protocol attempts previously and you really want the job?

Yesterday was a very stressful day in my job search. Stressful to the point that I temporarily decided to stop searching (you know, just for the weekend). I'd gotten my hopes up about a position at a publishing company that I'd really like to work for. I'd spoken with the person currently in the position. They seemed to like me for the job. I'd bought a copy of the current issue of the magazine. It grew on me. I did like me for the job. And everything seemed to be going smoothly. I'd just need to interview with the hiring manager.
Here is where things started heading south.
I was all set to do this, when I got an email stating that I couldn't interview for the position any longer because I can't do an in-person interview before Wednesday. At this point, I was totally frustrated. Remember what I wrote the other day about location/relocation? Well, it seems to be more important than anything else for an entry-level position. Especially in New York, the "it" place for the business side of media and entertainment in this country (LA has production, D.C. has political updates, other places fall in line w/niche categories). NYC is where I want to be right now. It's where I'm headed on Wednesday. And it's where, unfortunately, I wouldn't be interviewing for my dream entry-level position because the hiring process there can do a full-run in 24 hours. Here is where things get tricky.
So, I took my frustration and tried to think about the situation logically. Plus, I added in a pinch of bravado to give my response some kick. What if I emailed the hiring manager with a short, bulleted list of why she should interview me sight unseen? After all, what's the worst that could happen?...So, I did. I sent her an email (basically begging) to be allowed a phone interview before she makes a final decision. I laid out that I would be in the city Wednesday morning, that I'd add a fresh perspective, etcetera, etcetera.
Then the wheels began to turn and self-doubt trickled in.

What if my disregard of screening protocol is viewed as flagrant disrespect, and not for the one last (albeit desperate) attempt to land this good gig that it really is? What if the hiring manager tells the corporate hr person and I'm blacklisted from interviewing for other positions with the company? Ahhhh!!! I don't know. Confusion surrounds me :o (

So, what do you think: Is it a bad idea to contact a hiring manager directly, bypassing the gatekeeper, if you've made protocol attempts previously and you really want the job?

Day in the Life: BeeCee

2008-08-16T10:23:00.022-04:00

Greetings, Journalism Junkies!

Okay, so I've been trying to post this edited video for the past day, and blogger hates me! You'll have to settle for the low-tech version of my musings, but if you read ahead I promise you won't be disappointed ;-)

August 15, 2008

Hello Media World:

In an attempt to make up for my extended absence, I wanted to give a *sneak peak* of what it's like to be...ME! Yes ladies and gents, I have returned with an exciting VLOG filmed right here in the ATL (except that you won't really see ATL because I'm in my car the entire time--err, details). For anyone watching, please know that I do not usually risk my life by recording video in my car during rush hour, but there are people who will regularly attempt to consume an entire value meal from Wendy's while they drive. Oh, and please excuse the unflattering camera angles.

But first, a little background info...
As if the journalism powers that be can actually hear my musings, I got the chance to meet with my boss today and get a firsthand account of what it's like to be a freelancer...it wasn't pretty. I met her at her home office today to do some transcription (I know, the life of a PR intern is so glam), but it turns out I couldn't actually do that because her adorable four-year-old had erased some very important interviews with some scientists who work for the CDC (yes, CDC is one of her clients). When I walked through the door, she was in the middle of a nervous breakdown. After about an hour of listening to her talk to the customer service peeps for Olympus (the co. that manufactures her recorder), she concluded that the interviews had indeed been lost forever. Mental note: those J-school profs were right--ALWAYS take notes. And good ones, too.

Anyway, I also listened to a phone call she had with another client in the home entertainment industry (clear your naughty minds, I'm talking about movie rentals). That convo wasn't so pretty, either. Who knew movie rental PR could be so...political? To make a long story short (or actually to make a short story long), the client wants her to interview another source to replace the main guy in the story. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, they basically want her to redo the story. After leaving my boss’s house, I checked my voice mail to find out that I had a message from this doctor that I’m supposed to interview next week for a story I’m writing for Today’s Chiropractic Lifestyle. Well, this guy is an absolute trip! To find out the rest, just press play on the videos…

Icahn Strikes Again!...Kinda'

2008-08-15T10:33:00.008-04:00

I promise that once I find a job I will post more news stories and commentary. So, in good faith, here is a link to a Reuters story about changes in Yahoo!'s board of directors today:

Yahoo Board Adds Icahn Nominees Chapple, Biondi

If you don't know anything about Carl Icahn, maybe you should. He's legendary in the dirty game of corporate raiding (sounds like the beginning to a sleazy novel, right?) Plus, he has a great interest in media and entertainment companies. Last summer, I heard his name more than once on the executive floor at my internship. Here's a link to his Wikipedia entry:

Carl Icahn on Wikipedia.org

His hand stays in the cookie jar.

Interview Tips for the Jobless

2008-08-14T09:39:00.007-04:00

Good Morning,
Today I'm preparing for an interview with a publishing company that I'd really like to work for. As I've been getting ready, I've found a few websites that outline what you should do for phone, first round and second round interviews. I'd thought that my readers would like to know the highlights, so here they are:

Do your research!
Prepare and practice
Smile :o )
Don't interrupt
Talk 1/3rd; Listen 2/3rds
Accentuate the positive; downplay the negative
Ask follow-up questions
Diplomatically avoid or answer THE SALARY QUESTION
Write thank you letters
Check back in

For more advice, visit any of these websites:

I want to work for...myself?!?

2008-08-11T15:24:00.004-04:00

...and the job search continues. *sigh*

Many apologies for my lack of presence lately, but I've been diligently searching for a long-term position while holding down this part-time gig in the PR field. So, crawl up with your keyboard, and let's catch up!

For starters, the last time you heard from me, I was beginning the interview process for a job in D.C. that was just that--a job. It was three-sentence news stories and writing at a break-neck pace. It was suit-and-tie and in-the-office-by-7-a.m. It was...well, it wasn't me. I took the first step in beginning a happy yet somewhat destitute life by e-mailing the editor and telling her that I wasn't really interested in the position. I know, I felt daring, I felt adventurous, I felt...still unemployed and uninsured (please don't tell Hillary).

So the next bump in the road came last week when I got a call-back from a company in Miami to which I had sent my resume and some clips. The assistant editor got me all in a tizzy with a 30 min. conversation only to call back the next day and say they are only considering in-state applicants. Just when I had thought everything was coming together, it all turned out to be a tease. This sent me into hiding for a few days, during which I only wore pajamas, guzzled riesling and watched reality t.v.

But I am happy to say that another option has presented itself to me last night while I was painting my nails and watching George Lopez. Why not create a job? Why not build my own career? I've been freelancing for two years now. I love writing but hate the politics of the newsroom, so this would be the perfect opportunity for me! I jumped up to find a notepad and pen so that I could make a list of pros and cons. This is what I came up with:

Pros
+ I can choose what I want to write about.
+I can make my own schedule.
+I can work on a variety of projects.

Cons
-I have to be REALLY organized.
-Will I be able to find steady work.
-Oh, yeah, I still need to get insurance.

The columns turned out even. So I'm still debating this new career path. What do you think?

Freelance writing resources that MAY help me out:

The Muse Online Writer's Conference: It's a free (yeah, gratis) online conference for freelancers. Registration deadline is Sept. 1
http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com/

The Blay Report: created by one of my all-time favorite writers/freelancers and journalistic inspiration, Zandile Blay. She's worked for Vibe, Seventeen, InStyle and Teen People just to name a few. Lady Z fuses her love of journalism and fashion as a global style + culture writer. Did I mention she's also a stylist herself? I admit it, I'm totally geeked. Think I could follow in her footsteps?
http://blayreport.blogspot.com/

Writer's Market: I think this could help me ease some of my financial worries about plunging into the uncertain world of freelancing. It even has a 'personal dashboard' to help keep you organized. Minor minus: subscription isn't free (but it's only $3.99/month).
http://www.writersmarket.com/

Art of Landing a Job @ a Magazine

2008-08-10T21:32:00.011-04:00

I'm no expert, but I've worked as an editorial assistant and I've learned a few things during my recent (ongoing, call me ;o ) job search. Here they are:

1. Network, network, network!
The way I got my second job as an editorial assistant was by knowing a man who is a friend of the editor-in-chief. I had blindly applied for the position, but my former boss later told me that she had been skeptical of my skills written on my resume. I guess she underestimated me because of my youth. Regardless, unbeknown to me, she contacted a mutual friend (of sorts) who she then asked about me. Because he knew what I was capable of, and we'd shared a few laughs together at different events, he readily told her that I was perfect for the job. The next day, I was hired and my boss told me the story. That was a roundabout example, but it proves that you never know where your help may come from.

2. Maintain contact with gatekeepers, movers-and-shakers.
I'm guilty of half-way not following my own advice on this one. There have definitely been cases when I regretted not keeping in touch with administrative assistants and project managers/coordinators. They know a lot about office politics and oftentimes control who gets on a manager's calender and who doesn't. These are great people to call when you want to know if a person still works there, if a job is about to open up or when someone will be on vacation. However, I've done a pretty good job at keeping in touch with a few key decision makers. These individuals aren't directly in charge of hiring, but they have lots of pull. If they really like you and want you around, they'll get you a much needed interview or facilitate the creation of a space for you within the organization ;o )

3. Be ready to start the job the day after the interview.
Man, have I ever learned this one!!! I'd been told this several times before, but I'm just starting to realize how true this is. Media is a creative industry, very little like investment banking. At the end of your average magazine or broadcast (often unpaid) internship, no one is going to offer you a job to begin a year later and take you on a trip to Disney World...But that would sure be nice...No, a lot of time, editors and directors don't make hiring decisions until two days past desperate for someone to fill the job. So be ready. In fact, if you're really on top of things: arrive at the interview with your laptop, radio and office plant (j/k).

4. Live in the city that you want to work in, or relocate now.
No matter the size or reputation of the company, no matter the amount of specialization the position requires, they are going to want to see you in person before they give you the job. Now, you may be thinking, "Of course, DeShaun. That's a given!" But, in the past, I've gotten internships without ever having seen my intern manager before my first day of work. How you ask? Probably by following suggestion #1. Anyway, unless you have lots of money to spend on travel and lodging arrangements (and how many aspiring media mavens in their 20s do?), you should look for jobs in your area. If the jobs you want aren't in your area, make them - meaning, move to where the jobs are. I have a friend of a friend who was looking for a television writing job in Georgia. Georgia? I think you can recognize the problem there. She moved to Los Angeles, and within a few weeks found a job with a studio. It's not rocket science: for an entry-level job in media, it's not likely that a company will cover relocation costs or smile kindly upon being made to wait for you to schedule a flight to interview. Believe me, I've got stories. So do yourself a favor and follow the industry or interest specificity.

5. Follow up, follow up, follow up...and follow up again!
Some may consider this nagging or stalking. I call it being persistent, if you do it correctly. Find out who makes the decisions and when they make them. Get their contact information and create a follow-up spreadsheet. Write down the date you applied, who you talked to and what they told you. Then, check the spreadsheet regularly to see how many days has passed since you last spoke. This way you can gauge how often you're contacting them and who you're speaking to (so you won't be that bothersome applicant who no one wants to talk to). Keep calling and emailing until you get their attention in the form of an interview or notice that the job has been filled. Make sure to thank everyone who helped in the process. The last thing you want to do is make them feel like they've been harassed by your correspondence.

6. Go to media events. Join professional organizations.
The best contacts I've made in media have been people I met through the National Association of Black Journalists or at media events. In fact, I heard about the Magazine Publishers of America student project I did through an NABJ Student listserv. Plus, parties/events are the best.They are relaxed atmospheres where people can discuss their lives and their business. Plus, open bars and hor d'eovres all night!

7. Learn new skills that make you desirable.
You'd be surprised how impressed people are when they hear that you're learning. I talk about my blog and website in interviews all the time. Plus, I tell them about my interests in website design and search engine optimization. Maybe these things aren't your forte, but I'm sure you can think of a few things that you'd like to be better at. Investigative reporting? Multimedia reporting? Fact checking? Event planning? Something makes your eyes twinkle in anticipation of mastering. Hiring managers want to see that, and they'd love it if whatever it is can add value to their department.

8. Remain confident, remain optimistic or get out the game.
This, my friends, is what I struggle with every day. It's emotionally distressing to be a talented, college-educated individual who is told, "No" far more times than "Yes" in the employment search game. As I wrote in a previous post, you can start to doubt your abilities and past decisions. But, no one ever promised that pursuing your dreams would be easy. In Management Leadership for Tomorrow - an organization I'm an alumna of - we were always told to be SCRAPPY. Never to let rejection and set backs get us down. Failure is only failure when one fails to continue striving. So, I am continuing to strive. I will find a full-time gig in my field, with healthcare insurance (lol). So will you, if that's what you want. And if you don't have the confidence to believe so, get out now.

A Hell of a Dream

2008-08-08T09:33:00.010-04:00

Here's the thing:

I woke up this morning, dreaming about getting a phone call from one of the companies I've applied to for various positions. In it, I answer my phone in a groggy voice (I just woke up after all) and the woman on the other end asks me if I'm all right. I quickly say yes, not wanting the "all powerful HR person" to even suspect that something might be wrong with me ('does the morning daze in her voice mean she's not an excellent communicator?' 'DENIED!'). She precedes to tell me about an opportunity that just became available this morning, or late last night, who knows (oh wait, I do, because I stay on job boards like junior brokers stay on stock prices). Anyway, all of a sudden, I'm sitting up in bed and my laptop has magically appeared in my lap - turned on with the company's career website on the screen. As I read the two year internship (?) description, she tells me that it's actually a fellowship with McKinsey - the consulting firm - so I have to apply through that job board. She then tells me this is a really excellent opportunity and to name a salary. I panic. I can't make a decision on the spot. What if I say something too high and they automatically take me out of the applicant pool? Or what if I say something too low and I'm offered the job, but not able to take it because my salary isn't even enough for relocation and housing expenses?!!! I hurriedly ask her if it's o.k. to call her back with an answer in 10 minutes. She hesitantly agrees. I hang up (in the dream). I get up (in reality) and frantically look for my cell phone. Did someone really call? Why is a media company doing a fellowship with McKinsey? How did my computer end up in my lap? Should I get on it right away to look for that posting? Or should I brush my teeth first, to get rid of that morning breath? SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!

I'll skip the remaining details of my early morning freak-out. Just know that it involved many self admonitions and regrets about my choice of college major :o (

The truth is: I've been so stressed out about landing a decent paying job with health insurance that I haven't taken the time to evaluate what's really important to me. So, today i'm going to do that. I'm going to go back to the Excel spreadsheet that I created a year ago that outlines the goals I set for the next ten years of my life. Maybe then I'll regain the sense of direction that I seem to have lost around cover letter #573...Until then.

~The (Slightly Frazzled, Still Aspiring) Media Maven*

p.s. The Interview Blitz is still on! Read my next post to find out why it's more important now than ever.

Interview Blitz

2008-08-06T09:33:00.008-04:00

This past weekend I went home to drop of the remnants of my college life :o (

I have no other place to put them at the moment, as I'm technically homeless, but my boyfriend is letting me crash at his place while I job search. (My parents' house has pets, a 16-year-old and a newly retired mom who's redecorating - not exactly conducive to my needs right now.)

Anyway, at home, everyone I ran into - the postman, the neighbor, my brother's friends, the pastor, my godparents, my mom's friends, my friends, random man at the AT &T store - had the same question: So, what's next? And while that is a perfectly valid question, especially since I've always had big plans that I never hesitated to share with anyone, it makes me cringe every time I hear it now. No, I don't know what I'm going to do. No, I don't know where I'm going to live. But I do know what I want...Therefore, I'm so very glad that I'm doing an interview blitz starting today. It'll run through next week, by train and plane up and down the East coast. Wish me luck! (I'll let you know how it goes ;o )

Back from UNITY '08

2008-07-30T02:04:00.001-04:00

First Vlog Ever!!!

2008-07-20T20:11:00.003-04:00

Check out my first vlog - video blog - ever!!!

So excited ;o )

I'm Hired! ...for a little while

2008-07-20T13:02:00.003-04:00

Great news journalism junkies—I got the PR job!

Yes, yes, I begin my career as a PR assistant at 9 a.m. sharp tomorrow morning. I couldn’t help feeling all kinds of excited as I did some preliminary research about my first assignment today. My first evaluation of the job: It’s like doing all the research for a story, except I present the material in a slightly different format (I’ll be reporting to my boss of course, instead of actually writing a story). This could be comPLETEly wrong, but if it is I prefer not to know that I'm going to bungee jump from that bridge until I get there. There are a few press releases involved, which—I think—may be kind of tricky. But I think this is going to be MAJOR fun (spoken like a true dork).

Until now, I’ve been thinking about all of the differences between my past jobs and this new temporary gig. But I think what really counts is the work you put into it. Even though my resume is getting longer, I think I’ll always be that overly-eager, do-it-before-you-ask-me-to assistant/writer/editor that packs her briefcase like it’s the first day of school. And that’s okay with me.

Shhh...don't tell your journalism buddies

2008-07-15T17:58:00.003-04:00

Greetings, fellow media enthusiasts!

Hats off to my bestest and colleague for that delicious introduction. While D is off in Augusta, GA interning for media giant Morris Communications, I’ve been trekking through the cloud forests of Costa Rica teaching English to Ticos (see my other blog http://brittaneysdestination.blogspot.com/). Not exactly the next stepping stone in a media career, but what can I say? I needed a break from the cover-letter-writing, craigslist-scouring life of a recent college grad looking for the perfect job. But now I’m back, and the job search beckons once again.

So, what is the perfect job for me? After four years in college and two slices of Hawaiian pizza at Mellow Mushroom yesterday, I concluded that I still don’t know. I was on a very informal interview for a PR/writing internship in Atlanta. Granted, the job is only meant to be something to hold me over until I can find something more permanent, but…me? A PR assistant? Who’da thunk? Certainly not I, all the while writing flowery essays these past four years about changing the world by practicing ‘true journalism.’ My interviewer said something to me that struck a real chord, even if it was only in half-jest. “Don’t tell your friends that you’re working for a PR firm.” I chuckled along with her, but I knew it was true. If any future employer in the magazines industry found out I was part-timing it as a PR intern, I might be all but blackballed from the world of magazine writing.

And so it was. As I bit into the crust of that pizza yesterday, I felt the crack in my life plan grow decidedly longer. I realized in that restaurant booth that I want take a trip to the dark side, to practice the art of verbal seduction…yep, I want to be a PR guru.

Well, at least for a little while.

See the battle between Journalism and PR through the eyes of the PRSA.

Speaking of J-O-Bs...

2008-07-15T17:19:00.003-04:00

Here's some quick info. I found that may be helpful to those looking for a media job and/or advice on how to break into the business. I'll post it later on my website so that it'll always be accessible :o )

Video Clips on How to Break Into TV, Film, Journalism, Publishing, PR, Advertising, Marketing

List of Major Media Companies in U.S.

All from the Center for Communication in NYC.

New Blogger Alert!

2008-07-10T17:51:00.007-04:00

So, one of my best friends who also happens to be a former j-school junkie will now join me in posting to this blog. Why?

1. Because I heart her.

2. Because there are so many things going on in the media industry all the time and I want to cover them better.

3. Plus, I don't have the time or energy to always write, so I need some help. That's what friends are for. And I have a pretty awesome one (see some of her stats below).

Finally, because like me, Brittaney (my friend) is a recent college graduate looking for a j-o-b. But unlike me, she is looking for one (I think) on the editorial side of publishing. So blogging, being up on the latest multimedia tools for journalists and getting her name out there for freelance opps are even more important to her than they are to me.

(For the record though: I'm still looking for a j-o-b on the business side of publishing. Please contact if you know of any openings :o )

So, without further ado, welcome The Pura Vida Poet to the new and soon-to-be improved "Lives of (Aspiring) Media Mavens":

Former Editorial Intern turned Freelancer for Southern Distinction Magazine

Former Editorial Intern for New South Publishing

Former Marketing Intern at Global Anesthesia

Managing Editor of 25 Magazine - a Magazine Publishers of America project

Excited about UNITY '08

2008-07-06T12:00:00.015-04:00

Here's a link to the UNITY '08 intro. video. It shares a few fun facts about the event:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lxh3352qKYY

I'm so excitied about it! I finally got around to creating an itinerary for workshops and events I want to attend. Two of my personal faves:

- a breakfast sponsored by the International Women's Media Foundation with Soledad O'Brien (view my "cloud 9: I'm meeting one of my favorite journalists" moment last summer, here)

-a presidential candidates forum, hopefully with John McCain and Barack Obama (read about my "political crush on the junior senator from Illinois," here...no, just kidding ;o )

Plus, while I'm in Chicago, I'll get to spend time with one of my friends who interned with me at Time Warner last summer and moved there recently...oh happy times away from the office!

Community Newspapers: New Twist, Old Favorite

2008-06-27T18:29:00.004-04:00

So, the way my internship this summer is set up is that each day I visit a different division and business unit of the company I'm working for. Today, I spent time at The Columbia County News-Times in Evans, Ga. The newsroom there was pretty laid back and the publisher was a great guy to talk to. Plus, he took us out to an awesome oyster bar for lunch and for ice cream later :o )

My time there reminded me of our (my fellow intern's and my) visit to Bluffton, S.C. two weeks ago. Both papers are pretty small-town, hyperlocal operations that depend on solid community journalism to draw readers and advertisers to their product(s). One difference, however, is that Bluffton practices a lot of reverse publishing - meaning that online is the primary medium and things that go in print originate there or fall secondary to digital. In Columbia...not so much...yet.

Anyway, both experiences have got me really thinking about where I want to live and what kind of publication I want to work for. And, more importantly, where I can contribute most to the world (I know, more lofty goals :o )

Future of Media?

2008-06-26T23:35:00.001-04:00

Here are two videos I watched and discussed at work today. The first one links to an updated version of Epic 2014. I saw the original about 2 years ago in a j-school class. The second one is by the Newspaper Association of America. It's sort of an industry response to thoughts like the ones presented in the first one.

http://epic.makingithappen.co.uk/new-master1.html

To be noted: two products created by the company I'm working for this summer are featured in the second video. skirt! Magazine and the Savannah Morning News website are identified as innovative products...cool :o )

UPDATE: Summer

2008-06-24T00:19:00.002-04:00

So, life has been...interesting since graduation. I'm interning at Morris Communications in Augusta, Ga. - learning a little about every aspect of publishing, radio and outdoor - and looking for a j-o-b. Plus, I'm still working on Project Masthead for the Magazine Publishers of America. Next month, the UNITY Conference in Chicago.

UPDATE: Spring

2008-04-08T16:44:00.002-04:00

This is a brief entry just to let you know what I've been doing for the past month, and why I haven't been blogging. Lots more details to come!

*March 10 - March 14: Spring Break

*March 9 - March 12: Consumer Marketing in a Multi-platform World seminar at American Press Institute in Washington, D.C.

*March 15 - Now: (1) Focusing on my last semester of classes (2) Making graduation arrangements left and right (3) Job hunting (4) Soul searching (5) Having fun the last few weeks of my undergraduate career :o )

*March 27 - Serving as marketing and promotion director of Project Masthead for the Magazine Publishers of America ~ Unity Conference '08 ~ Chicago, Il.

But, I'm back on it now!...So, get ready for way more posts.

Corporate-Controlled Creativity: Good or Bad?

2008-03-02T18:42:00.002-05:00

So, before I get started, I've got to make this clear (which, I'm sure you could've figured out on your own): I - in no way - claim to be an expert on stocks and trading. In fact, I'm not even a decently informed participant. (Being, currently, a college student from a middle-class background with no portfolio :o ).

However, I'm becoming more familiar with the way publically traded companies work each day and with each headline screaming the threat of "hostile takeover!". Usually, the warnings of Wall Street watchers don't concern me. I mean, U.S. Airways vs. Delta? I fly Airtran, it's cheaper and more student friendly. But when it comes to media and entertainment companies, I watch.
Here's some recent news stories. I'll have to discuss my views on this later.
Electronic Arts vs. Take-Two Interactive
Microsoft vs. Yahoo

We Have Privacy Bounds Too

2008-02-19T13:10:00.002-05:00

Scanning the homepage of CNN.com today and came across this:

"College Web site posts sex, gossip, hate, rumor"

Apparently, some of my peers on other college campuses are crying foul on a new gossip site. They say that they don't want their exploits and rumored romps on the web for all to see. Some are soliciting their university administration's help in banning the site on their campus.
While they may have a legitimate complaint, I don't think their protests are going to result in much action. As long as the technology is there and a significant number of people are willing to use it, there's no stopping the wave of zero Internet privacy. My best suggestion is to work around it (i.e. don't join social networking sites, dodge the camera at parties so no one can blackmail you with pics later, become a hermit - you know), or use it to your advantage. Be a smart interactive user. Behave in a manner you would be proud of in any situation at all times and know what's out there about you (Google yourself). Also, if you don't like what you find, try to change it the best way you know how - be that contacting the content owner, like the students in the article, or indirectly/directly saturating the net with positive things about you (like a responsible blog on a topic close to your heart, perhaps ;o )

Whose idea is it anyway?

2008-02-19T01:57:00.007-05:00

One of my favorite pasttimes on the Internet is "wikipedia-ing." What is this verb, you ask? It is none other than the art of following a topic link to its most illogical and unrelated end, or as I like to call it alternatively, the "wow-I-never-knew-Barbie-got-her-start-in-Nazi-Germany" game. (Look it up, it's true :o )

Anyway, the point is that I could spend hours "wikipedia-ing" the results of my Googling (a formal verb now), if I didn't have homework to do and a physical life to live. This afternoon, however, I slacked on the homework after turning in a philosophy paper and put my real life on hold for some quality time with my pop culture digital encyclopedia. And, to my surprise, I actually found something worth blogging about.

Did you know that Facebook, the new golden child of social networking, has a pending intellectual property lawsuit against it (and has since September 2004)? Apparently, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of the private company and evil genius behind many a college student's procrastination strategy during finals week, worked for ConnectU - another social networking site - in 2003. ConnectU, a company also started by Harvard yardigans, claims that Zuckerberg stole its networking code and concept. For more info., click here.

Well, as soon as I read this I had to check it out for myself. Afterall, I had never even heard of ConnectU. How could I, a girl who breathed the likes of Xanga, Bebo, MySpace and any other web2.0 site as a teenager, miss one?

Simple, really, I found out. Because ConnectU is what Facebook use to be - a site whose only purpose is to connect academics (read "non-4yr. institutions need-not apply") with other academics and alumni. When I logged in for the first time (because yes, I had to get an account), it was like looking back into the prehistoric era. "Oh," I thought, "this is what Facebook must've looked like when it was just a digital version of Harvard's ink and paper freshman photo book." Or maybe still, "this is what it looked like when it was in alpha version at Phillips Exeter Academy - Zuckerberg's prep. school" You see, another rumored part of the tale is that the concept to go digital belonged to yet another student, one who went to high school with the young entrepreneur. As an ethical journalist (acting as an ethical blogger - difference), I should note that this is mere gossip and speculation. I have an accquaintance who went to high school with Zuckerberg (but defected to Yale after graduation :o), and he told me that story more than a year ago.

At any rate, the uncertainty behind the creation of one of my favorite Internet sites (because, let's face it, my life and all my friends lives are on it), brings up the issue of ownership in the still heavily unchartered digital frontier. It is fairly easy to gain access to most website codes. One of my teachers even hid test answers in the code of his personal website and said he would give anyone who found it an A - I did, and I wasn't alone. So, how can the practice of "borrowing" from others on the Net be regulated? Who's to say that my blog code infringes on your blog code because we both use #cc6699 as our background color (yeh, I went straight HTML geek for a sec :o ). Back on topic though: as traditional media and advertisers turn to social networking sites and the Internet as a whole for answers, how will they protect their intellectual rights sufficiently? Food for thought...

Step Into the Big Tent

2008-02-13T00:07:00.006-05:00

Last week I went to a media career fair on campus, hosted by the j-school. I was kinda' exited about it - you know, the nervous variety - because the university-wide career fair a couple of weeks ago turned out to be a bust for me.

So, on the day of the event, I dressed in a conservative black skirt suit with a turquoise blouse (come on, it wouldn't be me without some color) and straightened my hair to within an inch of its life for good measure - I'll discuss the quandary of ethnic hair in the workplace on another occasion. I also shoved a handful of business cards in my portfolio pocket and emailed copies of my résumé to myself for printing out at school later.

When I arrived at the fair, I checked in at the career services table and surveyed my surroundings. Forget a fair, I had stopped into the big tent of a three-ring circus! To my left was the main hall. Several local and regional broadcast, print, pr and advertising organizations each had their own sideshow. Instead of paying with nickels and dimes, however, the "kids" - me included - paid to see the production with résumés and elevator pitches.

In front of me I saw a girl from back home - telecommunications major - putting her pearly whites to good use, explaning to a television station recruiter why she would be a good fit for his company. We made eye contact, she waved and gave a tight smile while sweat gleamed on her face. In high school, we had been constant competitors for top honors. Today, I empathized with her. After all, we were both unsure, yet confident burgeoning talent hoping that some recruiter would like us - really, really like us - and take us home today (or just back to the office).

Technology Isn't Perfect

2008-02-11T06:34:00.004-05:00

So, I'm a little upset right now because I just finished writing a really long blog post about the media career fair on campus last week and my experience there. I had included really great tips, links to helpful pages and lots of thought...all for the server to tell me that my account session had timed out and that I would have to log back in to continue. Unfortunately, that also meant that all my hard work was lost (it wouldn't let me copy for pasting before it refreshed)...and now, carpal tunnel is setting in, i feel it...oh well, I guess technology - especially the Internet - isn't perfect.

I'll just have to rewrite that post later today, when I have time...Sadness overcoming :o (

Guerilla (Ad)fare

2007-07-09T19:14:00.010-04:00

So, in important news: today is my mother's birthday. Happy birthday to her! I'm missing the celebration to draft more correspondence letters in New York : /

And, in other news: The following article just came out from The New York Times. Insteading of singing Happy Birthday, let's listen to a rapping cat, shall we?

How Rap Cat Made It Into This Headline [excerpts]
As old ad agencies try to get a grip on their future, the new guerrilla ad guys think they’ve got it all figured out.
By Bryant Urstadt
Published Jul 9, 2007

"Their numbers relate directly to the rise of a true boom in Internet ad spending, as corporations retune their strategies in a once-in-a-generation way. The Internet currently represents a little more than 6 percent of a $149.6 billion ad market, and it’s the only fast-growing sector of an otherwise shrinking business, going up 20 to 30 percent annually in the U.S. and faster abroad. Moreover, the field is wide open..."

"Jason Deland, a partner at Anomaly, yet another new small shop in Soho, collects quotes about the current disarray in advertising. One of his favorites is from A. G. Lafley, the CEO of Procter & Gamble, year after year one of the biggest buyers of advertising in the United States: “We need a new model. It does not exist. No one else has one yet. But we need to get going now.” (Bob Garfield, who writes a column for Advertising Age and co-hosts NPR’s “On the Media,” calls this “the chaos scenario.”) DeLand’s other quotes veer deep into the fog of adspeak, but their message is the same: The ad world is a forest on fire, and these shops are a bit like those mushrooms that pop up after the inferno.

The telltale numbers run in the papers almost every day, or on Google, if that’s where you get your news. Television is in retreat. For those who do continue to endure TV, digital video recorders are killing ads. NBC, admitting its model was in distress, announced in October that it would cut its news and programming budget by $750 million and 700 jobs. Budweiser, Pepsi, and other big marketers, anxiously watching that audience drain away, have started what are essentially their own television channels online, providing their own programs for their own customers. Newspaper ad revenues and circulation are similarly riding an alpine slide.

For marketers, all this amounts to the disappearance of a readily available mass audience. The Internet audience is far more fragmented, picking content in nearly random ways, and the barriers to creation have dropped as well. You could be a kid with a guitar or a team at a 12,000-person agency, and you have about the same chances of mass success on YouTube. The odds might even be slightly in favor of the kid with the guitar, especially if he could play like funtwo, who has racked up 23 million views for his version of Pachelbel’s Canon."

Hmmm, interesting. I did wonder where ideas like the ones for the Simpson Movie promotion (note the Simpsonized version of moi above :o ) and the horribly scary Burger King King came from...But then again, I think the California Raisins had a similar affect on me as a child.

Anyway, I digress. Read the entire article here.

A New Beginning

2007-05-12T19:33:00.003-04:00

“Today is the first day of the rest of my life” is such a cliché description of a new beginning, so I won’t claim it. I will, however, write that I have been feeling very optimistic about my future lately.In October of last year, I took a hiatus from The Red & Black for personal reasons; by December I had decided I did not want to return to daily newspaper reporting anytime soon. Management Leadership for Tomorrow, a national leadership and career development program I am a member of, opened my eyes to communications careers in the corporate arena. Working with my career coach, I chose to focus my energy on learning more about corporate communications as an industry, and then corporate media communications and positions within corporate media companies as potential employment fields. This left me little time to meet the demanding daily deadlines of a newspaper. So that’s the deal with that.Over Christmas break I struggled with my decision. How was I going to get published now? Didn’t I need to be actively reporting to prove myself worthy to myself? Why did I let go of my safety net?In the past month, however, I have let go of my self-doubt about my career ambitions (and other things too :o ) I am still searching for summer internship opportunities, but I am not panicking because I don’t have it all planned out like I did last year. I still do not have a significant other, but I am not actively searching for one because I realize some things must find me—not the other way around. And I still haven’t studied abroad, but I am looking for programs that will fit into my schedule over the next 6-8 months. I guess you could say I’m learning to enjoy life in the process of living it.And this website is a part of that step. For me, as a writer by nature, putting words on paper (even the electronic kind) is therapeutic. The idea for it was not my own, however. Davia Mosely, an awesome “media vixen” in her own right, inspired me with her “Destined for Success” blogspot. I hope through the process of managing my website I will become more self-fulfilled and inspire others to do the same. (It would also be nice if Oprah’s or Tyra’s people visited the site and offered me an internship after realizing how fabulously awesome I am :o ) Hey, a girl can dream can’t she?