This is somewhat of a continuation from last week. (Almost) But you'll see my point by the end of this.
Everybody knows what the golden rule is, right? "Treat someone as you wish to be treated." It's a simple concept that is usually beaten in to our heads as youngsters. As you get older you start to follow it without knowing. When you get in to your first job around 15 or 16 years old, you're fresh, excited, and ready to rock and roll. But step back from your life and look at how differently you acted at that first job. Whether you were nervous or not, you acted differently that you would at home or with your best friends. I'm right, aren't I? I knew it. But it's simple, you're out in the world treating people nicely or as polite as you can because you don't want to be hassled at your day job. You want to go in, make some money, and get out. It's that simple. However, we see that glaze of freshness falter when someone disrupts the good you're doing. No biggie. Just remember this, no matter what happens. No matter who is involved, just be the nicest person you can be and good things will happen.
It may seem silly but just imagine that you're now 23 again, on your way to interview for that big position at the firm you've been in love with for years now. On your way in you hold the door for a group of people who are walking in behind you. Each one of them thanks you and then fills the elevator you needed to be on to make it up to the 18th floor to be on time for your appointment. Ooops. You're late now. BUT, as you're frantically rushing up those stairs to make it in time, that group of people just so happened to be the people you held the door for and they saw that you're a good guy. You're instantly on their good graces, and you can take the interview from there. You've got their attention, and you can impress them from now on.
It's honestly simple gestures like that. You can hold the door, hold a cab, maybe help somebody pick up their books or files they've just dropped. You'll start to see changes in your life in regards to the way people see you. You just never know who you can impress when or where. You might thing that 2AM on a Thursday night, there won't be someone of importance here. But maybe you're wrong. Perhaps you run in to Marty Scorcese pumping gas and you lend him a hand. He returns the favor by asking if you want to be in his next gangster film. There are a lot of variables in action to make your life better if you help make others lives better.
And this is the point I bring back from last week. Whether you're tweeting, acting, interviewing, or anything. Just be aware, and just be nice. This is quite possibly the easiest thing to remember when trying to impress a future employer. It's not that hard to do, and it's not hard to maintain. So give it a shot, and enjoy!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
The Following Goal
There is much to learn when you think of the word "follow."
What do you immediately think of when you hear this word? Me? I directly think of Twitter and who I am following, as well as who I'm being followed by. The interaction you get from Twitter can create career connections, friendships, and so much information trading. It's important to remember to act professionally when engaging others on Twitter. You're being watched by millions no matter what you do. It's okay to have all the fun in the world on Twitter, but be wise, don't do something you won't want to be brought back up two years from now when you're being interviewed for that awesome position at that huge corporation you've been wanting for some time.
There's a lot of group chats to get in on. Use those has tags to not only find the chat groups but also to let others know what you're talking about.
"Who's watching this amazing this @NBA #AllStar game?"
This is a great example you can post. You're going to engage a great following on Twitter because, at the time of this post, the All-Star game is trending and popular on not only Twitter but on Facebook, and other networks.
I've had experiences when going in to an interview where an employee had asked me about a tweet I had posted even as soon as I was walking in the building. "Nervous, wish me luck." Just keep in mind that with social media, you don't have to be a celebrity or a politician to be in the public eye anymore. It's a simple process to undertake. But I also think it's something completely necessary to do when trying to utilize this tool.
You don't have to be the guy just talking about SEO or any analytic tools. I know plenty of people that work in the social media field who tweet often about SEO and Google Analytics, but also have a strong following of sports fans, book lovers, and coffee enthusiasts.
So when building your "following" it's important to stay true to who you are. You're utilizing a tool that can land you a great job, and you shouldn't stop there. Just because you get the job does not mean you should stop monitoring what you put out on the web. You'll be representing yourself for life. So do a good job! Who knows who could be watching when you post that next tweet!
What do you immediately think of when you hear this word? Me? I directly think of Twitter and who I am following, as well as who I'm being followed by. The interaction you get from Twitter can create career connections, friendships, and so much information trading. It's important to remember to act professionally when engaging others on Twitter. You're being watched by millions no matter what you do. It's okay to have all the fun in the world on Twitter, but be wise, don't do something you won't want to be brought back up two years from now when you're being interviewed for that awesome position at that huge corporation you've been wanting for some time.
There's a lot of group chats to get in on. Use those has tags to not only find the chat groups but also to let others know what you're talking about.
"Who's watching this amazing this @NBA #AllStar game?"
This is a great example you can post. You're going to engage a great following on Twitter because, at the time of this post, the All-Star game is trending and popular on not only Twitter but on Facebook, and other networks.
I've had experiences when going in to an interview where an employee had asked me about a tweet I had posted even as soon as I was walking in the building. "Nervous, wish me luck." Just keep in mind that with social media, you don't have to be a celebrity or a politician to be in the public eye anymore. It's a simple process to undertake. But I also think it's something completely necessary to do when trying to utilize this tool.
You don't have to be the guy just talking about SEO or any analytic tools. I know plenty of people that work in the social media field who tweet often about SEO and Google Analytics, but also have a strong following of sports fans, book lovers, and coffee enthusiasts.
So when building your "following" it's important to stay true to who you are. You're utilizing a tool that can land you a great job, and you shouldn't stop there. Just because you get the job does not mean you should stop monitoring what you put out on the web. You'll be representing yourself for life. So do a good job! Who knows who could be watching when you post that next tweet!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Looking in the Valley
I think we can all agree that finding a job in today's market has been extremely tough. I can attest to that. I spent quite some time unemployed because I did not have the resources to find a good job, and any job that I could have taken did not accommodate for travel and the cost couldn't justify the expense I'd have to incur. So needless to say, the best option was to work on school while remaining unemployed.
However, now that I've been getting good experience with both school and work, I'm looking to expand my horizons and move on to something bigger and better. Whenever I do research in regards to my life, like you, I use over 100% of my effort. This is my life we're talking about here. I've spent the past several weeks researching some job markets and where I'd like to work. I've narrowed it down to a few big network cities. San Francisco and the Bay Area, New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, and a few others. There is a market for everything. And one of the tools I stress with talking with friends or clients is interaction or better worded as: conversation. How can you be successful without talking with friends or colleagues? It just doesn't work.
In the past two weeks I've probably contacted and spoke with ten different company's. Out of those ten interactions, I've become accustomed to speaking with a hiring manager, learning what companies are looking for and how they expect you to act. Do I call this a failure because I've not been hired? No. I've taken away quite a bit of information from these trials. There's a famous quote by Thomas Edison, "I didn’t fail ten thousand times. I successfully eliminated, ten thousand times, materials and combinations which wouldn’t work." It takes a lot to read a quote, to it takes a lot more to learn from that. And that's just what I'm doing. I'm not counting my failed attempts at finding a job as a failed attempt. I'm merely spinning them so they're a lesson learned. This is what I try to get across to my fellow friends that are also looking for jobs across the nation.
Learn from your mistakes. You're not going to find a proper job that you enjoy if when you apply to a "dream job" you fail. It lowers your self-esteem and self-respect. And that's not exactly what is ideal when trying to prove to potential employers that you're a great candidate for their firm.
Keep your chin up! Keep at it, and remember to have fun while learning! If you don't, you'll never get out of your vicious circle.
However, now that I've been getting good experience with both school and work, I'm looking to expand my horizons and move on to something bigger and better. Whenever I do research in regards to my life, like you, I use over 100% of my effort. This is my life we're talking about here. I've spent the past several weeks researching some job markets and where I'd like to work. I've narrowed it down to a few big network cities. San Francisco and the Bay Area, New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, and a few others. There is a market for everything. And one of the tools I stress with talking with friends or clients is interaction or better worded as: conversation. How can you be successful without talking with friends or colleagues? It just doesn't work.
In the past two weeks I've probably contacted and spoke with ten different company's. Out of those ten interactions, I've become accustomed to speaking with a hiring manager, learning what companies are looking for and how they expect you to act. Do I call this a failure because I've not been hired? No. I've taken away quite a bit of information from these trials. There's a famous quote by Thomas Edison, "I didn’t fail ten thousand times. I successfully eliminated, ten thousand times, materials and combinations which wouldn’t work." It takes a lot to read a quote, to it takes a lot more to learn from that. And that's just what I'm doing. I'm not counting my failed attempts at finding a job as a failed attempt. I'm merely spinning them so they're a lesson learned. This is what I try to get across to my fellow friends that are also looking for jobs across the nation.
Learn from your mistakes. You're not going to find a proper job that you enjoy if when you apply to a "dream job" you fail. It lowers your self-esteem and self-respect. And that's not exactly what is ideal when trying to prove to potential employers that you're a great candidate for their firm.
Keep your chin up! Keep at it, and remember to have fun while learning! If you don't, you'll never get out of your vicious circle.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Full Sail: So Close to the End
I have to admit, I was quite skeptical about coming to Full Sail. Generally when applying to a college, I've heard of them before applying. But with Full Sail, I heard of it from a friend while studying at Penn State. We had both been interested in film and video, but hated the program they had at PSU. It just didn't suit our needs. So he told me about Full Sail back in 2007, and I immediately contacted them asking for some more information. Before I even received the gigantic catalogue in the mail, I was contacted via telephone by a student rep and I talked for maybe an hour with her. As the call came to an end, I remember saying that I couldn't do it. I couldn't move across the country and put myself out like that.
From there, I moved to taking classes online with the Academy of Art University based in San Francisco. It was fun. I always loved working with my hands and I think creating without actually having a teacher to "mold" your minds in graphic design classes is really very difficult. I managed to pass my classes for the semester I was with them, but it just didn't fulfill me. I remember letting the moments after the semester overwhelm me. And more importantly, I remember my first panic attack. Not knowing what to do had been my greatest fear for some time and it seemed almost like a sign from heaven that I received a called that very same day from that very same student rep that I had spoken with nearly 5 months earlier.
We talked again about trying to come down to Full Sail and live and work on-campus. I love that idea. Florida has always been my favorite place to visit. But still, my answer was no. I couldn't. However, this time it was different. Instead of just giving up and saying goodbye. My student rep told me about the new online programs they have started to offer. I was intrigued. I love online learning more than I liked on-campus learning. Entertainment Business was intriguing to me from the beginning.
We spoke for nearly three hours on the subject. I was enlightened. I signed up on the spot. My family was happy to see me this excited. They were happy I found my calling. I, like a free agent, signed on the dotted line and committed to Full Sail as soon as possible.
The days grew closer to my first day with Full Sail. I remember being giddy when my Project Launchbox arrived. I was ecstatic! I noticed that starting my program was like opening a new chapter in my book. It had just become more interesting. I was meeting new people, and interacting with my classmates more than I had ever done before. When I first started school, I was a bit of a loner, but I feel I've broken out of that shell and I actually look forward to talking with my teachers and classmates. It's become a lot of fun to study hard and get good grades. I'm trying to make a new life for myself, after all!
Days grew to weeks as weeks grew to months. Eventually, the months grew to years and here I am. I'm now officially five months away from graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Entertainment Business. I'm completely astonished that this is happening. Just last night during a Skype video chat with some friends we were talking that it feels almost yesterday that we were lining up in our high school gym to march on stage in June of 2006 for graduation. And now, by the turn of chance, we're graduating in the same month, and quite possibly the same day! All of us entered different schools and moved around a bit. It all happened so quickly and we're going to close the school chapter and start writing a new one called: "Life."
Some of us will become nurses, dentists, marketing exec's, or a full-time blogger, whatever the case, we've all found something we love to do. None of us even talked about money, or life value. We all talked about love and that for once we've got those magical butterflies in our stomachs when thinking about living our lives to the fullest. It's a better feeling than walking downstairs on Christmas morning when you're a child. It's better than getting that first piece of cake on your birthday. The feeling is completely amazing when you can look back on the past five years and look how much you've grown as both a person and a human being.
From this point on, I enter the last leg of my voyage. The only way it could get better would be if Patrick Stewart were to note this in his star date. But aside from any life narration, I plan to life my life even better every day as if it were to be my last. Would what I'm doing as my day today be awesome enough to do on my last?
From there, I moved to taking classes online with the Academy of Art University based in San Francisco. It was fun. I always loved working with my hands and I think creating without actually having a teacher to "mold" your minds in graphic design classes is really very difficult. I managed to pass my classes for the semester I was with them, but it just didn't fulfill me. I remember letting the moments after the semester overwhelm me. And more importantly, I remember my first panic attack. Not knowing what to do had been my greatest fear for some time and it seemed almost like a sign from heaven that I received a called that very same day from that very same student rep that I had spoken with nearly 5 months earlier.
We talked again about trying to come down to Full Sail and live and work on-campus. I love that idea. Florida has always been my favorite place to visit. But still, my answer was no. I couldn't. However, this time it was different. Instead of just giving up and saying goodbye. My student rep told me about the new online programs they have started to offer. I was intrigued. I love online learning more than I liked on-campus learning. Entertainment Business was intriguing to me from the beginning.
We spoke for nearly three hours on the subject. I was enlightened. I signed up on the spot. My family was happy to see me this excited. They were happy I found my calling. I, like a free agent, signed on the dotted line and committed to Full Sail as soon as possible.
The days grew closer to my first day with Full Sail. I remember being giddy when my Project Launchbox arrived. I was ecstatic! I noticed that starting my program was like opening a new chapter in my book. It had just become more interesting. I was meeting new people, and interacting with my classmates more than I had ever done before. When I first started school, I was a bit of a loner, but I feel I've broken out of that shell and I actually look forward to talking with my teachers and classmates. It's become a lot of fun to study hard and get good grades. I'm trying to make a new life for myself, after all!
Days grew to weeks as weeks grew to months. Eventually, the months grew to years and here I am. I'm now officially five months away from graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Entertainment Business. I'm completely astonished that this is happening. Just last night during a Skype video chat with some friends we were talking that it feels almost yesterday that we were lining up in our high school gym to march on stage in June of 2006 for graduation. And now, by the turn of chance, we're graduating in the same month, and quite possibly the same day! All of us entered different schools and moved around a bit. It all happened so quickly and we're going to close the school chapter and start writing a new one called: "Life."
Some of us will become nurses, dentists, marketing exec's, or a full-time blogger, whatever the case, we've all found something we love to do. None of us even talked about money, or life value. We all talked about love and that for once we've got those magical butterflies in our stomachs when thinking about living our lives to the fullest. It's a better feeling than walking downstairs on Christmas morning when you're a child. It's better than getting that first piece of cake on your birthday. The feeling is completely amazing when you can look back on the past five years and look how much you've grown as both a person and a human being.
From this point on, I enter the last leg of my voyage. The only way it could get better would be if Patrick Stewart were to note this in his star date. But aside from any life narration, I plan to life my life even better every day as if it were to be my last. Would what I'm doing as my day today be awesome enough to do on my last?
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