One Day, One Job » Connecticut

Globe Pequot Press

Willy Franzen — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:33:51 +0000

I’m a big reader, so I usually end up getting quite a few books for Christmas. That’s starting to change because I’ve moved the to the Kindle for most of my reading, but I’m still a book collector. In fact, I have an award winning collection on fly fishing. A good number of those books come from a publisher called Lyons Press, which is now owned by a larger publishing company called Globe Pequot Press. They’re based in Guilford, CT, and they focus on four categories: Outdoor Life, Regional Interest, Special Interests, and Travel. These categories are represented by imprints that include FalconGuides, Knack, Skirt!, Insiders’ Guide, Footprint Travel Guides, and Popout Products. When you put all those together, you get a pretty decent sized publishing company.

Take a Trip Around the Globe

Globe Pequot Press published its first book in 1947, and for it remained quite small for its first quarter century. They focused mainly on local topics and worked with local towns and their historical societies. They eventually expanded to cover areas like “New England history, biography, architecture, antiques, genealogy and travel,” and as they grew they started to attract the attention of bigger players. In the 80s a series of acquisitions and changes in ownership began and continued up until 1999. That’s when Globe Pequot Press settled in Guilford, and since then they’ve continued to grow by buying or adding new imprints. You can learn a lot more about the company by browsing their site and taking a look at the titles that they publish, so I recommend that you do that before heading over to their Jobs page. Right now GPP is hiring a Digital Production Assistant and a Business Development Specialist. Take a look at the jobs and see if Globe Pequot Press is the place for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What books are on your Christmas list?

Victorinox Swiss Army

Willy Franzen — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:15:40 +0000

In case you haven’t noticed, I love using holidays themes to pick companies. Sometimes I get a little silly with companies or organizations that would never actually have jobs, but it’s really all about getting you to have a little fun and start thinking more creatively. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays to use for idea generation because you can take it in so many directions. In past years I’ve looked at Jennie-O, Plimoth Plantation and Colonial Williamsburg, Pilgrim’s Pride, Macy’s, Williams-Sonoma, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Food Bank for New York City. I’ve exhausted a lot of options, so I started racking my brain–I even looked up Thanksgiving bingo cards for ideas. Then I realized that Thanksgiving is nothing without a good carving knife. No matter how well you cook that turkey, if you can’t piece it out properly, you’ve failed. And who makes a top rated (by America’s Test Kitchen) kitchen knives? Victorinox Swiss Army does–and super affordable ones at that. You probably think of the Monroe, CT based company for the little red pocket knives that have a whole bunch of tools, but they make all kinds of cutlery in addition to watches, travel gear, and clothing.

Essential Equipment for Job Search Adventures

Victorinox Swiss Army is a super recognizable brand even though it’s one that you probably don’t think of all that often. The company got its start in 1884 in Ibach-Schwyz, Switzerland as a cutlery workshop, and since then “handcraftsmanship, quality and functionality has been the top priority for Victorinox Swiss Army.” Unfortunately, Victorinox Swiss Army doesn’t provide too much more information about themselves, so I guess looking at their products is the best way to get to know them better. If you like what you see, then you should consider Jobs at Victorinox Swiss Army. Right now they have a number of openings including Consumer Support Rep (Monroe, CT), Order Management Rep (Monroe, CT), and a few retail positions in New York.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you have a Swiss Army knife?

VOICES of September 11th

Willy Franzen — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 14:06:26 +0000

We all have our own September 11th stories. I shared mine last year when I wrote about the National September 11 Memorial Museum. These stories, whether they are from the front lines or from people thousands of miles away, are what will ensure that we continue to use the memory of those whose lives were lost 10 years ago today as a positive force. VOICES of September 11th is a non-profit organization that was founded by two women who lost loved ones in the attacks to serve as “an information clearinghouse for those affected by the attacks through the use of a Web site, electronic newsletter, direct mailings and media outreach.” They are based in New Canaan, CT with a satellite office in New Brunswick, NJ, and they have expanded their mission over the years to include “providing continuity of care to promote resiliency and address the long-term issues” of those who were directly affected by the attacks.

Share Your VOICE

VOICES of September 11th seems to continually adapt as the needs of people affected by September 11th change. They’ve been quite busy preparing for the 10th anniversary, and I’m sure that the coming years will mark another chapter in the evolution of the organization. To get a better sense of what exactly VOICES does, you should visit their website at VoicesOfSeptember11.org. You’ll be able to see exactly what they’ve been working on. If you like what you see, you may want to consider a job with them. Their Jobs page doesn’t show any openings right now, but they do have Internship and Volunteer Opportunities. And you can always reach out to them to see if they might be able to find a place for you to fit into the organization.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How are you commemorating September 11th?

Innovations for Poverty Action

Willy Franzen — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:20:05 +0000

Want to be part of the One Day, One Job/Internship team? Here’s your chance!

When I hear the word innovation, I usually think high-tech. It’s really just about finding new things that work, even if they’re old ideas. Innovations for Poverty Action is a New Haven, CT based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to discovering what works to help the world’s poor.” By using the scientific method in everything that they do, Innovations for Poverty Action is able to optimize their programs for maximum return on investment. That means they’re able to help more people with less money, which is absolutely essential when you’re fighting poverty. It’s pretty cool that they’ve been able to create a system for reliably developing new innovations.

Be An Innovator

Innovations for Poverty Action describes itself as bridging “the gap between cutting-edge academic research and action by nonprofits, governments, and firms.” That’s an important role because theory and practice can often be far apart. The best way to get a feel for what Innovations for Poverty Action actually does is to look at their work. You can read about in-depth studies like their project evaluations of a Girls Scholarship Program in Kenya and The Impact of Microcredit in the Philippines. You’ll also want to take a look at their blog post on zero-energy lights, which are the perfect example of low-tech innovation. Once Innovations for Poverty Action figures out what works, they shift their focus to Scaling It Up. It’s all about making the most of the resources available. If you like what IPA is doing, check out their Jobs page. They have a ton of opportunities posted and some seem appropriate for new grads including:

Data Coordinator (New Haven, CT)
Fall Research Assistant (Washington, DC)
Human Resources Associate (New Haven, CT)
Survey Programmer – Part-Time Independent Contractor
Project Associate (New Haven, CT)
Project Associate – Analysis on Agriculture, Savings and Social Networks (Evanston, IL )
Project Associate – Researcher Outreach & Communications (New Haven, CT)
Project Associate – Survey Programming (New Haven, CT)
Project Associate – Various Projects (New Haven, CT)

They also have positions in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. If you’re analytically minded and want to put your skills towards erasing poverty, then Innovations for Poverty Action would be a great place for you to work.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Innovations for Poverty Action?

Octagon

Willy Franzen — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:19:11 +0000

Usually when readers recommend companies, I put them on my list and cover them soon after if they look interesting and have relevant opportunities. Lately I’ve had two readers mention that they applied to Octagon, but I somehow overlooked the company. My only excuse is that I’m often skeptical of sports and entertainment marketing companies because there are so many sports marketing hiring scams. But that’s very clearly not the case with Octagon, they’ve been around since 1983 and they have offices all across the world. As they put it, they’re “the recognized, global thought leader in passion-based, sports & entertainment marketing.” Some of people they represent are Chris Paul, Michael Phelps, Randy Johnson, John Elway, Elena Dementieva, Landry Fields, Michael Johnson, Anna Kournikova, Apolo Anton Ohno, and many more huge names.

Can You Compete Inside the Octagon?

From what I can tell, Octagon separates their business into four divisions. On their Octagon’s What We Do page, you’ll see links to: Marketing, Marketing North America, Athletes & Personalities, and Events. Within the Athletes & Personalities section you’ll find links to specific verticals like OctagoOly.com, OctagonHockey.com, OctagonBasketball.com. Additionally, there are separate sites for Octagon’s international businesses like OctagonBrazil.com, and Octagon-UK.com. It’s all a bit overwhelming, but it’s indicative of how big Octagon’s presence is in the field of sports and entertainment marketing. In fact, the best overview of what Octagon’s businesses actually do is on their Careers page. Once you read through that, then you can take a look at their current job postings. Right now they have a few positions that seem right for a new or recent grad including Account Executive – Telecom (Kansas City, KS), Non-Profit & Media Relations Coordinator (Portland, ME), Account Executive – Sales Assistant (Norwalk, CT), Associate Producer – Digital (Norwalk, CT), and Account Executive – Multicultural – Home Improvement (Atlanta, GA).

Octagon has offices in the following locations, so you may want to watch out for new postings in any of these places:

Atlanta, GA
Cary, NC
Charlotte, NC
Chicago, IL
Los Angels, CA
McLean, VA
Minneapolis, MN
Naples, FL
New York, NY
Norwalk, CT
Ormond Beach, FL
Portland, ME
Richmond, VA
Rogers, AR
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Ottawa, Ontario
Waterlool, Ontario
Adelaide, South Australia
Hobart, Tasmania
Melbourne, Australia
Sydney, Australia
Beijing, China
Mumbai, India
Tokyo Japan
Singapore, Malaysia
Paris, France
Frankfurt, Germany
Doha, Qatar
Moscow, Russia
Cape Town, South Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa
Barcelona, Spain
Sevilla, Spain
Stockholm, Sweden
Istanbul, Turkey
London, United Kingdom

That’s a lot of locations, so keep an eye on Octagon’s job postings for opportunities closer to home (or further away if that’s what you’re looking for).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Octagon?

Perkins+Will

Willy Franzen — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:25:29 +0000

Despite having a father who is an architect, I have to admit that my appreciation for architecture is quite basic. Except when my Dad drags me along, I don’t go out looking at buildings just for the fun of it, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t notice things that are architecturally interesting. When I came across a link to some positions at Perkins+Will, the first thing that I did was look at their work. I was surprised by how many of their projects I’ve noticed and enjoyed. Just a few of them include the San Francisco Ferry Building, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and The Contemporaine (which is only a couple of blocks from me). And that’s just a small sampling of the work that the firm has done. Perkins+Will was started in Chicago, IL in 1935, but since then they’ve expanded to 23 offices across the world (including locations in Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Dubai, UAE; Hartford, CT; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA; London, UK; Miami, FL; Minneapolis, MN; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Research Triangle Park, NC; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Shanghai, China; Toronto, ON; Vancouver, BC; and Washington, DC.) I spent some time trying to figure out if they have an actual headquarters or main office, but I couldn’t come up with anything.

Where There’s a Will There’s a Way

Like I said before, I’m not much of an architectural critic. It definitely says something that Perkins+Will’s work caught my eye, but what’s more important is that they’re constantly getting recognition from big names in the industry. They’ve been ranked #1 Sustainable Design Firm and #2 overall in the “Architect 50″ by Architect magazine, #2 University Design Firm by Building Design+Construction, and #2 Interior Design Giant and one of the Most Admired firms by Interior Design. I’m even more impressed by the names that they’ve worked with, which include: Cornell University, Chicago O’ Hare International Airport, NASA, Mayo Clini, Stanford University, UCLA Medical Center, Perspectives Charter School, Crate & Barrel, and plenty more. If you want to get the full view of all of Perkins+Will’s noteworthy accomplishments, just check out their Press Kit. Anyway, if you love Perkins+Will’s work, then you have to check out their Careers page. Their current job listings include entry level positions like Architect I (Chicago, IL), Architect I (Seattle, WA), Graphic Designer (Dallas, TX), Interior Designer I (Glastonbury, CT), Interior Designer I (Washington, DC). That’s it for now, but I’m sure that they regularly have positions popping up all across the world.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Which of Perkins+Will’s projects is your favorite?

FactSet Research Systems

Willy Franzen — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:49:22 +0000

The world of high finance is mind-bending. Billions and even trillions of dollars are being exchanged, yet no paper money is actually changing hands. It gets even crazier when you realize that real people are behind all of these transactions. They’re constantly making decisions that affect more money than you’ll probably accrue in your lifetime—and it’s not even their money (some of it might even be yours). When it comes to finance, research is crucial to sound decision making, and as technology has evolved, research has become more and more plentiful. FactSet Research Systems is a Norwalk, CT based company that provides investment analytics tools. As they put it, “FactSet enhances productivity of the global investment professional by providing superior workflow solutions.” It does this by consolidating “all the tools you need to monitor global markets, public and private companies, and equity and fixed income portfolios in a single, intuitive interface.”

Get Your FactSet

FactSet puts most of their emphasis on two business areas: Consulting and Engineering. The former is all about providing excellent service to their clients, while the latter is directed towards constantly innovating and improving their product line. What makes FactSet’s offering stand out is that they combine “hundreds of databases from industry-leading suppliers and clients’ own proprietary data into a single, powerful information system.” This means that clients can use FactSet as “a one-stop source for financial information.” In addition to Consulting and Engineering, FactSet’s other departments include Sales, Product Development, Content Collection, Corporate Communications, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, and Training. However, FactSet seems to focus their College Recruiting on Consulting and Engineering (you can check out some Employee profiles here). They’re right in the thick of their on-campus schedule, so you should try to find them at your school if they’re visiting. If not, you may want to try to find a way to reach out to them (I couldn’t find an e-mail address except for internships@factset.com) or just apply through their Job Search function (there are nearly 100 jobs posted). Beyond their headquarters in Norwalk, CT, FactSet also has offices in Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; San Mateo, CA; Tuscaloosa, AL; and Austin, TX.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about FactSet?

Volunteers of America

Willy Franzen — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:22:13 +0000

When you’re job searching, volunteering is a great way to both put your skills to use and develop new skills. There are countless non-profit organization that put volunteers to work in situations where they can really make a difference. One of our country’s largest volunteer organizations is Volunteers of America, which is a faith-based non-profit headquartered in Alexandria, VA. With their staff of 16,000 paid employees and 70,000 volunteers, they’re able to help “more than 2 million people in over 400 communities in 48 states.” Since the organization was founded in 1896, they “have supported and empowered America’s most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, the frail elderly, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, people with disabilities, and those recovering from addictions.” An organization that has been around as long as Volunteers of America has must adapt to changes over the years. While they continue to remain focused on providing neighborly aid to all people, it looks like Volunteers of America is putting more emphasis on helping the growing population of aging Americans.

Volunteer for a Job

Volunteers of America has a nice video on their About page that goes more in-depth in describing how they work and what they do. I’ve embedded it below (e-mail readers need to click through).

Volunteers of America also has this Overview sheet that provides some really specific information about the organization’s work. If you’re moved by their mission, then you’ll want to check out Volunteers of America’s job opportunities. They separate these into three groups: National Office, Nationwide, and Health Services. The Nationwide section actually has over 200 positions posted, along with 25 entry level opportunities, so it probably makes the most sense to check out. They have a wide range of opportunities, and they’re in a variety of locations, so you should be able to find something that piques your interest.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Volunteers of America?

The Taunton Press

Willy Franzen — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:58:06 +0000

The world of publishing is a pretty crazy place right now. We hear about prestigious brand names struggling to stay afloat, while relative newcomers like Demand Media are IPO-ing. One of the key takeaways from all of the turmoil is that advertisers want results. That means that publishers need to be able to deliver targeted audiences that will respond to ads, whether it be through traditional outlets like magazines and newspapers or online. The Taunton Press is a publisher that has understood this for a long time. They’re based in Newtown, CT (a lovely town where I’ve done a lot of fishing), and they publish magazines, websites, and books for people who have a passion for creative activities. Their titles include Fine Woodworking, Fine Homebuilding, Fine Cooking, Fine Gardening, Threads, and more. Most of the publications come in both magazine form and an online version, so readers can consume the content however they feel comfortable.

The Finer Things

The Taunton Press reminds me a lot of Prime Publishing, another company that has found success by publishing content for niche markets. The Taunton Press seems a bit more brand focused, which is explained best by a quote on their About page:

We don’t run advertising that isn’t directly related to the subject matter of our magazines. We believe our ad pages serve as another vehicle for passing on educational information. It means our magazines might cost a little more at the newsstand. But it also means every page will be worth the price.

I love that! Advertising doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I often say that you can tell how intelligent your media consumption habits are by looking at the advertising that is targeted to you. If you’re seeing a lot of Shake Weight commercials, you might want to start worrying. Whether you have a specific interest in the topical areas that The Taunton Press covers or you are generally interested in media and publishing, The Taunton Press looks like a great place to start a career. Check out their Careers page and their job listings. Right now they have a couple of positions that might be suitable for a new grad: Assistant Editor – Threads Magazine and Chef’s Assistant. They also offer internships in Editorial, Media Sales, Publishing, and Web Publishing, so there’s the potential for more entry level opportunities in the future.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you read any of The Taunton Press’ publications?

Framework:CR

Willy Franzen — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:23:19 +0000

I love it when I get tips from readers on cool companies to feature. I understand that a lot of you don’t want to hurt your chances by spreading the word about jobs that you’ve applied for, but sometimes it helps to pay it forward. So e-mail me at willy@onedayonejob.com and tell me about cool companies that you’ve found that you think that we should feature. If it weren’t for a reader suggestion, I wouldn’t have known to look at Framework:CR and the entry level position that they’re trying to fill. Now, Framework:CR is sustainability consulting firm based in Stamford, CT that “helps clients develop integrated sustainability strategies and initiatives that build brand value, cut costs, and, ultimately, enhance profitability.” They’re a small company with only a handful of employees, but they’ve been around for 8 years and appear to be growing.

A New Framework

Framework:CR use the tagline: “When sustainability is profitable, profitability is sustainable.” I like that a lot. No matter how much social good comes from sustainability, companies aren’t going to make changes unless they help the bottom line. Framework:CR helps “clients understand how they perform relative to their competitors and the expectations of key stakeholders” and offers “guidance and tools to facilitate their transition to better and more sustainable business practices.” You can get a feel for Framework:CR’s work here, and you can also check out their client list, which includes names like Avon Products, Citigroup, H.J. Heinz, Staples, and Symantec. You’ll also want to read up on Framework:CR’s Team—there are only four of them, so it shouldn’t take long. Finally, the Framework:CR Blog is updated frequently, so you should give it a look. The most recent post details how they negotiated with their new landlord to get sustainable paint and carpeting in their new office. Once you do that, you can check out their job posting for a Junior Analyst. It’s a perfect position for sustainability minded new grad, so check it out and apply.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about Framework:CR?

Disaster Accountability Project

Willy Franzen — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:33:33 +0000

We got a few inches of snow here in Chicago yesterday. It wasn’t an all out disaster like it might have been in a southern state where an inch of snow is cause for shutting down everything, but I’m sure it caused a few headaches for people. Even simple things like a small snowstorm remind us that we can’t control everything. Disasters, whether they’re caused by weather, accidents, terrorists, or negligence, are always a risk. There’s not much that we can do to prevent most types of disasters, but we can always be better prepared to cope with them. The Disaster Accountability Project is a West Hartford, CT based non-profit organization that aims to improve “the nation’s disaster management systems through public accountability, citizen oversight and empowerment, whistle-blower engagement, and policy research.”

Finding Opportunity in a Disaster

It should be no surprise that the Disaster Accountability Project was started in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It was a natural disaster that was actually predicted to happen (even if only a few days in advance), yet it was mismanaged at nearly every level. If our governments can’t adequately prepare for what they know is coming, how will they ever deal with things like major earthquakes that come out of nowhere? The Disaster Accountability Project exists not only to push for better government preparedness, but also to blow the whistle when disasters have already happened and aren’t being addressed adequately. If this is a topic that you’re passionate, then you should get involved with the Disaster Accountability Project. They don’t have any jobs posted right now, but they have a ton of volunteer opportunities that could turn into jobs in the future. They’re especially looking for people with the following skills: online research (basic, policy, legal), organizing & outreach, fundraising (small and large donations, grant research and writing, evening planning), writing, graphic design, and web design & programming.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you prepared for a disaster?

Prometheus Research

Willy Franzen — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:46:50 +0000

A while back a friend from high school e-mailed me to tell me that she’s been following the site and that I should feature her employer. She claimed that it’s not just because they give her a new MacBook Pro every three years, but that has to be at least part of it. Since she loves her job, and she’s someone that I trust, we’re going to take a look at Prometheus Research today. They’re a New Haven, CT based company, and they develop “low-cost, easy-to-use, web-based data access integration tools” while also “offering research informatics services.” Prometheus Research’s clients are mainly “biomedical and scientific researchers, research institutions, and research funding organizations,” which means that they’re enabling really smart people to stay focused on what they do best—science—instead of wasting time with the complexities of other database systems.

Prometheus Is a Titan

What Prometheus Research is known best for is their HTSQL software. HTTP is the language that most of the web is run on—you use it every day. SQL is a database language, and it runs the back end of millions of websites—including this one. Prometheus Research’s HTSQL translates HTTP to SQL, so that researchers can easily manage their databases with simple web-based tools. The goal is to provide “quick collaboration, fast and agile information management, and secure access to their rich scientific data,” and that’s exactly what Prometheus Research has been doing for the last ten years. A big part of their continued success relies on having great people, which is why they offer cool jobs and great benefits. My friend came in as a Business Analyst right out of college, and that seems to be the best fit for recent grads who don’t have a significant technical background. It’s the job for “nerds who can talk to people.” Additionally, Prometheus Research has positions like PostgreSQL/Python Developer, QA and Documentation Automation Developer, and UI Developer which may appeal to those of you with a strong technical background. You can find all of the information on these jobs on Prometheus Research’s Careers page, so check it out and get on your way to getting a brand new MacBook Pro. You can thank me later.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Prometheus Research?

Environment America

Willy Franzen — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:44:36 +0000

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Now, I’m not one to worry much about Global Warming, especially when I’m enjoying a snap of 60-plus degree weather in Chicago in mid-November, but that doesn’t mean I’m not concerned about the environment. There’s no doubt that our way of life has numerous negative impacts on the natural world around us, and we’re not doing enough to minimize those impacts. Environment America is a nationwide, non-profit “federation of state-based, citizen-funded environmental advocacy organizations” that is headquartered in Washington, DC. Their strategy is focused on combining “independent research, practical ideas and tough-minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful special interests and win real results for the environment.” (Yes, they’re another special interest that is fighting special interests.) They’ve been around for 30 years, and I’m sure that they’re going to keep on going as long as mankind is harming the environment.

Try a New Environment

While much of Environment America’s work is focused at the state level, some of of the broader initiatives that they’re currently working on are Repower America (Green Energy), Stopping Global Warming, Our Rivers, Lakes & Streams, and Stop Toxic Pollution. As you can see, Environment America spreads their work across a lot of issues, which means that they have a ton of different job opportunities. You can find the full rundown here. For students and recent grads, their Fellowship Program is probably the best fit (and I believe potential locations include Mobile, AL; Little Rock and Fayetville, AR; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and Santa Barbara, CA; Denver, CO; Hartford, CT; Washington, DC; Miami and Tallahassee, FL; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Des Moines, IA; New Orleans, LA; Portland, ME; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Ann Arbor, MI; Minneapolis, MN; St. Louis, MO; Gulfport, MS; Missoula, MT; Las Vegas, NV; Concord, NH; Trenton, NJ; Albuquerque, NM; Albany and New York, NY; Raleigh, NC; Columbus, OH; Portland, OR; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA; Providence, RI; Austin, TX; Richmond, VA; Seattle, WA; and Madison, WI), but you may also want to check out positions like Communication and Development – Grants Associate (Los Angeles, CA), Financial Assistant (Washington, DC), Executive Assistant (Boston, MA or Washington, DC), Communications Associate (Boston, MA or Philadelphia, PA), Web Associate (Boston, MA), and Online Organizing Software Developer (Denver, CO). There are all kinds of options, so give everything a good look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What environmental issues are you most concerned with?

Crumbs

Willy Franzen — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:00:58 +0000

Depending on where you live, the cupcake thing has passed, reached its peak, or just started. Yeah, you’ve had cupcakes a million times—once for each kid’s birthday that you celebrated in elementary school. (Did you know that they don’t allow that at a lot of schools now? No cupcakes. Wow.) Basically, kids are no longer getting cupcakes, but adults are making up for it in a big way. Just take a look at Crumbs, a chain of bake shops headquartered in New York City. They have more than two dozen locations with quite a few more on the way. Oh yeah, and they’re an Inc. 500 company with a 704% three-year growth rate and $23.5 million in annual revenue. Some bake shop, huh? Apparently, they are “inspired by old-time candy shops and are warm and inviting with wood cases, marble counters and wall to wall treats.” It’s working!

It’s OK to Interview with Crumbs on Your Shirt

What more can I say about cupcakes? They’re delicious. I’ve been to the Grand Central location, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Some people say that we’re in the middle of a “cupcake bubble,” and maybe that’s true. I’m not sure that cities even as big as New York can sustain as many cupcake shops as they have right now, but you have to like the chances of a company that is doing as financially well as Crumbs is. With all the growth should come jobs; however, Crumbs doesn’t seem to have a Jobs page. If you use our job search function, you’ll see that you get a number of results for Crumbs jobs. The postings come with titles like “Sweet Freaks Rejoice” and “Sugar Sweet Job Opportunities.” These are all retail positions, but it seems that Crumbs’ corporate function must be growing too. Why not try reaching out to them about their jobs? The only downside is that you might gain a few pounds if you get hired.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Crumbs.com
Jobs at Crumbs (from our job search engine)
Contact Crumbs
About Crumbs
Crumbs Locations

Have you tried Crumbs?

Alteris Renewables

Willy Franzen — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 13:00:26 +0000

Unfortunately, I can’t report on the election results because I’m writing this a day in advance because I will have flown to Munich last night. However, I can guarantee that regardless of how the people voted, green energy is still going to be a huge market. Renewables are big, and they’re becoming more and more accessible to average people. Alteris Renewables is a Wilton, CT based company that offers affordable renewable energy solutions to residential, commercial, and educational customers. They also have offices in Stonington, CT; Stamford, CT; New Bedford, MA; Albany, NY; Saratoga Springs, NY; New York, NY; Parsippany, NJ; Malvern, PA; Providence, RI; Waitsfield, VT; and Montpelier, VT. Yes, they pretty much have the Northeast covered. They also have the awesome growth rate covered, as they’re #417 on the Inc. 500 with 710% three-year growth to $56.4 million in revenue last year.

Renew Your Job Search

One of the requests I get more and more often from students is info on green jobs, specifically those jobs focused on energy. It’s a field that is certainly growing in popularity, but it often requires a background in Engineering. Luckily, Alteris Renewables is more consumer focused, so they have some options that aren’t quite as technical. Right now their Jobs page shows Renewable Energy Consultant positions in Northern New Jersey and an Operations Assistant position in Albany, NY. Both look suitable for new or recent grads, so check them out. And don’t be afraid to inquire about other opportunities.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

American Farmland Trust

Willy Franzen — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:07:55 +0000

Environmentalism and farming have an interesting relationship. Without a healthy environment, productive farming is nearly impossible; however, farming done wrong can be even worse for ecosystems than a smoke-spewing, toxic waste dumping factory. American Farmland Trust is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, DC that works with communities and individuals to “to protect the best land, plan for growth with agriculture in mind and keep the land healthy.” As America forgets how reliant it is on farmland for our food, more and more farms are being developed and losing their food producing capacity. American Farmland Trust was founded in 1980, and since then they’ve saved “millions of acres of farmland from development and led the way for establishing sound environmental practices on millions more.”

In the Farmland We Trust

American Farmland has a simple slogan: “No farms, no food.” It’s easy to forget where your food comes from when it comes so nicely packaged at the supermarket. The problem is that building another supermarket or housing development isn’t going to produce more food, and it might take away from our food production capacity if it’s built on existing farmland. American Farmland Trust acts as a “vital link among farmers, conservationists and policy-makers,” so that we don’t end up relying on other nations for our food like we do for oil. Below you’ll find a short video introduction to American Farmland Trust:

If you love our farmland and want to be a part of ensuring that it’s still around when you have kids, then you should check out jobs at American Farmland Trust. Right now they’re looking for a Development Associate at their Washington, DC office, and it seems like a perfect opportunity for a new or recent grad. American Farmland Trust also has offices in Northampton, MA; Dekalb, IL; Sutter, CA; Windsor, CT; Saratoga Springs, NY; and Seattle, WA; but no jobs listed at any of them.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you know where your food comes from?

Indeed

Willy Franzen — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:47:51 +0000

It’s story time today! Let’s go back three years to when I was still job searching. I was getting extremely frustrated with the recruitment process, and I was starting to think about how I could make online job search better. Beyond my typical job searching, I was reading everything that I could about the online recruitment industry. I was generating new ideas, and trying to find a way in so that other job searchers wouldn’t have to go through what I went through. I took an especially strong interest in Indeed, not only because they provide an excellent job search engine, but also because they were an innovative and successful startup located in Stamford, CT—just 20 minutes from where I was living at the time (they also have an office in Austin, TX). They were still small, and they didn’t really have any job postings that were suitable for me, so I e-mailed the CEO. I told him why I wanted to work for him and what I thought that I could bring to the table. It worked, and I got an interview (going straight to the top is an underrated job search method). After clearing the phone screen, I got invited to the office to meet with some people on the team, and, to my surprise, that included the CEO whom I had e-mailed my initial “cover letter” to. The interview was kind of a disaster. It went well at first, but I had already started working on One Day, One Job, and telling a potential employer that you’re starting a company in the same space isn’t typically a good idea. I didn’t get offered the job (nor did they ever formally reject me), but I think it all ended up for the better.

Yes, Indeed

Indeed’s business model looks a lot like Google’s. Scour the Internet for information, organize that information in a coherent fashion, and spit it back to users in a relevant way with ads mixed in with the content. While Google does it for everything, Indeed only focuses on jobs. You probably already know all about Indeed, because if you’re job searching and not coming across Indeed at least occasionally, you’re either not searching very hard or using an ultra targeted, networking approach (which I approve of highly). If you don’t have a problem with getting meta about your job search by looking for a job at a job search company, then take a look at jobs at Indeed. They have a bunch of opportunities, and a number of them seem suitable for new or recent grads. These include opportunities at their Stamford, CT office like: Account Executive – Staffing and Sales Account Executive. And opportunities in their Austin, TX office like: Software Development Engineer, User Interface Developer, Web Front End Developer, Country Marketing Associate – Native Australian, Country Marketing Associate – Native Canadian, Country Marketing Associate – Native Spanish, Marketing Associate, and Online Marketing Analyst. I’m still a fan of Indeed, even if they didn’t offer me a job, so go get the job that I couldn’t.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you use Indeed?

Achievement First

Willy Franzen — Sat, 29 May 2010 16:15:01 +0000

I have a good friend from Cornell who has been working in the world of education since he graduated with me in 2006. He often sends me recommendations of companies that I should feature, and I’ve actually covered quite a few of them. Earlier this week he sent me a note about Achievement First, a New Haven, CT based non-profit organization that manages charter schools across Connecticut and New York. (Sidenote: Having a friend like mine who is super-connected and aware in a particular industry or area can be huge for your job search.) Achievement First got its start in 1998 when a group of founders got together with the goal of creating a public charter school. They succeeded, and the result was Amistad Academy—and it’s been an amazing result. Over the past 7 years, Amistad Academy students have beat state averages in reading and math on the Connecticut Mastery Tests. In 2003 they built on this success by making Achievement First a separate entity to take the lessons learned from Amistad Academy and spread them throughout the region. Since then Achievement First “has grown into a network that includes 17 academies under nine charters in four cities.”

What Can You Achieve?

The success of Achievement First’s schools has proven that “demographics aren’t destiny.” Urban students can achieve at the same levels as affluent suburban students given the right environment. Achievement First is all about providing these environments. I think that the results speak for themselves. If you’re passionate about education and want to be a part of what Achievement First is doing, then you need to check out their Jobs page. They have a ton of opportunities available, and they make a really nice case for why you should join their team. Current openings that might be suitable for new or recent grads include IT Associate (New Haven), Leadership Development Team Assistant (Brooklyn), Recruitment Assistant (Brooklyn), Assistant to the COO (Brooklyn), Office Coordinator (Brooklyn or New Haven), Operations Associate (Brooklyn), and Operations Associate (New Haven). Additionally, Achievement First also lists jobs at all of their schools, so there are even more options to browse through if you’re so inclined.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Achievement First?

AEG

Willy Franzen — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:54:32 +0000

I swear that half of all college grads want to work in sports and entertainment. Unfortunately most of the job postings you’ll find in those industries are actually scam jobs. Getting a position at a legitimate sports and entertainment company is not easy, but with AEG you have a shot. They call themselves “one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world,” and although that sounds broad, it’s a good description. AEG operates in a number of business areas including Facilities, Sports (Teams and Events), Music (Events), and Merchandising. They own/control arenas like the STAPLES Center, Conseco Fieldhouse, and the Prudential Center, while also owning professional sports teams like the LA Kings and Los Angeles Galaxy (can you tell that AEG is based in Los Angeles?). They’ve also “promoted tours by artists including Britney Spears, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Christina Aguilera & Justin Timberlake, The Dixie Chicks, Yanni, Paul McCartney, Usher, Kanye West, Prince, Rod Stewart, Bon Jovi, Nickelback, and PopTarts Presents American Idol.” And that’s not even half of it. AEG is a major player in sports and entertainment, and a great place to start a career.

Join AEG’s Team

Describing AEG’s business in a few paragraphs isn’t easy, so I guess that the best way to put it is that if it has to do with sports or entertainment, they’re probably involved in some way. That means that AEG offers job opportunities in a wide variety of areas. They actually have a halfway decent job search function on their site, so you can narrow things down by AEG Company, Area of Interest, Location, or Facility. They have nearly 100 jobs posted (a lot of them are internships though), and they’re in locations all across the country. I’m not going to list entry level opportunities for you, so you’ll have to do the searching yourself, but you should note that AEG’s job offerings are typically in areas like Accounting & Finance, Administrative & Clerical, Box Office, Creative Services, Event Services, Facilities Operations, Guest Services, Merchandising & Retail, Player Operations, Real Estate, and Sales & Marketing. You can apply for any of the positions that you find through their online application process.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about AEG?

Fanzter

Willy Franzen — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:38:20 +0000

One thing that I find really exciting is the fact that there are cool startups popping up all across the country. Yes, Silicon Valley and the Pacific Northwest are still the primary places for technology focused companies to open up shop, but that’s becoming less and less true. That’s why I was intrigued by Fanzter—they’re web products company based in Collinsville, CT. Considering the fact that I’m from Connecticut and have never heard of Collinsville (it’s near Hartford), you have to consider it an unusual location for a startup (they would tell you it’s optimally located between Boston and New York City). Fanzter’s first (and only current) product is called Coolspotters. It’s a website that “makes it easy to discover and buy the products, brands, and fashions being used by your favorite celebrities – in their real lives, and in movies and television.” It reminds me a lot of what Delivery Agent is doing.

Spot These Cool Jobs

The business behind Coolspotters is pretty clear—their content can flow seamlessly into e-commerce. Coolspotters relies heavily on user-generated content, so the site can grow organically on it’s own. To get a feel for Coolspotters, let’s take a look at Joba Chamberlain (go Yankees!). His profile page will show you products that he’s been spotted with including a picture of him with the product. I see a picture of Joba playing Guitar Hero, and then I can go buy my own Guitar Hero. There are still a lot of kinks to be worked out on Coolspotters’ site (like having Mariano Rivera’s picture for C.C. Sabathia), but the concept is there and so is the funding. Right now, Fanzter’s Jobs page only has one position posted: Software Engineer, which is focused mostly on Web Development. The job is to build a new site called SimpleSports, so you have to love sports to be a good fit for the job. You might also want to note that Fanzter is offering Editorial Internships, so there’s the potential for some non techie jobs in the future (or maybe now if you want to try cold calling). You can apply for a job with Fanzter by sending a cover letter and résumé to jobs@fanzter.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Coolspotters?

Mercado Global

Willy Franzen — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:26:04 +0000

Yesterday I told you about TechnoServe and all of the good that they’re doing by spreading entrepreneurism. Mercado Global is taking a similar approach to fighting poverty, but they’re doing it with a very specific focus. They are a New Haven, CT based non-profit organization “that links the world’s most rural and economically-disadvantaged cooperatives to the U.S. market through a model that provides both fair wages and investments in community’s long-term development.” Even more specifically, they focus on working with women who produce handmade products. So, not only is Mercado Global creating positive change in the developing world, but they’re also providing you with shopping opportunities.

Go to the Mercado

Here’s a pretty cool stat from Mercado Global: on average their sales triple the income of their partner artisans. When you multiply this income increase across their 360 artisans and their 2,100 dependents, you get a whole lot of social change. The best part is that a lot of that money goes directly to education—exactly what is needed to end the cycle of poverty. If you love the idea of what Mercado Global is doing, you should buy something from them—or consider a job. They don’t have a Jobs page on their site, but they do post opportunities on Idealist. Right now they have an opening for an Operations & Development Associate. They’d like someone with prior fundraising experience, but this job seems pretty close to entry level to me. You can apply by sending a résumé with cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position to Ruth DeGolia at ruth@mercadoglobal.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Would you buy something from Mercado Global?

TechnoServe

Willy Franzen — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:00:09 +0000

As an entrepreneur I am a strong believer that businesses are often the best way to solve problems. Don’t get me wrong—I love non-profits, but the ruthlessness of the business world breeds efficiency and effectiveness. We’ve seen plenty of non-profits try to cure poverty, yet poverty remains one of the world’s biggest problems. Lately we’ve seen more and more business based solutions aimed at eradicating poverty. TechnoServe, is a non-profit (the irony!) that is doing just that. They help “entrepreneurial men and women in poor areas of the developing world to build businesses that create income, opportunity and economic growth for their families, their communities and their countries.” What they’re doing may sound like some new social entrepreneurship startup, but they have a 40 year track record of successfully transforming the lives of the world’s poor. I guess business based solutions to poverty aren’t a new idea at all.

TechnoServing Up Some Exciting Jobs

When I first heard the name TechnoServe, I imagined some sort of technology related non-profit; however, that’s not what they are at all. In fact, what TechnoServe does could be considered quite basic. They’re helping people do what other people have been doing for thousands of years—building sustainable businesses. Last year they helped 1,350 businesses generate $149 million in total sales, while in the process touching the lives of 1.2 million people. TechnoServe does this through three key practices: Developing Entrepreneurs, Building Businesses and Industries, and Improving the Business Environment. Over the years they’ve expanded to more and more countries, so they now cover: Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Peru, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and India. Their U.S. based offices are in Norwalk, CT and Washington, DC; and you can find information on their jobs here. Most of their job openings don’t profile for new college grads and they don’t accept applications for unlisted positions; however, with the right background (they really like consulting experience) you may find a few of their job listings to be a good fit. Additionally, they have a three to twelve month Volunteer Program that can groom you for a job with TechnoServe. Check it all out and see what works for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you heard anything about TechnoServe?

WWE (formerly WWF)

Willy Franzen — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:28:55 +0000

Yesterday I was amused by a friend’s Facebook status that said: “just had a revelation: Obama sounds like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.” I instantly imagined Barack Obama shirtless, yelling into a microphone, “Do you smellllllllllll what Barack is cooking?” Apparently SNL had a similar idea. That got me thinking about WWE (formerly the WWF), where The Rock first became famous. I was never a huge fan of professional wrestling, but I must admit to having watched on occasion. My little sister, on the other hand, was a huge fan. At about six years old she decided to be Hulk Hogan for Halloween. It was priceless. Back then they were the WWF, but a spate with World Wide Fund for Nature in 2000 resulted in a lawsuit and eventually a name change. WWE is located in Stamford, CT, just 20 minutes or so from my home town, and is a billion dollar business. Unfortunately, they haven’t been immune to layoffs, but they seem to have some great job opportunities right now.

Body Slam Your Way into a New Job

One thing that surprised me when I started doing research on World Wrestling Entertainment was the fact that they aim for a PG rating with all of their content. They put a huge emphasis on being family friendly because kids are such a huge part of their fan base. This philosophy runs throughout WWE’s five business units: Live and Televised Entertainment, Consumer Products, Digital Media, WWE Studios, and Sales & Sponsorships. If you’ve always loved professional wrestling and think that a career with WWE would be action packed, then you need to check out WWE’s Careers site. There are a bunch of job openings that can be considered entry level including Business Analyst (Stamford, CT), Live Event Marketing Rep (based anywhere in the U.S.), Motion Graphic Designer (Stamford, CT), On-Air Talent (Stamford, CT), and Writer Assistant (Stamford, CT). You can apply for all of these jobs online, so start practicing your body slams and elbow drops.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Who is/was your favorite wrestler?

Triumvirate Environmental

Willy Franzen — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:35:37 +0000

In the environmentalist’s ideal world there would be no such thing as hazardous waste. Everything would be pure and natural and “green.” Unfortunately, that will never happen (partially because every living thing is its own little hazardous waste factory). How we deal with this hazardous waste is what truly determines the future of our environment. Triumvirate Environmental has figured this out, and they’ve spent the last 21 years building a business that provides “turnkey environmental and hazardous waste management services to clients across four niche sectors; Education, Healthcare, Industrial, and Life Sciences.” They’re based in Somerville, MA with locations across New England, New York, and the Mid-Atlantic, and they also appear to be masters of social media.

Join the Triumvirate

I’m surprised that I hadn’t heard of Triumvirate Environmental until today. They’re totally on top of employment branding and social media use, so you’d think they’d be on my radar screen (I actually have an entry level job radar that gives me ideas for posts). This is impressive because they’re doing a great job making hazardous waste management exciting for job seekers and customers alike. Triumvirate Environmental has 9 blogs on topics that include The Environment, Environmental Careers, Higher Education, Healthcare, Industrial and Manufacturing, Life Sciences and BioPharma, Engineering Blogs, National and International Environmental News, and Social Media. It almost seems like too much, but if blog readers turn into customers or employees, then it’s well worth it. Triumvirate is all over Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube as well.

Although I find Triumvirate’s social media use impressive, I’m more impressed with their customer service philosophy, which is built off of their mission to “build the most productive, long-term, customer-intimate, environmental services firm by WOWing! each employee, and each customer, every day.” It’s all about WOWs! I’ve found that companies that treat their customers well, also treat their employees well, and the same can be said for companies that have Career blogs. That’s why you should definitely check out Triumvirate’s Career Center. Right now they have 22 job openings, and a number of them are suitable for new grads. These include Environmental Specialist (Somerville, MA; Providence, RI; Portland, CT; and Astoria, NY), Help Desk Specialist (Somerville, MA), and Environmental Service Representative (Portland, CT). There are also a number of jobs that are more “hands on” that only require a High School degree and some certifications. You can apply for all of these positions online, but I’ll bet that using social media to reach out to some people at Triumvirate Environmental may be a more effective way to get noticed.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you heard of Triumvirate Environmental before?

Public Allies

Willy Franzen — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:30:23 +0000

I happen to work with someone who knows a thing or two about leadership development. We’ve already developed one product to help future leaders land a job, and we have more in the pipeline. That’s why Public Allies caught my interest when a friend recently told me that they are hiring. They’re a Milwaukee, WI based non-profit that aims to “advance new leadership to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation.” They do this in three ways: putting diverse young adults through a paid full-time nonprofit apprenticeships, engaging and growing an alumni network of diverse leaders, and helping leaders and organizations better harness the assets of diverse teams and communities through training and consulting programs.

Join the Allies

By holding “the conviction that everyone leads,” Public Allies is creating a permanent network of leaders who are committed to a concerted effort to initiate positive change. They’re doing this where they’re headquarted in Milwaukee as well as in Phoenix, AZ; Chicago, IL, Cincinnati, OH; Bridgeport, CT; Wilmington, DE; Estes Park, CO; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Albuquerque, NM; New York, NY; Durham, NC; Pittsburgh, PA; San Antonio, TX; and Milpitas, CA. Their Ally Program is the first thing that may interest you. It’s a 10-month full-time Americorps apprenticeship that puts you to work at a non-profit in your community. You can check out the application and eligibility requirements here. Beyond this program, Public Allies also has a number of job openings. They’re not necessarily entry level, but the following positions (all located in Chicago, IL) might be worth looking at: Program Support Coordinator, Program Director, and Program Manager / Leadership Series Coordinator. You can find specific application information on the individual job postings.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever heard of Public Allies?

A Better Chance

Willy Franzen — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:17:05 +0000

Having spent 7 years at a private prep school, I know the educational value that such institutions offer. I also know that private schools aren’t accessible to everyone (but neither are great public schools). That’s why I think that it’s pretty cool that a New York City based non-profit organization called A Better Chance is achieving its mission “to increase substantially the number of well-educated young people of color who are capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American society” by enrolling students of color in Member Schools (which are apparently both public and private). Since 1963 when “23 headmasters of selective independent schools made a mutual commitment to change the profiles and compositions of their student bodies,” A Better Chance has improved the educational outcomes of more than 12,000 alumni.

A Better Chance for You

A Better Chance just keeps getting bigger and bigger. They now have “a record 544 new Scholars in a growing national network of more than 300 Member Schools.” That’s more students than my school had K-12! A Better Chance’s website doesn’t go into a ton of detail on the specifics of their program (at least as far as I can tell), but I’m sure that some deeper research will give you a full view of how the program works. As for jobs, they have a number of opportunities across the country that seem as though they may be suitable for new grads. These include Resident Director positions in Simsbury, CT; Winchester, MA; and Lower Merion, PA. There are also some non-paying Resident Advisor and Tutor positions available. The application instructions vary by position, so be sure to look closely at each job description.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about A Better Chance?

New Canaan Nature Center

Willy Franzen — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:05:17 +0000

Having grown up in Fairfield County, Connecticut, I took at least one school field trip to the New Canaan Nature Center. I think that I was pretty young, so I don’t remember the trip very well, but I do know that I always loved nature related field trips. If you’re not familiar with the idea of a nature center, it’s simply a “visitor center designed to educate people about nature and the environment.” At least that’s what Wikipedia has to say about the topic. New Canaan Nature Center certainly accomplishes that, as they have some pretty awesome facilities. In addition to a Visitor Center, they include a 4000 square-foot Greenhouse, an Education Building and Annex, an Apple Cider House, an Animal Care Building, an Herb Garden and Cottage, Two Observation Towers, Staff Residences, an Arboretum, a Wildflower Garden, and quite a bit more. It’s the perfect place for people to step out of suburban Fairfield County life and get a taste of the nature around them.

Be a Part of Nature… Center

One of the things that I didn’t mention about New Canaan Nature Center’s is their Birds of Prey exhibit. It features seven aviaries, and sounds awesome (maybe it’s just me, but I’m absolutely fascinated by birds of prey). The birds of prey in the exhibit include a Bald Eagle, a Barred Owl, a Common Raven, a Great Horned Owl, a Harris’ Hawk, a Peregrine Falcon, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a Turkey Vulture. If you get even more excited about this stuff than I do, then a career as an Environmental Educator at New Canaan Nature Center might be worth considering. Although they’d like someone with some experience in the field, I’m sure that there are plenty of new college grads who have that type of background. You can apply by sending a cover letter, résumé, and three references to jobs@newcanaannature.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever been to a nature center?

Kayak

Willy Franzen — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:32:15 +0000

Last week we took a look at Priceline’s Jobs, and since travel is always fun, we’re going to check out Kayak today. They’re a travel search engine that was started by founders of Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia who decided to partner up into a “travel dream team” and build a “better online travel experience.” Unlike most travel sites, Kayak doesn’t sell anything to travelers. They’re an aggregator just like Google that scours the web for the best travel deals and returns them to you. What Kayak does sell is advertising. Just like how Google has “Sponsored Results,” Kayak integrates advertising with its search results. You can try to describe the business model with fancy words, but it’s really all about lead generation. Kayak, like Priceline, is based out of Norwalk, CT, which I find pretty intriguing. I wonder if there’s any particular reason that it’s beneficial for an online travel company to located in Norwalk.

Hop in the Kayak

After spending some time checking Kayak out, it seems to me that their big thing is simplicity. Using their search engine is pretty darn simple, and it also shows in how they express their corporate identity. For instance, Kayak’s About page isn’t particularly short, but it does a fantastic job of explaining who they are and what they do in plain English. I also really like what they’ve done with their Team page. This simplicity continues into Kayak’s Jobs page, which consists of a few bullet points on why you should work at Kayak in addition to a simple list of jobs. The job descriptions are also straightforward and get to the point. They have a number of Sales positions available; however, they seem to require a decent amount of experience. What intrigued me were the SEO Product Manager/Analytics Researcher (Concord, MA) and Search Marketing Analyst (France). These aren’t straight up entry level jobs, but if you’ve spent your college years learning (most likely self taught) about search and online marketing, then you might be the perfect fit. You can apply for all of Kayak’s jobs by e-mail, but the address depends on which position you’re apply for, so check out the individual job descriptions for more details.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you use Kayak to find travel deals?

Priceline.com

Willy Franzen — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:39:36 +0000

My first introduction to William Shatner was watching Rescue 911. Little did I know that his body of work extended far beyond narrating a show about real life heroes. I imagine today’s children will have an equally narrow view of William Shatner’s career, as they’ll know him as “Priceline Negotiator.” (Can you read those words without hearing the corresponding tune? I can’t.) Anyway, the whole idea behind William Shatner’s newest role – besides his doing the commercials in return for stock – is that Priceline.com will negotiate the best deals on travel-related items like hotels, car rentals, and airline tickets. They also have a “name your own price” model that used to be the core of their business, but now Priceline has widened its focus to discount travel in general.

Entry Level Job Negotiator

Don’t you wish you had someone like William Shatner to negotiate your entry level job for you too? Ok, that’d be a little weird. Sometimes learning negotiating skills is better than having someone do the dirty work for you. I think that I’m glad that the way we find jobs online is different from the way that we find travel deals online. With that said, you can go to the same place for both if you’re interested in a job in travel or e-commerce. Priceline.com has a number of jobs that seem like they might be well suited to new or recent college grads. In their Grand Rapids, MI office there are jobs for a Japanese Translator and Customer Service Executives, while at their Norwalk, CT headquarters they’re looking for an Associate Regional Revenue Manager – Hotels. You can figure out how to apply from the job descriptions that I’ve just linked to. Priceline.com doesn’t have an About page, so there’s not a ton of information about who they are and what they’re about as a company, so you might want to do a little Googling to get more info.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you use Priceline.com to book your travel?

MBI Inc.

George Tarakhovski — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:53:12 +0000

This is the first guest post by George Tarakhovski. We’re hoping that he will become a regular contributor here. If you’d like to contribute to One Day, One Job, let me know at Willy@onedayonejob.com.

Odds are that you are, know or have heard of someone who has a knack for collecting stuff. Perhaps, it is your grandfather who keeps a prized archive of 18th century stamps or your friend from middle school who proudly laminated every single Pokémon card he could get his hands on. MBI Inc., a Connecticut-based $400 million-dollar consumer-products company, has successfully transformed society’s affinity for collectibles into a highly profitable business. The company markets its products through four in-house operating divisions – Danbury Mint, PCS Stamps & Coins, Easton Press and MBI UK. Each of these divisions is responsible for churning out collectibles such as licensed sports figurines, die-cast models, jewelry, fine leather-bound books, vintage coins, and stuffed animals. MBI has successfully survived several recessions and seems to remain profitable to this day. Considering the current economic climate and the unorthodox nature of the collectibles industry, this is good news for somebody who seeks an unusual business career, yet suffers from cold shivers when the words “lay” and “off” are mentioned together in the same sentence.

The Curious Case of the Collectibles Manager

Although MBI’s generic-looking website is in dire need of a facelift, it does a good job of introducing the prospective applicant to the careers offered at the company. According to the website, the nature of the Assistant Product Manager – the only entry-level opportunity at MBI – is entirely cross-functional. The new college graduate is expected to interact with advertising, marketing, product development and product sourcing departments in order to cultivate a comprehensive set of skills needed to succeed in a management career. The good news is that MBI does not require any professional business experience. Intelligence, ambition and commercial instincts are sufficient factors for consideration and success. While no other jobs outside of product management are listed, there are other career opportunities available at MBI. Those include accounting, customer service, and operations just to name a few.

While you may scoff at the notion of marketing antiques to seniors in Florida retirement homes, MBI does the bulk of its recruiting at elite Ivy League campuses, which means that they take hiring very seriously. After all, their business model is profitable and historically sustainable. So, if you do well at MBI, there is a chance that you may start your own collection of rare watches sooner than you thought. Just don’t get your hopes up, yet.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you ready to start collecting?