One Day, One Job » copywriting

Entercom

Willy Franzen — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:29:17 +0000

The next car I get will definitely have some sort of iPhone integration. Right now I still rely on one of those tape to AUX thingies, which means that I usually just listen to the radio. I couldn’t find any good stats on the topic, but I have to think that listeners in cars are what’s keeping radio going. But according to Entercom, radio is still going strong. You would expect them to say that though, considering that they’re “one of the five largest radio broadcasting companies in the United States.” Entercom is headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, PA, but they operate more than “100 stations in 23 markets, including San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Denver, Portland, Sacramento and Kansas City.”

Enter Entercom

While Entercom’s stock performance over the past ten years doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the future of radio, it’s hard to write off a business that reaches so many people. The best way to get a better understanding of Entercom’s business is to read up on their markets and the stations that serve them. To me the most noteworthy point is that Entercom stations are the broadcast partners of the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Oakland A’s, Kansas City Royals, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres, and San Jose Sharks. Sports is huge, and online delivery of radio broadcasts is becoming a big deal (I love listening to baseball games on my iPhone). If you’re thinking about a career in radio, Entercom would be a great place to start. Their Jobs page shows a ton of positions in locations all across the country. Whether you’re interested in working in Sales/Account Management, On-Air, Promotions, Copywriting, Production, Journalism, Marketing, or something else, there’s probably something for you at Entercom or one of their stations.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite radio station?

HealthTap

Willy Franzen — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:23:46 +0000

Admit it! You’ve used the Internet to self-diagnose a medical problem, and you probably used WebMD. For some of you it was to convince yourself that you’re not going to die tomorrow, and for some of you it was probably the opposite. It’s great having access to so much information, but it’s kind of dangerous when you a) can’t verify its accuracy and b) have no idea how to use it properly. Running to the doctor for every little issue is ridiculous, so there needs to be a better way to get medical information online. Luckily my little sister (who is awesome because she went to art school and then decided she wanted to go to med school, so she’s doing a postbac now) let me know about HealthTap. They’re a Palo Alto, CA based company that provides “free online and mobile answers from thousands of the best physicians in the U.S.” It’s kind of like Yahoo! Answers for medicine, but the people responding to your questions aren’t complete morons.

Get Tapped

There’s no doubt that there’s a demand for free medical advice online. But would doctors actually be willing to answer questions for free? HealthTap has proven that the answer is a resounding yes. Humans want to share their knowledge–just look at the endless reviews on sites like Yelp and Amazon–but professionals are usually more hesitant to give away their expertise for free. That’s why HealthTap sweetens the deal for docs. Their software helps “physicians better serve existing patients, find new ones, and build their reputation by demonstrating their expertise online.” If you were looking for a dermatologist, wouldn’t you consider the one who gave you great answers to your questions about a rash on HealthTap? I would (if I had a rash). Beyond helping doctors reach new people, HealthTap also provides a platform for doctors to provide something like a FAQ. That means that they spend less time answering the same simple questions over and over.

If you’re interested in the intersection of health care and technology, then a job at HealthTap would be an awesome fit. Here’s their video on why you should work for them:

The available positions most suitable for new or recent grads at HealthTap are pretty technical right now as they include Frontend Software Engineer, Backend Software Engineer, Mobile App Developer, and IT and Operations Engineer. The Interactive Writer / Copy Writer / Editor position looks pretty cool, but it seems like they want pretty significant experience. If you’re not a techie, you may want to try reaching out to jobs@healthtap.com to see if there’s any way you could fit in.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Would you use HealthTap?

GREE

Willy Franzen — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:29:06 +0000

There’s no doubt that Japanese companies have been and continue to be leaders in the gaming industry. Nintendo, Sega, and Sony are some of the names that you’re most likely to recognize, but it’s very clear that the old guard of gaming is facing stiff competition from upstarts like Zynga and ngmoco that are focusing on mobile and social gaming. While Japan has historically been big on console gaming, they’re not missing out on this trend. GREE is a Japanese that is fervently entering the U.S. market in order to grow a business that generated $1.7 billion in revenue last year. GREE is unique in that their U.S. based branding has been more about hiring than games. They’ve opened a San Francisco, CA office that they’re promoting heavily with billboards, referral bonuses, and even Google AdWords campaigns. They also acquired a company called OpenFeint to speed along the growth.

They’re Huge in Japan

While I love it when companies put a big emphasis on employment branding and recruiting, I’m a little annoyed by how difficult it is to dig into GREE’s business. Their website’s header includes some cool looking game characters, but there’s absolutely no information available about the company’s games. All the site really says is that their goal ” is to make mobile social gaming meaningful by building the best mobile social gaming ecosystem for users and developers worldwide.” The only tidbits of information come from GREE’s News page which mentions that they’re teaming up with Ubisoft for a new Assassin’s Creed mobile game and working with Gameloft on a “Gang Domination” game. You can also head over to OpenFeint’s site to learn more about their games. If you like what you see, then you’ll be thrilled about how many positions are posted on GREE’s Careers Page. Here are the jobs that seem best suited for new or recent grads:

Art, 2D Game Artist
Junior Web/Graphic Designera
UI/UX Designer, Mobile Games
Business Operations Associate
Strategy Associate
Android Engineer
IT Service Delivery Specialist
Software Engineer – Front End
Software Engineer, Game Backend
Software Engineer, Mobile Device Porting
Software Engineer, Mobile Games
Software Engineer, Mobile Integration
Software Engineer, Platform
Web Developer
Recruiting Coordinator
Junior Copywriter
Marketing Coordinator, Platform
Bilingual Executive Assistant (Japanese)
Customer & Community Specialist
Game Integration Engineer
Production Coordinator/Assistant
Executive Assistant

Like I said, GREE is extremely serious about expansion in the U.S., and that’s why they’re hiring so many people right now. There are a lot of jobs to wade through, but the variety of options is pretty wide.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you play any GREE games?

mcgarrybowen

Willy Franzen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:11:56 +0000

I really enjoyed watching football last night. I’m not a huge football fan, but those were both great games. I’m also happy to see that advertisers are gearing up for the Super Bowl. They’re breaking out new commercials and actually trying to get viewers’ attention. That means it must be an extremely busy time of the year for an advertising agency like mcgarrybowen. They’re based in New York, NY and Chicago, IL, and they work with big names like Burker King, Chase, Disney, Kraft, Marriott, Reebok, Sears, Verizon, and plenty of others. They also recently landed the Bud Light account, and they’re expected to do some Super Bowl work for them. What a surprise! Bud Light will be advertising during the Super Bowl.

A Better mcJob

Though I don’t typically keep up on the latest happenings in the ad agency world, my research tells me that mcgarrybowen is so hot right now. They’ve been picking up huge accounts left and right, and that led to their being named Agency of the Year on AdvertisingAge‘s Agency A-List. All these new accounts mean lots of new jobs. Just look at mcgarrybowen’s Chicago office that grew from 16 employees when it opened in 2009 to more than 200 now. The folks at mcgarrybowen would probably attribute this success to the fact that they’re “built differently, on the simple premise that clients deserve better.” I’ll take a wager that it also has something to do with their work. If you love the agency’s work and agree with the premise that clients deserve better, then you should visit mcgarrybowen’s Careers page. Right now they have a few openings worth checking out including Digital Account Executive (New York, NY) and Social Media Specialist with PR experience (New York, NY). If mcgarrybowen keeps winning accounts, expect even more jobs to get posted. You can even anticipate this by submitting a general application here

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you like mcgarrybowen’s work?

UncommonGoods

Willy Franzen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:11:21 +0000

Today is my seven year anniversary with Amy. Now that we’re getting married, we’ll be getting a new anniversary, but for now this is a date worthy of celebration. As a result, I was thinking about presents that I’ve bought her in the past, and I remembered one of the first gifts that I got her. It was an “in vitro orchid”– a tiny orchid plant in a test tube with some sort of nutrient filled gel. I can’t remember how I found it, but I know that I bought it from UncommonGoods, which is a great site for finding “unique gifts and creative design.” They’re based in Brooklyn, NY, and they “believe that creativity and the expression of individuality represent two great human treasures.” UncommonGoods was founded in 1999 and is a registered B Corporation, which means that they “have struck an insightful balance between the realities of business and each of the key components of sustainability – including human resources, environment, community, financial, and governance.”

How Uncommon Are You?

The best thing about UncommonGoods is their product selection. It’s certainly not the place to go if you’re looking for something specific, but if you only have a vague idea like “gift for a coworker” or “kitchen tools,” then UncommonGoods is the perfect place for finding something that you didn’t know existed. They put extra emphasis on finding products that are handmade or made by featured artists. They also like to drop Uncommon Knowledge on you while you’re shopping, so watch out for that. If you’re digging the UncommonGoods vibe, then you’ll have to give their Careers page a look. They have a ton of job openings, and quite a few seem suitable for a new or recent grad. These include:

Copywriter
Junior Web Developer
Buyer
Product Development Assistant

It looks like there are some pretty cool options, so take a look at the Careers page to see the full descriptions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you bought anything from UncommonGoods?

AppSumo

Willy Franzen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:05:26 +0000

Want to give AppSumo a try? Be sure to use this link to sign up.

I know that a lot of people are getting sick of daily deal sites, but I’m a huge Groupon fan (maybe because my fiancée works there); however, I must admit that the daily deal e-mail that I’m most excited for every day comes from AppSumo. They’re an Austin, TX based company that offers amazing bargains on software, online courses, and other tools that are extremely useful for entrepreneurs, web professionals, job seekers, and anyone who wants to use technology to a fuller extent. I’ve used AppSumo to buy things from Udemy (a PHP course), Tout (an e-mail management tool), StickerMule (awesome custom One Day One Job stickers), and a bunch of other cool companies. Each purchase has been valuable for building my business, and they’ve all come at unbelievably low prices.

Be a Sumo

AppSumo was founded by Noah Kagan just oner a year and a half ago. He’s a guy that I’ve had a chance to hang out with, and he’s super smart and extremely interesting. That’s why it’s no surprise that he’s built the company to more than half a million customers in that time. Unfortunately, you can’t get the AppSumo story for free on their website. Noah is a smart businessman, so he charges $79 for the behind the scenes story and charges $500 for an hour of one-on-one time (those are discounted prices). If I were you, I’d buy both of them and use them to try to land a job with AppSumo. They have a “For any reason anytime before you die” 100% money-back guarantee, so if you don’t get hired, you can totally get your money back. You can see all of AppSumo’s current and past openings on their Jobs page, so check that out. Right now they’re looking for a Python Developer and two Business Development Sumos, but they’ve had past jobs in Marketing, Design, Customer Support, Quality Assurance, Copywriting, and Taco Eating.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever bought something from AppSumo?

Captains of Industry

Willy Franzen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:01:19 +0000

I went on a guided fishing trip this morning. The weather was pretty terrible, and the catching was nonexistent. As we were driving back to the hotel, the guide told us about a boat that recently sank and how the captain was the first one to abandon ship. That’s certainly not captain-like behavior, and it’s the opposite of what you’d expect from Captains of Industry, a Boston, MA based marketing and advertising agency that was started by an ad guy and a filmmaker. They excel at developing ” strategy-driven creative in all media – from websites to corporate videos to literature systems – that tells [their customers' stories] in unforgettable ways.”

Aye Aye Captain

Captains of Industry got its start as a freelance writing service in 1992, but it evolved into something much bigger when its founder started sharing office space with a filmmaker in 1996. They decided to work together and quickly began producing some pretty cool stuff. You can check out their latest work here. Their clients include Bose, First Wind, Akamai, Re/Max, and a bunch of other big names. If you want to get an even better feel for Captains of Industry, you should read their manifesto. You may also want to take note of some things that Captains are (we already know that they shouldn’t abandon ship):

/ Captains are storytellers

/ Captains take pride in our craft

/ Captains take ownership

/ Captains passionately want the client to succeed

/ Captains are driven to change the world

/ Captains never take themselves too seriously

/ Captains never quit

If you think that you have what it takes to be a Captain, then take a look at Captains of Industry’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for full-timers in Account Management and SEO and freelance Graphic Designers, Web Designers, Copywriters, Technical Writers, Illustrators, Producers, Web/Flash Programmers, and Art Directors. Additionally, you can also apply for future openings.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Captains of Industry?

OpticsPlanet

Willy Franzen — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:25:36 +0000

When I was a kid, I had eyes like a hawk. At my best I had 20/12 vision. Then in high school things started getting blurry, and I eventually had to get contact lenses. Luckily, humans have spent a ton of time and energy in developing technology that helps us see better. Whether you want to see something really small, far away, or in the dark, there’s optical equipment that can help you out. The thing is that microscopes, binoculars, night vision goggles, and even glasses aren’t something that you buy casually–you want to buy from someone who knows his or her stuff. OpticsPlanet is a Northbrook, IL based company that employs a whole bunch of those people. They are “one of the world’s leading online retailers of a wide selection of sport optics, tactical and military gear, scientific products, hunting gear, professional grade products and eyewear.” I get excited when I get a new contact lens prescription, so I bet getting to play with some of OptcisPlanet’s offerings would make me giddy.

Seeing Is Believing

When you end up on OpticsPlanet.com, it looks like a pretty generic e-commerce site. I would have never guessed that they generated $82.6 million last year, but thats’ what the numbers from the Inc. 5000 say. They’ve also been growing at a 113% rate over the past three-years, so they must be gaining a significant share in the optics market. I found a video on their About page that gives a pretty good intro to the company, so check it out below:

If you like what you see in the video and you also like the fact that OpticsPlanet was named one of “The Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces,” then you have to take a look at their Careers page. Right now they have some great opportunities for new or recent grads including:

User Interface Designer
Communications Designer
Content Project Manager
Junior Web Developer / JavaScript
Accounts Payable Specialist
Call Center Quality Assurance
Risk Management – Order Review Agent
Search Engine Optimization Specialist
Pay Per Click Marketing Specialist
Online Marketing Specialist
Copywriter
Vendor Services Account Coordinator

There are all kinds of opportunities at OpticsPlanet, so take a really close look and see if you like what you see.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What would you get from OpticsPlanet?

Travelzoo

Willy Franzen — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:15:38 +0000

On Saturday I’m heading to Aruba for two weeks! (Don’t worry, you’ll still get your daily e-mails–even on Christmas Day.) I booked well in advance, so I got a decent fare, but it’s still about four times more expensive than traveling at a different time of year. If you want to travel during the holidays, you’re probably going to have to pay through the nose. Still, it’s worth looking for a deal, and there’s no better place to do that than Travelzoo. They’re a New York, NY based company (with 23 other offices all across the world) that has perfected the art of the travel deal. They don’t just go out and find low rates–they actually “research, evaluate, and test thousands of deals to find those with true value.” Although it’s not exactly the same, they kind of do for travel deals what I do for jobs: curate. Though they have 250 experts working on it, which is 249 more than we have.

Take a Trip to the Zoo

Travelzoo’s site is about as basic looking as it gets. It’s simple, clean, and uncluttered. It may not look like the site of a publicly traded company, but it certainly stands out from other travel sites that seem to bombard you with useless offers. I guess that’s why they have 24 million members, though the fact that they require you to be a member to see their deals has to help with that too. Beyond travel, Travelzoo has also moved into entertainment deals and local deals, but travel is definitely their bread and butter. What’s so unique about Travelzoo’s model is that they’re not for sale. Yes, they accept payment from advertisers, but they only publish deals that they are confident will make their members happy. There’s no way to get on Travelzoo except offering a high quality deal. If you’re liking what Travelzoo is all about, then take a look at their Jobs page. They have a ton of openings, and a few look perfect for new or recent grads including: Associate Producer (Chicago, IL), Producer (Chicago, IL) Assistant Producer (Miami, FL), Producer (New York, NY), Assistant Producer – SuperSearch (San Francisco, CA), and Producer (Toronto, ON). Travelzoo’s Producers are “top-notch journalists whose commercial acumen would impress the Donald himself.” In other words they take on a role that includes researching, writing, producing, account managing, sales, and a lot more–they find the deals and get them live on the site. It sounds like an extremely cool role, so check all the positions out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you used Travelzoo?

University of Chicago

Willy Franzen — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:51:58 +0000

This is a sponsored post for the University of Chicago.

Even though I’m five years out of college, I still miss it. As much as I know many of you would like to stay (or go back), it’s time to get a job and leave the world of academia. Or is it? I’ve recently heard from a number of readers who have found a way to have their cake and eat it too. Some have landed jobs at their alma maters, while others have gone to work for other colleges and universities. If you think that Chicago would be a cool place to live (it is!), then you have to consider the University of Chicago.

The University of Chicago was founded by John D. Rockefeller, and it first offered classes in 1892. They currently serve 5,134 undegraduate students and 10,492 graduate, professional, and other students with a full-time faculty of 2,188. These three groups along with the more than 150,000 worldwide alumni form “a community of creative, demanding, inspired scholars who debate and collaborate to enrich human life through their work.” If you want more info on what the University of Chicago is all about, check out their About page.

Right now, the University of Chicago’s Alumni Relations & Development Division is working with us to fill 5 positions that they think are well suited for the One Day One Job audience. These positions include:

These are great opportunities to start your career while still staying close to the college atmosphere. Give the positions a look, and see if any of them interest you. If you’re interested in other positions at the University of Chicago, be sure to take a look at their Jobs page.

Hotel Tonight

Willy Franzen — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:03:26 +0000

Want to try Hotel Tonight? Use this link to get $25 off your first booking.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I either book hotel rooms way in advance or the day of. When I reserve a room in advance, I’m usually looking for more than just a place to sleep. Price is still important, but it’s not the most important thing. But when I need a room for tonight, I want a place that meets my minimum standards for the lowest price. As long as I can get a good night’s sleep without being bitten by bedbugs or woken up by a domestic dispute, I’m happy. It’s the latter situation that can be frustrating for bargain hunters. You know that the hotel is at 12% capacity, but they still won’t give you anything better than the AAA rate. As long as they can cover the cost of cleaning the room, they should be willing to take you. Hotel Tonight is a San Francisco, CA based company that is making it easy to get rooms for up to 70% off at the last-minute.

Job Today?

At least for now, Hotel Tonight is completely app based. You can’t even search for a hotel on their website. They want you to whip out your phone (Android or iPhone) when you need a room and book from there. Every day they launch new deals at noon local time, so that’s the best time to check the app (some stuff does sell out). I spent a little time playing around with the app, and the deals look good, but they’re not mind blowing. If you stay somewhere expensive you can save a few hundred bucks, but a more basic hotel room might only come with $10-$20 in savings. Still, Hotel Tonight will help you find a good deal with almost no hassle, and it provides a great yield management tool for hotel owners. If you’re interested in the intersection of technology and hospitality management, then take a look at Hotel Tonight’s Jobs page. Right now they have some great opportunities available including:

Take a look at the jobs. Hopefully one of them will be a good fit.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite hotel?

Fab.com

Willy Franzen — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:42:03 +0000

Want to check out Fab.com and get daily design deals up to 70% off? Get your free invite here, and hurry. If you sign up before 11:45 AM EDT on 10/18/2011, you’ll get $10 in your account as soon as you sign up.

If my parents had to pinpoint the time when they hated me the most, it was probably one of the times they took my sister and me furniture shopping. It was always an unmitigated disaster. When I’m in a furniture store, it’s like I’m wearing a Horcrux (Harry Potter reference for those who have no idea what I’m talking about) around my neck. My irritability and immaturity increase at an exponential rate over time. My girlfriend, having had heard the stories, came up with a smart solution when we were buying stuff for our new place. Instead of dragging me along from store to store, she did some pre-shopping and then only showed me the stuff she absolutely loved. It worked perfectly, as I was in and out of the stores before I even had the chance to start acting like a hungry, tired three-year old. Now we’ve come up with an even better solution–she just sends me links to Fab.com. It’s a New York, NY based site and company that offers “daily design for everyone.” They’re relatively new on the scene, but they’ve been getting a ton of positive attention by offering amazing deals of up to 70% on all kinds of cool stuff for your home.

Are You Fab?

Much like Gilt Groupe and ideeli, Fab.com requires you to be invited to get access to their daily deals. Luckily, I’ve got the hookup and you can get an invite here (and if you sign up before 11:45 AM Eastern on 10/18/2011, you get $10 in your account for free). If you really want to get a feel for the site, you should sign up, but the other option is to read the Fab.com Buzz to get some (presumably favorable) third-party opinions. Beyond paying insanely close attention to design in both the products they sell and their user experience, Fab.com also has designed their customer service function to be exceptional. If you like what you’re hearing about Fab.com, then you’ll want to check out their job postings. They don’t have their own Jobs page, so they link straight to their postings on LinkedIn. There are a few postings, but the only one that is presumably entry level is Copywriter (their CEO actually posts the positions on LinkedIn). I did a little digging and found some more postings on our job search engine including positions like Customer Support Representative and Supplier Relations Coordinator. And if none of those positions look like a good fit, you can also check out Fab.com’s Team page to see what other types of careers are possible with Fab.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you signed up for Fab.com? Here’s an invite.

Care.com

Willy Franzen — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:58:13 +0000

When you’re young your biggest responsibility is taking care of yourself. But eventually you get a dog, buy a house, have kids, and even have to start caring for your aging parents. As the responsibilities pile up, many people have to seek professional help to handle it all. I’m not talking about mental health professionals–I’m talking about babysitters, nannies, dog walkers, senior caregivers, and other people who can take on some of your daily responsibilities. Care.com is a Waltham, MA based company that makes “it easier for families to find reliable, trustworthy care for their loved ones.” Care.com does this by providing a closed community for matching up caregivers with people who are looking to hire them. By keeping the community closed, Care.com is able to ensure quality with features like background checks, reviews, and reference.

Show That You Care

The biggest impediment to finding a caregiver is trust. Whether you’re looking for someone to bring in your mail or babysit your first born, you don’t want to have any doubts about the person that you hire. Usually people use their real world social networks to find people for these jobs, but where do you go if you can’t find anyone you already know? Care.com wants to be that place. By combining an easy to use online experience with a team of experts, Care.com has positioned itself as the place to go to find caregivers or caregiving jobs. From what I can tell, Care.com is growing at a really good rate and they’re extremely well funded by venture capitalists. That must be why Care.com’s Jobs page has so many opportunities posted. The jobs that look like they might be good fits for new or recent grads include Data Analyst, E-mail Producer, Inside Sales Representative, Marketing Associate, Member Care Call Center Representative, Online Marketing Analyst, Operations Analyst, and Software Engineer. These look like really cool opportunities, so don’t pass them up.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you care for anyone?

CreativeFeed

Willy Franzen — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:43:20 +0000

Yesterday we looked at an advertising agency in Iowa; today we’re looking at digital marketing agency in New York, NY. Even though they’re in very similar businesses, you’d think that they wouldn’t have much in common. Yet when you look at their growth rates, annual revenue, and number of employees, EdgeCore and CreativeFeed (507% three-year growth rate to $5.3 million in revenue) look a lot alike. I think that’s pretty cool, even if it’s not all that meaningful. CreativeFeed catches your eye immediately when you land on their site. Not only do they offer a beautiful design, but they instantly catch your attention with the phrase “Welcome to The Currency Factory.” I don’t know about you, but I really want to know what that means. Apparently it’s “a new form of communication… designed to resonate with the social, conversational and digital reality.” As I understand it, Currency is attention, and attention, much like currency, is something that brands need to be profitable.

Feed Your Creativity

Ok, I’ll admit that the whole Currency thing is a little bit gimmicky, but I like it. It helps define who CreativeFeed is, and it makes them stand out from other agencies. They’re not just doing what every other firm does, they’re working “to create the next piece of culture that will be shared and talked about.” It shows in CreativeFeed’s work. They’ve done some really cool stuff and worked with big name clients like Chiquita, the Jack Welch Management Institute, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, and Calvin Klein. CreativeFeed does a great job of showing off what they’ve done, so I highly recommend that you take a look at it. And if you like what you see, then you should head over to CreativeFeed’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for Junior Copywriters and Junior Designers in addition to Editorial and Social Media Interns. These look like really cool jobs, but make sure they don’t try to pay you in Currency with a capital-C.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about CreativeFeed?

Phenomenon

Willy Franzen — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:35:14 +0000

When I look at creative, marketing, or design agencies, I usually like to check out their client lists and their work. I’m no expert, but it gives me a much better feel for the company. That’s why I was a bit surprised when I came across Phenomenon on the Inc. 5000–they don’t disclose their work or their clients. In fact, they promise anonymity to their sixteen clients (one of which is a country), and they mostly take on new clients who are referred to them by current or past clients. Phenomenon is based in Los Angeles, CA, and their approach is definitely different, but it does seem to be working. They’re growing like crazy with 1,274% three-year revenue growth to $15 million.

Are You a Phenomenon?

Phenomenon focuses on four key areas: Marketing Innovation, UX Innovation, Digital Innovation, and Cultural Innovation. I haven’t seen their work, but their model of anonymity is innovative, so I’ll trust that their work is too. If you do want to learn more about Phenomenon, you’ll probably want to read their Who We Are and What We Do pages, but it’s more important to read their Hiring Us page. It explains how they’re different and why they’re different. If you’re digging it, then you can just e-mail BecomeA@phenomenon.com and apply for a job (love that e-mail address). Or if you’re looking to apply for an actual position, you can check out Phenomenon’s Careers on LinkedIn. They’re looking for an Events Marketing Specialist and a Freelance Copywriter/Proofreader (Chicago, IL). I have no idea why they don’t also post these jobs on their site.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Phenomenon?

Total Attorneys

Willy Franzen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:53:56 +0000

Yesterday, I was sitting on the beach waiting to get into a volleyball game and talking to a friend about cool companies in Chicago, IL. She mentioned that her company shares office space with a really interesting business that is in the legal space. We don’t typically cover law firms because our target market isn’t law school graduates (though I know at least a few subscribe). In many ways Total Attorneys resembles a law firm, but there’s one major exception: they don’t practice law. They offer cloud-based software solutions for individual lawyers and small firms, so that lawyers can spend more time lawyering and less time doing all of the other stuff that comes along with running a successful law practice.

Lawyer Up

Total Attorneys focuses on three key areas with their products. The first is a web-based Law Practice Management System. It’s kind of like Google Docs, but it’s completely tailored to lawyers and their specific use cases. The second product is a Virtual Receptionist Service. Total Attorneys offers receptionists who are trained to take legal phone calls, which frees up lawyers to focus on more important things than answering the phone. The third offering is the most interesting to me. It’s a Legal Marketing Platform that helps individual lawyers and small firms get more clients. Running a successful practice is all about having a good flow of incoming cases, especially for lawyers that take clients on a contingency basis (usually for a percentage of a settlement or judgement). Generating leads and turning them into clients could easily eat up all of a lawyer’s available time. Total Attorney’s Legal Marketing Platform makes it a much less time consuming process.

Being a lawyer and running a business require two very different skill sets. Some people are great at both, but even those people run out of hours in the day. Total Attorneys separates the everyday tasks that come along with running a law practice from the actual practice of law. They seem to be doing really well, which is probably why they have a number of jobs posted on their Careers page. The ones that look best suited for a new or recent grad include Consumer Advocate, UX Web Designer, Web Designer, Online Writer, SEO Specialist, and Sales Representative. You can check out all of the job descriptions here.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Total Attorneys?

Weight Watchers

Willy Franzen — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:53:50 +0000

A little known fact about me is that I earned “The Speed Limit” as a nickname during my Senior year of high school. It wasn’t because I drove slowly; it was because I somehow managed to lose 55 pounds between the end of Junior year and the beginning of Senior year. I still don’t know how it happened–I wasn’t even trying to lose weight–but it did (I’ve since gained much of it back, but part of that is because I don’t have the body of a scrawny 17-year old anymore). Apparently, there’s some mysterious weight loss secret out there that I used, but don’t know about. Unfortunately, weight loss isn’t usually that easy, and for most people it’s a huge struggle. I’m a big proponent of “the slow-carb diet” and other methods from Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Body, but it’s all about finding what works for you. For many it’s Weight Watchers. The New York, NY based company was started in Queens during the early 1960s by Jean Nidetch who “began inviting friends into her Queens home once a week to discuss how best to lose weight.” Now more than a million people across the world go to Weight Watchers meetings every week.

Jobs to Watch Out For

The Weight Watchers business is based on providing “information, knowledge, tools and motivation to help you make the decisions that are right for you about nutrition and exercise.” Everybody knows that the science of weight loss is easy. If you’re burning more calories that you take in (or at least absorb), you will lose weight. Putting that scientific fact to work is what’s so difficult. Weight Watchers is really about overcoming the psychological obstacles that prevent people from losing weight. The meetings are one way that they help people achieve this, and their Points systems is another. By simplifying healthy eating into an almost game-like system, Weight Watchers makes it easier for people to make the right decisions. In a way, weight loss is a lot like the job search in that you almost have to trick people into doing the right things because they’ll rarely do what you tell them to do. Anyway, the weight loss industry is about as competitive as it gets, but Weight Watchers seems to continue to do well. They’re expanding their online presence, and they also seem to be hiring some new people. You can learn more on their Jobs page, where you’ll see positions like Administrative Assistant (Jericho, NY), CHAMP Reconciliation Specialist (Jericho, NY), Part-Time Collections Clerk, Corporate Sales Operations Coordinator, Field Coordinator, Program Innovation Developer, and Tally Clerk.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever tried Weight Watchers?

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

Willy Franzen — Wed, 04 May 2011 16:41:43 +0000

Ever consider a career in teaching? Here’s some info on how to get started.

There’s a long history of poking fun at Martha Stewart, and it started well before she went to prison. There’s just something funny about someone who takes perfection in domesticity as seriously as she does. My family even played an integral role in the satire of Martha with my little sister’s appearance in the parody magazine Martha Stuart’s Better Than You at Entertaining, which was a follow up to Is Martha Stuart Living? (here’s a picture my sister as young Martha Stewart in the parody). We can keep laughing at Martha Stewart, but she’ll always get the last laugh. She has an amazing track record of reaching the top in nearly everything that she has done–from babysitting for Mickey Mantle’s kids to starting a successful catering company in her basement to building a New York, NY based media empire in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Martha Stewart is apparently now worth well over half a billion dollars, and has used her personal brand to build amazing print, television, online, and merchandise properties.

Are You Living?

Whether or not you’re a Martha Stewart fan, you have to be impressed by what she’s done throughout her career. She’s had an amazing ability to stay relevant, and a lot of that has to do with her media strategy. She easily could have settled with a successful catering business, or a popular magazine, or having her own television show, but she didn’t. It seems that she is obsessed with using every channel possible to reach people with her “unique lifestyle content.” That’s what Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is all about. If you enjoy the Martha Stewart brand and want to work on the media or merchandise side, then you definitely need to take a look at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s Careers page. There are some great opportunities posted in their job listings, and a few seem suitable for new or recent grads including: Assistant Food Editor, PHP Application Developer – Internet Content Management Systems, Front-End Web Developer, Decorative Pillow and Bedding Accessory Designer, Executive Assistant, Freelance Recipe Taster, Retail Merchandising Assistant, Apparel Designer – Martha Stewart Pets and Quilt Designer. You can also apply for an unlisted position if you don’t see something that suits you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you a Martha Stewart fan?

Gemvara

Willy Franzen — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:08:47 +0000

I haven’t purchased a lot of jewelry, but when I have (never for myself), I’ve found the process to be extremely intimidating. Jewelry stores are scary places–at least for men who are buying for someone special. There are thousands of options, all of them are expensive, and the staff can be snooty. I remember walking into one store and waiting 15 minutes for someone to acknowledge my presence. It was the one time that I actually knew what I wanted to buy, so I walked out and bought the same thing elsewhere. The experience made me never want to step foot in a jewelry store again. Maybe Gemvara is the answer. They’re a Lexington, MA based company that sells jewelry through the web, but there’s a really interesting twist.

A Gem of a Job

The most interesting thing about Gemvara is that they don’t carry any inventory (at least in terms of finished products). Everything is made to order “by hand, one at a time, in the USA.” The pieces displayed on their website are just suggestions. You can order one if you want it, but you can also customize your piece to fit your exact specifications. Even better, all of Gemvara’s jewelry is made with “high-quality conflict-free natural gems” and “recycled or responsibly mined precious metals.” They’re trying to completely change the jewelry buying process, and I like where they’re taking it. Gemvara is extremely customer focused, and it shows with their satisfaction guarantee, return policy, and warrantee. If you’re intrigued by Gemvara’s business model, then you need to take a look at their Careers page. They have a number of open positions that seem suitable for new or recent grads including Graphic Designer, Junior User Experience Designer, Quality Assurance Assistant (New York, NY), and Website Copywriter. Gemvara just got another round of funding, so don’t be surprised to see more jobs posted soon.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What kind of jewelry buying experiences have you had?

Threadless

Willy Franzen — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:22:57 +0000

If you’re like me and wear t-shirts sometimes, then you know the value of a good one. Despite the fact that I have dozens of t-shirts in my dresser drawers, I wear the same few over and over again. My favorite is a Cornell Athletics t-shirt that has seen better days, but for many of you it might be a shirt from Threadless. They’re a brand/company of skinnyCorp that uses community-inspired designs to make awesome t-shirts. It’s hard to explain exactly what skinnyCorp is, but they’re all about using technology to facilitate collaboration within creative communities. Threadless is by far skinnyCorp’s most successful project (others include Threadless Kids, Naked & Angry, I Park Like An Idiot, and ExtraTasty). The company was founded in 2000 in Chicago, IL, and they also have an office in Boulder, CO. They’ve done a lot in that time, including being named “the most innovative small company in America” by Inc. Magazine.

New Job, New Threads

Have you seen the Seinfeld episode where both Jerry and Elaine are waiting out the relationship of a couple they’re friends with? I feel that way about Threadless. I’ve been watching their Jobs page forever, and I’ve never seen anything even remotely relevant to new grads (I’m not sure if I’ve even seen anything posted before today). I found this extremely frustrating since they make a point of bragging about their being named #8 on a list of the “50 most Gen-Y friendly companies in the Chicagoland area.” It’s hard to be “Gen-Y friendly” if you don’t have jobs for them. Threadless still doesn’t have anything entry level post , but there is an internship in Operations along with a Senior Developer position. Since I’m sick of waiting, I decided to look at skinnyCorp’s LinkedIn profile, which shows their new hires. I see titles like Accounting Coordinator, Junior Copywriter, and Consultant. I never saw these jobs posted, so I either overlooked them–or they never got posted. A lot of jobs get filled before they’re posted, so maybe you should consider applying before the jobs get posted. And if that doesn’t work out, you can also try to make a living submitting designs. They do pay selected designers “handsomely.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own any Threadless shirts?

Wolverine World Wide

Willy Franzen — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:04:01 +0000

Today’s a big day–not only is it St. Patrick’s Day (in past years we’ve taken a look at General Mills, Luck Stone, and Shamrock Boats) but it’s also the start of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. And what ties those two things together (besides being excuses for drinking during the day)? Shoes! It’s a little-known fact that all leprechauns are shoemakers, and we know that all basketball players are obsessed with shoes. That’s why we’re going to take a look at Wolverine World Wide, a multi-brand shoe company based in Rockford, MI. Their brands include Bates, Cat Footwear, Chaco, Cushe, Harley-Davidson Footwear, Hush Puppies, HyTest, Merrell, Patagonia Footwear, Sebago, Track ‘n Trail, and Wolverine, almost all of which are targeted towards rugged, outdoorsy customer bases. Most of the brands don’t offer great footwear for playing basketball, but they have plenty of shoes for leprechauns that wants to cause mischief and trek to and from the end of the rainbow.

Wolverines and Leprechauns

Wolverine World Wide was founded in 1883, and since then they’ve been making high quality leather products. At first it was pigskin work gloves, then horsehide shoes. Now their products have high-tech materials like those that come from Vibram. Wolverine World Wide has come a long way over the past 125 years, and I’m not just talking about their footwear. As they’ve added brands, they’ve been able to expand their reach to the point that they now have sold products in 190 countries. That’s no surprise considering the respect that Wolverine World Wide’s brands command in the world of footwear (Sebago is my favorite). If you love shoes, but more from a functional standpoint than a fashion standpoint, then check out careers at Wolverine World Wide. They don’t have a ton of positions that seem suitable for recent grads (they do offer a bunch of internships), but the following positions are worth taking a look at: Designer, Corporate Accounting Analyst, Global Web Content Producer, and Customer Service Representative. There are also a bunch of retail positions posted.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own shoes from any of Wolverine World Wide’s brands?

American Greetings

Willy Franzen — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:36:40 +0000

I can’t remember the last time that I bought a greeting card, but I can remember the last time that I was part of the purchasing process. A good friend of mine was getting married, and he needed a card for his soon to be wife. Because of the dearth of cards for brides from their grooms, I made it my job to suggest alternatives. Trying to convince a stressed out groom to give his new wife a condolences card probably isn’t the nicest thing to do, but it’s certainly entertaining. Yes, greeting cards can be funny, but there’s more to them than that. That’s why American Greetings calls themselves the “leading manufacturer of innovative social expression products that assist consumers in enhancing their relationships.” The Cleveland, OH based company is the largest publicly-traded greeting card company in the world, and their brands include American Greetings, Carlton Cards, Gibson, Recycled Paper Greetings, and Papyrus along with a number of other paper products and online brands.

A Job for Every Occasion

Greeting cards may seem like a niche business, but American Greetings is a very large company with near $1.7 billion in annual revenue and 18,000 employees according to Wikipedia. The company was started in 1906 by a Polish immigrant named Jacob Sapirstein, and it’s been able to stick around through constant innovation. They’ve developed toy brands like Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears and digital properties like Webshots and Blue Mountain. If it can somehow be worked into “social expressions products,” then they’re on it. American Greetings seems to keep on growing, and that means lots of hiring. Their Careers page takes a little bit of navigating, but half a dozen clicks later you’ll find their job listings. There are a ton of jobs posted, but you should look out for the following opportunities: Artist Coordinator (Chicago, IL), Assistant Product Development Manager – Papyrus/Recycled Greetings (Fairfield, CA), Assistant Art Director (Cleveland, OH), Brand Analyst – Papyrus, Graphic Designer (Cleveland, OH), Graphic Line Designer – Derivative Planning (Cleveland, OH), Graphic Coordinator (Cleveland, OH), Marketing Product Assistant (Cleveland, OH), Merchandiser (Nationwide), Order Filler (Cleveland, OH), Programmer Analyst (Bardstown, KY), Receptionist – Papyrus/Recycled Greetings (Chicago, IL), Sourcing Coordinator (Cleveland, OH), and Supply Chain Leadership Rotation Program Associate (Cleveland, OH). That Leadership Rotation Program is the most intriguing, and makes me wonder if they have any other similar programs in different areas.

American Greetings’ Careers page also mentions the following business departments: Accounting, Business Intelligence, Creative, Communications, Engineering, Entertainment, Finance, Human Resources, Interactive, Information Technology, International Operations, Legal, Management, Manufacturing and Distribution, Marketing, Retail Merchandising, Sales, Supply Chain Management, Transportation/Logistics, and Writer/Editor. So if you are interested in any of those areas but don’t see a job that fits you, you might want to keep checking in (or apply for an unlisted position).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s the last greeting card that you sent?

Vodori

Willy Franzen — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0000

I’ve met a lot of awesome people since I moved to Chicago–many through the local startup scene and many others through playing volleyball. What’s great about constantly meeting new people is that they often introduce me to new companies. One of the companies that a couple of my volleyball friends work for is called Vodori. They’re a Chicago, IL based full-service digital agency, and they do some killer work. The best example is their own site, which they just redesigned. It looks amazing, it conveys a clear message, and it’s super engaging. It not only makes you want to hire them, but it also makes you want to work for them. They even have a section on their site that shows how many pages they’ve published, pixels they’ve pushed, cups of coffee they’ve drank, miles they’ve biked, Whole Foods lunches they’ve eaten, and languages they’ve spoken.

Hipsters and Nerds and Suits, OH MY!

Vodori breaks their services down into three categories: Technology, Strategy, and Creative. In other words they have “hipsters, nerds, and suits ready to meet your goals.” When you bring those three together, you get a complete, unified marketing message that makes sense to customers. Some of Vodori’s client include Abbott, USG, and LifeFitness, and you can take a look at Vodori’s portfolio of case studies here. Still, I think the best example of their work is Vodori’s own website. That’s why you should go check it out and let it convince you that you want to work for them. You can meet their team and look at their job openings, but more importantly you can get a feel for who they are, how they work, and what they do on a daily basis. Right now they’re looking for a Content Manager, a Strategy Analyst, a Front End Developer, a Java Developer, and a Platform Engineer. The perks sound awesome (a half-day every ten days is my favorite), so get on it!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Vodori’s newly designed site?

Opening Ceremony

Willy Franzen — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:35:41 +0000

MATCH Public Charter School has been sponsoring One Day, One Job for the past week. They offer amazing entry level opportunities for new grads in Boston, MA, and you should check them out now.

Fast Company’s list of The 2011 Most Innovative Companies has a great mix of familiar and unfamiliar names. One of the companies on the list that I’m only recently familiar with is Opening Ceremony. They call themselves “a multifaceted retail environment comprised of shops, showroom, and private label collection that establishes a new, international creative forum in downtown Manhattan.” I first heard about Opening Ceremony because they’ve been collaborating on a line with Pendleton (a brand that I love). As I’d put it, Opening Ceremony is a New York, NY based fashion retailer/designer/curator. They’re all about bringing together things that are different—new and old, exotic and local. It’s based on the premise behind the original Olympics in 1896—”creatively merging sports, business, and global participation.” But it’s fashion instead of sports.

Join the Ceremony

To really get a feel for Opening Ceremony, you need to walk into one of their stores in New York City, Los Angeles, or Tokyo. If you can’t do that, their website is the next best alternative. Opening Ceremony’s goal is to recreate “a shopping excursion based on four different perspectives–established designer (designers that best exemplify the country), emerging designer, one of a kind vintage pieces and select items from the open-air markets.” They work with some of the biggest names in fashion, and they’re constantly adding new stuff; in fact, they focus on “the unique commercial and cultural character of a [different] visiting city” ever year. It’s a really unique take on fashion, and it’s one that I can’t effectively sum up. If you love what Opening Ceremony is doing, then you need to check out their Jobs page. They don’t post specific positions, but they invite you to “mail your cover letter, resume and 3 references to jobs@openingceremony.us.” They also ask you to mention what type of position you’re interested, and they provide the following suggestions: “Retail – LA/Tokyo/NYC/Ace, Showroom, Buying, Design, Graphic Design, Ecommerce, Online Marketing, Blog, Production, etc.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own anything from Opening Ceremony?

Wieden + Kennedy

Willy Franzen — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:31:58 +0000

I don’t know when people started to think that other people care what they think of Super Bowl commercials, but it seems that everyone with a Twitter account is now an advertising expert. Considering the fact that I have a Twitter account, I guess I should give you all my opinion on some of last night’s ads (at least I’m kinda sorta in the advertising/media industry). First, I really liked the Groupon spots—I thought they were hilarious and did a great job of poking fun at consumerism. Still, they didn’t explain the joke as well as they could have, and it backfired (but all that press is great for brand recognition). However, my favorite ad was Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit.” Maybe it’s just because my family ties give me a soft spot for the Motor City, but I think that Portland, OR based Wieden + Kennedy knocked it out of Comerica Park with this one. It was two minutes long (which costs $8+ million) and featured Eminem. Even better, it told a story and made me want to buy an American car—maybe even a Chrysler.

“Imported from Detroit” Made in Portland

In case you didn’t see the ad, I’ve embedded it below (e-mail readers need to click through).

Awesome, huh? Obviously, the best way to get a feel for Wieden + Kennedy is to take a look at more of their work. Their website is organized by office location, so you can check out the work from each office: Portland, New York, London, Amsterdam, Delhi, Shanghai, and Tokyo. They also do this with their Company Blogs and Client List. The Client List includes names like Chrysler (duh!), Old Spice, Nike, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Levi’s. It truly doesn’t get any bigger than those brands. But it’s not all about the big names at Wieden + Kennedy—they also have an Incubator that is aimed at creating “environments for entrepreneurial partnership and mentorship that drive culture and innovation.” You can also get a feel for the people who are behind all of the cool stuff that Wieden + Kennedy does here. Wieden + Kennedy sounds like an amazingly cool place to work, so if you’re up for the challenge (they’re obviously only looking for the best), then start thinking about a job with them. They don’t have a Jobs page, but each of their offices’ Contact pages includes an HR contact. Additionally, they have a Media Planner job in NYC and a Financial Analyst/Risk Management Coordinator position in Portland posted on LinkedIn. You can apply for one of these, or you can just reach out to them and tell them where you think that you’ll fit in.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Which Super Bowl ad was your favorite?

UrbanDaddy

Willy Franzen — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:45:08 +0000

You love free daily e-mails. Obviously. We’ve covered a lot of companies whose main products are daily e-mails, and not so surprisingly, most of the businesses are focused on helping you find new places to spend your money—these include DailyCandy, Thrillist, and TastingTable. Then there are the ones that make you smarter like The Daily Beast, DailyLit, and the one you’re reading right now (the one that is also trying to help you grow your bank account). UrbanDaddy definitely falls into the former category. They dub themselves “the free daily email devoted to bringing you the single thing you need to know every day about your city.” They’re based in New York, NY, but their daily editions cover Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, DC, Jetset, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, National, New York, San Francisco, and Ski & Board. Each edition covers topics like Nightlife, Food, Style, Gear, Leisure, and Weekends—all things that you should be withholding from yourself until you get a job (just kidding).

Who’s Your UrbanDaddy?

For all the hype that social media and social networking sites get, it’s amazing how many businesses are built on good, old-fashioned e-mail lists. UrbanDaddy has a cadre of writers who know the cities they cover and have an exceptional skill for uncovering what’s cool and new. If you live in a city covered by UrbanDaddy, you’ll never really have an excuse to be bored. They’re aiming to be that friend—the one “who knows everyone—the maitre d’s at all the right restaurants, the bouncers at all the right clubs, the addresses of all the great parties. And the kind of guy who lives to share the wealth.” They even have a Perks Program that gives subscribers exclusive access to special deals (hey, everyone has to jump on the Groupon bandwagon—it’s too profitable not to). If you are that friend, or you’ve played a supporting role to that friend, then you need to check out jobs at UrbanDaddy. They have a number of great opportunities posted right now, and a few look suitable for new or recent grads including Copy Editor, Los Angeles Editor, Senior Writer (yeah, I know it says Senior, but why not try to wow them), Quality Assurance Analyst, Advertising Sales Planner, Interactive Designer, and Senior LAMP/Front-End Engineer. Check out the job descriptions and sign up for UrbanDaddy’s daily e-mails to see if you’ll be a good fit.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you subscribe to UrbanDaddy?

Prospectiv

Willy Franzen — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:35:19 +0000

Since the deal above is for the guys (or girls who are buying gifts for their guys), we might as well take a look at a company that is a bit more targeted to the girls. And since it’s Cyber Monday, it only makes sense to focus on something that’s e-commerce related. That’s why we’re taking a look at Prospectiv. They’re a Wakefield, MA based company that specializes in “connecting brands with customers,” and they do that with a strong focus on customers who also happen to be women. Prospectiv’s specialty is online performance marketing, so they’re primed for even more success moving forward. Currently they’re generating “more than 50 million pre-qualified leads per year on a pay-for-results basis for clients, including many Fortune 1000 companies such as Procter and Gamble, Wal-Mart, Pfizer, Disney, Nestle and Schering-Plough.” That’s an amazing number, and I bet it’s only going to go up.

A New Prospectiv

Prospectiv is already working with the biggest names in the world, so they’re well positioned to take advantage of the inevitable growth in performance marketing. They’re also in good shape because they offer both Advertiser Solutions and Publisher Solutions; in fact, they’re even paying attention to the consumer side as well. To get a feel for the kind of marketing that Prospectiv does, you should really browse through their case studies. It will really help you to understand their flavor of performance marketing. Once you’ve done that, then you should take a look at Prospectiv’s Careers page. They have a variety of entry level opportunities including Copywriter, E-mail Marketing Associate, Inside Online Advertising Sales, Inside Sales Professional, Operations Associate, Software Engineer, and Business Development/Publisher Recruitment (New York, NY). There are some great options, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you found any good Cyber Monday deals?

Gerson Lehrman Group

Willy Franzen — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:57:18 +0000

Sometimes I get dubbed as a career expert. I guess in some ways that’s true, but I see myself more as an entrepreneur whose business is helping students and grads find jobs and internships. In my opinion it takes way more knowledge and experience to become an expert. I’m talking about people with PhDs and 30 years of experience, and, amazingly, there are experts on nearly every topic. But how do you find them when you need them? That’s where Gerson Lehrman Group comes in. They’re professional matchmakers when it comes to experts. Since 1998 they’ve created a global marketplace for expertise and “helped the world’s leading institutions find, engage, and manage experts across a broad range of industries and disciplines.” I have friends who have actually used Gerson Lehrman Group in their jobs to find experts, and I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about the people at Gerson Lehrman Group and their experts (who are not employed by the firm).

Become an Expert on Experts

Now, you’re coming from a college campus which is likely littered with experts. You can probably walk into a random professor’s office hours and gain insight from the foremost expert on some archaic topic. Usually expertise isn’t so free and easy. Businesses, consulting firms, and non-profit organizations are constantly seeking outside expertise to help guide their decision-making processes. Gerson Lehrman Group takes the pain out of finding the right expert for the job. While they provide experts in nearly any area imaginable, Gerson Lehrman Group calls out Accounting & Financial Analysis, Consumer Goods & Services, Energy & Industrials, Financial & Business Services, Healthcare, Legal, Economic, & Regulatory Affairs, Real Estate, and Technology, Media & Telecom as their main areas of focus. There’s a ton of information on the Gerson Lehrman Group, so you should really dig in and get to know the company in a little more depth. Then you can check out their Careers page and Job listings. Some examples of their entry level opportunities include: Business Development Associate (New York, NY), Event Coordinator (Austin, TX), Survey Associate (Austin, TX), Associate Copywriter (New York, NY), Associate (Dublin, Ireland), Recruiting Associate – Fluent Portuguese (Austin, TX), Member Solutions Associate – Fluent Portuguese (Austin, TX), and Front End Web Developer (New York, NY). However, you may want to pay most attention to their Associate and Associate – 2011 positions, which are both a two-year program for new/recent grads in Austin, TX.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Gerson Lehrman Group?

The Pursuant Group

Willy Franzen — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:54:41 +0000

If you haven’t noticed already, I’m a big supporter of non-profits. Not only am I on the board of a budding non-profit that aims to improve education through athletics, but I also make sure that we only feature non-profit entry level jobs on weekends. Now, I always assumed that you couldn’t get rich in the non-profit world, but that’s not necessarily true. Take the The Pursuant Group for example. They are “a family of companies all with one common purpose, serving nonprofits and helping them achieve their greatest potential.” The Pursuant Group is based in Dallas, TX, and they made the Inc. 500 with 754% three-year growth to $12.8 million in annual revenue. Now making money from non-profits may seem like a bad thing at first, but it’s worth the cost—non-profits that hire The Pursuant Group’s companies operate more effectively and efficiently.

What Are You Pursuing?

The Pursuant Group consists of five companies: RSI, Ketchum, Pursuant Agency, Pursuant Sports, and Unifyer. RSI helps faith-based organizations improve stewardship. Ketchum works with non-profits to improve fundraising and development campaigns. Pursuant Agency offers “full-service fundraising programs.” PursuantSports “is the leader in innovative fundraising and online media solutions serving collegiate athletics, charitable sports foundations, and professional and amateur organizations.” And Unifyer is “a low-cost, social networking platform designed specifically to meet the unique needs of the nonprofit.” Yes, they do a lot of different things, but all of the Pursuant Group’s businesses tie together nicely. Now, it seems that each business does it’s own hiring, and only some of the businesses have Careers pages. The most promising positions for a new grad are at Pursuant Agency—they’re looking for an Inside Sales Associate and a Web Content Coordinator. However, if you are more interested in one of the other business, don’t be afraid to reach out to them and pitch yourself.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about The Pursuant Group?

Modea

Willy Franzen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:47:24 +0000

Believe it or not, after three years I’m still running a one-man show here at One Day, One Job/Internship. I do all the design, web development, marketing, business development, writing, SEO, and everything else that it takes to run the business. I can’t even imagine how nice it would be to have an agency or in-house team of specialists—you know, people who actually are experts in the given field—work on some of the stuff for me. Even though we’re profitable, I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon. But if it was, I might consider using Modea. They are a Blacksburg, VA based “digital services agency” that creates “results-driven digital content and campaigns for a diverse group of recognizable consumer brands.” Ok, maybe One Day, One Job isn’t a recognizable consumer brand quite yet, but one day (one job). I’m still running through the Inc. 500, and Modea came in at #221 with 1335% three-year growth to $3.5 million in revenue.

Problem Solved. Interactively.

Modea is all about fusing technology with creativity to deliver results for their clients. They work with big names in a wide range of industries including Hasbro, Rackspace, Elle, T-Mobile, and Advanced Auto Parts. If you want to get a feel for what they do, you can take a look at Modea’s portfolio. It’s really good stuff. You can also read about what life at Modea is like, and if it resonates with you, then you should browse over their Jobs page. They have a ton of positions posted, and a few seem suited to new or recent grads. These include Associate Creative Developer, Associate Project Manager, Quality Assurance Engineer, Quality Assurance & Quality Control Analyst, .Net Developer, Copywriter, and Part Time IT Assistant. The best option, though, is to Choose Your Own Adventure. You have to love a company with a job posting like that one.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Modea?