One Day, One Job » communications

Text 100

Willy Franzen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:46:11 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

Text 100 is a global, high tech public relations agency. They call themselves the world’s only “global boutique PR consultancy” or “big agency 2.0.” Like the public relations industry as a whole, Text 100 prides itself in constantly evolving to meet its clients’ needs. Speaking of clients, I recognize nearly every name on their client list, which includes PayPal, MTV, IBM, Adobe, eBay and more. This year, Text 100 took home two awards, including the 2009 Holmes Report “Best Agencies to Work For” where it ranked #6. The other award, also from Holmes Report, was “Best Campaign” for its work with Cisco.

Be a Driver of Innovation

Text 100 offers the typical agency services, but what sets them apart is the sectors they serve, which includes clean technology. This is definitely an area which will continue to grow in importance over the coming years and even decades. Text 100 is currently seeking an Account Coordinator in its San Francisco office. While I typically tell you about the position description, I’d like to note Text 100’s fabulous benefits—4 weeks of vacation, an annual bonus package, international opportunities and more! So how do you get in on this? Text 100 is seeking a “self-starter who wants to get in on the ground floor of a rapidly growing entrepreneurial environment.” And they will “look particularly closely at candidates who possess enthusiasm, passion, ambition and a great sense of humor.” Interested? Submit your cover letter and résumé online. I also recommend familiarizing yourself with their blog, hypertext.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Text 100?

Bite Communications

Willy Franzen — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:37:52 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

Bite Communicationstouts a “fearless and boundless” approach to B2B and B2C communications. They have seven offices worldwide—three of which are in the U.S., including Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco. “Public relations” and “media relations” used to be synonymous, but no longer at Bite Communications. They recognize different clients have different challenges that require different approaches. Starting your career at a progressive agency is the best way to go—you’ll end up a more rounded professional and thus be more marketable. As a full-service agency, Bite Communications offers everything from strategic counsel to new media programs to influencer relations—and everything in between. Some client names you might recognize include Sun Microsystems and Vonage.

Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Biter?

Joining the Bite Communications team would mean joining 150 other brightest minds in the industry. According to their People section, they only hire “the best.” With an average age of 29 years old, the agency is not adverse to a young staff. Currently, Bite Communications has a Public Relations Account Coordinator position open in San Francisco. The listing indicates Bite prefers candidates with one year of experience, but don’t forget that internships count! Have high tech PR experience? Even better! Interested? Apply online at the links above. To get a better feel for the people with whom you would be working, read some of their biographies.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Bite Communications?

Cultural Tourism DC

Willy Franzen — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:54:27 +0000

Being a tourist is fun, even if it makes you feel a little stupid. The only problem with doing touristy things is that you miss out on a lot of what a city has to offer. Major attractions have the resources, reputation, and connections to bring in lots of people, but they often lack the local feel that tourists often seek. Smaller attractions often struggle to get people in the door, despite the fact that they are many times more interesting than their larger counterparts. Cultural Tourism DC is a non-profit organization that is trying to change that in Washington, DC. They aim to “strengthen the image and economy of Washington, DC, neighborhood by neighborhood, by linking more than 200 DC cultural and neighborhood organizations with partners in tourism, hospitality, government, and business.” It’s a perfect idea for a city that is so packed with history and culture that you could probably do the tourist thing every day for a year without running out of things to do.

Are You a Cultural Tourist?

Tourism plays a huge role in the Washington, DC’s economy, and Tourism DC is doing it’s best to spread that wealth around the city. By helping the less visited tourist attractions and neighborhoods make the connections and partnerships that they need to bring more people in, Cultural Tourism DC is improving the city and bringing tourists to places that they never would have visited before. While some tourists would prefer that cool, cultural places stay “off the map,” they have to realize that “off the map” attractions often disappear because they can’t afford to stay open or be maintained. If you’d like to help people truly experience Washington, DC, then you’ll want to check out jobs at Cultural Tourism DC. Right now they only have one position—Media and Publications: Communications Associate. It looks like a cool opportunity, and you can apply by sending a “résumé and cover letter with salary requirements and two writing samples (one press release and one other) via email to Reply@CulturalTourismDC.org with ‘Communications’ in subject line.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite attraction in DC?

MMI Public Relations

Willy Franzen — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:19:26 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

A full-service firm rooted in traditional public relations, MMI Public Relations integrates “emerging” public relations technologies such as social media, when appropriate, to achieve the best results for their clients. This small agency is located in Raleigh, NC and headed by highly sought-after speaker Patty Briguglio. It’s not surprising to me that she speaks both on public relations and business in general. Half the fun of being at a small agency is the entrepreneurial environment! However, the small agency/entrepreneurial environment may cause you to question stability during these tough economic times. Well, MMI-PR has won the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce’s Pinnacle Award for Steady Growth and Profitability in 2007, 2008 and 2009—and been named to the Triangle Business Journal’s Best Places To Work list. No need to worry!

Join a Team that Puts Team First

What can you expect in terms of clientele? Industries ranging from architects to environmental to nonprofits to professional services, and more. MMI-PR definitely does not have a niche in a single client area. MMI-PR is currently seeking an entry level public relations professional in anticipation of more growth. Although their Web site is vague about the exact qualifications for this position, MMI-PR does note that previous agency experience is definitely a plus. Interested? Submit your cover letter and résumé to careers@mmipublicrelations.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about MMI Public Relations?

Tandberg

Willy Franzen — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:57:54 +0000

I think that I’ve mentioned before that my first experience with video chat was was with CU-SeeMe in an Internet cafe in the mid 90s. Back then the potential for social interaction over online video seemed pretty promising, but the potential for business uses (not that I thought about that when I was 13) was even greater. Real-time video has been slower to take hold on both the social and business fronts than I expected, but now that the quality is so good, we’re seeing more and more businesses embrace video conferencing. Tandberg is a company that is at the forefront of this movement. They have dual headquarters in Oslo, Norway and New York City, and they are both “the market share leader and the fastest growing company in the video conferencing industry.” Their 30% annualized revenue growth for the past 10 years may not be Inc. 5000 material, but it’s still hugely impressive.

I Wonder If They Use Video Interviews

While video conferencing can be as simple as opening up iChat and using the built-in iSight in your Mac, Tandberg offers a higher end experience. They offer products and services that offer superior a superior user experience with a focus on business uses. I remember using video conferencing in a class in college, and I was amazed at how effective it was for presenting to the company that we were working with on our project. It’s all about changing the way people communicate, and if that’s something that gets you excited, then you should check out Jobs at Tandberg. They have opportunities in the United States, Asia Pacific, and Europe. We’re going to focus on the US where they have entry level opportunities like Service Sales Account Manager – Western US, Service Sales Account Manager – Eastern US, Training Operations Supervisor (Reston, VA), Regional Support Specialist Chicago, IL or Reston, VA/Atlanta, GA, and Global Marketing Writer (Reston, VA). You can apply for any of the positions by sending a cover letter and résumé to hr@tandberg.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you ever use video conferencing?

Weber Shandwick

Willy Franzen — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:35:58 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

When public relations agency Weber Shandwick won a gold medal during PRWeek’s 2009 Global Agency Report Card, Global Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report, and Large Agency of the Year by PR News, I was certainly not surprised. It’s always exciting to be at a “cutting edge” agency that’s making headlines not only for its clients but also itself. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but working at a global PR agency provides an opportunity you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere—the ability to collaborate with individuals from and possibly travel to other countries. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I’m not a big traveler, but that doesn’t mean culture—and PR—in other countries doesn’t fascinate me!

Advocacy Starts Here… So Does Your Career

With 15 practice areas and 18 specialty services Weber Shandwick is a place where you are extremely likely to find your niche. And being a global agency, they have many big name clients, including one of my favorites “got milk?” Weber Shandwick currently has Account Coordinator positions in the global strategic media and technology practices in New York City, NY. While both are, of course, entry level positions, you’re probably going to want to have at least one agency internship under your belt in order to score either one. Interested? Submit your cover letter and résumé online.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Need help with your cover letter and résumé—or your entire job search? Heather offers low-cost coaching packages specifically for students and recent graduates seeking careers in public relations. Click here to learn more.

College Hunks Hauling Junk

Willy Franzen — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:52:17 +0000

Today is the last day to enter our Maghound Your Way to a New Job contest. With so few entries so far, there’s an excellent chance that you’ll win a one-year subscription to an awesome new magazine subscription service (3 monthly magazines for free!).

I’m still on my Inc. 5000 kick, and today we’re looking at a company whose name immediately caught my eye. They’re called College Hunks Hauling Junk, and that’s exactly what they are. Omar Soliman wanted to make some money during the summer, so he borrowed his mom’s cargo van to start hauling away people’s junk. He then entered his business plan in the Rothschild Entrepreneurship Competition and won the $10,000 first prize. He realized that he had a business that he could grow, and now College Hunks Hauling Junk is doing $2.9 million in revenue. Guess that’s why Omar and his co-founder Nick were named (also by Inc.) as Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30. College Hunks Hauling Junk is headquartered in Tampa, FL, but through expansion and franchising they now operate in Anne Arundel, MD; Baltimore/Howard County, MD; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Indianapolis, IN; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; Louisville, KY; Orange County, CA; Orlando, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Richmond, VA; San Francisco/San Jose, CA; Tampa Bay, FL; and Washington, DC Metro.

Are You Hunky Enough?

College Hunks Hauling Junk certainly has a provocative name, but that’s part of their success. Finding someone to haul away your junk isn’t that hard, but it’s really easy to go with the brand you recognize. College Hunks Hauling Junk is all about grabbing attention so that they’re the company that you choose when you need to get rid of some junk. It doesn’t hurt that they can call themselves green, as they recycle 60% of the junk that they collect. Now, College Hunks Hauling Junk obviously has plenty of jobs available. If you want to get in the business of hauling junk to pay your way through college, they can help, but they’re also a growing company with growing needs. They have a bunch of corporate job postings that consist solely of titles. Since they’re a college startup, it’s hard to say how much experience they’re looking for with each position, but you’ll have to apply to find out. The posted job titles include Truck Captain/ Wingman, VP – Franchise Development, Client Loyalty Associate (Inside Sales Rep), Operations Manager, VP – Marketing, VP – Public Relations, VP – Finance, VP – Business Development, and VP – Information Technology.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you used College Hunks Hauling Junk?

Corporate Accountability International

Willy Franzen — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:25:10 +0000

We all need someone to call us out when we step over the line. Maybe it’s a parent, sibling, significant other, teacher, friend, or random guy on the street. For corporations it’s Corporate Accountability International, although I’m not sure there’s a lot of love going between the two parties. I don’t know when corporations became such a bad thing, and to be honest I still think that corporations do a lot more good than bad, but a great part of living in such a free society is that there’s always someone out there looking to hold you accountable. Boston based Corporate Accountability International demands “direct corporate accountability to public interests.” That means that when a corporation puts the food that we eat, the water that we drink, or the air that we breathe at risk, Corporate Accountability International will be causing a stir about it.

Are You Accountable?

Corporate Accountability International’s biggest issue is with the political influence that corporations hold. It is hard to believe that some of the entities with the most power to sway our public policy don’t even have the right to vote (although I guess that you could say that about non-profits too). That’s not to say that corporations shouldn’t have rights, but the way that politicians from all parties sway to corporate influence is alarming. Corporate Accountability International brings these issues to light and pushes until positive changes happen. Their main targets these days are corporations are behaving badly in the food, water, and tobacco industries. If this sounds like something that you want to be a part of, then check out Jobs at Corporate Accountability International. There are even a few options that might be suitable for new grads like Communications Coordinator and Regional Campaign Organizer. You can apply by sending a cover letter, résumé, and three to five references to jobs@stopcorporateabuse.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Corporate Accountability International?

First Book

Willy Franzen — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:46:47 +0000

What was the first book that you ever read? Mine wasn’t actually a book—it was a Super Mario Bros. comic book. My parents had decided that it would be fun to take Amtrak to Florida to visit Grandma and Grandpa instead of flying. And it actually was. I spent a lot of the time struggling through the comic book, and then I was suddenly reading. That wouldn’t have happened on a 3 hour flight. Do you have as vivid of a memory of reading your first book as I do? First Book hopes so. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit that “provides new books to children in need addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books.” In 16 years they’ve provided more than 65 million books, so you have to call First Book a huge success.

Open a New Chapter with First Book

Considering the fact that you’re probably someone who enjoys reading (since that’s what One Day, One Job is all about), you have to have a strong understanding of how powerful reading skills can be. It all starts when you’re 5 or 6 with a single book, yet many kids just don’t have access to age appropriate books. First Book solves that problem. They also have an awesome way to market their story. By asking you “What book got you hooked?” they’re getting right at an emotional memory. You have to agree that “there are some stories no child should grow up without.” If First Book already has you reminiscing about your early days of reading, then you should check out their jobs. They have two Director level (not entry level) jobs posted on their Jobs page, but there’s also a Strategic Alliances Coordinator position posted on Idealist. It’s perfect for a new grad, so give it a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What was your first book?

Schneider Associates

Willy Franzen — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:00:53 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

For nearly 30 years (they’ll be celebrating their anniversary in 2010), Schneider Associates in Boston has been helping clients ranging from small entrepreneurial firms to some of the nation’s largest corporations launch products, shape opinions, define and re-define companies, promote events, generate awareness and produce results. Although these smaller agencies (Schneider has approximately 20 employees) typically don’t make daily headlines in the PR industry publications, I truly believe they are an excellent environment in which to launch your career. If you want to learn a lot about the profession—and fast—you’ll surely be able to do so at a shop like Schneider.

Enjoy “Quality of Life” at Schneider Associates

Schneider’s four key areas of practice include consumer marketing, corporate communications, public affairs and “Launch Public Relations.” Under each practice area is a wealth of services for the agency’s clients. Schneider currently has two entry-level positions open. The first is an Integrated Marketing Coordinator, which requires 1-2 years of experience. (Internships count!) The second is an Account Coordinator, which requires previous agency experience specifically. Again, although it is not stated explicitly, I imagine internships count toward this requirement. You can find the full job descriptions here.

Interested? Submit your cover letter and résumé to jobs@schneiderpr.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

LaunchSquad

Willy Franzen — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:39:29 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the “boutique” public relations agencies. Often times, you are given many more responsibilities much more quickly than at larger firms. If you’re like me and thrive on these things, LaunchSquad (PRWeek’s 2009 Boutique Agency of the Year) might be just the place for you. Founded in San Francisco in 2000, LaunchSquad now has 40 employees, 35 clients and another office in New York City. The San Francisco Business Times recently named the agency a “best place to work in the Bay Area.” I was not surprised about this fact when I read about Volunteer Day, a company-wide event that took “Squadders” to the Exploratorium this year. As I mentioned earlier, you can really wear many hats at a boutique agency—the “hats” at LaunchSquad including messaging and story development, media relations, analyst relations, media training, writing, strategic marketing, international PR, and social media.

Launch Your Career at LaunchSquad

I’ll admit that I’ve never heard of most of LaunchSquad’s clients, but they seem to have had many success stories throughout the past nine years. Big-name clients are certainly not the only reason to join an agency. LaunchSquad currently has an Account Associate opening in its San Francisco office. Duties will include “writing, pitching, research, reporting and general account support.” Make sure you have all the usual entry-level PR position qualifications (i.e., strong written and verbal communications skills), as well as a sense of humor.

Interested? Submit your cover letter and résumé to jointhesquad@launchsquad.com. When following up on your application, your best first contact is Michele Brusseau, HR and Office Manager, at michele@launchsquad.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Erwin-Penland

Willy Franzen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:15:03 +0000

We’ve featured quite a few integrated integrated marketing agencies in the past, but I’m not sure that we’ve ever actually talked about what integrated marketing is. According to Wikipedia (original reference has a dead link), integrated marketing communications is “a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.” That sounds desirable, but how do you accomplish that? You either do it all yourself, or you hire an agency that does it all. It’s really hard to to accomplish integrated marketing when you have one agency doing PR, another doing TV ads, and another doing interactive. Greenville, SC based Erwin-Penland is an agency that does it all—interactive, public relations, direct mail, event planning, advertising, strategic planning, and media—and they don’t farm any of it out to freelancers or other agencies.

Take a Trip to Erwin-Penland

The cool thing is that Erwin-Penland takes an integrated approach to branding themselves and their jobs. They have a gorgeous website, and they make it very easy to understand what they’re all about. Unfortunately, I can’t embed the video from Erwin-Penland’s About page because that’s the perfect way to show you what they’re all about, so I’m going to encourage you to go watch it now. It makes the company look like a really fun place to work. So does the fact that Erwin-Penland divides their workforce into client teams, not departments. That should make for a very different work experience than most other agencies offer.

If that sounds like something that you’d enjoy, then you need to check out Jobs at Erwin-Penland. Right now there are quite a few opportunities posted, and there’s also a Twitter account for EPJobs (in fact they just announced 7 new hires this week—what recession?). The job openings that seem most suitable for new grads are Junior Account Executive and Junior Copywriter; however, you may also want to check out Traffic Manager, Graphic Designer, Planner, Billing Coordinator, and Technical Support Analyst. Additionally, Erwin-Penland encourages new grads to apply for their paid internships. There’s a résumé submission form on each job description page, so find the right job for you and apply today.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Erwin-Penland?

American Legacy Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:41:09 +0000

Three months ago when I featured the American Lung Association’s Jobs, I mentioned a good friend who is battling lung cancer. From what I’ve heard, he continues to be doing well and fighting for his life. Unfortunately, I recently learned that my grandmother is also facing a battle with lung cancer despite the fact that she stopped smoking before I was born. It’s obviously very upsetting for my family, and we’re going to do our best to get her through this. I don’t usually like getting too personal with these posts, but there’s no better way for me to introduce the American Legacy Foundation. They are a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit.” I’ve seen what tobacco can do to people, and it absolutely amazes me that anyone chooses to smoke these days, but many do. It may be their right to do what they want with their bodies but I’m glad that the American Legacy Foundation is working hard to push them towards a smarter, healthier decision.

Where Rejection Is Good

You’re most likely to have seen the American Legacy Foundation’s truth ads; however, I’m sure that you’ve also noticed some of the other things that they do. They’re working to keep smoking out of movies and to help current smokers break their addictions. They’re also supporting a ton of research. It may seem a little pushy. It may be annoying. But it’s important. We as a society need to reject tobacco—for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for our friends. If you agree, then you may want to purse a career with the American Legacy Foundation. Right now the jobs that they have posted on their Jobs page and on Idealist (Communications Manager and Collaboration and Outreach Manager) are a bit beyond the entry level, but you may be able to find something that will work for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How has smoking affected your life?

Free Press

Willy Franzen — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:18:03 +0000

I doubt many of you would disagree with the assertion that the “mainstream media” has some major issues that need to be worked out. Take the coverage of Michael Jackson’s death. Yes, he was a great entertainer. Yes, the way that he lived his life was totally perplexing. Yes, people are fascinated by him. But did we really need all that coverage? It’s just one example of how our media is failing us, but I’m sure that Free Press would be willing to give you many more examples. They are a non-profit, “national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media through education, organizing and advocacy.” Free Press advocates “independent media ownership, strong public media, and universal access to communications,” and they do this through a number of campaigns: Save the Internet, Stop Big Media, No Fake News, Local Radio Now, Stamp Out Postal Rate Hikes, Save Our Spectrum, Community Internet, Public Broadcasting, Pentagon Propaganda, White Spaces, and Rate the Debates. They’re based in both Washington, DC and Florence, MA, and they’ve been working since 2002 to fix what they call a failing media system.

Help Reform the Media

Maybe you enjoyed the Michael Jackson coverage. Maybe you don’t think that there’s anything wrong with the media. If that’s you, then Free Press probably won’t be the right place for you. They have a very specific idea of what they expect from the media, and until the media improves, they’re going to keep working to change the way that media is produced and consumed in our country. If that sounds like something that you want to be a part of, then you need to check out Free Press’ Jobs page. Right now they have 3 jobs posted, and two of them seem like they might be suitable for new grads. They’re looking for an Online Campaign Coordinator and an Office Coordinator—both in Florence, MA. The job postings get really in-depth, so give them a good look to determine whether the jobs will be a good fit for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What are your thoughts on the state of media today?

SHIFT Communications

Willy Franzen — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:52:57 +0000

About this time last summer I started finding a lot of job and internship opportunities on Twitter. Those were the days when Twitter wasn’t mentioned every 2 minutes on CNN. These days there’s a ton of clutter on Twitter that makes it a lot harder to reliably find interesting employment opportunities. However, I’ve recently been going back to the One Day, One Internship archives to see which companies I’ve featured there on the past that might have entry level jobs now. One of those companies is SHIFT Communications. There was a lot of buzz on Twitter last summer about their internships, and now it looks like they’re hiring at the entry level. SHIFT Communications is a tech PR firm located in Boston, MA and San Francisco, CA. Judging from the firm’s early adoption of Twitter and the fact that they link to 3 of their blogs on their home page, they’re definitely on top of the social media thing. Which is good because tech PR is often happening online.

SHIFTing Your Job Search

One of the things that impressed me most about SHIFT Communications was how quickly they found out about and commented on our post on them. I was also pretty impressed that one of their employees offered to have coffee with anybody interested in their internships. That tells you a lot about how effective they are as a PR firm. It’s also good to know that SHIFT Communications has been named a Best Place to Work at both of their locations, and that they have a staff blog (which seems to have moved) that gives an inside look at what it’s like to work at SHIFT. The only minor disappointment with SHIFT Communications is that their Careers page is a little bland. They include a brief blurb about each job title that they have, but they don’t say whether they actually have job openings for these positions or not. Since there is an entry level Account Coordinator position listed, you might as well give it a try and reach out to SHIFT Communications by sending a resume and cover letter to hr@shiftcomm.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Know anything about interning at SHIFT? Leave a comment.

Sterling Publishing

Willy Franzen — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:47:50 +0000

Who knew that Barnes & Noble owned a publisher? I certainly didn’t, but it makes a lot of sense. If you own the sales channel, you might as well start creating your own product too. That’s why Barnes & Noble acquired New York City’s Sterling Publishing a few years back. It’s allowed them to squeeze more profit out of their dominance in retail book sales. It seems to me that the scope of the types of books that Sterling publishes is expanding, but their main focuses are in puzzles, photograpy, crafts, gardening, and do-it-yourself. If you really want to take a close look at what types of books Sterling Publishing puts out, you can see a list of their imprints with descriptions on the Sterling Publishing About page.

A Sterling Start

Sterling Publishing’s mission is “to publish high-quality books that educate, entertain, and enrich the lives of [their] readers.” I’m not sure that differs much from any other publisher, yet they say that they stand out because they “have the reach of the major publishers yet the passion & creativity of an independent press.” You’ll have to take a closer look at Sterling and the books that they publish to get a feel for whether they’ll be the right place for you. If you do think that you’ll be a good fit, then you should head over to Sterling’s Careers page. They don’t have specific job listings, but they mention that their “learning and development programs begin at the entry level and continue through to senior management.” They also have a quote from Meaghan F. in the Publicity Department about how easy it is to get a good start at Sterling Publishing:

I started at Sterling as an Intern during my senior year of college. I ended up getting a full-time job out of that experience and years later I still learn something every day as a Children’s Publicist. The opportunity for growth at Sterling is tremendous.

It’s hard to say what specific entry level positions Sterling may be hiring for, but I would guess that they are similar to the jobs that you’d find at other publishers. The easiest way to find out is to submit salary requirements, cover letter, and resume to hr@sterlingpublishing.com. I know that they are located in New York City, but I think that they might also have a location in Asheville, NC with job opportunities.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite book published by Sterling Publishing?

Travers Collins & Company

Willy Franzen — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:46:00 +0000

“Go Local” is a pretty common buzz phrase these days. You’re supposed to eat local, shop local, and even study local. To some people this is a new idea, but businesses like Travers Collins & Company have been focusing on working locally for a long time (in their case since 1995). They saw a void in the Buffalo, NY area when it came to advertising, public relations, interactive and investor relations, so they filled it. Judging from the number of times “Buffalo” shows up on their client list, that seems to have been a smart move. They’re now “one of Buffalo-Niagara’s largest locally owned and operated integrated marketing communications firms,” as they have more than 40 employees.

Buffalocal

It’s always hard to differentiate between marketing communications firms, as they all kind of look alike. The easiest way to get a quick read on whether one of these companies is right for you is to take a look at their portfolio. It also can’t hurt that the “Buffalo-based agency won 24 of 63 Excalibur awards, which were presented by the Buffalo/Niagara chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.” If you like what you see, you’ll want to check out Travers Collins’ Jobs page. They don’t have specific listings, but they do have an open call for applicants as well as internship listings with points of contact in Public Relations, Advertising Account Management, Investor Relations, and Creative (there’s also a contact for Interactive on their Contact page). I’d imagine that those might be the same people that you want to talk to about entry level jobs; however, they list employment@traverscollins.com as the best way to apply for a job.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you know anything about Travers Collins & Company?

MGH, Inc.

Willy Franzen — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:27:18 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

There have been some complaints in the Public Relations industry that agencies are not evolving quickly enough; however, Baltimore’s MGH, Inc. is never a subject of those complaints. While their Web site, and their entire agency, is currently “under construction,” they invite you to explore their “old” site for information—and by old they mean 2008. That’s how quickly they are willing to evolve.

But wait, there’s more. MGH was founded in 1995 by professionals who disagreed with the large agency mentality of overworking employees to the point of being burned out. Instead, MGH’s founders left their “comfortable jobs” to start an agency centered around retaining talented, happy employees. Today, they are 71 people strong.

Check Your Ego at the Door

In addition to the great work life MGH offers, they also give back to the community, believe all employees should have a life outside of work, and don’t take on clients who they believe will disrupt the excellent corporate culture they’ve built. Need I say more? Oh yeah, not surprisingly they are a full-service firm with big-name clients, such as MERCK, Papa John’s Pizza, Pfizer, and Texas Instruments.

MGH is currently seeking an Account Coordinator. This is a typical entry level job in which you will need several internships under your belt, strong writing skills, media pitching skills, organizational skills, a strong attention to detail, a passion for public relations, general knowledge of social media and WOM marketing, and a creative mind.

Interested? Send your cover letter that explains why you think MGH should be your home away from home and a résumé to careers@mghus.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Racepoint Group

Willy Franzen — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:39:39 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

“Leverage the power of traditional and digital media relations to elevate premium and emerging technology, health and science brands” – that’s what global public relations agency Racepoint Group works hard toward on a daily basis. While their worldwide headquarters is outside of Boston, Racepoint Group also has offices in San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; a European headquarters in London; and a global network of partners and affiliates spanning four continents.

Racepoint Group’s practice areas include corporate, crisis and issues management, employee relations, financial communications, government relations, marketing communications and public affairs, while their industry expertise includes technology, health and science, social commerce, mobile and energy. And while many agencies claim to be “award-winning,” Racepoint Group really means it. In 2008 alone, they won more than 20 industry awards.

Race to the Finish Line

If you want to be on the cutting edge of the public relations industry, definitely take a look at Racepoint Group. Each of their client campaigns reflect the increasing transformation of media from traditional print and broadcast channels to new digital spheres of influence – blogs, reputation aggregators, e-communities and social networks. And, they have their own proprietary tools to help execute and measure each one.

Racepoint Group is currently seeking an Account Coordinator in its Washington, DC office. Account Coordinators are critical team members who perform public relations tasks such as developing media lists, editorial calendars, speaking calendars, clip reports, briefing materials, draft press releases and press material development. To land this position, you’ll want to have several internships under your belt, strong writing and proofreading skills, and effective verbal and written communication skills.

Interested? Send your cover letter and résumé to HR@racepointgroup.com with the subject AC-Corp or submit your application online.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Dress for Success

Willy Franzen — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:00:49 +0000

At some point during your job search, you’ve probably read at least one article about what to wear to a job interview . If you’ve already had an interview or two, you were probably stressed out about the decision: blue shirt or white shirt? or some other mundane detail like that. For a lot of people, what to wear to an interview is a much bigger issue. That’s where Dress for Success comes in. They are a New York City based non-profit that aims to “promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.” Every year Dress for Success and their affiliates across the world help more than 40,000 women become better prepared to land a job.

Get Dressed for Success

Here’s how Dress for Success works. Women have to be referred to Dress for Success by government or non-profit organizations like homeless shelters, immigration services, job training programs, educational institutions and domestic violence shelters, and the woman must already have an interview scheduled to receive clothing. From there:

On her initial visit a woman receives a suit appropriate for the industry in which she is interviewing and, if available, accessories. After a woman finds a job she returns to Dress for Success for additional clothing that can be mixed and matched to make several outfits, providing her with the foundation for a professional wardrobe.

While we may be best known for providing suits to women, it is our employment retention programs that are the cornerstone of the organization. Soon after Dress for Success was founded we came to recognize that finding work is only one step in a woman’s journey towards economic independence; remaining employed and building a rewarding career are essential if a woman is to become self-sufficient.

You know how stressful the job search process can be, so I’m sure you can appreciate how awesome the Dress for Success’ work is. If you’d like to become a part of their team, you should check out their Jobs page or, actually, their Idealist page which has a couple of entry level jobs posted. These include Development Associate and Affiliate Relations Coordinator. The application details vary, so check out the job descriptions for all of the info. You also might want to check out Dress for Success affiliates across the world for other job opportunities.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Don’t forget to Dress for Success!

The Rosen Group

Willy Franzen — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:09:13 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

So much of media relations today is focused on “new” or “social” media, but The Rosen Group still recognizes the importance of “traditional” media. A full-service public relations firm with more than two decades experience building awareness for its clients, The Rosen Group has locations in New York City and Washington, DC. While The Rosen Group is a relatively small firm of 25 staff members, their client list is rather impressive, including PC Magazine, the American Wind Energy Association, Weight Watchers and many more.

Bloom Like a Rose

I know I’ve said this before, but one of the best parts about working at a smaller firm is the level of which even junior staff are involved in each account. This “all hands on deck” approach is not only beneficial to potential clients, but also potential staff. Particularly early in your career, being thrown into such a learning-conducive environment can be extremely valuable. Additionally, the firm was founded and is still run by a 30-year public relations veteran, Lori Rosen. However, other than Ms. Rosen and a few other senior-level executives, the firm is very much “bottom heavy.”

The Rosen Group is currently seeking a Junior Account Executive (Craigslist) in New York. The position requires strong writing skills, and previous internship experience is preferred. Interested? Send your cover letter and résumé to Lori Rosen at lori@rosengrouppr.com. Another good contact at the agency is Thelma Rogel, Director of Human Resources. Her e-mail address is thelma@rosengrouppr.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

McGrath/Power

Willy Franzen — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:47:21 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

At McGrath/Power Public Relations, they recognize a clear, concise and compelling message is just the beginning of a client’s needs. Although McGrath/Power is a full-service firm located in San Jose, CA, they specialize in crisis management, investor relations and emerging media services. Their 12 practice areas include consumer brands, associations, consumer technology and much more. McGrath/Power also is the Silicon Valley partner of the Worldcom Public Relations group, the world’s largest network of independent public relations firms.

Want to be involved with an agency that gives something back? McGrath/Power supports the community through financial resources and professional abilities. They also encourage staff members to suggest causes or events they feel deserve the agency’s support.

Make Your Splash

Currently, McGrath/Power has an entry-level opening for an Account Coordinator. Candidates should have strong written and verbal communication skills, a results-oriented mentality, and the ability to multi-task and meet deadlines. The benefits package is pretty extensive—from health care plans to gym memberships.

Interested? Send your cover letter and résumé to hr@mcgrathpower.com. Lynne Hosack, Director of Finance and Operations, is in charge of recruitment for the agency.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Fleishman-Hillard

Willy Franzen — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:57:25 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

When I was in college, I wanted nothing more than to work at Fleishman-Hillard. Renowned for their corporate culture, Fleishman-Hillard is headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., has 80 offices throughout the world, does business in more than 20 languages and has 29 practices areas. In 2008, the firm’s work and culture earned them the “Best Agency to Work For” by The Holmes Report. But their list of awards hardly stops there, including “103 Silver Anvil Awards, 90 CIPRA/SABRE Awards, and numerous other national and international awards.”

And Fleishman-Hillard doesn’t just win awards outside the organization, but also with its own employees. In 2007, 98 percent of Fleishman-Hillard employees called the firm an organization “of which they can be proud,” according to an employee satisfaction survey. Fleishman-Hillard rewards their employees in return, giving out two awards annually – the “team player” and John D. Graham – recognizing “individuals in various geographic regions for unparalleled commitment to the client, the agency and their team.” Managers also give awards at their discretion for “their heroic efforts.” I’ve known many individuals who’ve worked for Fleishman-Hillard over the years, including one of my college mentors, and I’ve heard nothing but good things.

Be Rewarded at an Award-Winning Agency

Fleishman-Hillard is currently seeking a Coordinator in its Boston office. (Fleishman-Hillard also has offices in Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; London, England; Los Angeles, CA; Melbourne, Australia; Miami, FL; Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN; Montreal, Canada; New York, NY; Potland, OR; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Sacramento, CA; San Antonio, TX; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; St. Louis, MO; Sydney, Australia; Toronto, Canada, and Washington, D.C.) This position is a mix of “traditional” and “new” public relations in a large agency setting. Beyond administrative and office duties, the Account Assistant also conducts media relations, media monitoring and reporting, research and other junior-level account activities. The best way to land this position is to have had a prior agency internship while in college, preferably with Fleishman-Hillard itself or another large agency.

Interested? Apply for the job online here. Even though the position is in Boston, much of the recruitment process originates in the St. Louis office. I recommend reading their blog, Stand Out, and the biographies of some of the folks in charge of talent development.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

IMRE

Willy Franzen — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:25:11 +0000

This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association. She is also the entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com, a career expert for the CAREEREALISM Twitter Advice Project, the job search expert for Campus Calm and author of the e-book “Gen Y Meets the Workforce: Launching Your Career During Economic Uncertainty.”

What do financial services, home/building and healthcare have in common? All three fields can expect good things to happen when they “converge” with IMRE, a full service digital, advertising, marketing and public relations agency in Baltimore, Maryland.

Let’s start with their financial services practice. Strategically expanded in July 2008 near the beginning of our country’s economic troubles, IMRE saw an opportunity for “financial services companies to gain market share.” Did you know you can buy wedding insurance from Travelers? IMRE won this client by proposing—no pun intended—to launch a campaign on Valentine’s Day about nuptial nightmares ranging from heart attacks to blackouts to hurricanes. They won the account and reached more than 74 million people with their messages. Like most public relations practitioners, I’m not a numbers person, but I do love weddings!

The “green” market is hot right now, so it makes sense for Arxx Corporation to be included in IMRE’s home & building practice. IMRE “moved Arxx away from a product message and positioned them as a longtime leader in energy-efficient solutions.” Despite being a midsized firm with only one office location, their client list in this practice is impressive—ranging from John Deere to The Home Depot to Target.

Their final practice area is healthcare, which is also my specialty. What I like most about healthcare PR is that you feel like you’re helping people live life to its fullest with every tactic you use to reach them. IMRE’s clients in this sector mostly are nonprofit organizations, including American Red Cross, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Shady Grove Fertility.

Interested in any one of those practice areas? IMRE is extremely open about who heads up each, providing their biographies, fun Q&A’s and e-mail addresses.

Good Things Happen When You Converge with IMRE

IMRE has two entry-level openings right now: a WOM (Word of Mouth) Associate Account Executive and another Associate Account Executive. If social networking is your thing, the WOM AAE position will be right up your alley. IMRE’s ideal candidate for this position? A “dynamic, creative and fun college graduate with a degree in communications or other related field and is an active Internet user who accesses social networks, blogs, forums and consumer reviews on a regular basis.” This person must also be a “self-motivated and detail-oriented team player and can often be found making YouTube videos just for fun.”

The other AAE position sounds a little more “structured” like you would find at a typical agency. IMRE seeks someone “with a degree in communications or related field and one to two years work or internship experience.” Candidates must also have “strong writing skills and be a team player who is results oriented, have an attention to detail, organized and able to juggle multiple priorities.”

Interested? Send your cover letter, résumé, salary requirements and writing samples to jobs@imre.com. Don’t forget to also fill out their job application.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Harvest

Willy Franzen — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:22:57 +0000

Yesterday I got an e-mail from a fellow Cornell grad named Danny Wen. He graduated a couple years before I landed on campus, but he and another Cornellian named Shawn Liu are also entrepreneurs. After graduation they started working at Internet consultancies, but eventually they decided to go into business for themselves in New York City. Just like me, they decided to solve a problem that they were facing. Unlike me (the guy who couldn’t find a job), their problem was tracking all of the money that they were making. Their response was Harvest, a web-based solution for freelancers and small business to track time and invoice clients. I know that keeping a small business organized is really hard, so it makes sense that a dead simple tool like Harvest would be in high demand.

Harvest Yourself a Job

Now, Danny Wen didn’t just contact me to say hi. Ok, maybe he wanted to do that too, but he has a job for you guys, and he wanted me to share it with you. His company is growing, and they’re looking for young talent to help continue that growth. Right now there’s only one job opening, but it’s a good one. Harvest is looking for a Community Manager to “organize and support the growing community of Harvest users from around the world.” This job comes with all kinds of different tasks, but almost all of it boils down to communication. You need to know social media, be able to write well, engage with customers, and, obviously, manage Harvest’s community. The job sounds awesome, and Harvest also sounds like a pretty cool place to work. The position is Contract to Hire, and you can apply here.

Additionally, Harvest’s parent company (I think that’s what it is) Iridesco is also hiring an Interface Designer, so that’s another job that you might want to check out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Don’t you want to work here?

5W Public Relations

Willy Franzen — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:01:24 +0000

Described in a leading trade magazine as a group of “type a-plus personalities” with a “BS-free approach,” New York City based 5W Public Relations touts a diverse client list—ranging from Anheuser Busch to Barnes & Noble Online to Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube. Interested in corporate communications? They’ve got it. Sports and entertainment, perhaps? They’ve got that, too. Health care, crisis communications—the list goes on. I love the ambition and overwhelming success of 5WPR, which has grown from a one-person firm with three clients in 2003 to the 21st largest independent PR firm and 23rd largest PR firm overall in the U.S. with revenue exceeding $11.5 million today. Even more impressive, perhaps, is that 5WPR’s CEO was recently named to both the Advertising Age’s and PRWeek’s “40 Under 40” lists. Want to learn more about this young leader? Check out his blog or follow him on Twitter. What a great environment in which to learn the ropes of the PR business—alongside a group of young professionals with an average age of 26.

They Put the “W” in Winning

For three consecutive years, 5WPR has been named a “best place to work.” According to their Careers section, the firm “ranked in the top five in the country when employees were asked whether morale at their agency was high and whether they found their work intellectually stimulating.” 5WPR boasts “one of the lowest turnovers in the industry” and “hard work is rewarded.”

Currently, 5WPR has an opening for an Account Coordinator in its Consumer Department. The position requires at least two previous public relations internships, strong writing skills, a creative and energetic personality, and an individual who is detail-oriented and able to work in a face-paced environment. Looking at the long description of job responsibilities, I can tell that the Account Coordinator will play a key role as a member of the 5WPR team. (There’s also an Account Executive position available, but it requires more than just internship experience.)

Interested? Send your cover letter, résumé and writing samples to David Gaspin, Director of Human Resources, at career@5wpr.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @5WPRJobs for application tips and advance notice of future openings.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

WooMe

Willy Franzen — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:33:39 +0000

My first experience with video chatting was with CU-SeeMe in an internet cafe in the mid 90s. It was insanely cool, but it was also terrible quality. Things have come a long way, and once again people are using video chat to meet random people online. I was a little creeped out when I first saw WooMe, but I think that I get it now (even if I’m still creeped out). It’s a website that allows you to meet new people through “60 second one-on-one online video sessions.” Basically, it’s speed dating on the web. I was almost too sketched out to cover them here, but I figured if TechCrunch didn’t rip on them too hard and they’re able to get $17 million in investment, there has to be the potential for a real business.

Can You Woo WooMe?

If you’re not quite getting what WooMe is all about, check out WooMe TV. It will give you a chance to watch some recorded interactions of WooMe members. It’s kind of weird, but also pretty entertaining. Ok, so remember that $17 million I mentioned 3 sentences ago? It’s important, as it looks like WooMe is ready to spend it. Their Jobs page is filled with opportunities that include: Systems Admin x 2 (London and Los Angeles), IM Engineer (London), Frontend Guru – HTML / CSS / javascript / AJAX (London), Site Operations Manager (Los Angeles), Community Manager, Site Operations Analyst (San Francisco), Senior Django Developer (London), Flash Developer (London/San Francisco), Product Manager (London/San Francisco), Online Marketing Senior Manager or Director (Los Angeles). Obviously not all of those are entry level positions, but quite a few of them are. You can head over to WooMe’s Jobs page to get all of the details including how you should apply. I wonder if their job interviews are only 60 seconds? That’d be pretty cool.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you tried WooMe?

Murphy-Goode Winery

Willy Franzen — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:51:42 +0000

I’m not a wine drinker, but I am a sucker for a good PR stunt – especially when it’s related to jobs. I never covered “The Best Job in the World” (a job in Australia as an “island caretaker”), but I figured that you guys wouldn’t want to miss out on the chance to land “A Really Goode Job.” What am I talking about? Murphy-Goode Winery, which is based in Sonoma Wine Country, is looking for “someone (maybe you) who really knows how to use Web 2.0 and Facebook and blogs and social media and YouTube and all sorts of good stuff like that — to tell the world about our wines and the place where we live: the Sonoma County Wine Country.” I believe the official title for the job is Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent. Anyway, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and even if there’s a miniscule chance that you’ll be the one selected out of thousands to get the job, it’s worth a shot, right?

Are You Goode Enough?

Let me give you the bad new first. This job is only planned to last for 6 months (unless you’re so good that they decide to keep you, of course). That’s ok, though, because the rest of the details make up for it. The biggest detail is that you get paid $10,000 per month with full accommodations. Oh yeah, and “working hours are flexible. And all you have to do is experience wine and good living, and then tell people about it.” This isn’t a joke. The real details come out in the application process. Although that’s what they call it, it’s more like a contest. The most important part of the application is a 60 second video that communicates why you’re the best fit for the job. Then there’s also a brief application form. The application deadline is June 5th. Once they get all of the applications (they reserve the right to stop accepting them if they get more than 5,000) they’ll whittle the applicant pool to 50 and then to 10, and then they’ll invite those 10 out to the winery for final interviews. On July 9th they’ll select someone and work begins on August 1st. There’s a ton of information about the job on AReallyGoodeJob.com, so make sure that you read up on everything before you apply. Oh yeah, and obviously, you need to be 21 to apply.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you going to apply for A Really Goode Job?

Weidert Group

Willy Franzen — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:51:06 +0000

While I certainly wouldn’t name Wisconsin as a hotbed for public relations jobs, Weidert Group in Appleton would be a fantastic place to launch your career—particularly if you’re interested in social media. In addition to social media, you can gain experience in many different areas, ranging from public relations planning, execution, and training to event planning/management. Like many small agencies, Weidert Group is a tight-knit environment that values its team members. They seek people “who exhibit both strategic and imaginative thinking; whose perspectives have been influenced by quality education, significant responsibilities, and notable accomplishments; who demonstrate motivation, drive, and passion for their work; and who are able to contribute as part of a high-performance team.” The average age of this team is 30, and they specialize in serving health care, financial services, manufacturing, education, and food/food service clients.

Becoming the Apple of Their Eye

While Weidert Group doesn’t currently have any openings, their entry-level position is Public Relations Assistant. The agency prides itself on hiring quality employees to join their team and work on behalf of regional and national clients. In order to be added to their public relations department in this role, you must be outgoing, persistent, energetic, goal-oriented, competitive, passionate about a career in PR, and have an impressive portfolio with relevant intern work experiences. Unlike many small agencies, Weidert Group offers a full range of benefits, including paid holidays, paid time off, health and dental insurance, 401(k), and a bonus plan.

Want to join their team? First contact public relations specialist Abby Gutowski at agutowski@weidert.com with a résumé and explanation of why you would be a good addition. Then, she will pass you along to the organization’s decision-maker, Greg Linnemanstons, president and partner at the agency.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Raptr

Willy Franzen — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:32:24 +0000

One of the cool things about all of the social technologies that we have these days is that it removes a lot of social inefficiency. What do I mean by social inefficiency? How about the fact that you’re sitting in an airport waiting for a delayed flight even though your friend is 3 gates away and you have no idea. You’re probably not going to call that friend randomly, but a Facebook or Twitter update might alert you to the fact that you have someone to hang out with for the next hour or two. There are a million examples like this, and Raptr, a Mountain View, CA based startup, has created some technology to address one inefficiency in particular – gaming alone. Ok, so they’re not going to invite your friends over to play video games with you, but they will allow you to find out which of your friends are playing what video games when, so that you can link up and play together. Social gaming is huge, but it’s happening mostly on non-gaming platforms like Facebook. Raptr is trying to bring this technology to more traditional gaming systems and aggregate your information across the social networks that you already use.

Don’t Fear the Raptr

Now, if you’re ashamed of your excessive gaming, then maybe Raptr isn’t the service for you; however, if you are always looking for someone to play against, then it should be a pretty good addition to your gaming repertoire. Apparently Raptr is as easy as setting up a few accounts, so I can’t imagine why a serious gamer wouldn’t want to use it (unless of course they’re one of those people I described in the first sentence of this paragraph). I think Raptr is a pretty cool idea, and I’m excited to see more startups that address social inefficiencies. If you’re excited about both video games and social networking, then you might also want to check out Raptr’s Job Opportunities. Right now there’s only one opening, but it’s perfect for a new grad. Raptr is looking to hire a Community Manager to help them develop and interact with their online community. It sounds like an awesome job, and there’s a ton of information about Raptr on their website. You can apply for the job by sending a resume and cover letter to jobs@raptr.com (and make sure that you paste it into the body of the e-mail – no attachments).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you tried Raptr yet?