One Day, One Job » Massachusetts

Good Sports

Willy Franzen — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:46:14 +0000

Did you know that how wealthy your family is has a lot to do with which sports you play growing up? Sometimes it’s a demographic thing, but a lot of times it just has to do with whether or not your family can afford to pay for the equipment. Take hockey for example. There’s a ton of stuff you need, and it’s all expensive; whereas, basketball can be played with just a ball and a hoop in a park. There are no hard and fast rules about this, but it’s very clear that many kids don’t get the opportunity to try some sports because of the costs involved. Good Sports is a Boston based non-profit that “provides sports equipment to disadvantaged youth in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Philadelphia, and Chicago.” They may have pictures of Boston athletes plastered all over their website (yuck!), but they’re doing a really good thing.

Are You a Good Sport?

The idea behind Good Sports is pretty simple—they raise money and take equipment donations from manufacturers and then provide equipment grants to youth athletic programs. Additionally, Goods Sports runs Community Health Programs in conjunction with Community Health Centers to provide “necessary fitness equipment to children being treated in healthy weight, diabetes, or other obesity related medical programs.” They seem to be doing a great job, and the names on their Boards of Directors and Advisors show that they’ve excelled at integrating themselves within the Boston sports community. It’d be a cool place to break into the sports industry, as you’d have tons of networking opportunities. Right now, Good Sports is looking for an Administrative Assistant, which is kind of a do-everything job in a small non-profit like Good Sports. They do want someone with 3 years of experience as an admin, but I think that a new grad would be a great fit for this position. You can apply by sending a cover letter and résumé to Davin Lencz at dlencz@goodsports.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite piece of sports equipment?

Brightcove

Willy Franzen — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:45:33 +0000

It took long enough, but Internet video is everywhere. Yes, we had online video 10 years ago, but now it actually looks good—and works. The main reason for this is that end users (you and me) finally have technology in their homes that can handle playing online video. This means high speed Internet connections and computers with enough processing power to not crash when a website uses a Flash video player. The issue for content creators is that delivering video still poses some challenges. Sure, I was able to produce an online job search training course that relied heavily on video with little trouble, but I wasn’t delivering video to thousands or even millions of people (I wish I had the problem). As your use base increases, the challenge of delivering video increase exponentially. Moreover, managing video content in an organized fashion is a completely different challenge than organizing text and images. Brightcove is a Cambridge, MA based company that provides an online video platform for many of the worlds biggest brands.

Are You Bright Enough?

I’ve probably said this before about other companies, but I’m not sure that I’ve seen a client list as impressive as Brightcove’s customer list. It includes names like The New York Times, Discovery Channel, Sony Music, U.S. Army, and Ticketmaster, so you know that Brightcove isn’t just some flash in the pan startup. They have top flight clients who are paying lots of money for the Brightcove platform. With that said, it will be interesting to see how online video delivery develops in the next 5 to 10 years and how Brightcove adapts to those changes. If you want to be a part of the future of online video, then you need to check out Brightcove’s Job listings. Most of their current openings are either experienced or internship positions, but there are a couple of jobs that seem suitable for new grads. These include Customer Solutions Specialist and Part-Time Training Operations Assistant. Brightcove also has a listing for applicants who can’t find a job posting that fits them. Whether you are looking for something in Software/Web Development, User Experience, Quality Assurance, Marketing, Sales, or Business Development, it’s probably worth reaching out to Brightcove to see if they might have something for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you seen websites that use Brightcove to deliver video?

The Boston Globe

Willy Franzen — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:48:50 +0000

It feels pretty good to be talking about a Boston based newspaper today knowing that they have to report on another trip to the World Series for the Yankees; although, I’m sure they’d much rather be publishing stories on what Dustin Pedroia and Jonathan Papelbon are doing during their offseason (possibly watching the World Series from their couches). Now that I’ve gotten in my dig at Red Sox fans, we can take a look at The Boston Globe, Boston’s most widely read newspaper. The paper is owned by the New York Times and has an excellent web presence at Boston.com. Much like other newspapers the Globe has had significant financial struggles, and The New York Times even threatened to shut the paper down if the paper’s union didn’t accept major concessions. Apparently those problems have been worked out, and The Boston Globe is now on more stable ground. At least that’s what the fact that they’re hiring would indicate.

Navigate The Globe

When it comes to newspapers and magazines, there’s no better way to get to know them than to read them. Luckily, you can do that online at Boston.com, which is a good example of how newspapers should use the web. I’m especially impressed with their Big Picture photoblog, which is constantly getting voted up on social media news sites. Since you’re going to have to start reading The Boston Globe to get a feel for them, let’s jump right to their jobs. If you take a look at their Job postings, you’ll see that there are only a few openings; however, a number of those jobs seem perfect for new grads. These include positions in Outbound Sales, Web Programming/Development, Technical Production, and Online Advertising Traffic Coordination. Most of the job postings don’t appear to be very fresh, but they’re still posted, so apply online and see what happens.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you read The Boston Globe?we

Kiva Systems

Willy Franzen — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:42:08 +0000

We’ve already taken a look at Kiva, a San Francisco based microfinance non-profit, but today we’re going to take a look at Kiva Systems, a Woburn, MA based logistics and robotics company. They were ranked #6 on the Inc. 5000 this year by growing from $204,000 in revenue in 2005 to $21.4 million in revenue in 2008. That’s 10,399.0%, which is just insane. Their growth is coming from the online shopping revolution, even though they’re not an e-commerce company. This is due to the fact that their automated order fulfillment systems are huge efficiency boosters for warehouse operations. It’s hard to imagine how a Kiva Mobile Fulfillment System works, but once you see the video below, you’ll totally get it—and you will be amazed.

Kiva’s Magic Job Shelf

Since there’s no better way to understand what Kiva Systems does than to watch one of their systems in action, I’ve scrounged up a video to demonstrate what they’re all about (e-mail readers please click through to watch).

As you can see, Kiva Systems has developed technology that is changing the way fulfillment happens without completely ridding the process of humans. They’ve worked with names like Zappos, Walgreens, and Diapers.com, and that client list is just going to keep growing. They’ve only been around since 2003, so Kiva Systems is still a very young company, which means that there couldn’t be a better time to get in than now. They’re one of the most fascinating companies that I’ve come across in my nearly two years of profiling companies, and they’re looking to hire lots of entry level talent. They have a special Jobs page for college students/grads that describes that they’re looking for. They are mostly hiring engineers to join their Software, Hardware, and Manufacturing Teams; however, they also have opportunities on their Professional Services and Customer Experience Teams. You can apply for a job by e-mailing your résumé and cover letter to jobs@kivasystems.com noting your area of interest and graduation date. Unlike items in a warehouse with a Kiva Mobile Fulfillment System, these jobs aren’t going to bring themselves to you, so get to work!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about Kiva Systems?

Altman Vilandrie & Company

Willy Franzen — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:38:57 +0000

We’re just getting into the thick of campus recruiting season now, and that means that the most ambitious college seniors should be in full job search mode (so get to that career fair ASAP!). I know that it seems kind of ridiculous, but there are a lot of companies that are done with their hiring for next year by early January. These are usually some of the most selective companies out there, so if you’re looking or a prestigious job, you better get moving. Altman Vilandrie & Company is one of those companies that is already recruiting. They’re a Boston based boutique consulting firm that “focuses exclusively on the communications, media, and related technology and investor sectors.” As they put it, they’re “a unique, pure play communications and media strategy consulting group.” They won’t have the broad range of clients of a larger firm, but the projects that they work on are still going to be quite variable.

Get Your Consult On

Getting a job in consulting isn’t easy. If you haven’t already made the decision to aim for a career in consulting, then you have a lot of catching up to do. You should spend some serious time investigating the industry and getting familiar with all of the major players. It wouldn’t hurt to practice your case interview skills either. Landing an entry level jobs job in consulting is a seriously intense process, and I’d imagine that holds true at Altman Vilandrie too. Considering that they only do campus recruiting at Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, and Wellesley, you can see the kind of talent they’re looking for. With that said, they are open to hearing from students at other schools. You’re probably going to have to blow them away to even get looked at, but it’s worth reaching out to them in hopes of an Analyst position.

They do a great job of describing what life at Altman Vilandrie is like on their Culture page, so be sure to give that a good look before applying. Despite Altman Vilandrie’s focus on Media and Communications, I’d imagine that they worry more about talent than industry knowledge when it comes to entry level recruiting. If you think that you have what it takes and Altman VIlandrie isn’t visiting your campus (or you missed them), reach out to them at recruiting@altvil.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Altman Vilandrie & Company?

Smart Destinations

Willy Franzen — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:45:42 +0000

Let’s say that you wanted to come visit me in Chicago. You’re not afraid to do touristy things, because you’re willing to accept the fact that you are a tourist. You’re going to visit the Art Institute, the Hancock Observatory, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Sears (now Willis) Tower. Then you want to take a ride on the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel followed by an Architecture Boat Tour. That’s a lot of separate admission fees (and an exhausting day). With a Go Chicago Card from Boston, MA based Smart Destinations, you can pay once and do all these things and more. The card will even get you a discount on your Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizza. Smart Destinations offers the same service in quite a few other cities, and it seems to be pretty popular. While the Travel industry is struggling with the economy, Smart Destinations has managed 424.7% revenue growth over the past 3 years and #652 on the Inc. 5000.

Take a Trip to Smart Destinations

What Smart Destinations is doing isn’t all that complex, but it’s really… err… smart. By developing relationships with all of these individual destinations and trading lead generation for a substantial discount, Smart Destinations is able to make everyone happy while hauling in the cash. Or at least that’s what their 94% customer satisfaction rate seems to say. It’s a very cool business that has the potential for a lot more growth. If you’d like to be a part of that growth, you should consider Jobs at Smart Destinations. They don’t list specific opportunities, but if you use our “Do I Know Anyone at Smart Destinations?” feature below, you should be able to get an idea of what types of entry level jobs they have. I’d imagine Sales, Marketing, Engineering/Software Development, and Business Development are some of the most likely areas. You can reach out to Smart Destinations at careers@smartdestinations.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you tried using one of Smart Destinations’ products?

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?

LightWedge

Willy Franzen — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:29:21 +0000

The other night I wanted to read a book before bed, but I had moved the lamp from my bedroom into my living room because our hard to reach light fixture’s lights burnt out. It took all of 30 seconds to move the lamp back to my bedroom, but it was a pain in the butt. If only I had a LightWedge—a product made by the company of the same name that will illuminate your book for you. It’s a stupid simple idea that beats the heck out of wearing a headlamp in bed. Oh yeah, and the Newton, MA based company is making a ton of money. Inc. magazine recently came out with their list of the 5,000 fastest growing private companies in the US, and Lightwedge came in at #1,609. That may not sound great, but when you see that they increased from $3.9 million in revenue in 2005 to $11.6 million last year, you have to be impressed. I always say that the best way to job search during a recession is to look for the companies that are growing, and there’s no better way to find those than Inc. magazine’s list.

Illuminate Your Job Search

One of the key contributors to LightWedge’s growth was getting featured on Oprah, but that doesn’t come without having developed a great product. LightWedge continues to expand on their business of developing illumination devices. One of their smartest plays is the Harry Potter LUMOS Book Light, which is currently backordered. It really is a perfect tie-in. Obviously I’m impressed by LightWedge, which is why I think you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they have a number of job openings that seem like possibilities for new grads. These include Web Site Customer Service Representative, Sales/Marketing Account Manager, Web Design Engineer, and Sales Analyst. Some of these jobs require prior work experience or in-depth knowledge of certain areas, but they’re all worth looking at. You can apply for any of these jobs by sending a cover letter and résumé to work@lightwedge.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you tried the LightWedge?

Burberry

Willy Franzen — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:22:55 +0000

It’s funny how well respected brands that have been around forever will get swept up in a fad. Some, like Abercrombie & Fitch, will make it part of a new identity, while others like Burberry will enjoy the popularity but maintain their core image. Burberry is a British company that has been making quality garments since 1856, but they became especially trendy in the early 2000s, if I remember correctly. While most brands are recognized for their logo or a specific product, Burberry is known for their plaid. In fact, unless you’re a tartan freak, “Burberry Check” is probably the only plaid that you recognize by name. Over their 150 years Burberry has moved more towards luxury goods than outdoor garments, which is best evidenced by their new ad campaigns with Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame.

Check Out Burberry

Although Burberry is a British based company, they happen to have a significant presence in the United States. That means that they also have quite a few job opportunities on this side of the pond. Their Careers page doesn’t offer much information about what it’s like to work for them, but you can get a listing of job openings here in the US. You should be sure to check out jobs at their New York office like Account Specialist, Allocator, Assistant Buyer, Assistant Buyer – Outlets, Planning Analyst, and Planning Analyst – Wholesale. There are also a number of retail and in-store positions in places like Chicago, Boston, Beverly Hills, Palo Alto, Scottsdale, and other cities with high end retail stores, but we’ve focused on their corporate positions. Additionally, there are positions with Burberry in the United Kingdom (obviously), elsewhere in Europe, and in Asia. You can apply for any of these jobs online directly from the job descriptions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of when you see the “Burberry Check?”

CleanFish

Willy Franzen — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:00:50 +0000

Believe it or not, over the past week One Day, One Job has been coming to you from a lodge on the banks of the Grand Cascapedia river in Quebec. As I’ve learned this week, fishing for Atlantic Salmon is extremely difficult, even though you can often see the fish right in front of you. In some pools there appear to be plenty of fish, but none of them will bite. That’s probably a good thing considering the fact that the estimated annual run on the Bonaventure (where we’ve been doing our fishing) is only about 1,500-2,000 fish. That means that if I catch and release my daily limit of two fish, I’ve caught .1% of the entire run. Even though we’d really like to, we can’t even think about killing one of these fish to eat—they’re too precious. Luckily, CleanFish is a company (and a B Corporation, you know what that is now!) that offers sustainable seafood that we can eat. They’re based in San Francisco with offices in Gloucester, MA and Los Angeles, CA as well, and they’re changing the way that we eat seafood.

Something’s Fishy About These Jobs

Our oceans may seem endless, so one would think that the supply of food that they provide would never run out. Unfortunately, we’re getting close to losing many of the ocean’s food sources—and that has negative effects well beyond not being able to fulfill our appetite for seafood. For instance, here on the Gaspé in Quebec a large portion of the economy is based on sport fishing for salmon. Commercial harvest of salmon in Greenland can significantly deplete the runs here in Canada. Fewer fish means fewer dollars spent, and that will ripple through the economy. Since we’re not going to stop eating salmon, and sometimes farmed salmon can have worse effects on wild salmon than commercial fishing, CleanFish is a great alternative. They find sustainable sources for delicious seafood, and if they can’t find a good source for a particular type, they don’t sell it.

This may sound like some kind of niche business, but I was surprised to find that many of the restaurants in Chicago that I eat at and even some of the grocery stores that I shop at stock CleanFish products. I’ve eaten CleanFish many times without even knowing it. CleanFish is an example of social entrepreneurism at its best, which is why you should consider a job with them. They don’t have any specific positions posted, but they do offer internships, which means that they value young talent. They also have an open call for résumés on their Jobs page, so answer it and help make it so that I can continue to eat salmon and catch salmon without fearing that one day I’ll never be able to do either.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite kind of fish to eat?

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

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.

SquashBusters

Willy Franzen — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:28:42 +0000

It’s hard to believe that squash, a sport that plenty of people haven’t even heard of, has so many non-profit organizations surrounding it. We’ve already featured New York’s StreetSquash and San Diego’s Surf City Squash, both members of the National Urban Squash and Education Association (NUSEA), and today we’re going to take a look at another member of the association, Boston’s SquashBusters. They are very similar to the other organizations that I’ve just mentioned in that they combine “squash with intensive academic tutoring, community service, and one-to-one mentoring to help student-athletes strive towards excellence in their lives.” SquashBusters works with about 100 ethnically diverse Boston public school youth and uses an apparently awesome facility on Northeastern University’s campus.

Unemployment Busters

SquashBusters has five key goals that they believe will help them achieve their mission “to challenge and nurture urban youth so that they recognize and fulfill their potential.”

to teach students to take responsibility for their actions and choices
to provide active educational experiences that motivate students to engage deeply with the learning process
to help students demonstrate good sportsmanship on and off the squash court
to promote understanding and friendships between people of different backgrounds
to engage students in service projects which help people and promote a commitment to the community

Whether you’re a squash player or not, you have to love what SquashBusters is doing. You also have to love the fact that SquashBusters is hiring. Even though their Jobs page says that they aren’t, there’s a job posting on Idealist for an Academic and Community Service Coordinator. It seems perfect for a new or recent grad, and there’s no requirement that you have played squash or received a teaching certificate. The job sounds great, and you can apply by sending a cover letter and résumé to SquashBuster’s Managing Director, Dominique Farinaux-Dumas, at d.farinaux-dumas@squashbusters.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How’s your squash game?

Rockstar Games

Willy Franzen — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:22:44 +0000

Before I get started, I’d like to ask you all for a favor. Businessweek is seeking nominations for their list of the Best U.S. Entrepreneurs 25 and Under, and I happen to be under 25 and an entrepreneur. I’d love to be on this list, but only if you think I should be. If One Day, One Job has helped you with your job search or you just love what we’re doing, please nominate me. It won’t take more than 90 seconds. Thanks!

After a second company used the term “rockstar” in their job postings, it became clichéd. I know that I’ve said this before, but no matter how good your coding skills (or whatever other rockstar skills employers look for) are, you’re never going to be a rockstar. Unless, of course, you land a job at Rockstar Games. If you work there, at least you’ll be a rockstar in name. You may not have a guitar, but you’ll be working for the company behind video game series like Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, and Manhunt. And for those of you who have a different taste in games, they’ve got Table Tennis for the Wii. I keep harping on the fact that the video game industry is doing well, but it’s just so impressive. Other content producers like newspapers, magazines, record labels, and move producers are struggling with changes in how we consume content, but video game companies keep humming along—and Rockstar Games is no exception.

Grand Theft Entry Level Job

I first found out about the fact that Rockstar Games is hiring when I watched this YouTube video from the Art Institutes’ Career Services team (this video actually comes first in the series). It was cool to see such in-depth content on what it takes to get a job at Rockstar Games, and it obviously got me looking to find where they post their job opportunities. Their website is entirely in Flash, which is a total pain in the butt, and the main navigation for the site only shows up if you put your mouse over it. And even if you do put your cursor in the right place, you won’t find a link to their Jobs page (at least I couldn’t).

Luckily a Google search turned up Rockstar Games’ Jobs page. It’s loaded with opportunities (and not all of them are in Software Development), so it’s kind of like a hidden treasure. We can’t link to specific postings (stupid Flash), but I can tell you that they have Game Programming and Animation jobs in Vancouver, British Columbia; a Game Content Creator position and all kinds of Game Programmer positions for RAGE in San Diego, CA; Game Programmer and Character Artist positions in Toronto, Ontario; Junior Web Developer and Marketing Coordinator in New York City; and Gameplay Generalist/Programmer in Andover, MA. Additionally, Rockstar Games has a ton of open position at their 4 locations in the United Kingdom. It’s amazing how many job openings Rockstar Games has, so whether you’re an artist, programmer, or marketer, there’s probably something for you. You can apply online for any of the positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Which of Rockstar Games’ titles is your favorite?

Action Inc.

Willy Franzen — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:02:12 +0000

I love it when I get great recommendations for companies/organizations to feature from readers (if you have one, let me know at willy@onedayonejob.com). That’s how I found out about Gloucester, MA based Action Inc. I was sent a link to this article about how the non-profit agency will be getting “$8.5 million in federal stimulus money over the next three years to improve energy efficiency in low-income households from Gloucester to Haverhill to Lynn.” The cool thing about the project is that it not only focuses on reducing energy consumption, but it also focuses on helping low-income people save money that they’re literally burning away. Action Inc. is all about economic security, so their work goes well beyond energy efficiency. It also includes Advocay, Youth Outreach, In Home Care, Housing Loans, Job Training, Emergency Shelters, and Toy Drives.

Take Action

Action Inc. may sound a bit unfocused; however, that’s not really the case. They do their outreach in a variety of ways, but they aim to help a very specific segment of a very localized population. When it comes to promoting economic security for low-income people in the Gloucester area, they do whatever it takes to promote progress. However, you have to think that there will be an increased focus on the area of energy efficiency with the stimulus funds. That might also mean more job openings at Action Inc. Right now they have a Regional Coordinator position available that appears to be suitable for a new grad. You can find the details on how to apply in the job posting, so give it a good read and see if it sounds like something that you’d want to do.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Action Inc.?

The FeedRoom

Willy Franzen — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:51:36 +0000

Having developed a product that relies on delivering video content, I know firsthand how difficult online video can be. Yes, any idiot can record something and upload it to YouTube for millions to watch, but it takes a significantly greater effort for a company to deliver an even slightly more professional video experience. New York City based The FeedRoom is a company that offers enterprise solutions for online streaming video and digital asset management. You may have seen their software at work on sites like PentagonChannel.mil and BestBuyTrueStories.com. It’s about 14 steps above publishing to YouTube, yet it’s nearly as easy to do for corporate clients who use The FeedRoom’s products, services, and solutions. If I had the budget for some serious enterprise software, I’d definitely The FeedRoom for Found Your Career.

Feed Your Career

Online video delivery is only going to continue to grow, and as expectations grow, YouTube isn’t going to cut it any more. The FeedRoom is primed for success as more companies decide that they need to get serious about video. The FeedRoom is already working with some serious names (The Pentagon!), and they seem to have the ease of use thing down. If you’re excited about the growth in the world of online video, then you might want to consider a job with The FeedRoom. Right now all of their opportunities require some pretty serious Software Development experience. They wouldn’t be defined as entry level, but if you’ve been hacking since you were a kid, you might have a shot. Those opportunities are in Westborough, MA; however, The FeedRoom also has offices in New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Additionally, The FeedRoom does have an internship program in Digital Media Technology, so they must have some interest in young talent. Take a look at what The FeedRoom is all about, and if you think that you’ll make a great addition, then send a cover letter and résumé to jobs@feedroom.com. They are always looking for people who “have a background in digital media, and are experienced in the areas of sales, software development, marketing, customer service or support, human resources or administration.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you impressed with The FeedRoom’s offerings?

Eduventures

Willy Franzen — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:02:37 +0000

When I came across Eduventures during my daily search for exciting employers to tell you about, I knew that I had heard of them before. It took me a second to figure out where, but a search through past e-mails showed me that someone I knew who used to work in Career Services at a major university had moved on to a new position with Eduventures, which is located in Boston, MA. That makes perfect sense because Eduventures is “the industry leader in research and consulting for higher education institutions.” People who are familiar with the inner workings of different university functions are essential to Eduventures’ being able to do their job. And what is that exactly? They help higher education institutions develop and adopt best practices through membership research programs and consulting services.

Getting a Job Doesn’t Mean Leaving Higher Ed

As you have probably experienced, most colleges and universities have a proprietary way to do everything. There’s a tendency to develop a new solution instead of looking outside to see what others are doing. Eduventures helps their clients (all 300+ of them) take a look outside of their own ivory tower and get a feel for how they can improve in the areas of Academic Leadership, Continuing and Professional Education, Development, Enrollment Management, Online Higher Education, and Schools of Education. If you love the world of higher education or you get frustrated by it and want to make it better, a job with Eduventures might be worth considering. If you head over to their Careers page you can check out testimonials from employees and see what it’s like working at Eduventures. Obviously, you can also check out their job opportunities. They don’t make it explicit how much experience is needed for the jobs that they have posted, but it seems possible that recent grads with the right background and experience could be a good fit for their Sales Executive, Research Analyst, and Contract Business Research Consultant positions. The application method varies by positions, so be sure to check out the specific job descriptions for all of the details.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you think higher ed has a lot to gain from consulting services?

Lucky Brand

Willy Franzen — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:49:56 +0000

Next March I’m going to regret not saving this one for my St. Patrick’s Day holiday themed post, but today we’re going to take a look at Lucky Brand. They’re a clothing manufacturer and retailer that is “rooted in rock ‘n ‘roll with a signature sense of humor.” Their About page will tell you that they stand for “independent thinking, individual style and a feeling as authentic as love” and that they’re known for “great-fitting, vintage-inspired jeans;” however, I think it’s much simpler than that. One of their founders came up with the idea to put the phrase “Lucky You” behind the flies of every pair of pants that they made. It was an instant point of differentiation, and I think that it has a lot to do with why Lucky Brand is going strong 19 years after they started. It really is pure, politically incorrect genius. Lucky you…

Get Lucky

The best way to get a feel for Lucky Brand is to check out their clothes online or visit one of their retail stores. If you don’t get what the brand is about, you’re not going to get a job with them. I think that’s true of any brand, but it’s especially pertinent in industries like apparel where brand is everything. So, what about jobs at Lucky Brand? They have a ton of Store Management opportunities at their retail stores. This may not be exactly what you had in mind post-graduation (or maybe it is), but it kind of offers the opportunity to run your own business—at least that’s what the job description makes it sound like. They have openings for Retail Management in Ala Moana, HI; Miami, FL; Monterey, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; Tampa, FL; San Jose, CA; San Francisco, CA; Austin, TX; Waikiki, HI; Westlake, OH; Los Angeles, CA; Manhattan, NY; Las Vegas, NV; El Paso, TX; Aurora, IL; Chicago, IL; Pleasant Prairie; WI; Washington, DC; Philadelphia, PA; Bridgewater, NJ; Elizabeth, NJ; Seattle, WA; Wrentham, MA; Peabody, MA; Boston, MA; Houston, TX; Studio City, CA; St. Louis, MO; and quite a few more locations (although those jobs were posted in March and earlier). You can find all of those job postings on Lucky Brand’s Jobs site.

You also have the option of submitting a résumé for general consideration for corporate jobs in Vernon, CA. I think that this might be worthwhile because of what Lucky Brand has to say about their Internship Program:

The Lucky Brand Fall 2009 Internship Program is intended to help acclimate Junior and Senior level university/college students to our company culture, build on their creativity, and allow them the best opportunity to get to know Lucky Brand. This program is designed to identify, develop and potentially hire top entry level talent.

If they’re looking to hire top entry level talent, then why don’t they have any entry level jobs posted outside of retail? Maybe it’s just a season thing, or maybe they mostly like hiring past interns, but it’s worth investigating. Lucky Brand offers internships in Design, Human Resources, Wholesale Sales & Planning, Accessory Jewelry Design, Accessory Design, eCommerce, and Marketing, so those are areas where they might also have entry level jobs.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you consider yourself lucky?

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?

Triumvirate Environmental

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

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

Join the Triumvirate

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

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

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you heard of Triumvirate Environmental before?

Mattel

Willy Franzen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:10:29 +0000

Take a second and think of your favorite toy growing up. Was it a Barbie? Matchbox Car? American Girl Doll? View-Master? Magic 8 Ball? Rock’em Sock’em Robots? Hot Wheels? Polly Pocket? Even if it wasn’t one of those, there’s a good chance that it was made by Mattel. I’m sure that you’ve heard of the El Segundo, CA headquartered toy company before, but I bet you never realized just how many toys they actually make. Not only do they have some of the biggest toy names in the world, but they’re also behind all of Fisher-Price’s toys. If you always wanted to be like Tom Hanks in Big and work for a toy company, Mattel is your chance to live every child’s dream.

All Work and No Play Makes You a Dull Job Seeker

Usually, the problem with companies that seem really cool (especially in the fashion industry from what I hear) is that they know they’re hot stuff. That means that they treat their employees like commodities because they know that there’s always someone who wants to work for their brand. This isn’t the case with Mattel according to the FORTUNE list of 100 Best Companies to Work For. Despite the fact that they did go through some layoffs last year, Mattel appears to be hiring now for quite a few positions. There is a Campus Recruiting section on the Mattel Careers site; however, it doesn’t say anything about entry level jobs.

To get the scoop on what kind of opportunities Mattel has, you’re going to have to dive into their Applicant Tracking System instead. Their are 54 jobs posted right now, and a few look suitable for new grads. They include Mechanical Engineer(New York, NY), Associate Art Director – American Girl (Middleton, WI), Key Account Coordinator – Fisher-Price (East Aurora, NY), Key Account Representative (Brondby, Denmark), and Child Testing Researcher (El Segundo, CA). Mattel’s locations El Segundo, CA; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; East Aurora, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Middleton, WI; Minneapolis, MN; and New York, NY, so keep that in mind if you don’t see something posted that fits what you’re looking for. You can apply for all of the jobs directly from Mattel’s Applicant Tracking System (which isn’t all that bad compared to others that I’ve dealt with).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What was your favorite Mattel toy?

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.

A Better Chance

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

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

A Better Chance for You

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

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about A Better Chance?

Amp Idea

Willy Franzen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:13:00 +0000

I know just what you’re thinking right now! “I don’t get advertised to enough.” (If you’re really thinking that, why don’t you check out our job search prep course that will teach you how to get a job faster?) Ok, so that’s not really what you’re thinking, but it’s what the guys at Boston based Amp Idea are thinking. They think that online advertising has developed some amazing ideas, while outdoor advertising (and other similar mediums) have lost their effectiveness. They want to bridge that gap through things like Taxi Interactive Screens, Hotel Tourist GPS, Tabletop Restaurants, and Limo and Bus interactive devices. Over at One Day, One Internship we checked out a company called Captivate Network that is doing this kind of thing in elevators, so it seems as though there is a lot of room for growth in “digital advertising in the out of home space for business owners.”

Get Amped About Amp Idea

Amp Idea is very early stage startup, but they’re already deploying interactive taxi screens in Boston, and they plan to expand to New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. in the very near future. It’s a really cool idea, and if they can gain market share quickly, they’re going to have a very serious business on their hands in a couple of years. According to the company’s LinkedIn Profile the company has 5 employees, and they’re looking to add more. They have an Outside Sales Executive position posted on Startuply that looks pretty interesting. Now, they have this posted as a commission only position, so I think that they’re going to have a tough time finding the person with 2 years in the Advertising Industry that they’re looking for. That means that if you think that you have what it takes, you’ll probably have a pretty good shot at landing this job (it’s not a lot of risk to them). Now it’s up to you to decide if a job without base salary is something that you can do (and if it isn’t, you can always try negotiating).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How do you feel about interactive advertising in taxi cabs?

Skyhook Wireless

Willy Franzen — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:18:48 +0000

In my opinion one of the coolest features of the first generation iPhone was its ability to accurately give you your location despite its lacking a GPS chip. The technology is based on using Wi-Fi access points and cellular tower triangulation to determine your coordinates. Obviously a GPS chip is a better alternative (at least as long as you don’t have a roof blocking your satellite signal), but there are plenty of applications where Wi-Fi location comes in pretty handy. That’s why Boston based Skyhook Wireless is a growing company. They’re behind the technology that provides location to non-GPS equipped iPhones (as the New York Times covered quite well), and they’re also using their technology for geotagging, device recovery, social networking, and much more.

Locate Yourself at Skyhook Wireless

Now, it may sound to you as though GPS is a major threat to Skyhook Wireless’ business, but that’s not the case at all. If you take a look at the graph below, you’ll see that Skyhook’s XPS is a hybrid of GPS and Wi-Fi Positioning, and that it provides an amazing level of reliability in nearly all situations.

Beyond just being able to give people their locations, Skyhook Wireless also focuses on what people do with those locations on whatever device they’re getting them on. We’ve barely even touched the surface with using location data in our every day lives, so I think that Skyhook Wireless has a pretty bright future. If you want to be a part of that future, you should check out their Jobs page. A few of Skyhook’s job openings look like they might be suitable for new or recent grads: Wireless Product Manager, Web Product Manager, and Embedded Device Engineer. To apply for any of these positions (or maybe an unlisted one) send a cover letter and resume to careers@skyhookwireless.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Where are you?

e-Dialog

Willy Franzen — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:29:09 +0000

Try 5 lessons from One Day, One Job’s Job Search Prep Course Found Your Career for free. It will help you get a job faster.

Nobody likes getting spam in their inbox, but a well-crafted, beautifully designed marketing message from one of your favorite brands isn’t always that bad—especially if it includes a special offer (kind of like the one above). We’ve already talked about Aweber and Constant Contact in terms of e-mail marketing, but today we’re going to talk about a company that does it on a much bigger scale. Burlington, MA based e-Dialog “is the proven provider of advanced e-mail marketing and database technologies, products, strategies, and services for permission-based e-mail marketers,” and they can back that up with a client list that includes the NFL, Nintendo, the NHL, OfficeMax, Harvard Business School Publishing, and many more serious brands.

Start an e-Dialog

E-mail marketing isn’t an easy business, but when you get it right, it’s a gold mine. There are companies who can send out a single e-mail to their list and instantly drive millions of dollars in revenue. I’m guessing those are the players that e-Dialog works with. Here are the 5 ways that e-Dialog helps their clients deliver an outstanding ROI:

1. Sophisticated yet easy to use tools for reporting, message deployment, segmentation, and analysis – considered some of the strongest and most comprehensive tools, as noted by Forrester Research
2. Proactive and reliable account management teams
3. Deliverability expertise, strong ISP relations, and a unique response management team that ensures all messages are properly responded to
4. Thought leadership on e-mail and multi-channel marketing strategies
5. Efficient integration of data from multiple sources and the ability to analyze that data and make it actionable

If you want to learn about the world of e-mail marketing, e-Dialog is a great place to do it. Right now they have 24 job openings in the US, and quite a few seem appropriate for new college grads. These include Receptionist, Software Engineer, and Technical Support Specialist. You can apply online, so head over to e-Dialog’s Jobs page to get all of the details.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you heard anything about e-Dialog?

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

Invention Machine

Willy Franzen — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:49:03 +0000

A lot of people think inventing is easy. You see those guys like Billy Mays screaming on tv, and you think to yourself, “I could have thought of that.” Believe it or not, even those stupid infomercial products aren’t easy to come up with, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the world of invention. Inventing a new product is a long, arduous process that requires a ton of resources. Invention Machine is a Boston based software developer that “drives sustainable innovation by enabling global organizations to consistently generate breakthrough ideas that accelerate product development.” It’s hard for a non-inventor to understand how software can help the inventing process, but judging from the number of large corporations that are using Invention Machine’s software, there’s something there.

Become a Part of the Machine

Since Invention Machine has a corporate video that goes into more detail about what they do, I’m going to give you a little break from reading.

If you head over to Invention Machine’s Jobs page, you’ll see that they have a number of job openings right now. None of them scream entry level at me, but you should certainly take a look at both the Inside Sales Representative and User Interface Designer positions to see if they might give you an idea of where you can fit in at Invention Machine. They do offer a number of internships, so they clearly value young talent. They say that you “may submit your resume for a specific position, multiple positions or general employment by emailing a resume to jobs@invention-machine.com,” so don’t be shy about reaching out to them about a job opportunity.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever invented something?

Root Cause

Willy Franzen — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:51:30 +0000

If there’s one criticism that I often hear about the non-profit world, it’s that they’re plagued by inefficiency. It’s certainly not true across the board, but taking the profit motives out of an organization can certainly create efficiency issues. Additionally, things like organizational structure, egos, and political agendas can disrupt for-profits and non-profits alike. Root Cause is a Cambridge, MA based non-profit strategy consulting service that “envisions a world in which the public, private, and nonprofit sectors work together to invest and re-invest in the most efficient, effective, and sustainable solutions to social problems.” In other words, they want to find the absolute best way to solve the world’s social problems, and then work with social innovators and social impact investors to make things happen.

The Root to Success

Beyond consulting, Root Cause has 5 other initiatives: Knowledge Sharing, Social Impact Research, InnerCity Entrepreneurs, Social Innovation Forum, and Public Innovators. Each of these initiatives is focused on achieving Root Cause’s values:

Focus above all else on the social problem being addressed, regardless of organizational structure (government, for-profit, nonprofit), ego, or political agenda.

Take a rigorous, thoughtful, and creative approach to work that integrates a broad range of perspectives.
Strive to integrate practice, applied research, and public policy.

Take an entrepreneurial, goal-oriented approach to work, with a commitment to integrity, diversity in all forms, and learning by listening, acting, and on-going self improvement.

Collaborate to support new and existing systems, institutions, and infrastructures in order to provide all types of organizations with access to the information, capital, and tools they need to develop enduring solutions to social problems.

It’s a refreshing approach that sounds like it has the potential to truly change the way non-profit work is done. If you agree, you’ll probably want to check out Root Cause’s Jobs page as well as their job postings on Idealist. Right now they have an opening posted on Idealist (but not on their Jobs page) for for a Consulting Research Associate. It looks like a fantastic opportunity for a new or recent college grad. If you’re interested, send a cover letter and resume to Abby Fung at afung@rootcause.org by June 19, 2009.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about Root Cause’s philosophy?

Wiggio

Willy Franzen — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:47:16 +0000

When I was at Cornell, working on group projects was the bane of my existence—especially when I didn’t get to choose the members of my group. It always seemed that I got stuck with a slacker or two, and there was always someone who just wanted to do the whole project by himself/herself (ok, sometimes that was me). Besides getting stuck with crappy partners, the logistics of organizing meetings, keeping edits to a document straight, and communicating with people who don’t check their e-mail drove me crazy. I guess I wasn’t the only one who didn’t enjoy the group project experience at Cornell, because Dana Lampert, a fellow alum, founded Wiggio, a company and web application that “makes it easy to work in groups.” They’re based out of Cambridge, MA, and they’ve moved well beyond focusing on just college students. Wiggio can help sports teams, non-profit organizations, small businesses, Greek organizations, and pretty much anyone who works with other people. They’ve already broken 100,000 users, and they seem to be growing at an awesome pace, which is why now is the time to think about working for them.

WIG Out!

I love when companies have simple videos that explain exactly what they do. Wiggio has done a nice job, so check out the video below to get the scoop.

Got it. Wiggio’s business model is currently based on selling targeted advertising within the site à la Facebook. I’m not sure if that will work out well, but there’s certainly potential. They seem intent on remaining a free service, but they always have the option of building some premium features for users who are willing to pay. How about jobs at Wiggio? They’re a small company with only 3 employees, and they don’t even have a Jobs page on their site, but they do use Startuply. Right now they have a posting for a Marketing/Sales Evangelist that looks pretty well suited to new grads. You can apply online, and even if you don’t want to work for them, give Wiggio a try for the next time you’re working with a group. (You might even want to try managing a job search group with Wiggio.) I also imagine that they’d love to hear from people with great Web Development skills, as they have an internship opening in that area, and nearly every web startup needs good developers.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you used Wiggio?

The School for Field Studies

Willy Franzen — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:36:13 +0000

We all know it; studying abroad can be a total joke. I know plenty of kids who partied in a different country for a semester and managed to get college credit for it. Fortunately, there are plenty of study abroad programs that focus more on the “study” than the “abroad.” One of those is The School for Field Studies. Now, you may be skeptical when you see their list of locations sounds more like your top 5 vacation destinations (Costa Rica, Turks & Caicos, Kenya, Mexico, and Australia), but look at all of their student accomplishments. The School for Field Studies is “the nation’s oldest and largest environmental study abroad program,” and it combines “hands-on environmental studies with scientific research to develop sustainable solutions to critical environmental problems.”

Work in the Field

While some students are drinking their way across Spain, The School for Field Studies’ students are getting works like Wood density predicts plant damage and vegetative recovery rates caused by cyclone disturbance in tropical rainforest tree species in North Queensland, Australia or Efficacy of a starch-iodide swab technique to detect the illegal use of bleach in a Spiny Lobster published. Those topics may seem way out of left field to you, but I’ll bet that you’ll be happy they did that research when you’re on vacation and order for lobster for dinner. Or would you rather eat a lobster that was poisoned with bleach? Exactly. The School for Field Studies sounds like a really cool institution, which is why you might want to consider a job with them. They have a few current openings that could be suitable for new grads including Safety Program Specialist at their headquarters in Salem, MA and Student Affairs Manager at their Center for Rainforest Management Studies in Australia. You can apply for a job with SFS by sending a cover letter and resume to jobs@fieldstudies.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you study abroad?