Full Circle – How I Began & Will End at Ithaca College?

I don’t believe in fate exactly but I do believe that things happen for a reason.

Back in April 2010 my stubborn mother demanded that I visit Ithaca College one more time before I sent my deposit in. So during Spring Break I grabbed a friend and went up to IC for three days . We crashed with our friend who was a Theater Arts Management freshman and took the few days to take tours, see a Dillingham production of Floyd Collins and sit in on some classes. My friend’s “big” was an Integrated Marketing Communications minor and asked if I was interested in coming to sit in on her Marketing on the Internet course. That’s what I did. After 50 mins of discussion about Chat Roulette, the Jersey Shore and some amazing final project presentations, I walked out of the classroom and immediately called my mother to tell her to put my deposit into the mail. I’m going to Ithaca College!

3.5 years later it is rather sentimental that the first class I ever sat in at Ithaca College will also be my last. On Friday at 1pm I will experience the last class of my undergraduate career and appropriately it will be Marketing on the Internet with the same professor I took it with almost 4 years ago.

Oh, how much I have changed over the last 3.5 years but I am absolutely grateful that 1) my mother demanded I visit IC one last time and 2) that I got to sit in on that class and just see a preview of what my experience at Ithaca was about to be. Honestly, even then I didn’t realize how amazing it truly would and how lucky I am to have met so many incredible people. Yup. I’m going to miss it.

Real Life Instagram

I stumbled upon this awesome photo blog after my friend posted it on Facebook. It’s absolutely ingenious! It’s called Real Life Instagram. Essentially it features photos with an Instagram boarder & filter. Oh, and did I mention all of the photos are taken in LONDON?! Yes, the city I love dearly and aspire to live. Check out this awesome blog!

What Internship Applications Did Not Teach Me About the Job Search

Not to brag or anything, but I’ve had an internship every summer since after my senior year of high school. I’ve filled out many internship applications and have had many interviews. You’d think that I would beyond prepared for the job search but despite my many experiences I don’t have every company sending me emails begging me to work for them. Shocker, right? Only weeks away from graduation, I’m doing my best to stay calm, cool and collected during my job search process. I will admit, even for me it is proving to be the challenge I did not expect. Every time someone says, “Marissa, you’ll be fine. You’ve done like a million internships and are a great student and love what you do. All you need is 1 offer.” I honestly just want to punch them in the face.

Many of the things below are silly and you would think would be obvious difference when applying to jobs. I never anticipated that job vs. internship application process would be like apples to oranges. Both fruit but different in taste, flavor, color and more. Here are things I noted as incredibly different and tips for adapting to these differences.

Differences
1. Not everyone is hiring right now
When students apply to summer internships the search and application process usually spans from January through April or May. There is this comfort to know that you can visit a companies website during that “season” and apply to an internship if you know they offer one. When applying to jobs there isn’t that comfort. I could visit numerous job boards for dozens of companies and not see a single entry level job posted. No job posted, no chance to apply, no chance to be hired.

2. Many jobs that are open aren’t found on job boards
When you see that there isn’t a job on a companies job board, that doesn’t mean they aren’t hiring exactly. It just might mean they are either going to recruit from a pool of candidates they search for themselves without opening the job to general applicants, or may rely on current employees to find eligible applicants.

3. There are dozens to hundreds of applicants for 1 position
I will admit that some of the internship programs I have applied to can be incredibly competitive. Often there are thousands of applicants trying to capture one of 5-40 spots in a program. In that case of a job vs. an internship, there could be hundreds of applicants fighting for 1 or 3 vacant positions at a company. As great as your experiences and GPA may be, I always worry about my competing applicants, the “other person” they may hire over me.

4. Your resume and cover letter is all you have
This is definitely a double edged sword. I am very grateful to not have to juggle fire for a company any more. Some past internship applications have been absolutely ridiculous. Yes, I know having a 12-step application process weeds out those who are not as interested in the position but to make students to so much to prove themselves worth of a 10-week program is a little excessive. But now there is way more weighing on just your resume and cover letter. Given, you will not be hired based on these two documents, rather they will make the decision whether or not to call you in for an interview. That’s if they are impressed within the 6 seconds they look at your resume.

Tips to Adapt
1. Keep Your LinkedIn Up-to-date
I’ve talked to friends who’ve told me they don’t update there LinkedIn pages ever. (You know who you are.) And I stress this not as someone who works at the Ithaca College Office of Career Services, but rather as someone with first-hand experience. Keep your LinkedIn profile updated! As mentioned above, many jobs are not posted on job boards. Instead of putting up jobs online for people to apply to, recruiters are turning to sources like LinkedIn to find candidates themselves. LinkedIn makes it real easy for them and you’ll increase your chances of getting sought out by a recruiter if they can get a glimpse of your most up-to-date list of experiences.

2. Network Network NETWORK!
To add to the whole “many jobs aren’t posted on job boards” idea, it is important to use your network to seek out vacancies. These people include professors, alumni, friends, family, family friends and more. If you have a company that you are dying to work for search for alumni that work at that company. Email them and ask if they know of any vacancies. Worst case, they say they are not hiring. But at least if a position does become available they may remember you and reach out to you. Plus, “knowing” someone at a company you’re applying to gives you a better chance of 1) having your resume end up in the right hands and seen 2) getting an interview 3) having someone vouch for your competency and abilities.

4. Don’t get hung-up when you don’t hear back
The job search can be a very depressing process. You spend a lot of time searching and applying with little to no return. Stay positive and don’t get hung up when you don’t hear back. It can be very disappointing to demonstrate your passion for a company while applying only to either get no response or worse, be told they hired someone already for that position. Just keep your head up and move on.

5. Take time to consider jobs outside your box
This is probably the thing I struggle with most. As an only child I always get what I want, well most of the time. I have this mindset that if it isn’t going to be handed to me, I will just work my ass of until I get it. Ultimately, I want to work at an advertising agency. Period. I’ve interned at 2 for the past two summers. I’ve worked really hard and have a passion for advertising. Honestly, this narrow-minded approach is hurting my job search. It’s like that high school student who only applies to ivy league colleges and has no back up when they don’t get in. I need to start planning my back up despite my passion to be at an agency. For all I know I may find a job I never expected to like but will be happy I pursed it.

I hope to have some good news in the next couple weeks regarding my future so stay tuned!

My Pre-Adult Life Crisis!

Lately all I can thing about is life after college. What am going to do? Where am I going to work? Where am I going to live? How will I spend my time? How much money will I make or have? And on and on.

Planning my next stage in life is exciting don’t get me wrong. Even the idea of applying for jobs in cities like New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Chicago and etc. gets me excited about what my life could be. It’s like when you start a new school, you have the chance to start over and be a better you. Right now I have no real strings attached. That opportunity to really develop a new life somewhere else is so appealing to me but I do feel a sense of urgency to grasp this opportunity while I have it. I feel almost this tense anxiety just knowing that nothing is holding me down and that having this freedom could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Honestly, I’ve been consumed with doing three main things which has only fueled this “Pre-Adult Life Crisis”:

Looking at jobs that are all over the map

I always say that applying to jobs in New York is the easy way out. Not only it a mecca for hundreds of advertising agencies, but it also allows me to settle down at home for a little while. If you haven’t noticed from my past experiences I have no qualms about picking up and going to new places for jobs. I attend college out of state, spent summers interning in Austin and Boston and I even studied abroad in London for four months. The idea of moving across the country excites me rather than scares me and I’m way more intrigued to take hold of an opportunity I may not ever have again.

Viewing travel sites every free moment I get

I’ve always been the person to follow the rules and do everything that is wise and just. Never in my life have a been rebellious or much of a risk taker. Every decision I’ve made over the last four years has really revolved around my education or post-grad career. It’s time that I just be spontaneous and do something wild that I would never have done before and may not get the chance to do in the future. Every moment I get I spend looking at flights to Europe and Asia or organized trips on Groupon and Living Social. I just want the ability to pick up and go somewhere before I get tangled in a full-time job.

Considering a job before a career
Alright, so considering this blog features a lot about advertising, you know that I am very interested in pursuing a career in advertising. I’m applying for entry level positions at numerous agencies with the hopes of sealing a job upon graduation. That’s the plan. But say that plan doesn’t work out? In the back of my mind I haven’t given up on having a job before my career. Some jobs I’ve thought about include like teaching English abroad, or something where I could travel but wouldn’t necessarily involve advertising,

Truthfully, I haven’t lived in one place since for more than 4 months since sophomore year so I’m rather nervous to feel obligated to settle down a bit. Basically, I see this window of opportunity to do something crazy and take advantage of what I think may be short-lived freedom. I want to be spontaneous, do something wild and just experience something new. In the end, whatever happens over the next few months will just take more thought and consideration than ever before. I need not be worried because whatever does happen is not permanent. Life changes all the time and nothing is set in stone.

Insta-ads?

Well, if you haven’t already heard, today Instagram announced that they will begin to release ads on their photo sharing mobile application. In a company blog Instagram revealed that their plan is to start off slow, introducing a small number of content to users using only a handful of brands. Honestly this idea of ads on Instagram didn’t come as much of a surprise. When Facebook acquired the start-up company back in 2012 everyone instantly questioned how the social network giant would monetize its purchase. We all have been sitting at the edge of our seats waiting to see what they would do.

This very commercial decision almost goes back to how users felt about the whole $1 billion purchase. Many felt that it would turn into an other money maker for Facebook and was a symbol of “selling out”. I would have to agree. This new feature really invades what I believe the app is all about. I’ve always loved the freedom to choose who’s photos and videos I would see, including brands. I’m an avid follower of brands like Urban Outfitters, Starbucks, Sharpie, mtv, Forever 21, and Dunkin’ Donuts. I love my ability to choose to follow them. The value of my engagement with that brand I believe is much higher.

I must admit their blog post explaining their rationale for this decision is friendly and conversational. I do like that they will be offering the ability to see or hide ads you do or don’t like. Even though the brand is owned by the largest social network in the world, they still sound very personal when they write to users and appear to offer a service that puts the user first.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post. Change is hard but it is happening. I’m very much looking forward to this change, especially as it transforms how brands will advertise on this extremely popular application.

Some articles about the decision:
http://blog.instagram.com/post/63017560810/instagramasagrowingbusiness
http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/coming-soon-ads-instagram-152880
http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/03/instagram-starts-showing-in-feed-video-and-image-ads-to-us-users/
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/advertisements-coming-instagram-coming-months/story?id=20463197

How I’m Already Thinking Like An Account Manager

When I began studying advertising at Ithaca College we discussed the different departments in an advertising — art directing, copywriting, media planning, media buying, analytics, account planning, and on and on. As we learned about the area of account management I sensed that this was where I belonged in the advertising world. From the time I was little I’ve always had the natural qualities of a leader whether I knew it or not. I was the “queen bee” of my pre-k play-group and class representative for my 4th and 5th grade classes. I’ve always been pretty loud, loved to talk, always shared my opinions and was always on top of my sh*t when it came to planning anything. In high school I continued pursuing leadership roles and the same throughout college. I can’t remember a project I’ve worked on in which I haven’t played the leading role, organizing my group members through the project.

Over the past few weeks I’ve really noticed a difference in the way that I think. I truly believe that spending summer working in the account management department at Mullen, under some really amazing account managers has shifted the way I think about working on anything. Here are 5 noticeable changes my mind has experienced which I believe have transformed me into a great prospective account manager:

Next Steps

While working on a project I no longer stay caught up in what just happened or what is happening right now. I set aside specific details regarding what I need next from those I’m working with. Specifically, I am working on a project as the leader of the Park School of Communications Dean’s Hosts. We are building a new opportunity for prospective students and each week we develop more of the logistics. After decisions are made with the group, I create a separate document outlining what I need next from the committee. This keeps the project moving forward, especially with a limited amount of time.

1 Problem. 3 Solutions.

The other day I was at a Student Government Association meeting. A class senator was proposing a great bill for the first time. His bill identified a problem that was quite concerning but did not initially propose a solution. My first instinct was to ask, “sooooo… what solutions do you have for fixing this problem?” And so I asked the senator just that. I’ve learned that when a problem arises you must immediately acquire at least 2-3 solutions for fixing this problem. Those in upper management who make decisions don’t have time to dwell on the problem. They want the answers to either fixing the problem or making it go away quicker.

Setting Goals. Setting Objectives.

Last week my Fundraising of the Performing Arts professor handed out a strategic plan for the non-profit organization that we are helping for our class project. He asked us to look through the plan and identify 10 goals that the organization was setting out to achieve through this plan. The next time we reconvened, we discussed our list of goals. So many of the students in that senior level course were unable to establish the language that is used when setting goals. Their goals were less than encouraging and more criticizing of what the organization was failing to do. In advertising you work closely as a consultant to your client, which involves positive and encouraging language when it comes to setting goals. Goals incorporate action verbs and KPIs. Also, just knowing the difference between goals and objectives. Goals are what you hope to achieve and objectives are ways you set out to achieve those goals.

Dealing with Change

Change is hard. No question about that. But it is happening all the time. Competitors, technology, consumers, are all changing. I know that I can absolutely guide potential clients through times of change by seeing past the change and making the best of the situation. Another great example from the Student Government Association meeting the other night was when we had a discussion about this policy Ithaca College is planning to adapt which will limit the number of pages students can print on campus. There is almost no doubt that this is going to happen. So instead of having a long discussion about whether it should or shouldn’t happen I suggested we talk about steps we can take to making the transition easier for students and discuss what the consequences of this decision will have on students. Knowing this, we can allocate our time toward building a recommendation to administration when they implement this policy instead of criticizing their decision to implement it.

Leading A Group

Finally, this is one I feel that I’ve naturally acquired and have built upon from numerous leadership experiences. I feel like I now more than ever,

– Utilize group members’ strengths strategically

– Offer a variety of tactics to motivate others

– Distribute tasks responsibly

– Focus on others’ goals and motivations to get things accomplished

Even though my job right out of college may place me at the bottom of the tree, I hope that being able to think like this will play a positive role in my 1) hiring and 2) success within the department of account management. I’m ready to strengthen my skills, continue the learning, and have anything thrown my way!

Job Application Training

It is rather staggering to be reminded that I’m going to start looking at full-time job applications in a little over 5 weeks. CRAZY! I’ll be honest, it is getting hard to resist visiting job pages and career portals to view the open positions when I know I shouldn’t. I’m weeks away from graduation and it is silly to get myself infatuated with a job I can’t apply for or be disappointed when I don’t see a job posted for a company I like. Instead I’ve decided to focus my attention toward APPLICATION TRAINING!

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/EzN7nl_T0nw&source=uds

Yes, I’m training just like Rocky! I am confident these 7 training decisions will pay off big when I start my applications and interviews.

Reading the Trades

A critical part to any interview is the demonstration that you’re knowledgable about the industry in which you are pursuing a career in. Trade publications like Ad Age and Advertising Week, offer great insight to what is going on in the advertising industry. Everything from news about creative reviews and new marketing technology to awesome current campaigns and agency staffing changes. Even though I do spend a decent amount of my time skimming the many advertising trade publication sites, I will be paying close attention to a few specific article categories including:

Who is winning business
Agencies who are winning awards
Use of new technology
Creative campaigns

This knowledge will provide useful for application essay and interview questions involving comprehension of the industry as it exists at the moment as well as knowledge regarding which agencies might be hiring.

Getting to Know You

There are hundreds of thousands different advertising agencies around the world. Not only is it important to find ones that will be hiring but also find ones that will be a good match for me. This involves researching what their ideologies are, what their goals are, what kind of clients they work with etc. This information will guide me as I put together a list of possible companies to apply to. If and when I get the opportunity to apply or even interview for them, more extensive research can then commence.

Working It Out

I hate to admit this, but advertising is very much a visual industry where employees are paid well and care for themselves mentally and physically. Not that I think the business is shallow, but physical appearance is definitely connected to how people view success. Many people believe that physically unhealthy people are less productive, miss work more often and do not perform as well. Over the next few weeks I will do my best to maintain a healthy “diet” and exercise regularly to keep my stress level low and my physicality in tip-top shape.

Lookin’ Goooood

This includes updating my resume, and my LinkedIn profile. It is also allocating time to cleaning up my online presence. A simple Google search will reveal what potential employers can see about me. My mission is to make sure none of that is bad.

Reading, Watching and Learning

I’m more than just a college student pursuing a degree. I have hobbies, thoughts and knowledge of stuff outside the confines of my career aspirations. That’s very important to hone in on and demonstrate while applying. Employers want to seek out well rounded employees that have ideas and outside interests. Over the next few weeks I’m planning to

Read 3 books (2 fiction + 1 nonfiction) for pleasure
Watch Ted Talk videos
Make 1 new recipe a week
Vist Mashable.com and Buzzfeed.com daily

All in hopes of expanding my knowledge and passion for the things I love and want to learn more about.

Making Connections

Over the past four years I’ve made MANY connections with people in the field of advertising and marketing. These connections will hopefully prove handy when I try to get a job. The next few weeks will included getting in contact with my connections to seek out any assistance with the job search.

Relax!

The most important thing is to remember just to BREATHE! This process can be stressful but if I just stay calm and I put forward my best effort, then all I can do is hope for the best.

The Hardest Decision of My Life

Yesterday I made probably what ranks highest in my long list of tough life decisions in front of “Where should I go to college?” “What career should I pursue?” and “Should I dye my hair?” As you can see I’ve had to make some really difficult picks of the past few years and I know that my future will include many more to come. But yesterday I made the decision to graduate this December rather than in May. It was not exactly a decision that came out of nowhere. I entered Ithaca College back in 2010 with 18 credits from high school and after taking a summer course and an internship I’ve been 22 credits ahead. I’ve used my advanced class standing wisely, electing to take higher level course sooner rather than later.

Over the summer the notion of graduating early re-entered my mind. As I applied for private loans I began to see the financial burden staying an extra 4 1/2 months would have on my future. Like the wise marketing communications student that I am, I wasn’t satisfied with my idea without some research to support a possibly life-altering decision. I began to ask everyone I knew that could give me different insight. These included:

My friends who graduated
My past and present employers
The amazing people I work with at Career Services
My family
My friends
EVERYONE!

With everyones thoughts to consider, in the end I went with my gut. Something feels incredibly right about this decision. Many people have asked me if I feel excited or sad. To be truthful the only thing I feel at this moment is optimistic.

I’ve decided that I won’t even look at a single job board until November, so I’m not feeling the pressure at all. My dream would to leave IC in December with a job solidified but I don’t plan to put that much pressure onto myself. Recently I learned so much about patience and acceptance that I know the right thing will come when it’s right. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to apply like a mad woman. Let’s be real… it’s me we are talking about.

Technology Makes It Easier?

I don’t think it is much of a secret to say that technology makes our lives easier. Cars, phones, computers and toilets are all innovations that have successfully transformed our lives for the better, and worse. Well, maybe not toilets. I’m pretty sure they have changed our lives just for the better.

People can argue both sides that they advances in technology have benefited our ability to connect with others as well as hindered our abilities to connect with others. As someone who has known nothing other than email, texting, instant messenger, I wonder whether we have it easier than generations before.

Do long distance relationships actually work better now with technology or does this new technology give reason for it not to work out?

Yes, relationships are easier to maintain with modern technology
Skype, Whatsapp, iMessage, and Facebook all help one maintain a relationship no matter where in the world you are. As long as you have connection to the internet it is nearly impossible not to stay connected to anyone, anywhere. Other than watching the time different, conversations can be held through typed messages or video chats in real-time. Couples can share photos, videos, music and more with a tap of the finger.

Relationships are about communication, and with these new ways to stay in communication couples can maintain their relationship just as they normally would. Schedule “Skype dates” bring couples face to face over video chat and free messaging apps help them stay in contact 24/7. Even though they may not be in the same place at the same time, this technology keeps them connected always.

No, relationships are just as hard to maintain with modern technology
Modern technology can actually create higher expectations for couples when they are dealing with a long distant relationship. Knowing that there is no excuse for them not to stay in constant communication can put stress on both sides. There may be this belief that they need to be in constant communication and when one side or both sides aren’t doing their part, it can lead to heightened concern, or suspicions.

During previous wars when men and women would go to fight abroad they would have to wait for their next letter to come. So many factors contributed to this lack of communication that there was no certainty as to the cause. Each side did their best but when communication was non-existent, neither side was necessarily to blame.

I’m not too sure which is the right answer. I guess it depends from one relationship to another.

A Blog About Blogs: Why Does An Advertising Agency Need A Blog?

I’ve began to notice that many advertising agencies have blogs. Have you? Why do you think they have them? Who do they expect to read them?

Honestly, I LOVE that agencies are taking the time to maintain blogs. It truly demonstrates their interest in being transparent and sharing a little bit of their personality. Advertising being the creative field that it is, it’s great to see the creativity even delivered on these blogs.

What really makes one agency different from another? Well, their blog can help you understand what makes them, them.

Here are 5 reasons why I think it is GREAT for advertising agencies to maintain a blog:

1. Shows Inside Look Into Agency’s Company Culture to Potential Employees & Clients

This summer I worked on recruitment advertising and learned just how important it is for a company to advertise working there. To be able to select the best candidate for the position, the company must receive the best applicants. Agency blogs demonstrate what type of people work for the company, what they do at the company. They offer an “inside look” at what goes on behind the curtain for potential employees to see.

Example: Ogilvy: Apps & Apps, Photos galore!

Clients also want to find their perfect fit. When a business is searching for an agency to work with they may browse the agency’s online presence in hopes of getting to know the company’s culture. A blog is a great way to share what makes your company stand out from the rest.

Example: Mullen: Mediahub and Millenial Media Partner for Mobile Innovation

2. Displays Knowledge, Understanding and Point of View of Industry Trends & Future

A responsibility an agency possess to it’s client is to be an consultant and knowledgeable about the choices they should make. This includes knowing what is going on in the industry and having a point of view on trends and the future. Great blogs include stories about trends right now, a point of view on that trend and some idea about its impact will be on the future.

Example: Mindshare: Big Data Promotes a Culture of Data-Informed Decision Making and Adaptive Marketing

3. Allows Employees to Express Themselves

Behind every agency, big or small, are the employees with interests, knowledge and opinions that make them different from the next. A blog can highlight the interests and expertise that an agency’s employees may possess.

Example: DraftFCB: Loving What Your Doing and Doing It Better… My Open Source Story

4. Demonstrates Great Sportsmanship

Just like any other business in a capitalist society, advertising can be SUPER competitive. The pitch process can be cut throat and agencies are always trying to rack up the most awards. It is nice to see when agencies can step back and acknowledge great work even when it is done by other agencies.

Example: The Marketing Arm: 12 Examples of Vine in Action

5. Promotes Your Agency’s Work

Can you believe that advertising agencies advertise themselves? Yup! It is just as important that agencies receive a little buzz for their work as it is for the clients. So what do you do when you’re not getting that buzz in Advertising Age or Advertising Week? What happens when you’re campaign is great but hasn’t been recognized by Cannes or the ADDYs? Turn to your blog. Show off the work you’re proud of. Support the great commercial or print campaign with some behind-the-scenes information and readers will be happy to learn about what went into building the amazing work.

Example: Wieden Kennedy: Behind the Scenes of the Oreo Instagram Super Bowl Execution

Other Great Agency Blogs to Check Out:

Jack Morton

DDB

Hill Holliday
McCann Truth Central
72U