On a lighter note, there is someone who is more unemployed than me. (Already pulled from YouTube, and the title will be a hot search in the blogosphere = hello traffic.)
Want fries with that?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
PR? Hmmm.
A former colleague saw my CityNews slot and asked me if I'd be interested in trying to get the same kind of exposure for a couple of his niche Web properties. I'm seriously thinking about it.
I tried PR in the UK and only lasted three months. I am a creative guy, but was very frustrated that every press release or article I wrote promoting the client was checked by around two million people in the chain before it was released. I understand it has to be the right message, accurate and so on... but if you work on something for too long and have too much input from too many people with too many opinions for too many days, then it loses the original buzz and impact. So I quit, and vowed never to work at a PR job.
But, my attitude has changed since setting up the blog and I realise that I can get things noticed in the right places if I am interested enough in the property I am trying to push. So, I am toying with the idea of setting up my own little one-man-band PR biz for clients that interest me, that I can approach with some guerrilla marketing ideas. Low overheads for me, lower costs for them.
I tried PR in the UK and only lasted three months. I am a creative guy, but was very frustrated that every press release or article I wrote promoting the client was checked by around two million people in the chain before it was released. I understand it has to be the right message, accurate and so on... but if you work on something for too long and have too much input from too many people with too many opinions for too many days, then it loses the original buzz and impact. So I quit, and vowed never to work at a PR job.
But, my attitude has changed since setting up the blog and I realise that I can get things noticed in the right places if I am interested enough in the property I am trying to push. So, I am toying with the idea of setting up my own little one-man-band PR biz for clients that interest me, that I can approach with some guerrilla marketing ideas. Low overheads for me, lower costs for them.
Friday, January 26, 2007
CityNews TV Interview
Yesterday I e-mailed Amber MacArthur of CityNews and told her about my blog. Just by chance she was planning a story on people using online media to find jobs. Great timing!
She came by today with her cameraman Al and interviewed me for tonight's CityNews so I'm keen to see how it turns out and what happens to my blog traffic.
You can click here to watch the video. Just type "january 26 2007" into the search box at the bottom, and my news item is the 2nd one along.
Here's a couple of pics of Amber doing her promos in my den.
She came by today with her cameraman Al and interviewed me for tonight's CityNews so I'm keen to see how it turns out and what happens to my blog traffic.
You can click here to watch the video. Just type "january 26 2007" into the search box at the bottom, and my news item is the 2nd one along.
Here's a couple of pics of Amber doing her promos in my den.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
TV Interview Tomorrow
I contacted a TV station and they're coming to my place tomorrow for an interview that will be broadcast later in the day. Will post details and a link once it's done. (Now I gotta clean the condo, ah well.)
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Biz Plans Are Not The Yawn I Thought They'd Be
Just had a quick Messenger chat with a former Beer.com colleague and realised I haven't updated the blog in a few days, so taking a couple of minutes to put that right.
Been very busy writing the Web content part of a business plan for my friend's start-up, so making sure it's the best it can be as a lot rides on it. I was dreading it actually -- thought it would be too dry -- but I'm very happy with how it's going. It's exciting to put a vision down on paper, guidelines that you hope people will at least try and follow so they become successful.
Break over... back to it.
Been very busy writing the Web content part of a business plan for my friend's start-up, so making sure it's the best it can be as a lot rides on it. I was dreading it actually -- thought it would be too dry -- but I'm very happy with how it's going. It's exciting to put a vision down on paper, guidelines that you hope people will at least try and follow so they become successful.
Break over... back to it.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Scratching Backs
Never say never... I am doing some freelance stuff to keep busy, which is pretty interesting actually as it's for a start-up that needs some help. It's for a friend of mine, so no coin, but I'm happy to help out rather than get bored at home. They need some knowledge that I got in my last job so it's easy for me to sort that out without breaking a sweat.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Slip Sliding Away
A busy couple of days to start the week...
Got some replies to my "What's up?" e-mails about past jobs I've interviewed for. Job 1 hasn't replied yet, job 2 said it will be a week or two before they decide... so in limbo on those prospects.
I was downtown at a meeting yesterday. Nearly hit a streetcar on King when my car slid backwards down an icy slope. Staring death in the face will not thwart my job search.
A TV network contacted me yesterday about an interview... looked like a junior role to me... asked for the salary range... much too low, so declined. As I mentioned in another post, salary is NOT a taboo subject. I didn't waste their time going for an interview, nor mine when the time is better spent prospecting.
Got some replies to my "What's up?" e-mails about past jobs I've interviewed for. Job 1 hasn't replied yet, job 2 said it will be a week or two before they decide... so in limbo on those prospects.
I was downtown at a meeting yesterday. Nearly hit a streetcar on King when my car slid backwards down an icy slope. Staring death in the face will not thwart my job search.
A TV network contacted me yesterday about an interview... looked like a junior role to me... asked for the salary range... much too low, so declined. As I mentioned in another post, salary is NOT a taboo subject. I didn't waste their time going for an interview, nor mine when the time is better spent prospecting.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
"Please Can You Let Me Know..."
Time to start tying up some loose ends.
This morning I sent a couple of e-mails to companies that interviewed me before Christmas, so they've had a couple of weeks now to decide if I'm still in the running or whether they are still seeing other people. Both are very big companies, so the wheels may be grinding slower than normal.
Being in limbo is the worst part about job hunting. Better to get the "No thanks" and move onto the next opportunity, rather than not knowing.
But, of course, the "We are pleased to offer you..." is always better!
This morning I sent a couple of e-mails to companies that interviewed me before Christmas, so they've had a couple of weeks now to decide if I'm still in the running or whether they are still seeing other people. Both are very big companies, so the wheels may be grinding slower than normal.
Being in limbo is the worst part about job hunting. Better to get the "No thanks" and move onto the next opportunity, rather than not knowing.
But, of course, the "We are pleased to offer you..." is always better!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Monday, January 8, 2007
Stretch For That Line
Friday's meeting was postponed till today; was there for four hours, could be some good news soon. At the very least, it was nice to get out in the sun.
The article I wrote for RGX Life was never used unfortunately, but I still got paid for it so that's cool. Maybe I do have a sideline as a freelance writer after all? That uncertain life has never really appealed to me though.
[Any tech pubs reading this who need an 800-word article on a smart young business guy, give me a shout.]
The article I wrote for RGX Life was never used unfortunately, but I still got paid for it so that's cool. Maybe I do have a sideline as a freelance writer after all? That uncertain life has never really appealed to me though.
[Any tech pubs reading this who need an 800-word article on a smart young business guy, give me a shout.]
Friday, January 5, 2007
End Of A Quiet Week
As expected, this was a short and quiet week.
I had one speculative e-mail from someone who passed my blog along -- I could tell by the e-mail address that it came to -- sending me details about a job I had actually already spotted a few weeks ago. It was writing about a subject matter that I don't know much about, and also the position was less senior than the one I want... so I declined.
Next week should be much busier on the job hunt front, so have a great weekend.
I had one speculative e-mail from someone who passed my blog along -- I could tell by the e-mail address that it came to -- sending me details about a job I had actually already spotted a few weeks ago. It was writing about a subject matter that I don't know much about, and also the position was less senior than the one I want... so I declined.
Next week should be much busier on the job hunt front, so have a great weekend.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Ten Ways To Use LinkedIn
I'm a big fan of LinkedIn -- it's helped me stay connected to former colleagues, make contacts and allow others to approach me after seeing my work history.
Guy Kawasaki has an excellent list of 10+bonus ways to use the networking site here.
(And thanks for lunch Sue... good luck on the big day!)
Guy Kawasaki has an excellent list of 10+bonus ways to use the networking site here.
(And thanks for lunch Sue... good luck on the big day!)
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
3... 2... 1...
I have to head to Mississauga tomorrow to pick up my final cheque from Beer.com, so will try and have coffee too with a former Beer-dot-commer and catch up.
Been invited downtown on Friday for an important meeting, looks interesting.
Been invited downtown on Friday for an important meeting, looks interesting.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Back At Work... For Other People
A nice sunny day greeted the commuters heading to work today after the hangovers had worn off. My New Year's Resolution = job!
Someone who apparently used to work with a few of the Beer-dot-commers contacted me out of the blue via my LinkedIn profile, and wants to chat, so that looks interesting. Still waiting on an important e-mail that I thought would arrive last week.
Also, the website I wrote the article for decided not to use it, but are still paying me, so that's cool. Plus I can now use that article somewhere else.
Someone who apparently used to work with a few of the Beer-dot-commers contacted me out of the blue via my LinkedIn profile, and wants to chat, so that looks interesting. Still waiting on an important e-mail that I thought would arrive last week.
Also, the website I wrote the article for decided not to use it, but are still paying me, so that's cool. Plus I can now use that article somewhere else.
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