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Aspire: The magazine for young professionals
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Interview with Confidence
What your blog says about youBeat the
Economy8 ways to land your dream job
AspireThe M agazine for young Professiona ls
april 2009
sTand ouTStep Up
Get Noticed
21
10
14
Your future is now! Reach it.
www.futuretoday.com
Your future is now . . .
Reach for it. International Career Counseling
www.reachhigher.org
Feeling blue?
Give yourself a little
red.
With VM gift cards, being in the red just became a good thing. VM
2 aspire
Landing the Job
12
13
14
Behind the Camera with Michael Coleman A young entrepreneur shares the secrets of his success.
17
Features
40
5
Give & Take What can you do when you’re at the end of your rope?
What Does Your Online Profile Say about You? Put your best face(book) forward.
21
26
Eight Ways to Find a Job Make the most of your unemployment.
10
40
Departments
Letter from the Editor
Taking Odors: Top 5 Résumé Bloopers Make sure your résumé isn’t a stinker.
The Little Guide to Looking Your Best in an Interview Your wardrobe could be a dealbreaker.
Tackling Goliath: How to Interview Like a Pro If you’re prepared, you won’t need the sling shot.
Cyber Search: Click Here for Your Next Job We do the research so you don’t have to.
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10 7 What's Online?
Title
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aspire April 2009
See additional articles at www.aspiremag.com
On the Clock
Get the Raise You Deserve Just because the economy is suffering doesn’t mean that you have to.
Dealing with the Dining Dilemma Dining out with your employer doesn’t have to make you sweat.
Where It’s AtLos Angeles24
34
36
According To
Think Outside the Lunch Box Could lunchtime be the most productive part of your day?
Playing with the Big Boys Now Being a small fish in a big pond is no easy task.
30
33
The Water Cooler
How to Avoid Being the Lingerie Giver Choosing the right gift can be tricky business.
Tales of a Corporate Wallflower Starting a job is hard enough without feeling like the office outcast.
Inappropriate Laugh Syndrome Sometimes it’s best to keep your mouth shut.
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47
48
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40
Find out why the City of Angels is a great place to be for the young professional.
4 aspire
Wall Street looking more like a dead end?We’ll help you diversify your portfolio so you don’t get caught up a dark alley.
Madsen Investing, Inc.
4587 Wall Street
New York, NY 10001
(212) 555-0110
www.madseninvesting.com
EDITOR IN CHIEF
MANAGING EDITOR
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
SENIOR EDITORS
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
COPY EDITOR
ART DIRECTOR
DESIGNER
PHOTO EDITOR
PRODuCTION DIRECTOR
ASSISTANT PRODuCTION DIRECTOR
PHOTOGRAPHERS
ILLuSTRATOR
STAFF WRITERS, EDITORS, DESIGNERS,
PRODuCTION ARTISTS
PuBLISHER
ADvISOR
Marvin K. Gardner
Jourdan Lance
Jennifer Price
Tina Rains Kirsten Swenson
Jennifer Hansen April v. Madsen
Jeff Nielson
Nick Newman
Reece Hanzon
Jacob Frandsen
Rachel Morris
A. Michelle Crowley
Jennifer PriceHeather RokovitzMeiken SwensonMark Weinberg
Neil Hinckley
A. Michelle Crowley Jacob Frandsen Jennifer Hansen Reece Hanzon Jourdan Lance April v. Madsen Rachel Morris Nick Newman Jeff Nielson Jennifer PriceTina RainsKirsten Swenson
Marvin K. Gardner
Sean Johnson
April 2009volume 1
Issue 1
© 2009 Marvin K. Gardner4045 JFSB, Brigham Young universityProvo, uT 84602All rights reservedPrinted by BYu Print Services
Aspire was produced as a group project for English Language 430R, "Editing for Publication," the capstone class of the editing minor at Brigham Young University. It is not intended for distribution. The views expressed in this publication are solely the views of the authors and in no way represent the views or opinions of Brigham Young University.
5April 2009
Letter from
I Don’T knoW about you, but as the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, I yearn for the carefree days of
my youth. Though the days of three-month summer vacations have long passed, my heart still skips a beat at the sound of an ice cream truck. I feel the same teenage excite-ment as I stare at the calendar, knowing that the last day of school is only one calendar page away. The smell of fresh cut grass be-comes my kryptonite.
Though I no longer frolic in the sun as I used to (SPF 80 just isn’t strong enough any-more), or consume as much rainbow sher-bet as I once could (what would my trainer say?), I still crave the change in atmosphere and attitude that the summertime delivers. But with the current economic climate as sweltering as the summer heat, it can be hard to appreciate the more enjoyable aspects of summer.
Summer signifies change—not just in the weather or the ice cream flavors, but in how we approach our jobs. In this month’s issue of Aspire, we’ll tell you how to make the most of your summer, even when financial times are tough. Whether you’re looking to land that perfect job (“8 Ways to Find a Job,” p. 10) or trying to tighten up your résumé (“Top 5 Ré-sumé Bloopers,” p. 12), Aspire is full of tips to help you overcome any summer slump.
the Editor
So sit back with a tall glass of lemonade and take it easy for a while with Aspire. We promise not to judge—as long as you promise to share your rainbow sherbet.
Jourdan LanceManaging Editor
Phot
o by
Mar
k W
einb
erg
is only the beginning.
The
perfect tie
Professional OutfittersP ro fe s s i o n a l c l o t h e s fo r m e n
w w w. p ro fe s s i o n a l o u t f i t te rs . co m
7April 2009
perfect tie
What’s Online
Aspiremag.com
Tips from the Experts
Backing Your Business
Learn how to convince investors to take a chance on your business.
Creating a successful business planFinding investorsGiving an outstanding presentation
BlogEconomy Watch
our economists reveal which industries will recover from the recession first and which may never bounce back.
www.aspiremag.com/blog
Features
Behind the Scenes with “Behind the Camera”
Jourdan Lance talks about what it was like to interview Michael Coleman and reveals more about how he became so successful.
Technology
In Business with Blackberry
Discover Smartphone applications that will help you keep up with your business.
Opinion
Pig Out
Should you save your salary or spend it to make more? Find out what our financial experts think.
Your Road to Success Starts Here.
GET OuT OF THE
NightStart Academy
Ditch your job.
Start a career.
www.nightstartacademy.com
BOX.
10 aspire
to Find a Job
8 Waysby Jennifer Hansen
Unemployment can be discouraging, and job hunting can be stressful. But if you use your time wisely, you can increase your employability and decrease the time it takes to find a job.
11April 2009
8 Ways to Find a Job
ThERE SEEMS To be a universal response to the phrase “job hunting.” It usually includes a groan and then a com-plaint: “I hate looking for a job.”
Although the economy is in a slump, it is still possible to find a good job. For example, despite the bad economy, Summer Young—with a university degree in English and a little trepidation—was un-employed for only a month before she landed a fulfilling job with a great salary. how did she do it? here are some simple tips from Summer and others who have recently survived the job hunt.
1. Start Searching Right AwayWhether your current company is downsizing or you are finish-
ing school in a couple of months, start looking for a job before you actually need it. This step seems obvious, but it’s one many people skip, forcing them to job hunt when they don’t have a steady in-come. To find out who might be hiring, talk to recruiters, search the Internet, or check out businesses in your community. Be sure to explore all of your own connections as well. Maybe you have a friend in new York, a sister in Seattle, or a cousin in San Diego. Let them all know you are job hunting and see if they know of any job opportunities. Pursue all possible options.
2. Be PreparedBe prepared to interview. Buy a suit or find some professional,
conservative attire that makes you look sharp. Employers hire peo-ple who can do the job and look professional at the same time.
3. Set Aside TimeDecide how much time you will spend every day looking for a
job. The hunt can be a full-time job by itself, and it should be treated as such. If you spend only an hour a week looking for a job, you may miss opportunities, prolong your unemployment, or settle for a temporary job outside of your intended field. The payoff for daily, focused searching is employment.
4. Explore Different OptionsEven if some job options don’t fit with your experience, explore
them anyway. For example, an editor may find a job editing at an engineering firm, or an engineer may find work developing equip-ment for a new energy source. The job you want may not be adver-tised in the terms you may be expecting. Applying for less obvious jobs may place you in areas with fewer applicants.
5. Develop New Skills To help you stand out from the crowd, develop valuable skills
during your unemployment. Take a course on financing or a class to learn a new computer program. Develop skills that a potential employer might be looking for and that may reduce your training time for a new job. Furthering your expertise doesn’t have to be ex-pensive. Go through free tutorials—like the ones Microsoft offers on their website—or improve your typing speed on free Internet programs. Public libraries offer informational materials on busi-ness, accounting, taxes, and finance.
6. Flood the Market with Your RésuméGet your résumé to as many people in as many ways as possible—
through job search Internet sites or personal connections you may have. Don’t forget to customize your résumé for each job possibility. Make sure that the information employers care about the most is the information they see first.
7. Pay Attention to Hiring TrendsDuring certain seasons, some businesses are very eager to hire.
After the seasonal holidays, many businesses slow down their hiring. Pay attention to hiring trends in the industry you are targeting. Don’t waste your time applying for jobs that aren’t available.
8. Look for Stepping-stones
When you are starting out in an industry, be willing to take a job that will be a stepping-stone to the job you want. This interim job could help you develop the skills and experience you need for your desired job.
Although the economy is currently in a slump, it is not impossible to find a job. By following these simple tips given by Summer and other new employees in the work force, you will be on your way to finding your job. Don’t let rejection get you down—keep working, and you can beat unemployment.
Develop valuable skills during your unemployment. There are count-less options for free knowledge, and gaining that knowl-edge will give you an edge.
A
holding a cardboard sign isn't your best option when looking for a job.
Phot
o by
Jenn
ifer P
rice
12 aspire
Landing the Job
A GREAT RéSUMé can be the perfect tool to set you apart from the masses, but a flawed
one could draw the wrong kind of atten-tion. here are five of the most common résumé bloopers to avoid.
Typos
Your word processor’s spell checker isn’t infallible, so scrutinize every word. Your résumé should be typographically and grammatically flawless; a prospective em-ployer who spots a typo may assume the worst about you. Resumania.com reports that the following job duties were listed on an applicant’s résumé: “answer phones, file papers, respond to customer e-mails, take odors.”
No Numbers
The best way to showcase your abilities and let prospective employers understand exactly what you’ve done is to use numbers wherever possible. Peter Vogt, Monster.com career coach, gives these excellent examples of quantified accomplishments: • “Identified, researched and recom-
mended a new Internet service provider, cutting the company’s online costs by 15 percent.”• “Wrote prospect letter that has brought
in more than $25,000 in donations so far.” • “Suggested procedures that decreased
average order-processing time from 10 min-utes to 5 minutes.”
No Specific Accomplishments
You might be tempted to simply list pre-vious job duties. But employers aren’t usu-ally interested in what duties you’ve ful-filled; they want to see what you’ve accom-plished. Rather than just tell what you’ve done, show specific accomplishments. A list of duties, such as “kept books, answered calls, recorded meeting notes,” won’t help you stand out. Instead, be specific:• “Reorganized ten years worth of
company files, making them more acces-sible.”• “Recorded meeting minutes twice
weekly and compiled them in Microsoft Word–based file.”
No Action Verbs
Use an action verb to introduce descrip-tions of your accomplishments. “Respon-sible for” implies no action on your part. By using words like “Increased sales,” you highlight your action and your hard work. Consider these additional action words: planned, directed, executed, and advised.
Incorrect Contact Information
If you’re not receiving the response you expect from prospective employers, check your contact information. It’s not unheard of for a résumé to contain a wrong phone number or email address.
Top 5 résumé bloopersTaking Odors
by Jake Frandsen
Résumé Bloopers we found posted online
Experience
“Consistently tanked as • top sales producer for new accounts.”“Chapter president, 1887-• 1992.”“Received a plague for • Salesperson of the Year.”“Demonstrated ability in multi-• tasting.”
Job Duties
“Responsibilities included • checking customers out.”“Filing, billing, printing and • coping.”“Invest in securities, stocks, • funds and bones.”
Education
“I have a bachelorette degree • in computers.”“• Have repeated courses repeatedly.”“I possess a moderate • educatin but willing to learn more.”“Finished ninth in my class of • ten.”
Sources: resumania.com, resumepower.com, anamericanresume.com
Photos by Meiken Swenson
Zipp
A
You want an interviewer to notice you, not the glaring errors on your résumé.
13April 2009
Jewelry
Avoid large, gaudy jewelry for the same reason you avoid flashy shoes. Large necklaces, bracelets, watches, or rings become distracting and have an unpro-fessional air.
Ties
Beware anything with animated char-acters, gaudy colors and color com-binations, political statements, or extremely busy patterns. They
distract and convey the message that you are not serious. This rule applies to shirts as well.
You’ve got the perfect suit and a winning smile. You think you’re set for your big interview. But think again: the smallest details of your ensemble can make the biggest impact in an interview. Follow these tips to enter your interview confident that you’re dressed for success.
The Little Guide to Looking Your Best in an Interview
by Jennifer Price
Photos by Meiken Swenson
ZippGreenis Good.
When you need to be sure your information is safe, trust Zipp products. The Zipp thumb drive has the largest storage capacity available on the market. It’s available in red, blue, yellow, and yes, green.Zipp.com
Socks
Don’t wear socks that don’t match or that clash with the clothes you’re wearing. You may not
think your socks will be seen, but inevitably your pant leg will ride up when you sit down. And don’t wear white socks to an interview—ever. They draw unwanted attention and quick judgments.
Shoes
Ditch your old, worn-out shoes—or at least polish them. nothing attracts attention to your feet like a brown scuff mark on a black shoe. If your shoes don’t look nice, your interviewer is likely to draw conclusions about your attention to detail. Avoid wearing anything too flashy— 4-inch heels and studded loafers give the wrong im-pression too.
A
14 aspire
That first interview for an impor-tant job may be one of the big-gest career obstacles you’ll ever
face—and one of the most nerve-wrack-ing as well. By the time the big day comes around, you might be more willing to take on a giant than go into the dreaded interview room. The interviewer looks so relaxed and self-assured, the office is clean and well furnished . . . and then the questions start pouring out.
At the same instant, other questions start boiling up inside of you. What are they looking for? how can you impress them without being deceitful? What should you say? how should you sit? What information should you present? Fortunately, Aspire has found a few tips to help you prepare for the big interview.
One of the most common sources of anxiety surround-ing an interview is not knowing what to expect. Ed Nelson, a retired professor at the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, says that most in-terviews are based on the information you provide through ei-ther an application or a résumé.
“Know the info you included on your application,” Nelson says. “Know your specific skills and abilities and how they will be useful in the position you are applying for.”
Your prospective employers also need to get to know you and gauge how well you suit their needs. Sometimes employers will ask for a preliminary telephone interview—so make sure your voicemail message sounds appropriate and professional. Similarly, when the time comes for the face-to-face interview, make sure you look your professional best.
“Bathe and use deodorant,” Nelson says, pointing out some too-often neglected rules of personal hygiene and presentation. “Brush your teeth and use mouthwash. Clean and polish your shoes. Dress in the right clothes for the right job. Cover tattoos and remove facial piercings. Don’t wear excessive jewelry. Dress modestly. Don’t wear boots or badly worn shoes. Don’t use strong-smelling fragrances or use unusual hair color or styles. And men, cut and groom your hair and be clean shaven.”
Tackling Goliath
by Reece Hanzon
How to Interview Like a Pro
Landing the Job
Professional dress and appearance help show your future employer how competent and valuable you are. And your behavior during the interview is just as important; it can help you either secure or lose the job. During the interview, Nelson says, it’s important to sit up straight and look the in-terviewer in the eye, to be confident, pleasant, and positive. It’s not enough to simply let yourself be examined; you need to show interest in the conversation and demonstrate your knowledge of the company and the position for which you are applying. Nelson points out that it never hurts to ask appropriate questions during the interview; more often than not, questions demonstrate your interest in the job. “Poten-tial employers want to know why you think you will be the best applicant from among the many who are applying,” Nelson says, “especially during these uncertain times.”
In order to help them decide if you really are the best per-son for the job, employers will ask some key questions, such
15April 2009
Tackling Goliath
as, “What is your background?” or “Why do you think we should hire you, as opposed to some of the other applicants?”This is a point where many job candidates begin to feel nervous and make mistakes.
“Potential employers don’t want to hear about your growing up years, how hard it has been in school, and so on,” nelson insists. “If the inter-viewers want personal info, they’ll ask for it.”
nelson suggests preparing a 30-second sum-mary that includes your skills and how they relate to the job you are applying for. he also suggests asking a few questions about the position you’re applying for.
“Be prepared to discuss salary,” nelson says, “but don’t make it the focus of the interview. Check on benefits. The in-terviewers will want to know your availability—do you work on Sundays, etc.?”
If during the course of the interview you feel you made a mis-take, don’t worry about it. You can’t retract your words, so don’t try—and don’t try to compensate or clarify too much. More likely
than not, you’ll only make yourself look foolish and desperate.Preparation—dressing appropriately, anticipating what the
interviewer is looking for, and knowing how you will answer the questions he or she is likely to ask—is the best way to avoid embarrassing gaffes during an interview. “Don’t misrepresent yourself,” nelson says. “Don’t lie. Just be forthcoming. Be prepared.”
When the interview ends, there are still ways to leave a good impression. “As you leave, thank them for the inter-view,” nelson says. “Then don’t let them
forget you. Follow up with a thank-you card or a follow-up phone call or email. Refer to something positive that oc-curred during the interview. Ask when you can expect to hear from them.”
Courtesy, etiquette, and grace. Preparation. Confidence. These are some of the keys to tackling your Goliath and interviewing like a pro.
Online: For more interviewing tips, visit aspiremag.com.
Prepare a 30-second summary that includes
your skills and how they relate to the job you are applying for.
A
The interview room doesn't have to be daunting if you prepare well.
16 aspire
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17April 2009
Cyber SearchClick here for your next job
FoRTY-EIGhT PERCEnT of job seekers say that they found the Internet to be the most helpful tool in their search. But with more than 5,000 job search en-
gines online, where do you start? Even if you narrow your search to the top four—Yahoo! hotJobs, Monster.com, Ca-reerBuilder, and Craigslist—you could still be overwhelmed with information that may not be specific enough to help you land the job you want. And if you pick the wrong search engine, you’ll likely waste time and get even fewer results.
So how do you know which search engine will be the most efficient and help you find the perfect job?
Know the Major Sites
Large sites like Monster.com, Yahoo! hotJobs, and Ca-reerBuilder offer quick job searches from their home pages, using specific job titles, such as “civil engineer,” as keywords. Some of the big sites offer only a fixed number of results before requiring you to create an account, but signing up is free. And it has benefits—with an account
you can access more search results, upload a résumé, cre-ate a cover letter, publish a professional profile, and use other career-enhancing tools. Monster.com, Yahoo! hot-Jobs, and CareerBuilder also offer more details about job listings than some of the smaller sites.
These extra features can be a good incentive to visit larger sites. But depending on how much time you want to spend, they can also be a drawback. While these extra features can enhance your search results, they can be time consuming. You may spend hours uploading and reformat-ting your résumé and setting up your professional profile. But taking the time to do these things won’t necessarily get you better results than a keyword search would.
Large companies frequently use sites like Monster.com, Yahoo! hotJobs, and CareerBuilder to post job openings and to look through résumés quickly. If you’re looking for ven-ues that will bring employers to you, these are good options. And these sites are especially good if you’re looking for sales or secretarial work. Mid-sized businesses with positions to fill in these fields often frequent large job search sites.
Site CareerBuilder Craigslist Monster.com Yahoo! HotJobs
User Friendliness C B B C
Time Efficiency C A C D
Results B B C C
Photos by A. Michelle Crowley
by Tina Rains
18 aspire
Cyber Search
Know the Smaller Sites
Smaller, locally based sites like Craigslist offer neither keyword searches nor career-building tools. Instead, Craigslist publishes its job listings chronologically and by location in a list of general categories. By searching under “systems/network” or “government,” for example, you can use Craigslist’s simple setup to find local results. You can also save search pages to your browser to easily check for new postings. on Craigslist, you don’t have to spend any time uploading résumés or creating letters until you decide to apply for a position.
According to Samantha Jones, a human resources assistant for Fehr and Peers Transportation Consultants, some smaller companies favor sites like Craigslist because “they need and want a job posting site that is cost efficient and easy to maintain.” Jones often lists her company’s engineering jobs on Craigslist. “We’ve found that people who are not truly qualified usually don’t respond to our postings. We’ve been very happy with the results on Craigslist,” says Jones.
Craigslist is often the quickest way to search, but the site’s layout can sometimes be frustrating. kate Robison, a physical therapy techni-cian who has used many job-searching sites, finds Craigslist less effec-tive because she knows exactly what kinds of positions she is looking for. And unlike Monster.com and CareerBuilder, Craigslist offers few details about job listings.
Know the Company’s Image
A company’s image affects where the company posts job openings and, consequently, where you should look for them. A company that wants to present itself as laid back might not hesitate to post jobs on Craigslist alongside postings of similar companies. But a company that wants to project a professional image might balk at Craigslist, preferring instead a larger site like Monster.com.
Know What You Want
Finding the best search engine depends largely on what you are looking for in a career. Search engines like Monster.com and CareerBuilder are easy to use if you have a firm idea of what
you want to do. When you upload or create a résumé and fill out the profile on these sites, they generate a list of recommended jobs. And these larger search engines can also make you aware of possibilities you hadn’t considered.
The amount of experience you have in your chosen field is also a consideration. Sites like Monster.com and CareerBuilder usually of-fer more upper-level, long-term jobs. Robison says that she has found that jobs listed on Craigslist are often temporary or seasonal. “For entry level jobs, [Craigslist] is a good place to go,” she says. “But if I were looking for a career, a long-term commitment with the option to move up, I would look into using something like CareerBuilder.”
Uncertainty about your career path can affect where you look for a job. Soon after graduating from college, Jones still didn’t know what she wanted to do with her degree. She hadn’t used a job search engine before, and she was overwhelmed by the filters and options on sites like Monster.com, Yahoo! hot Jobs, and Career-Builder. “Craigslist was helpful to me because of the easy search options,” she says. “It was easy to spot the kinds of jobs I wanted and easy to check every day.”
Know What to Expect
Though job search engines are helpful, you should understand their limitations. Filling out the professional profile may give you the feeling that your next job will soon appear in your email inbox. But no site can magically find you the perfect job; you still have to search and follow up. Jones says that even if you find a job posting online, you still need to take initiative—don’t expect the Internet to do all the work for you. “I’ve always had the best results when I called or dropped my ré-sumé off in person,” Robison says. “In fact, even when I’ve submitted an application or a résumé online, I haven’t seen results until I called or dropped by.”
Don’t forget to check out sites besides those mentioned here; lo-cal job sites are also good resources. You might even consider using multiple sites to get the best results. Just remember to consider your options before signing up for a site.
Online: Be sure to visit aspiremag.com for a list of search engines.
CareerBuilder Craigslist Monster.com Yahoo! HotJobs
Basic Search * * * *
Résumé Builder * * *
Professional Profile * * *
Cover Letter Builder * * *
Networking * * * *
Email Notification * * *
A
Your career pathis waiting.
Jobsite.comAlmost too easy.
Ready to get the job you’ve always dreamed of? Log on to jobsite.com to search thousands of jobs avail-able right now. With our SmartConnect technology, all you need to do is to complete your profile, and we do the rest. Realizing your dream is easy.
April 2009
Title
What Does Your Online ProfileSayaboutYou?
Both the design of your blog and the information presented there should reflect your personality while maintaining an appropriate level of professionalism.
More than eye-catching colors and interesting stories . . .
WhEThER YoU’RE SEARChInG for the defi-nition of qat (an evergreen shrub and excellent Scrabble word), fifty different recipes for chicken
cacciatore, or even romance, you can find just about anything on the web. What you may not realize, though, is that the in-formation highway travels both ways: you too can be Googled. In fact, it has become increasingly common in recent years for prospective employers to run Google searches on job ap-plicants before considering them for interviews. With that in mind, perhaps it is time to ask: What does your online profile say about you?
Whether it serves as a professional networking tool or as a personal journal, your blog can be a surprisingly relevant deal maker or breaker. In some high-profile cases, employ-ees have been fired from their jobs because content posted to their blogs was considered inappropriate by the companies they worked for. In the cases of heather Armstrong, Joyce Park, and Mark Jen—all former web developers for various companies, including Google—the problem lay in blogging
21
by A. Michelle Crowley
WARNING: A blog that looks like this could be hazardous to your career.
aspire
Online Profile
Previous Posts
Pictures
Other
What not to do on your blog:• Write about work or coworkers.
• Upload compromising photos or other content.
• Discuss anything that you do not want to become public.
• Use chat-speak (e.g., “lol” or smiley faces) in professional online writing.
• Use immature, clever, or strange email addresses or screen names for professional communications.
• Design the blog with garish colors, flashing animations, or anything else that would distract, annoy, or turn away a prospective employer.
about coworkers, company policy, or company secrets. Ellen Simonetti, the “Queen of the Sky,” was compro-mised when her employers at Delta found question-able photos of an airline uniform–clad Simonetti on her blog.
however, blogs can be an asset for professionals. In fact, blogs are becoming more and more popular as a supplement to traditional résumés. A web designer can use her blog as a visual showcase of her design skills. A tech expert can demonstrate his expertise with a how-to blog answering questions in his field. A writer can point to her blog as an example of her prose style.
But even a personal blog can be beneficial if the content is engaging, well written, and unique. Pro-spective employers look for hints on applicants’ blogs about how they will perform on the job. Sapna Agarwal, human Resource Recruitment Director for GlobalLogic, says, “I spend one to two hours a week searching through blogs for new talent or additional information about the candidates I have interviewed. If I am impressed by the points the blogger is making and the way he or she is making them, the potential hire will jump up a few notches in my opinion.” It’s surprising what hints a knowledgeable employer can glean from the most casual blog, such as how the au-thor approaches and solves problems, comes up with new ideas, or organizes his or her thoughts.
Tim nash, a web developer and reputation management consultant, advises professionals to establish a recognizable online persona—a personal brand—as soon as possible, even if they aren’t currently looking for employment.
As a person’s brand becomes more established, that person’s chances of getting hired increase—as long as the personal branding is done wisely. nash also suggests creating three different online personas: “Your real name, professional username (associated with real name), and personal user-name. So Tim Nash the IT consultant and tnash
Anyone can benefit from a personal
blog if the content is engaging, well-written,
and unique.
22 aspire
April 2009
TitleWhat Does Your Blog Say About You?
Previous Posts
Pictures
OtherWhat to do on your blog:• Write in an original way.
• Write something of interest.
• Show your personality.
• Have an opinion and share it in a clear, confident, even quirky way.
• Use complete sentences, correct spelling, and appropriate grammar.
• Create a “brand of you.”
• Use the same personae and screen name, etc. on all forums where that persona is relevant.
• Create different personas for differ-ent types of situations.
• Design the blog (or other webpage) to showcase your personality with-out coming across as disturbing, annoying, or immature.
• In other words, get noticed.
are easily asso-ciated but uber-wonky1 is a dif-ferent person.” Creating three personas allows people to alter the way they be-have in different online venues, just as they alter behavior in per-
son depending on whether they’re with friends, coworkers, clients, or a boss.
Despite such precautions, however, it is best to avoid putting any content online that may come back to haunt you later. no matter how much care you take, what you make available online—that embarrassing video, that compromising photo, that rash tirade against your boss—is public, and there are ways people can access it, even if you don’t intend them to.
Blogs, LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, and any other kind of online community can be beneficial or detrimental in the professional world. Make sure that what your online profile says about you is what you want it to say.
Whether it serves as a professional networking tool or a personal journal, your blog can be a
surprisingly relevant deal maker or
breaker.
23
Photos by heather Rokovitz
april 2009
A
24 aspire
IF YoU’RE hoPInG to work in a city with a booming entertainment industry, a wide variety of job options, and year-round
temperatures between the mid-50s and the high 80s, then Los Angeles should be at the top of your list. This Southern California metropolis is an ideal environment for young professionals in both the business and social sides of their lives.
Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States and gains most of its recogni-tion from the popular entertainment produced there. however, Los Angeles is also a city rich in industries, such as business, finance, fashion, tourism, and international trade. In terms of the number of goods handled, Los Angeles boasts the largest port in the United States. It also lies in close proximity to dozens of foreign and do-mestic companies’ headquarters.
Both DreamWorks Animation and Mattel are listed by Cnn and Fortune 500 among the top 100 American companies to work for. Located
in Glendale, 10 miles from downtown Los An-geles, DreamWorks Animation provides jobs for animators, production engineers, technical/hardware engineers, and more. Mattel employs professionals in fields like product design, market-ing, financial analysis, and paralegal services. The company is located in El Segundo, 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles.
In addition to these companies, Cnn listed Ar-nold & Porter (a law firm), CarMax, and the Four Seasons hotels—all companies with offices in Los Angeles —in the top 50 companies to work for in California. These companies offer a wide range of career opportunities to young professionals in the business world.
Universities are also key components of the economy in Los Angeles County. Four billion dollars of the economic output in the Los Ange-les area can be traced back to the University of Southern California, according to research done in 2006 by the Economics Research Associates
Where it’s at Los AngelesThis Southern California metropolis is a dream come true for young professionals, especially those seeking a career in entertainment, finance, fashion, and trade.
25April 2009
Title
firm. The University of California, Los Angeles, contributes even more to the economy.
The Los Angeles Times has joined forces with CareerBuilder.com to provide better online job searching tools. You can also check for listings in other local newspapers and stations, such as the Pasadena Star or the Culver City Observer.
For those who enjoy life in the city, there are many apartment buildings close to the heart of Los Angeles. The median monthly rent for an apartment in Los Angeles County is $990, while the median cost for a home is $630,000. one factor to consider when renting an apartment is the crime rate of the area, which varies greatly from place to place. This is why some prefer an apartment in a smaller community or a modest home in one of the suburbs.
Finally, after all the work is done, we still want to have time left over to relax. Los Angeles County and the surrounding area make up the entertainment capital of the world. Major theme
parks such as Disneyland, California Adventure Park, and Universal Studios are located within two hours of the county. In the heart of the west side, you can find hollywood Boulevard, which includes the Walk of Fame, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and famous characters like Elvis, Superman, and Darth Vader—all waiting to be photographed. Less than an hour west of down-town Los Angeles is the Pacific coast, where you can enjoy surfing, sand volleyball, and leisurely walks down the beach. The greater Los Angeles area also has many cultural gems, such as the California Science Center and the J. Paul Getty Museum, both listed by Forbes in America’s 25 Most Visited Museums.
Whatever your career goals are, the Los Angeles area has the resources available to help you succeed both in the workforce and in your personal life.
Online: For a list of companies based in L.A., go to aspiremag.com.
Where it’s at Los Angelesby Rachel Morris
A
26 aspire
by Jennifer Price
&GiveTake
The tug and pull of corporate life can callous any professional. A few tips can help you prevent fraying relationships in any workplace.
27April 2009
Give & Take
WhEn MARGARET stepped out of the elevator and walked into the plush office
lobby on the first day of her new job, she didn’t think anything could stop her from rising right to the top of the marketing industry. Everything had gone so well—interviews, first impressions, everything. her new boss had even assigned her to one of the company’s newest and most important marketing campaigns. Within an hour, Margaret had gone through the orientation material and was sitting in the conference room with a handful of other employees discussing the new project.
That was when things started to go downhill. one of her coworkers, Roger, continually stepped out of the room, say-ing he had calls to make. Margaret knew that this shouldn’t bother her as much as it did. he must have a good reason to make those calls, she told herself. Besides, she had been working there for less than a day—she didn’t really know what nor-mal office protocol was like. But Roger’s phone calls were only the beginning.
As the days progressed, Margaret found herself frustrated by nearly everything Roger did. She felt that she couldn’t hold a conversation with him because she had little interest in anything he said. Even his mannerisms—the way he waved his hands when he spoke and hummed to himself quietly when he read—annoyed her to no end.
To make matters worse, he appeared to be aware of her irritation and didn’t seem to like her much either. She began to wonder if he did things to frustrate her on purpose. he would rarely let her share an idea in a staff meeting without cutting her off and interjecting his own ideas. he rarely let her finish a sentence in any set-ting, and he acted bored when she talked to him. Before long, Margaret felt that she was participating in a silent feud with Roger, and she didn’t know what to do.
Step Back
Margaret’s problem is not an isolated one. Conflict with coworkers is common in the workplace—so widespread that
weekly primetime satirizes it on The Of-fice. But as amusing as it can be on televi-sion, such conflict is emotionally taxing and can negatively impact the atmo-sphere in a workplace. oftentimes, like in Margaret’s case, it can interfere with company productivity. When conflicts become serious enough to affect produc-tivity, companies often enact corrective policies. Ideally, however, employees deal with conflicts before such action is need-ed, resolving their problems before it gets big enough to attract attention from su-periors or other coworkers.
Find Common Ground
The first step is to identify the problem. Do you have a hard time relating to a dif-ficult coworker? Do your personalities simply not mesh well? In many cases a good solution to this problem is to find common ground—a topic on which you are more likely to agree. Maybe you both like movies or fishing; maybe it’s music or photography. Whatever it may be, iden-tifying a common interest can help you avoid or resolve personality clashes. And learning more about coworkers can help you see their “flaws” as unique traits that make up their personalities.
This approach can work well if you feel you don’t have much in common with a coworker. But what if you and your coworker simply have different work-ing styles? This kind of conflict is even more important to deal with because it has greater potential to affect productiv-ity. Your coworker might not realize that there is a problem and may even be grate-ful if you bring the issue to his or her at-tention.
Try Compromise
If there is an obvious conflict and your dissimilar working habits are se-riously hindering the work, look for ways to combine your approaches or to compromise where possible. Be open; for the most part coworkers would rather discuss concerns with you openly and calmly, rather than know
Even his manner-isms—the way he
waved his hands when he spoke and hummed to himself quietly when he read—annoyed her to no end. She began to wonder if he did things to frustrate her on purpose.
28 aspire
Give & Take: Tips for Conflict Resolution
that you grumble behind their backs or sidestep their work. People are often more open to compromise than you may think, especially if you’re willing to compromise as well.
Work It Out
That’s what Margaret did after finding that there was little she and Roger could agree upon. one day in a planning meet-ing she decided that instead of challeng-ing Roger’s ideas and insisting on her own, she would ask Roger if he would compromise on part of his plan. At first he was taken aback, but when another person in the meeting seconded Marga-ret’s suggestion, he became much more receptive. over the next few weeks, Mar-garet talked to Roger about specific com-promises and alternative ideas instead of taking offense when he challenged her. Eventually, they had fewer conflicts and were able to accomplish much more on the marketing campaign. not long after the larger conflicts were resolved, Mar-garet found that Roger’s quirks were eas-ier to ignore and that they didn’t annoy her as often.
Take the Higher Road
Margaret’s experience is both univer-sal and unique. So is conflict resolution. Solving workplace conflict requires that one take the higher road—to avoid get-ting offended or taking criticisms as personal attacks, to look past people’s faults, and to view them not just as fellow employees but as fellow indi-viduals.
When conflicts be-come serious
enough to affect produc-tivity, companies often enact corrective policies. Ideally, employees deal with conflicts before such action is needed, resolving their problem before they get big enough to attract attention from superiors or other coworkers. On the web:
Video: Watch the do’s and don’ts of
conflict resolution in action.
Blog: Have you ever been in a sit-
uation where you felt like you were at the end of the rope with a coworker? How did you solve it? Aspire wants to know!
You Grew Up.A
29April 2009
Title
You Grew Up.Shouldn’t Your Investing?
Investment Services www.blackdiamondinvest.com
Black Diamond
Because Your Money Deserves More.
30 aspire
Department
Playing with the
Big Boys Now
SALT LAkE CITY lay below us in wintry splendor. The view from our fourteenth-floor office was so breath-taking that I was worried I might daydream through
my entire first day on the job. Fortunately, my mentor had an ambitious checklist that ensured my undivided attention. I was glad that she kept me busy; two years in an intense ac-counting graduate program had filled me with a voracious dvesire to get real-world experience. But after only a few days into my internship with one of the Big Four accounting firms, I realized that I had gotten more than I bargained for.
During the interview process, I was confident about my qualifications and excited to make a splash in my field of work. But within hours on my first audit, I found the work to be difficult and technical. Training programs and new-
employee meetings only called more attention to the gap-ing holes in my résumé and skills set. Working with senior accountants and the management of local businesses where we performed our audits kept me on my best—albeit rook-ie—professional behavior. As the days and weeks wore on, I learned a lot about myself and about life. I learned that my success would depend on keeping a good attitude, asking the right questions, and building meaningful relationships. This is my survival story.
Six of us from my graduate program had been selected to intern in the firm’s Salt Lake office. As we wined and dined with senior partners at new-employee social functions, we all felt like real hot shots. But as we faced our first challenging assignments in the ensuing weeks, I witnessed an interesting
by Craig Ellsworth, as told to Jeff Nielson
An intern describes bridging the gap between graduate school and the corporate world.
31April 2009
transformation. Each of us had our own way of coping with the pressure and re-sponsibilities of high-level accounting. Some began to doubt themselves; by the end of our first month, two of my friends—both driven, intelligent grad-uate students—were about to crack. however, others of us remained posi-tive and enthusiastic. Because the hours were long, I was grateful for the work ethic I had developed in previous years. Each time I had pushed myself to the limit before, I had learned more about my capacity to achieve. I knew that as long as I stayed positive and worked hard, the light at the end of the tunnel would appear.
During my first days and weeks on the job, I often felt totally inadequate. My graduate education was valuable but far from sufficient in meeting the chal-lenges of specific real-world situations. Early on, I realized that asking questions of my mentor and senior partner would
be a valuable but limited resource. As a result, I developed a strategy of limiting myself to two or three detailed questions per day. I knew that constantly pestering coworkers with questions would burden them with additional work and suggest to them that I lacked critical thinking and problem-solving skills. After a few weeks of using my strategy, I was sur-prised at how much I had learned sim-ply by listening, observing, and asking the occasional careful question.
I noticed that some of my friends in the internship struggled to cooperate with coworkers. By observing them, I quickly learned that harboring resent-ment for or competing with other em-ployees is a self-defeating behavior. I found that the people I worked with made my new job survivable. Almost all of my new coworkers in the profes-sional accounting field were motivated and smart. They were generally friendly, well-rounded, and interesting. For these
reasons, I found it easy to develop re-spect for them. As I worked on audits with various teams, I was actually sur-prised at how much fun we had. We talked about our hobbies and families and favorite sports teams. We celebrated birthdays and other special occasions. We became close friends faster than I thought possible. Within a few weeks on the job I had already planned a rock-climbing trip with another accountant. The relationships I built with my co-workers and superiors were invaluable.
Looking back on those few months of my life, I am stunned at how much I changed and developed. My whirlwind assimilation to the world of the Big Four was challenging but surprisingly fun. I already look forward to the coming years when I will work with and encour-age newcomers to the field. Even though I still have a lot to learn, I feel I have already picked up some of the tricks of the trade.
In the fast-paced world of finance, it’s easy to lose your footing.
A
33April 2009
LunchXB A creative way
to open new doors during lunch hour
Think Outside the
YoU ARE AS equipped as you can be to launch yourself into the professional field of your choice. But despite your confidence, your plans don’t work out as
expected. Jobs are scarce and your options are limited, so you are forced to take a job that is only marginally connected to your dream career.
now what do you do? What you need—what everyone needs—is a Plan B. Cody Taylor knows about this firsthand. he works full-time for an Internet filter company and shares a two-bedroom apartment with his family of six. In a financial crunch, Cody is proactive in creating new career options and sources of income. For him and many others, the first step is to supplement full-time employment with part-time work. he took the initiative to land a second job as an independent rep-resentative for a telecommunications company.
Cody shares with Aspire how he uses his spare time, espe-cially his lunch hour, to open doors where he thought there were only dead ends. “From 11:00 to 11:30,” he says, “I call or text my contacts for appointments or for customer follow-ups. I make one to five phone calls during my lunch hour.”
You may wonder how a handful of phone calls can help. Cody’s telecommunication company is small, but it offers merit-based chances for promotion; one stellar phone call may help him earn a better position and a higher salary. or, at the very least, that phone call could help him pay his rent. Cody has found that it’s very important to make the most of his time, even during his hard-earned lunch hour.
And Cody’s experience is not unique—many have turned to part-time work to lay a foundation for future advancement. not everyone chooses telecommunications, but it certainly pays more bills than mindlessly surfing the Internet ever will.
Like any worthwhile effort, a Plan B can be discouraging. Sometimes promising possibilities don’t materialize, and the
by April V. Madsen
A few calls during your lunch hour can really pay off.
hours you commit to turning your career around may seem wasted. But when you get rejected or meet an obstacle, the best thing to do is to keep on trying. Who knows? Maybe you’ll end your lunch hour with a positive, even life-changing lead.
Though it may take years of work and a few strokes of luck, you can set goals and make plans to land the job you really want. Dreaming won’t get you anywhere, but prioritizing your Plan B and managing your time efficiently can make a big dif-ference. Finding the hours to create a backup plan may seem daunting, especially when you already work full-time. But with a little creativity and discipline—even during your lunch hour—you can use some free time in your day to explore new options. That sacrifice might really pay off. A
34 aspire
It’s about time your salary got bumped up a notch. Follow these tips to start earning more.
In today’s uncertain economy, asking your boss for a raise can be daunt-ing. here are some tips to help you
increase your chances of getting a “yes.”
Make a Plan
Don’t just walk in and ask your boss for a raise. First find out what
your company’s criteria are to be considered for a pay in-crease. Consult an online salary finder like monster.salary.com to find out what employees in your area are earning.
Show Your StuffBe prepared to list specific, quantified
accomplishments to prove your worth. Don’t expect your boss to remember all your skills and talents. When you ask for a raise, you’ll need to jog your boss’s memory of all the good you’ve done for the company.
Time It Right
When does your company normally divvy out pay raises? Put in a request a few weeks before that time. Another great time to approach your boss about a raise is right after a major accomplishment.
PowerfulLook it. Feel it.
Bardolph’sLondon. New York. Los Angeles.
www.bardolphs.com
On the Clock
by Jake Frandsen
A
Get the Raise You Deserve
by Nick Newman
You just got off the phone with the company you want to work for, and the manager wants to take you to dinner for an interview. You’re happy to land the interview, but your hands suddenly feel clammy. You start to panic about the
prospect of having an interview while eating in a restaurant. how will you pull this off? You don’t even know which utensil goes where.
It’s normal to dread the interview; enormous expectations are thrust on generations X and Y to carry companies into the future. Throw in numerous forks and three different wine glasses, and the pressure to impress can become overwhelming.
But that’s not the way it should be, according to Anna king, director of human Resource Development at Brigham Young University.
“The least important thing you do is eat,” says king, who is a dinner etiquette expert. “It sounds counterintuitive, but the whole reason you’re getting together is that
someone wants to know you in a more casual environment. You’re so nervous about your manners and what you’re going to say, if you’re going to order
the right food or where your napkin needs to go. But really, the least important thing is the food.”
king offers the following tips to help you overcome your nerves and allow your personality to shine.
Dea
ling
w
ith the Dining D
ilemm
a
37April 2009
Practice Your Etiquette
Dinner dates and other social activi-ties involving a meal are great oppor-tunities to practice etiquette. Eating out on a first date is similar to eating out with a prospective employer—first impressions and small talk are critical. If you can master etiquette in settings with dates or friends, you’ll be pre-pared when the big interview dinner comes around.
“It’s hard to do it all up front,” king says. “So you say, ‘I’m going to prac-tice on this part, practice meeting and greeting and getting to know people up front,’ much like you would in a cocktail party situation or in a busi-ness mingling situation before a meal. So you focus on one thing and practice that.”
Wear the Right Clothes
observe the clothing of other professionals in the company or field you want to work in and wear something similar. Pay at-tention to color’s influence on for-mality. In general, grays and blues are much better than black—”Black is a very sober color, but gray and blue are a little more lively,” king says.
Remember that it’s always best to dress up rather than dress down. You can always take off a tie or a suit coat, but it’s harder to adjust if you’re wearing a t-shirt and jeans. If you’re still unsure of what to wear, call the restaurant ahead of time and ask what dress is expected.
Don’t Stress about Ordering
Choosing your meal can be stressful. how much should your entrée cost?
“You can wait to hear what your host or
hostess orders and try to get
s o m e t h i n g in that price r a n g e — a few dol-lars above or below,” king says.
“If they don’t order first, and
you don’t have the opportunity to
gauge things, ask them what they would recommend.
If they recommend something, that’s most likely the range they’re comfort-able with. You don’t want to order the lobster if they’re getting the salad.”
Don’t Forget to Tip!
When out with colleagues, drinks, bills, and tips can cause confusion. Common etiquette is that everyone splits the bill—including drinks—evenly. As for tipping, king says it’s
important to carry $1 and $5 bills, be-cause people notice whether you tip.
“It’s not so much about getting the service that you want; it’s about you looking like you are generous and un-derstand what is going on,” king says. “If you’re with a business colleague and you forget to tip, you leave a pret-ty poor impression with that person.”
Even if a server’s performance is subpar, you should still tip. Twenty-five percent is the normal amount for large cities, while 20 percent is the standard for other cities.
Dine with Confidence
Don’t be paralyzed by which fork to use or which jacket to wear. Your pro-spective employer is hiring you, not your table manners.
“The manners are really about not detracting from your personality,” king says. “They’re to allow people to see that you can interface with other people; they’re also to let you have the opportunity to share your experience, skills, and interests with them.”
For more tips, visit aspiremag.com
Dealing with the Dining Dilemma
Dea
ling
w
ith the Dining D
ilemm
a
Remember that your personality—not your manners—is what people are looking at.
A
"The least important thing you do is eat . . . Manners really are about not detracting from your personality."
38 aspire
Maroon Wireless
Classic Style.New Horizons.
Your Life Is Calling. www.maroonwireless.com
Photo by Mark Weinberg
BEHIND THE CAMERA WITH
MICHAEL COLEMANby Jourdan Lance
Phot
o co
urte
sy M
icha
el C
olem
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41
QA
April 2009
Q
A
Q
Q
A
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What is Colemanfilm's greatest achievement to date?
A lot of our work has been seen in cool places including mov-ie theaters, Times Square in New York, and the big screen on the Aerosmith tour.
What projects are you currently working on?
I’m working on web-based media projects with Lexus, Macy’s, Apple, Women’s Pro Soccer, Special Olympics, and live concerts with Social Distortion and Cake.
What are your plans or hopes for Colemanfilm?
Growing into feature films, expanding client roster and staff, and inspiring others to follow their dreams and inspirations in all fields. I want to create a company that oth-ers get excited about because it is different and follows its own paths and interests.
How did Colemanfilm start?
I told my clients that I had a company called Colemanfilm, and I spoke of it as an operating compa-ny—even though in the beginning it was only one person—because I
Q
A
knew that sometime in the future it would be bigger. It started the day I decided I wanted to work for myself.
What made you decide to start your own company right out of college instead of working for somebody else first?
From an early age, I always thought of myself as someone who would never work in an office or cube. The moment I started col-lege, I began planning to free myself from this traditional work system by becoming self-employed. I have a lot of ideas that I often put into action. Sometimes that is not easy to do when others
At the age of only 25, Michael Coleman has already made a big impact on an industry that de-mands innovation. After graduating from college in 2003, Coleman landed a job shooting concert footage for music legend Aerosmith’s You Gotta Move DVD. The disc went 4 x platinum.
Now his media group, Colemanfilm, works with a startling variety of clients, including corporate giants and television chefs. Colemanfilm’s focus on online media has made the company a highly regarded marketing vehicle in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the company now carries Cole-man across the nation. Coleman talked to Aspire about what makes Colemanfilm different—and how he intends to keep doing things his way.
Q
A
are making the decisions, so I took the other people out of the equation.
Was there one event in particular that launched your career?
No single event is respon-sible for launching my career. In-stead, it was a snowball effect of having small projects from referrals that turned into big projects. The way to launch a career is through doing something over and over again very well. Others tell their friends and thus create a client base. Nothing happens overnight.
Coleman in the studio with producer Jack Douglas, guitarist Joe Perry, and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler.
Phot
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42 aspire
Department
A A
A
Q
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A This is the difference between success and failure for someone self-employed. I market myself through word of mouth and the power of re-ferrals that come from doing good work. I still work with the people and companies I worked with from day one, and they have referred me to other and bigger clients. To me, networking is sharing with others my passion so they can tell my sto-ry to others . . . which equals more work.
You started Colemanfilm when you were only 20 years old. How has Colemanfilm evolved over the last 5 years?
Constant growth. Change is good; the second you start to get comfortable is when you settle for mediocrity, which isn’t my inter-est. My initial goal for the company was simply to work for myself. Once
How did you get to work with a big name like Aerosmith so soon after college?
The producer of Aerosmith, Jack Douglas, was a professor of mine in college. I became good friends with him and asked if I could work with him after college. He said yes and offered me a job with him on the Aerosmith album project. It was timing and the right attitude and work ethic that got me there.
What makes Colemanfilm differ-ent from other media services?
I don’t view my company as a service but rather as a collec-tion of artists who will produce work for hire. We don’t work for the client, we work with the client—it is a col-laboration. I target specific clients that will help my company grow in the entertainment, lifestyle, and mu-sic industries.
Has networking played a role in the success of Colemanfilm?
Q
Q
“Change is good; the second you start to get comfortable is when
you settle for mediocrity.”
Coleman captures footage of Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry for the You Gotta Move DVD.
Photo by Deborah Coleman
I completed that, it was to double my gross revenue. Once I did that, it was to expand into press oppor-tunities and awareness in the mar-ket. I keep adding more things onto the foundation that I’m building, and it becomes easier to evolve as a company.
What makes you different from most professionals your age?
I’m usually thinking about a week, month, or year ahead. I plan for the future and act on the present. I don’t wait around for things to fall into my lap. If I have an idea I want to pursue or a job to do, I get it done ASAP so I can move on to the next part. Work and life are a series of experiences and activities, so the quicker and more frequently you do them the more comfortable and ex-perienced you get with the process. You can focus on the craft and have fun with it.
What advice do you have for other young professionals looking to start their own business?
Don’t be afraid to model others and ask for help. You need guidance and a map to follow until you get your own bearings. If you want to start a busi-ness, do it. The only way it won’t hap-pen is if you stop. If you keep going, you are doing something to advance your dream. Only you can stop it. A
On the web:Watch Jourdan Lance's inter-
view with Michael Coleman at aspiremag.com/coleman.
Rome couldn’t have been built in a day
. . . Neither can Your RÉsumÉ.
www.resumearchitect.com
44 aspire
InappropriateLaugh Syndrome
A LITTLE PIECE of advice: it’s never a good idea to laugh in someone’s face when he or she
asks you out on a date. Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way.
You see, I suffer from a little-known disease I like to call “Inappropriate Laugh Syndrome.” It is a nasty disease, surfacing when you least expect it, and is often fol-lowed by serious back-pedaling to make up for the uncomfortable situation you’ve put yourself in.
It had been a long Monday at work and I was ready to call it a day, never mind the fact that it was only two o’clock in the after-noon. I was trying desperately to find some-thing productive to keep my mind off the second-hand ticks of the clock on the wall. I was just about to admit defeat and check Facebook when my coworker called my name from the front of the office. Thankful for the distraction, I happily jumped from my seat and went to see what she needed.
I found my colleague talking to a student named Eric in front of the reception desk. I worked at the In-ternational Services Department at my university, and Eric was inquir-ing about a study abroad program in England. I had studied in London two years earlier, which apparently made me the resident expert on England. For about fifteen minutes, I answered Eric’s ques-tions and we chatted about my fun study abroad experiences. When Eric left, I was immediately pounced upon by female co-workers, who had been eavesdropping on our conversation.
“You know, you probably could have got-ten a date out of that if you had worked it right,” one of the girls said.
“Uh huh, right,” I said sarcastically as I went back to my desk.
About ten minutes later, I was typing an email at my desk, when all of a sud-den the office chatter went deadly silent. I turned around to find Eric standing right in front of me.
“Um, I was wondering if you would go out with me on Friday night,” he stammered.
I couldn’t help it. It came on so fast, out of nowhere. I just couldn’t control the burst of laughter that exploded from my mouth. Regret immediately fol-lowed as his face dropped and mine turned fire engine red. how would I recover from this?
“I’m so sorry. I, um, I, I didn’t mean . . . um, yes, I’ll go out with you,” I managed to squeak out.
Despite Inappropriate Laugh Syndrome’s attempt to squash my dating life, Eric and I actually ended up going out that Friday. I was glad that I had the chance to explain my illness to him on our date and restore his ego. Things didn’t work out with Eric, but I will never forget that eventful Mon-day when I laughed in his face.
by Kirsten Swenson
NorthStar
A
I still remember that long Monday when I laughed in the face of a guy who asked me out. Some people say it's a disease, while others say it's the best medicine.
Submit your funny story to aspirem
ag.com/watercooler.
A
45April 2009
Title
You found your way up here.But can you find your way back home?
Introducing Quickfind™ from North Star GPS. It’s the answer to all your navigation needs.
NorthStarwww.northstargps.com
Get Not
iced
Let u
s hel
p yo
u im
prov
e yo
ur p
ortfo
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Winter Design [email protected]
(555) 487-7437
Fading into the background?
47April 2009
consider giving tickets to a favorite sporting event. Maybe a col-league is remodeling at home; a gift card to home Depot would be appropriate and useful.
Gifts for Your Boss
The key is to keep the gift simple. Don’t choose an expensive gift that will reek of brown-nosing. Bosses will appreciate gifts that say “I care” without saying “I want a promotion.” Don’t give personal items such as clothing, perfume, or jewelry. Ap-propriate gifts for bosses are similar to those for coworkers, but slightly more expensive gifts would also be appropriate. If your boss loves to golf, consider a nice set of tees and golf balls—or a book about the history and achievements of the sport. If your boss has a sweet tooth, a box of gourmet choco-lates is sure to be a success.
“Is This Something I Would Like?”
once you have decided on a gift for your boss or co-worker, ask yourself, “Is this something I would like to receive?” If it is, then you have most likely chosen well.
ThE GLoWInG MoM-To-BE is eagerly un-wrapping her second gift at the baby shower her coworkers have surprised her with. She chuckles
nervously as she looks down and sees black lace—this is clearly not an outfit for her bundle of joy! As she pulls out the lingerie, the faces of some coworkers turn bright red and frantically search for legitimate distractions. A few co-workers give awkward cheers as the expectant mom thanks her colleague and quickly moves to the next gift.
At some time every professional faces the task of choos-ing a gift for a colleague or boss. Whether the gift is for a birthday, national Boss Day, a new addition to a family, or a holiday, choose an appropriate gift that won’t make the recipient want to crawl under a desk.
Who’s It For?
Before you begin to choose appropriate gifts, determine your relationship with your coworkers. Are you close friends or just formal colleagues? If you are strictly formal colleagues, stick to a price range of $15 to $30. Safe gifts include picture frames, desk accessories, food gift baskets, and gift cards.
Gifts for closer work friends can be more personal. Pay attention to the experiences coworkers share with you while at lunch or in the office. What hobbies and interests can you remember? Your coworkers will appreciate personal gifts that show you know their personalities and are aware of their hobbies. For example, if he or she is a sports fan,
Giving gifts is treacherous
territory. Here’s what you
need to know to elicit the
right kinds of gasps.
The Sports Fanatic
The Techie The Fitness Buff
Give the gift of team spirit with an Apple iPod Nano NFL Plastic Case. www.accessorygeeks.com
This USB Mini Fridge and Heater will keep your co-worker’s beverages chilled or warmed. www.usbgeek.com
The SPIbelt is the perfect gift for runners who want a sleek holder to secure their personal items such as cell phones, MP3 players, and keys. www.spibelt.com
Avoid Being the Lingerie Giver
The Caffeine Addict
How To:
Fun Gifts for Four Office Personalities
Plug any electrical device (radio, fan, TV) into the Sen-sorPlug and when motion is detected, your device will turn on. www.kleargear.com
A
by Kirsten Swenson
48 aspire
The Water Cooler
nonE oF MY eight coworkers had said a single word to me all day.
I couldn’t imagine that this was normal behavior. I was several hours into my first day at a public relations firm, for crying out loud. Weren’t these people supposed to enjoy social interaction? Didn’t they notice the new creature sitting in their workspace, breathing their air?
Yet there I sat, staring at my screen and hearing nothing but faint tapping of fingers on keyboards elsewhere in my cubicle block. A rare phone call periodically interrupted the silence,
but that was the only time I heard anyone speak. no radio. no
small talk. no sound. I assured myself that the next day would be better.
But beyond a brief hello when I entered the of-fice, the second day was much like the first. I came up with the only logical, sensible con-clusion that I could: everyone hated me. It sounds dramatic, but after thirteen hours of the silent treat-
ment, the inkling that my coworkers
were just not that into me seemed quite feasible.
When the office’s IT specialist came by to set up my com-puter’s instant messenger, I could only think, “Great—another way to be ignored.” With even less conversation than my co-matose cubicle-mates, the specialist installed the software and sauntered away. I minimized the buddy list, not caring to be reminded of my wallflower status.
Within ten minutes, I was introduced to half the office. Ap-parently, communication at the office was a purely online art
form. My Yahoo! avatar seemed far more popular than I was. People wanted to know about her. My boss wanted to ask her questions about her previous jobs, her fam-ily, and her interests. But nobody wanted to have lunch with me, the woman whose interests and his-tory had given life to the online profile.
I soon realized that face-to-face communication did exist in my new environment, but it was a privilege. I was an intern, and therefore a novelty in the office that would soon be gone and forgotten. It was easier, then, to keep communication to a minimum. I wouldn’t be able to work my way into the popular group and its exclusive lunches in only five weeks. So while they ate at fabulous French cafés situated on San Francisco’s Market Street, I resigned myself to a frozen burrito in the con-ference room.
The following weeks were often rough. I am, by no means, a person who depends on noise to feel comfortable, but the long silences and the solitary meals often wore on me. only in my last week did I grow accustomed to asking questions online rather than in person. I became a master of the office’s little online game. I even finagled my way into a lunch or two.
on my last day, I heard that a new intern had arrived in a different department of the office. When his avatar popped up in my buddy list, I remembered my first weeks at the office. I remembered the sound of silence and my new-kid jitters. I remembered the smell of microwaved burritos. I typed a quick message to the new intern and asked:
“hey, I hear you’re new. Would you like to grab some lunch?”
Tales of a Corporate Wallflower
by Jourdan Lance
I became a master of the office’s little online game. I even finagled my way into a lunch or two.
A
49April 2009
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