Chaotic Neutrality

After much speculation and rumor build up for the last couple months, anal overlord of the world, Steve Jobs, finally broke the silence and announced the next version of the iPhone — the 3G version!

The news of the 3G iPhone is definitely cool. The EDGE network sucks for loading web pages… and that happens to be one of my primary uses for the phone (I actually ran the install for a wordpress blog through my iPhone — sure I had to upload it via normal means, but still!).

The cool stuff:

• Price: $199 for 8GB, $299 for 16GB
• Color: Available in Black or White (only 16GB)
• Speed: USES 3G!!!!
• GPS: Has GPS… and integrates with Google Maps. Yes! Wheee!
• Headphone Jack: Non recessed! Apple learns from a very dumb mistake in V1.0.
• Business: Exchange and push email support. Move over RIM, here comes Apple trying to take your slice of the pie!

The bad stuff:

• Price: My old iPhone is now almost worthless with very little resale value. $399+ down the drain, but I guess it will make a nice gift for a non iPhone fanatic.
• Release Date: July 11th is too far away. I want to play with a new toy. Damn it.
• Other Details: Not many other details are available yet. I’m hoping for some other cool features being improved like MMS capabilities, better camera, video recording, etc.

Apple pushes the cell phone market one step closer to full on data capabilities and a real web browsing experience. This should help usher in an improved era of phone+web devices.

I’ll bet that RIM and Blackberry are pretty concerned right now.

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The new “Say Yellow to the Future” campaign represents a natural evolution of Yellowbook’s brand and its goal to help local business remain visible and accessible in an e-commerce society.

After reading the excerpt above from a Yellowbook press release, I did some searching and stumbled upon the Say Yellow to the Future Yellowbook TV Commercials on YouTube.

The commercials were well made and hit on topics that I think the average viewer could identify with. They were clean, concise, and effective in illustrating how Yellowbook could hypothetically help bring a solution to your life’s immediate problems in a non-cheesy way — all with the touch of your finger(s). (BTW - I’m looking forward to the holographic yellowbook display as well, that’s even more convenient than using a search engine!)

From an interactive marketing perspective, these are the types of videos that I value (clever idea, looks good, topics that are easy to relate to).

Unfortunately, most sites do not employ video in this manner and, instead, throw together the flashiest, loudest, longest, and most over-the-top video possible. I know it can be a tough balancing act for creative teams, but in this day and age, I hope serious consumers value substance and quality over that flash and overhype. If they do, I think they will enjoy these Yellowbook commercials and respect the product and message behind them.

If you get a chance, check them out… and then pre-order your holographic, IPTV, Star Trek touchscreen display!

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I happened to read a short article on Marketing Pilgrim that hit on one of the main failings that we can have as online marketers (in this particular case, it pertains to usage of Social Media sites).

There are a lot of different ways to approach social media marketing. Still it seems many marketers are unwilling to engage with social media services while desiring the benefits the media represents.

Too often, we try to reap all of the benefits of a service without really using the service properly. Social media sites thrive off of community and sharing, not just showing up when you write a new blog post that you want to try and linkbait.

In the case of this blog, I too am guilty. I add my content to social media sites, but I don’t really participate at the level that is intended (and that would be most beneficial). If I were to actually become a larger part of the [insert social media network name here] community, it would add more relevancy and meaning to the content that I add myself.

The sad (and funny) part is that I think we all know that this is true. We’re just always too invested in the here-and-now of a project or site to always realize that the long term benefits of proper usage almost always outweigh the short term attempts at using a service.

I am going to work on my longer term community building skills on social media sites and I urge you to also. It will be much more helpful to you in the long run than just posting a Digg of your own content!

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Apparently, I missed the memo that a new website called NotchUp was launching. It has a unique (and what will probably prove to be flawed) business model whereby interviewers pay prospective interviewees to attend an interview session.

NotchUp is 100% free and takes less than five minutes to join. To get started, simply register, create a profile (which is similar to an online resume), and set an interview price. Your interview price is the price at which you’ll talk to prospective employers. Once you’ve created your profile, companies will search it and make you paid offers to interview if you have the skills and experience they’re looking for. Accept the offers you’re interested in, go to the interviews, and we’ll collect the money and transfer it to you.

This is especially relevant to me because I am currently in the job market and actively interviewing for a full time position!

From what I can tell, the site is currently in its beta release. I registered, was accepted 2 business days later, and created my profile (and set my interview price) yesterday. So far, I have no hits on my profile or offers, but it has only been a day. Unfortunately, I remain skeptical about the system as a whole since I don’t really believe in the business model. Likewise, in my searching of the blogosphere and ‘net, I have not been able to find an account of someone actually getting an offer, taking an interview, and getting paid.

NotchUp Positives

• Innovative Idea — The creative model is what separates the site from run-of-the-mill job boards. Innovation is always a good thing, even if it doesn’t pan out… Plus, you just never know!
• Tapping Into Hard-to-Reach Job Pool — Hiring Personnel can tap into the fabled pool of “Great Fit But Currently Employed” talent. This is by far the biggest selling point and a core concept of the model — recruiters being able to easily target people that are happy where they are currently working, but might still be responsive to a great offer from a great company

NotchUp Negatives

• Gaming the System &mdash One of the biggest problems is that it seems easy to game the system, bolster a resume, lie that you are actually interested in a new position, and then get paid. The concept of a “professional interviewer” is amusing, but probably not too far from the truth. If money is involved, there will always be people that will work the system to their gain. The feedback system might help this, but I doubt it will dissuade people that are serious about beating the system.
• Flawed Thinking — Another flaw in my mind is in the willingness for major companies to pay potential interviewees for their time, when, in fact, it is much more likely that an interviewee would pay for the opportunity to interview with a great company. There just seems to be something backwards about the idea, no matter what math they provide to justify the reasoning behind the payments.
• Layout & Design = Less than Original — The site’s layout, design, and style is very similar to the previous incarnation of the LinkedIn website. I’d like to see them build their own identity instead of borrowing from other job related sites.

NotchUp Screen Captures

Conclusion

For now, the jury remains out. If nothing else, it is an interesting concept and I’d be curious to see some stories of success or failure!

I’ll be sure to update this post if/when I am offered an interview through the NotchUp site.

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Searching for a new position can be hard work! Since I have been in the market recently, myself, I have compiled a list of online sites that I have found useful in my search for a new interactive marketing position. Try employing some of these sites or tactics in addition to any offline job hunting that you may do.

The Basics

1. Monster - http://www.monster.com
2. Career Builder - http://www.careerbuilder.com
   • Shows distance to job from location you have chosen which can be pretty helpful!
3. Hot Jobs - http://www.hotjobs.com
   • Posting date doesn’t always seem accurate for listings

Register for these sites and build an online profile. You’ll want to import a copy of your most recent resume and provide all of the additional profile details (location, salary requirements, etc).

Your online profile serves two main purposes:

• Provides a quick and easy way to apply to postings that you are interested in
• Enables recruitment firms to find you for positions that they are filling related to your profile

Specialized Resources

1. Cyber Coders - http://www.cybercoders.com
• I consider this site to be more specialized, however they do offer a full range of job listings.
• I have had good success finding very relevant listings for the interactive space on this site
• Hard to search on (if you are feeling crafty, you can add query string variables to URL to help)
• Set a Keyword -sterm=internet
• Set Your State - state=NY
• Set Your City - city=new+york
• Set Your Search Radius - radius=40
2. Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization - http://www.sempo.org
   • Highly competitive listings for jobs in the Search Engine Marketing field

Extended Resources

1. Craigslist - http://www.craigslist.org
   • Select the craigslist location most relevant for your search. Then look for the “Jobs” section and start searching. You can view postings by job type or run more advanced searches.
   • I stumbled across one of my favorite positions / jobs / companies through a posting on craigslist!
2. Your State Website - http://www.nj.com/jobs
   • Most state websites have a job section where you will be able to search through openings from newspapers or online postings for your area
   • Your mileage may vary with how effective your state’s search options are, but it is still worth a look

Recruiters

1. The Creative Group - http://www.creativegroup.com
   • A recruitment firm that is focused on interactive and creative jobs.
   • They offer recruitment specialists for contract, contract to hire, and full time placement.
   • They have very relevant listings and the staff members I have worked with in the NJ/NY area have been very friendly and effective
2. Search for Other Recruiters in Your Area
   • Finding a good recruiter or recruitment firm is often a chore. If you can find the right one, however, they are a very good resource for finding your next position
3. Recruiters Will Contact You
   • If you make your resume and profile public on the major job boards, recruiters will search through your information for specific keywords relevant to positions they are filling and contact you
   • Many of the recruiters will be trying to fill a position that isn’t really related to what you are looking for. You’ll need to weed through the good, the bad, and the ugly here

Networking

1. Linked In - http://www.linkedin.com
   • This is the #1 professional networking site. It is extremely easy to use and a valuable resource for keeping in contact with past and present colleagues
   • Make sure you fill in all of your profile information and then start looking for your professional contacts and building your network. To build your network, you can search by past positions, names, or send invitations invitations to specific email addresses
   • You can also search for open jobs that have been posted by people inside or outside your network of colleagues and contacts

New and Unproven

1. Notch Up - http://www.notchup.com
   • An interesting new idea that hopes to bring companies and job searches together. The twist here is that the companies pay the interviewer for a chance to interview them.
   • I just stumbled upon this site on Friday, so I have not been approved for it yet. However, it seems like an interest idea and the more resources that you have to rely on, the better!

Other Tips

• Update Your Online Resume Often - The recency of date is a key search factor for recruiters doing searches
• Optimize Keywords in Your Resume - Make sure that you include keywords specific to the positions that you are looking for. If you don’t have the proper keywords, your resume may never be found by recruiters trying to fill a position that is a fit for you.
• Set up Job Alerts - You can create automated job alerts that inform you of new positions in your area for a specific set of keywords
• Research Salary Information - Use http://www.salary.com to research the market value of your current and future position so you know what to expect
• Create a Resume Website - You can also create a website that contains your resume or portfolio information. This provides an easy way to send it to someone via URL and could eventually lead to hiring personnel finding YOU and contacting you!
• For example, here’s mine - http://www.gregpicarello.com

It can be a battle, but if you take advantage of all of the resources available to you, you are definitely improving the odds of finding the right position and being in contact with the right people.

Good luck in your search!

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