Monday, September 28, 2015

"Internships pending"/ "Cash in on a career with a creative plan"

Aug. 13 "Internships pending": I cut out this article "Snow on the ground, summer on the brain" by Leah Ruehlicke (Talent Egg) in the Metro on Jan. 9, 2013.  It's about how to get an internship.  It's very competitive, but here are some tips.

My co-worker Je is looking for an internship for months and applying to a lot. It kind of reminds me of the days back in 2003 when I was trying to get an internship at TV stations.  I applied to CBC, but they said they were only hiring NAIT's TV Production students, and no one else. 

Here's the whole article:  

Internships were a big topic of conversation on TalentEgg in 2012!
 
From debating the merits of unpaid versus paid internships and dissecting the benefits to your career, internships are an even hotter topic than Channing Tatum’s stripper movie.

This article aims to break it all down into the simplest terms possible and speak directly to where to look for internships and how to lock one down.
Where are all the internships and co-ops hiding?

The key is to start looking early – as in, take time to thank Santa for your Christmas gifts and then get on the hunt. Did you know most large employers post their summer internships and co-op roles in January? If you wait much longer it will be too late.
 

Find summer internships and co-ops online

 
Check out the summer, internship and co-op job listings here on TalentEgg – there are a ton of roles available (many with deadlines this week and next) and we post new jobs every day!
 

Attend summer job fairs


 

Most colleges and universities hold summer job fairs in late January. These job fairs give you the chance to meet prospective employers and, occasionally, interview right on the spot.
 
Furthermore, you will be subjected to tons of companies and positions that you didn’t even know existed. Make sure you are well dressed, well spoken and prepared to answer – and ask – some questions!
 
 

Visit your career centre


 

I was a heavy user of the career centre in university and this definitely worked to my advantage. For one thing, utilizing their resources to find a part-time job actually ended up landing me a student job at the centre because they knew who I was and wanted to help me out.

Career centres not only have job listings, they often have connections with other employers (and, at the very least, are an amazing source of information for any questions you might have regarding schooling and your career).
 

Network with your network


 

Let people know you are looking for an internship (professors often have a lot of insight and tips for success in this realm – and if you put in the effort, they’re most likely going to be very eager to help you). Similar to my career centre tale of success, it’s all about getting your face out there and seeking assistance from others.

Another great thing about internships is they can often lead to jobs. Guy Adam, Branch Manager at Robert Half in Laval, Quebec, offered the following advice for how to turn your internship into something permanent:
 

Don’t be shy

 
As Guy puts it, “Competition can be fierce in this economy. Showing some confidence, while still acting professionally, can work in your favour.” Therefore, don’t be conniving, but go after what you want.
 

Put on the polish

 
Dress well and appropriately for the work environment. Ensure your work and application (if attempting to bridge into a new position within the company) are completely error-free.
 

Pull a Kelly Clarkson and show your Miss (Mr.) Independent side

 
In order to maximize productivity, companies are looking for people who don’t need constant direction. “Many firms are stretched thin right now, so demonstrating an ability to work without a lot of direct supervision can be a plus,” Guy says.
 

Exhibit a can-do attitude

 
Be proactive in how you can be of use to the company. “Inquire about the firm’s greatest challenges and needs and then propose how your skills and experience can help,” he advises.


"Cash in on a career with a creative plan": I cut out this article by Ashleigh Trahan (Talent Egg) in the Metro on Jan. 9, 2013.  This was kind of fun to read to see how people will get themselves out there to get hired like put a billboard of themselves.  Here's the whole article:
 

1. Try an unconventional resume format

 
Infographic resumes are making a big splash with creative people the world over. These graphic takes on a traditional resume can highlight key functional skills as well as an applicant’s personality in a dramatic and eye-catching way.

Video resumes are also making a big comeback. While video resumes can sometimes come across as incredibly cheesy, some have taken the idea of a video CV beyond its typical awkward format.

For example, when Graeme Anthony was looking for a job, he put together this “Interactive CV” which makes a compelling case for why he’s a top notch candidate for communications and PR jobs:

Here's the link to Graeme Anthony's video.  He's a British guy:


Traditional resumes are still required in most industries, so you shouldn’t toss your old faithful Word document just yet.

What we can learn from infographic or video resumes is that if you’re looking for a job that requires a healthy dose of creativity, put together a resume that reflects your talents in a unexpected way. If you need to stick to a traditional format, try thinking about novel ways to describe your skill set to reflect what’s unique about you.
 

2. See your name in lights!

 
Rather than relying on a resume to get her name out there, one woman from Atlanta, Georgia, used the holiday season to publicize her job hunt by spelling out “My wish, HR job, Liz Hickok, LinkedIn” with strings of Christmas lights on the side of her house.

There are also many examples of job seekers taking this concept the extra mile and spending thousands of dollars on billboard advertisements. While their confidence is to be admired, we don’t all have the capital (or gravitas) to pay for our mug to be plastered on a roadside billboard.

If there is something we can learn from these blatant self promoters, it’s that it’s critical to get your name “out there,” whether through social media, a personal website, or networking like crazy.
 

3. Create your own personal ad campaign

 
If a creative resume and billboard beside a major highway haven’t landed you a job, you could always think about running your own ad campaign.

Alec Brownstein, a 28-year-old Copywriter, landed a job through a fantastically simple personal marketing campaign. When advertising execs Googled their own names (admit it, we’re all guilty of the “self-Google”), Alec’s paid ad was the first result on the page. The ad directed these potential employers to his personal website, and resulted in multiple job offers for Alec.

Here's the 1 min video: "The Google Job Experiment":


A Youtube comment was:

               
This what you call "thinking outside the box"! #Google   #Creativity   "One New York graduate who wished to work in a top advertising agency Googled the names of the creative directors of these agencies and then spent just six dollars on a set of Google ads that were triggered when the directors searched for their own names. The adverts said "Hey, (creative directors name), Googling yourself is a lot of fun. Hiring me is fun, too" Of the five directors he targeted, four gave him an interview and two offered him a job"

The stunt cost mere cents per click (for a total of $6), and all it took was a little outside-the-box thinking.

Alec’s tactics can teach us a lesson about online networking strategy. Like Alec, you should learn where your potential employers hang out online, and use that channel to connect with them.

My opinion: I thought it was creative.  I told this to my brother and he thought it was cool.
 

4. Get employers to compete for your affection

 
Andrew Horner decided that after two years of unfruitful job searching, he was going to turn the tables and ask employers to apply to have him work at their company. With a bold list of “must haves,” he set up a website which went viral once people got wind of his “reverse job application” scheme. Andrew ended up landing himself a job and keeps the website active to inspire others ask: “What do employers have to offer me?”

Treating your job search like you’re a superstar in the NBA draft might not be a wise choice for everyone, you can take a page out of the “reverse job application” playbook. When you’re looking at a potential job, you should be interviewing your potential employer. What advantages does the company offer? What is the culture like? Make sure you ask the right questions to be sure that whichever company you choose, it will be the right fit for you.

While you don’t need to start a social media campaign or have “hire me” billboards made up anytime soon, everyone could use a little more boldness when heading out into the job market.

With a little creativity and elbow grease, I’m sure you can come up with your own personal marketing tactics. So put your thinking cap on, capture the attention of potential employers, and land yourself a job!

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"Should you work from home?"/ "Elaborate job interviews"

Aug. 12 "Should you work from home?": I cut out this article by Joanne Richard in 24 News on Dec. 17, 2012.  This article should inspire you to start your own business:

If you just graduated, you might want to consider never leaving home. Instead, consider starting a home business.

According to Industry Canada, more than 95 per cent of all new businesses start in the home.
 
Randstad.ca reports that 31 per cent of working Canadians planned to work more from home this past year.

But, before going all in on the concept, consider that while working from home could be your dream job, it can also be a nightmare. So get set for a major challenge, even more so if you’re coming at it with little experience or knowledge, says Marc Gordon, a small business expert and author of The Edge Factor: Ten Proven Marketing Tools to Help Your Business Get It and Keep It.

Going from “having someone assign you tasks with due dates, checking up on you, providing guidance and having regular communication to having nothing can be a traumatic experience,” Gordon says.

But if you can drum up your own projects, then go for it. The added bonus of living at home can make it an easy and economical arrangement, adds Gordon.

According to Wes Lenci, vice-president of Regus Canada, the world’s largest provider of flexible workplaces, “if you have a solid idea, the drive and commitment, anything is possible at any age or at any stage in your career. Some of the today’s best known brands like Apple and Ford were launched at home.”

New graduates should take advantage of the many free training and counselling services available aimed at helping start-ups succeed, says Lenci.

Meanwhile, for those grads that lack practical experience or don’t have a clear idea of the kind of business they want, “getting a job may be the best opportunity to not only get hands on experience, but also see if this is something worth pursuing as a business owner,” adds Gordon.

Knowledge and experience are terrific assets — so too are the cash reserves you can build while being employed that you can, in turn, use for starting a business, adds Gordon, of marcgordon.ca.

But ultimately, “the true skills lie in being driven, motivated and knowing to surround yourself with others that can help you.” These can include mentors, suppliers, accountants and marketing experts.

A business plan is a must, stresses Lenci, of regus.com. “This is your roadmap for success. Your comprehensive plan should include your mission statement, a market analysis financing, and marketing and business processes.

“Learn from your mistakes. Everyone and every business will make mistakes. It’s how you pick yourself up and move forward that counts the most,” adds Lenci.

Gordon predicts a boom in home-based businesses: “With the increase in consulting and service-based industries, there’s no need for an office — and working from home helps to reduce overhead costs.

“Plus, with so many meeting-friendly coffee shops and restaurants around, meeting clients has become easy and socially acceptable.”


"Grow your brain with online fun": I cut out this article by Joanne Richard in 24 News on Dec. 17, 2012.  Here are the list of websites:

-knanacademy.org
-howstuffworks.com
-ted.com
-smarthistory.knacademy.org
-bigthink.com
-discovermagazine.com
-luminosity.com

Aug. 13 "Five of the coolest courses being offered in Canada": I cut out this article by Eleni Deacon in the Metro on Mar. 31, 2014.

"The Sociology of Hockey in Canada" at the University of Regina.

"Communication through Meme" at University of Western Ontario.

"The Science of Brewing" at the Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.

"The Art of Breaking (break dance)" at the York University in Toronto.

"Urban Legend" at the Memorial University in St. John's.

"Elaborate job interviews": I cut out this article in 24 News on Jul. 16, 2012.  I find that it's written by Eileen Gunn.  This is a good interview.  It talks about how some companies interview people to get projects and work done from them.  The company doesn't plan on hiring the applicants, but maybe to get work like a blog post or Power Point presentation out of them:

When Will Flaherty, 23, applied for a job as director of communications for SeatGeek, an aggregator of sporting-event and concert-ticket websites, he had to jump through several challenging hoops - even before he landed an interview.

Companies across the board, inspired by "hackathon" competitions by technology companies scouting for top programming talent and Google's math quizzes for job candidates, are increasingly turning to elaborate interview processes to glean insight into how prospective hires might perform on the job.

Flaherty, based in New York City, first had to crunch data about NFL ticket prices to create a graph and write a blog post. Once the post was published to a special website set up for the job opening, he promoted it through social media. Finally, he watched as 15 other candidates went through the same process.

"Companies are realizing that if one person interviews all the candidates, no matter what, there is always a built-in bias," says Gerry Crispin, co-founder of consulting company Career Xroads in East Brunswick, New Jersey. "So companies are getting better at breaking down what they want to know and figuring out the best way to learn it."

That process might include a panel interview, a presentation requirement, or "some unique aspect of their environment that they want to simulate with a try-out situation," Crispin said.

Despite the extra effort that a more thorough selection process requires, some candidates are appreciative.

"The places that put you through a lot seem to be more selective, which makes me want to work for them more," says Oly Rillera, 26, who went through detailed interviews at Google and software company MathWorks, and now works for a technology public relations firm called Social Radius.

This doesn't mean those complex interviewing procedures can't be misused, or that job candidates shouldn't bail early on if the odds of getting a job are too slim to justify the time spent in preparation.

When Dawn Quiett, 42, a public relations consultant in Dallas, recently applied for a job at a local museum, she was asked to bring "a marketing plan, a Power Point presentation, and a list of my media contacts."

When she heard that five other candidates would be interviewed, providing similar troves of valuable information, Quiett bowed out.

"After five people bring in all of those items, why would they need to hire anyone?" she says.

Here are some issues to consider before jumping through hoops for your next job:

IS IT WORTH YOUR TIME?

While the SeatGeek tryout worked out for Flaherty, 15 other applicants put in the same time and effort, and eight didn't even get a first interview.

Crispin advises companies to whittle down shortlisted candidates to the final few before bringing on the bells-and-whistles interview.

"If you ask for 50 writing samples at the very beginning, 49 people are wasting time they could be spending looking for a job that they actually have a chance of getting," he says.

Jack Groetzinger, a co-founder of Seatgeek, says most of the company's tryouts take up to an hour to complete, and to compensate job applicants for this time, Seatgeek tells them not to bother with a cover letter.

"People spend a lot of time on cover letters and the challenges we come up with tell us a lot more about their skills than cover letters do," he says.

If a pre-interview project requires a heavy time commitment, it's worth assessing how well you fit the job requirements, and if you have skills and experience that will give you an edge, Crispin says.

"It's an outdated idea to apply for a job where you aren't 100 percent qualified," Crispin cautions. "If they say you need these three or four things, and you don't have them all," the effort may be a waste of time.

In Flaherty's case, he says that an internship for two professional sports teams while in college in Texas, and a stint covering sports for his university newspaper were, gave him an advantage in vying for the SeatGeek job.

FACE TIME IS KEY

Spending time onsite to talk with one's future colleagues will yield a candid view of a company's culture, how people interact with each other, and how enjoyable the job may be.
The endeavor would be time consuming but potentially worthwhile, says Leigh Steere, co-founder of the HR research firm Managing People Better, based in Boulder, Colorado.
 
However, "If an employer asks you to do work at home, you're not getting the benefit of seeing the company and working with team members; you're simply producing a work product," she says.
 

In the latter situation, it's within a candidate's rights to ask whether (and when) there will be an in-person interview, how many people will be involved, and what happens next to the project that he or she is working on, Steere says.

If the responses are too one-sided in favor of the company, that could be a "red flag" that something's not right, Steere says.

ARE YOU WORKING FOR FREE?

If you're asked to produce a project but details on pay and creative rights aren't clear, corporate trainer Marlene Caroselli, whose company is based in Rochester, New York, suggests, "If possible, use material that you've already created for someone else and make certain the interviewer knows this."

Such material can be tailored to highlight the experience the potential employer needs to see.
 
Indeed, when it comes to that pre-interview project, Crispin says it's possible to differentiate between what's "real" work and what's not.

For example, Seatgeek's blog project was set up on a separate website for job applicants only, and candidates' work wasn't published on the company's actual website.

But if an interviewer insists on work that seems too involved to be appropriate, it could be best to politely decline and move on.

Says Caroselli, "There are always unscrupulous firms and you don't need to be their interview 'patsy.'"

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Fall 2015 TV season

Sept. 24 Fall 2015 TV season: This week has been crazy, fun, and exciting with all these new TV shows.  I checked out a lot of pilots.  On Tues. morning, I woke up early and watched the pilot to Blindspot.  I always take notes when I watch TV shows. 

Fall 2012: I only watched Arrow and Elementary pilots.  I only watched Arrow after the pilot.

Fall 2013: I watched a lot of pilots and only liked Dracula.  In mid- season Jan. 2014, I only watched Believe because Jake McLaughlin was in it and the show was good.

Fall 2014: I watched a lot of pilots and only watched Gotham and Forever.  Forever got cancelled after 1 season.  I have heard of the saying: "Don't be sad that it's over, be glad that it happened."  It did get 1 season and all the story lines were finished and there was an open ending if there was a second season. 

I don't know if you remember, but in 2012 and 2013, I wrote the TV show pilot reviews on my blog.  It was like a synopsis.  I know you can't tell, but it does take like 40 min. to write a synopsis.

In fall 2014, I was really busy with taking 2 classes at MacEwan and working 4 days a week at my restaurant job and didn't have time to write the synopsis/ TV show pilot reviews. 

That's why I started writing the reviews for Gotham and The Flash.

This week I was watching all these pilots, and I thought it was going to be so time- consuming to write a synopsis for all of them.  I will write a short version of shows that I decide to not watch after the pilot.  I will write a whole synopsis for the TV shows I enjoy watching.

Minority Report: I have never seen the movie so I can't compare the show to the movie.

Pros:

1. The origin story is very good about a young girl and 2 twin brothers who can see the future.  They see murders about to happen and they help the police prevent it.  That's a good premise.

There is good writing like:

Agatha: Did you really think you can fix the past by meddling with the future?

2. Good characters and actors of Dash (Stark Sands) and Lara Vega (Meaghan Good) teaming up together to solve crime.  Dash is the psychic.  You want to root for them.

3. It was very fun and exciting to watch the future of 2040.  There's good technology like infrared and holograms.

4. There were good action scenes like fights and chasing.

5. Good ethnic diversity.  Meaghan Good is African-American.  I was on imdb.com and it says that.  There's Wilmer Valderama (Fez from That 70s Show) and an Asian woman Li Jun Li who both are cops on this show.  

6. It's kind of funny with the dialogue and The Simpsons are on their 75th season.  Vega's mom talks about in her day, she had Tinder.  

Comparisons:

A quirky guy with power or ability teams up with a straight- laced woman to solve crime: It's been done on Castle, The Mentalist, Lie to Me, Elementary, and Forever.

It's not a bad comparison.  I have watched those above shows except Elementary.

My opinion: I didn't continue with this show, because I didn't really connect with the characters.  I listed all these pros, but it really comes down to how I feel. I don't feel happy or excited about watching this show.


Limitless: I watched the pilot when it aired, and 2 days before it I saw the movie.

Pros:

1. It stayed very much like the movie with the graphics.  Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper from the original movie is in it as a reoccurring character.)

2. There are likeable characters like the lead Brian (Jake McDorman whom I have seen on that TV show Greek.)  Brian is a very sympathetic character who will do anything to help his dad's illness and solve his friend's murder.

There is the FBI agent Rebecca (Jennifer Carpenter, Deb from the TV show Dexter) and there is Boyle (Hill Harper from CSI: NY).  There is Dennis, Jake's dad (Ron Rifkin from Alias.)

3. There are good action scenes with fight scenes and chasing.

4. When Brian is on NZT drug that makes him really smart, he is creative and intelligent.  It's creative and intelligent writing.

Comparisons:

A quirky guy with power or ability teams up with a straight- laced woman to solve crime: In this case, Brian is a more of a down-to-earth regular guy than quirky.

My opinion: I like it, but I didn't really connect with the characters again. 


The Muppets: I read about this show and it seemed kind of funny.  I watched it and it's like the Muppets all work for a Late Night TV show called Late Night with Miss Piggy.  It had real celebrities playing themselves like Elizabeth Banks and the band Imagine Dragons.

It's like The Office with the mokumentary one-camera on them and have the characters talk one-on-one with the camera. 

My opinion: It was alright and all, but I'm not really into sitcoms and I'm not a big fan of the Muppets.  If you like sitcoms and the Muppets, then you would like it.


Sept. 26 Scream Queens: This is from Ryan Murphy who created Glee and American Horror Story.  I have seen Glee when it first came out and liked it.  Then I quit in the second season.  I was more interested in other shows.  They aired the pilot and the second episode "Hell Week" back to back so I watched it.

Pros:

1. The writing is good.  It has it's light, fun, and dumb jokes.  It also has it's dark and scary jokes with brutal and creative murders.

2. The great cast in actors and characters.  I give it points because it's mainly women and girls because it takes place at a sorority house.

There are unlikeable characters like Chanel (Emma Roberts) and her sorority girls who are mean, dumb, and stuck-up.  Then it blends well with the likeable outcasts who are allowed into the sorority because the dean Munsch (Jamie Lee Curtis) made the rule that anyone who pledges is allowed in.

The likable girl-next-door Grace (Skyler Samuels), her roommate Zayday (Keke Palmer from Akeelah and the Bee.  I have only seen her as herself on Degrassi.)  There is Lea Michele as Hester in a neck brace (from Glee).

They had Ariana Grande guest-star as Chanel #2.  Nick Jonas from the Jonas Brothers is in it.

There is Nasim Pedrad (Saturday Night Live) and Oliver Hudson (I first saw him from the funny show My Guide to Becoming a Rockstar, and he was on Rules of Engagement. He's also older brother to actress Kate Hudson). I had a nitpick when I see that he's playing Grace's dad.  He seemed young.  Then I see he's 39 and Grace is supposed to be 18, so I guess it's realistic.

There's Niecy Nash who is a black woman security guard.  I looked her up and I have never seen her work.

Questions: There are questions that viewers want answered.

1. Who is the killer?  And why is he killing these people off?
2. Who is the baby that was born 20 yrs ago?  Is he or she the killer?

My opinion: I'm not going to keep watching this show.  It's fun and all, but it's not really for me.


The shows I'm watching are:

Blindspot: There are only 8 episodes.


Heroes Reborn: 13 episodes.


Sept. 28:

Quantico: I finally saw Quantico, the new show about FBI recruits, and how Alex (Priyanka Chopra) was framed for it.  It was actually pretty good.  There were a few surprises that I didn't see coming and I bet a lot of people didn't see the one about Nimah (Yasmine Al Massri).

I am mainly watching it for Jake McLaughlin.  On imdb.com, it says there are 14 episodes.

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