Against the Grain: Networking

It’s the time of year when the reality of graduation sets in and college seniors begin the professional job search. Lets not deny it; it’s a daunting task to start looking for a specialized job. You’re probably thinking...Where do I start? What should my resume look like? What am I supposed to do?!?

When I sought advice about my resume and cover letters, everyone told me something different. For example, I was originally taught to write a cover letter in a three-paragraph fashion. My English teacher demanded a different way. My father suggested another format and my brother and sister showed me an alternative template. My advice is to pick one and go with it. I had the most success with the three-paragraph style so I stuck with that.

My resume has been evolving since I was 18 years old. My sophomore year of college, I took on the four section style, as I like to call it. My resume is divided into education, career related experience, memberships/accomplishments and technical skills. It’s pretty simple but it does have a catchy black line border!

Applying for the job. This can be extremely overwhelming so take it one step at a time. I graduated a semester early so I started applying for jobs around the end of October. I put together a prospective job application cover letter. This is an application applying for a position that isn’t necessarily open within the company, but one you’d like to be considered for in the future. Within the cover letter, I described my experiences and accomplishments and how I could be an asset to the company.

There were days I would sit down and apply to places for three or four hours at a time. I’d be “in the zone” and wouldn’t want to stop. To identify job opportunities, I would literally search for topics like, “Advertising agencies in Kansas City, MO,” and apply to every place on the list. I figured, the more I got my name out, the better chance I had at finding a job. The process was time consuming, but I was able to land interviews with companies in New York, Arkansas and around the Des Moines area.

I ultimately chose Trilix (where I interned during the summer of 2010) because it is close to home and a great company atmosphere. Times are tough for college graduates, and many are left job searching for months. I’m thankful that I was able to find a job quickly. If you’re a graduating senior, I recommend that you apply anywhere and everywhere you can. And network like it’s your job.

Each new year provides an opportunity to set goals and define strategies. Has your company discussed a social media strategy for 2011? It’s easy to get busy with projects and deadlines and forget about marketing yourself. In today’s digital age, it’s even more important to give your company’s online presence a facelift. Now is the perfect time to define what your company wants to accomplish in 2011.

In November 2010, LinkedIn launched company pages. Your LinkedIn company page is an essential social media tool that will continue to build your online presence. It’s important that your overview attracts the attention of new employees and new business prospects. Keep it simple and make a user want to learn more. Make sure your company overview is up to date with current clients and areas of expertise. Set a calendar reminder to update your company profile regularly.

Your LinkedIn company page gives you the opportunity to showcase your areas of expertise on the products and services tab. You can upload a photo and samples of your previous work, and encourage visitors to check out your website for more information. Next, ask a client to write a recommendation to jazz up your profile and give your company credibility.

LinkedIn allows users to follow company pages. You can monitor who is following your page as a way to generate new business leads and recruit employees. If you have a job opening, LinkedIn is a great place to advertise the position. Note: you do have to pay for a 30-day posting. And the best part of LinkedIn company pages? The analytics! Company page analytics provide data on page views and visitors. This is a free feature and provides great insights into who is checking out your company profile.

As with any social media platform, integration is key. Your LinkedIn company page gives you the option to pull in your company’s Twitter stream and blog’s RSS feed. You can also add the LinkedIn icon to your company’s website, e-mail signatures and e-alerts.

LinkedIn provides great tools for businesses to tap into — and basic user accounts are free! Take some time to define your social media strategy for 2011 and consider using LinkedIn company pages to set your company up for success.

BranchOut is a new professional profile application powered by Facebook that launched last week. With many similarities to LinkedIn, it will be interesting to see how the two platforms compete. Share your predictions on our Facebook page.

Customers expect more than a conversation about sports and a free lunch from salespeople these days. According to a study by the International Data Corporation, 24% of buyers indicated that sales reps are not prepared for presentations at all.

Preparation means understanding the challenges your customers face and presenting them with compelling reasons why your company offers the best solution.

Turn your next "sales" call into a "solutions" call by researching your customer's industry, understanding their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Then, incorporate your findings into a customized interactive presentation that clearly demonstrates the value of your solution.

Trilix is a full-service advertising agency headquartered in the Midwest with expertise in helping businesses market effectively and drive sales success. Learn more at www.trilixgroup.com or email Todd Senne at tsenne@trilixgroup.com.

Last week I finally went to see the movie The Social Network with two of my Trilix co-workers. I walked into the theatre not knowing what I was going to see as I didn’t have much background on what this supposedly-awesome movie would contain. My synopsis of the movie in one word: fantastic. It was so interesting to see the full story that most people haven’t heard, including the many lawsuits that occurred when Facebook was created. Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg in the movie, is hilarious and witty and keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting for his next perfectly-timed sarcastic comment. If you are interested in social networking and are a lover of Facebook we definitely recommend you go and see it!

Here are some musings from other Trilix employees on their takeaways from The Social Network:

Public Relations Director Keely Pearson:

Based on Jesse Eisenberg’s previous roles in teenage cult classics like Adventureland and Zombieland, I went into the movie with low expectations. I suspected it would be two hours of harsh language and crude sexual innuendos, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself struggling to keep up with the witty banter in the opening scene.

The writers devoted too much time to the Winklevoss storyline, but the documentary-style vantage point and the sharp humor kept the plot moving and the audience engaged. The movie was both entertaining and educational, and several times I thought, “I didn’t know that.” For example, I didn’t realize that Facebook’s popularity skyrocketed after he partnered with Sean Parker, the master-mind behind Napster.

Throughout the film, Zuckerberg is portrayed in an unfavorable light. From the opening scene, he’s typecast as a scorned computer nerd willing to go to great lengths to give the proverbial middle finger to anyone who snubbed him, and to win the approval of his lost love. At several points in the movie, I thought, “What a jerk!” but in the end, I found myself hoping Erica would accept his friend request.

If The Social Network was a Facebook status, I’d “like” it.

Associate Creative Director Drew Jones:

The Social Network: A brilliant telling of the socially awkward beginning to the social triumph of our over-connected age.

Account Manager Kristine Sunde:

Loved the movie. I’d heard going in that it didn’t portray Mark Zuckerberg in a very good light, and at least once during the film I got swept away enough to think ‘This guy’s awful. I should cancel my Facebook account!’ But, once the lights came on and I was back in the real world it was easier to remember that there’s more than one side to every story. No one but the actual players involved will ever know what really went down. 

Media Coordinator Ashley Danielson:

I loved this movie. Perfect amount of humor, wittiness and filled with moments of awe where I wished I was as smart as Mark Zuckerberg! It was interesting to watch how Facebook evolved and what challenges Mark was faced with from the beginning until now.

Did you see the movie? If so, what did you think? We'd love to hear your thoughts on the movie!

On Thursday, September 30, the Iowa Chapter of the American Marketing Association hosted their first-ever agency crawl. Lucky for us, Trilix was the first stop, and we were ready to show off our sweet digs. The first group of crawlers consisted of marketing professionals from around the Des Moines metro and round two included students from Iowa State and Drake University.

We had a great time showing off our agency, artwork and employees and telling everyone how great we are (or so we think). Check out our video montage of the crawl stop at Trilix, and stop by when you are in the neighborhood! Our doors are always open. Enjoy!