What's In a Name?

That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Or would it??

I've accepted the official offer from Google to join their events team in the marketing department for 6 months in EMEA Events (Europe, Middle East and Asia). I was also offered the internship with ThinkJam for the same amount of time. Af first the choice seemed obvious, and I immediately accepted Google's offer without much thought to the matter. Later, I began to consider the factors that informed my decision. What about the Google name is so powerful that I would not even consider an internship in the original industry that I sought out (online marketing and PR)?? Why is branding so important to me while navigating a career in the Cultural and Creative Industries?

I believe that it all comes down to Helen Blair's concept "You're only as good as your last job" (2001). In her paper concerning the labour process in the British Film Industry as it relates to all creative labour practices, Blair discusses the changing nature of work and the ramifications for the future of creatives. Blair argues that work is becoming increasingly project based with short-term groups completing specialized tasks and then moving on to various projects. She states "people need to continually re-secure work and maintain positions within groups and contacts" (2001, 8). Because this working culture has become increasingly competitive, labourers often feel 'you're only as good as your last job'.

In considering my decision about Google, I believe I was greatly influenced by the importance of a large brand name. After my MA program I hope to stay in the UK and earn a working visa, and the only way to do this will be through great recommendations from my previous employer, or my 'last job' as it were. While a recommendation from ThinkJam may have been useful, a recommendation from Google, whose brand carries such prestige and power, is invaluable. Although the quality of my work will of course be important, when I next send my resume to a recruiter or HR team, the Google name will immediately stick out in the sea of resumes. Thus, we can clearly see the (sometimes unjust) reality that a name can carry significant importance.

Does Size Matter??

This week I've thought a lot about the differences between large corporations and small independent companies in the creative industries - how, as a creative worker, should I decide which type of environment is right for me???

I've had two interviews with two very different companies over the past 10 days. A third interview at Google, where I've met with Human Resources, the head of the events department, and the VP of the events division, went extremely well. I've received a call from HR and they are going forward with my application. On the other hand, I've had a second interview with ThinkJam, a small independent marketing company who handle viral online campaigns for film companies. The interview process at these companies was so different, and I think very representative of each organization.

At Google, everything is structured - there is a definite hierarchy to be followed in terms of the interview process and an applicant must make their way up the chain, so to speak, and impress each person along the way. Now that I've done this, I am being asked to compose a document about myself - a history of all of my academic achievements, leadership ability, outside interests and general 'things you should know about me' from high school through today. This document will then be presented to an Internship Board which must approve my hiring. Thus, an applicant for this internship must not only impress human resources and everyone in the department to which they apply, but also an anonymous 'board'.

In contrast, at Think Jam I've met with two people - the head of online PR and the director of online PR. The meetings have been informal 'get to know you' sessions rather than typical interviews. The general feeling around the office is youthful and laid-back, yet very busy.

Coming from a background of working at big corporations, the idea of a small indie company really appealed to me and interning with one was my original goal. The corporate structures in a large company often impede creative outlets - hierarchy takes precidence over imagination and power struggles abound. But in that same vain, as a creative worker, you have much more stability and support at a large company. The smaller indie, in this case Think Jam, is constantly pitching projects and trying to find new business. Work is precarious and unpredictable here, whereas at a company like Google, business comes in at an alarming rate and stability is unquestionable. As a creative worker, it is so difficult to decide what kind of company will suit you best. In the end, I don't believe there is a right or wrong here - both types of company have different things to offer and at such a competitive time, you are lucky to find work in the industry at all.

The Fine Line of the Follow-Up

One of the most important aspects of applying for any job or internship is the art of the follow-up. Whether you are interviewing for a job in finance or fashion, the follow up email is a necessary evil that must be mastered. However, I would argue that due to the nature of creative work over the past 10-20 years, nowhere is the follow-up more important than in the creative industries.

At a large corporation such as JPMorgan or Google, the hiring process is broken down into specific steps with a system of checks and balances in place. Human Resources departments begin the resume screening process and will arrange a first meeting or interview, sometimes via telephone. Once they've selected candidates, the applicant will usually have a series of in-person interviews with the specific department to which they are applying and a decision will be made. These processes are usually long and tiresome and can seem impersonal at times. Over the past weeks I've had two interviews with Google for an Events Internship. The first was with an HR recruiter over the phone to ask logistics of my schedule, get a sense of my

background and character, and decide whether or not I'd move on to the next round. The second was an on site sit-down with the head of the Events Department and was a much more in-depth conversation about my personal experiences, skill set, and overall career goals. After the interview, I tried to send a 'thank you' email and realized that I was never given contact information for the department head. This was a purposeful tactic on the part of the company - the follow-up email in this case is seen as somewhat of a nuisance to the creative worker. I could only send a thank you note through the HR recruiter.

The idea of the follow up can mean many things - the thank you note after an interview is one example. However, there is also the case of trying to get that interview in the first place, whether it is informational or for a specific position. When I returned from the holiday break, I reached out to several independent marketing companies - Gas, ThinkJam, Firebelly - armed only with my knowledge of the company and numbers and emails garnered from their websites. I was able to track down a contact at ThinkJam and send my resume to her. I didn't hear back and sent a follow up the next week. I didn't hear back again, and sent another follow-up email. These emails were requesting to meet for informational interviews, as I had no indication that the company was seeking interns. What is the point at which you stop sending a follow-up? I believe its a very fine line, especially with the nature of creative work these days. Small start-up companies are constantly struggling to find and secure business, most of their employees working from project-to-project with extremely long hours and little pay. 'Respond to MA student seeking internship' is most likely the last thing on their ever-growing To-Do list each day. I know from prior experience that while I was working in music it often took several times for me to respond to such requests, as I was dealing with the 800 other emails that I received on a daily basis (literally). Therefore, I believe that while pestering with phone calls and incessant emails is never the answer, a follow-up email once a week to remind an employer you are still interested cannot hurt. After my fourth email to ThinkJam, I received a reply, and have an interview set up for the end of next week.

You can check out the agency below!

http://www.thinkjam.com/

Narrowing the Search and Getting Down to Business

This week I've spent a lot of time sending off emails to several independent digital marketing companies, and really doing some research into their client history and event portfolios. Narrowing my target agencies down to Firebelly, Momentum, Gas, Romley Davies, and ThinkJam. I've contacted all of the agencies using the email addresses indicated online, explaining my relevant skills and attaching my CV. Having some experience with these things, I know that blind emails are rarely taken seriously and may not garner a response, but it is best to start with this avenue and then follow up in a few days. This way, I can call each agency 3-4 days after sending the emails to follow up and hopefully get a specific contact number or email for someone in the Human Resources department.

It's interesting to note that these independent agencies who are not linked to larger creative industry conglomerates (such as TimeWarner, Viacom, etc) rarely post specific internship opportunities on their websites. I would expect that is because most interns are referred by word of mouth and networking within the business.

Refining the GROW Model

Having done research on the new media and online marketing community, I've taken some time this week to refine my goals and specify my GROW model, outlined below.

G - Goals

After graduating from the MA CCI program, I will enter into a project manager role at a small, independent online marketing company, focusing on digital media and social networking. I will apply the knowledge and skills obtained from my MA and from my dissertation to have a successful career in the new media sphere.

R - Reality

The following factors will help to make this goal attainable and realistic:

-My experience from working as a publicist in the music industry.

-My CV and Cover Letter which I've revised and looked over with the HR director of a large Creative Corporation.

-My internship during my MA CCI program.

-Knowledge gained from my MA dissertation.

O - Options

There are many, many positions within new media and online marketing companies. At the moment, I believe I would like to focus on social networking for brands in entertainment. As I intern and learn more, I may move more towards marketing for corporate brands, or I may move more towards solid digital marketing instead of social network campaigning. It's important that I keep my options open and take everything into account.

W - Way Forward

I've already begun to implement my strategy by researching the companies which are listed in my last post. I now have a working list of organizations on which to focus. By the end of the first term, I will have contacted each firm to inquire about internship opportunities. I plan to interview for internships at the end of this term as well as the beginning of next.

SMART Goals: The First Step to Identifying Direction

Coming from a background of Public Relations at major US record labels, I've been fortunate enough to obtain 5 years worth of 'insider knowledge' about the Cultural and Creative Industries. At this point, I may not know exactly what I want to do, but I know what I DON'T want to do, which is sometimes half the battle. I know that I enjoy PR and possess the skills necessary to carry out a position in the field - I am very good at building contacts and maintaining relationships with writers, tv bookers, clients, etc. and have honed in on my ability to persuade those around me. I also consider myself to be creative in terms of branding strategies and long term projects. However, I am increasingly interested in new media as it relates to marketing, specifically online marketing and social networking. I feel that I can apply those skills I have already built and refined to this more forward-thinking sector of the marketing and PR worlds, specifically in the Entertainment Industry.

If you think about PR and Online Marketing departments at Universal Music Group, for example, the same skill sets apply - a person in the former would spend time pitching writers/tv bookers and coming up with print media campaigns while a person in the latter would spend time pitching bloggers and creating viral marketing and social networking platforms. I believe, however, that print media will no longer exist in 10-15 years, at least not in the same way it does now. Publicists will be left with red carpet photos and event planning, which could easily fall to the event companies that are already highly skilled in these areas. My main point of this argument is that technology is the future. It is a cliche, but is nevertheless very true and very real, especially when considering the CCIs. Thus, my ultimate SMART Goal (the first in our series of the GROW model) is to obtain an internship at an online marketing/new media company that carries out innovative and fresh campaigns for a variety of clients. The variety here is key, as I don't wish to work at a niche music company or film company. I believe there is significant value in being able to carry out campaigns across the board, whether in fashion, TV, film or fine art.

Below is a list of companies that I've researched and will contact over the next month. This is only a start, but these are the sorts of companies in which I'm interested:

Substance

Thinkjam

Greenroom (aka Momentum)

Firebelly

Gas

Grapevine

Ultraviolet

Romley Davis

Otm (part of Target media group, mostly design-based rather than publicity)

Candyspace (mostly mobile)

Spinnaker

Fixate

GRDD Systems

20:20

It's important to note also that all of these companies are independent marketing shops. They are not parts of huge corporations, and that is a conscious decision on my part. We were asked this week to consider a recent media story such as the budget cuts in reference to our internship search. I think it's interesting that while some of the larger companies will be greatly affected by the cuts, several of these smaller upstarts may be able to garner more business. For example, when there are budget cuts in a large record label, layoffs usually follow. With less manpower in each department, it becomes necessary to outsource help on specific projects, since outsourcing is usually cheaper than hiring a new employee. The list of companies above are exactly the types that the big corporations would call in this case.

There can be arguments for and against 'big business' and eventually any business that is small, becomes bigger if it is successful. But I believe now is the time to jump on the bandwagon of indie online marketing companies, and I don't intend to miss out!!