LaughlinOutLoud

Long ago when my dad entered the job market, things were tough.  The country was in the midst of a depression and there weren’t many jobs available.  It didn’t take long before he realized he needed to tap into family, friends and trusted professionals, in order to get his foot in the door and gain employment.  He needed to network to stand out amongst the masses.

As time passed and I grew older, I soon found myself looking for employment as well.  It was time for me to begin supporting myself and I needed to see what was available in the marketplace.  So I ran to the corner gas station, picked up a copy of the local newspaper, circled a few jobs and sent my resume to 10 or 20 companies through snail mail.  Since I had never met the recipients of my resumes, I did my best to highlight my work history and achievements in a concise single page, hoping to catch their attention.

Years went by and soon my kids needed a job.  They searched the big job boards.  Within minutes, they could copy and paste their resumes into the online submission portal, sometimes with only a simple change to the subject line.  Off it went and within minutes they got an automated response from the HR department, thanking them for their patience as all the applicants were screened.  It was a cold and impersonal way for them to get their personal information out there, but it was quick and efficient for them and the HR people.

Come into the present and we find we’ve come full circle.  As in the days of my dad’s job search, jobs are few, times are tough, and we find that one of the best ways to land a job may be through a “connection.”  So I thought we’d put together a few ideas that might help you with your own job search.  Things that may help you get “connected.”

Know your target company. Research them, friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter.  I know this sounds weird, but if you get to meet this special person (HR rep or company rep), you might want to treat it like a first date.  Listen intently, show an interest, bring your best attributes to the table and, most importantly, know something about them so you can talk about them too.  Make a connection.

Set up a LinkedIn page and make sure it’s up to date. This way you’re linked or can become connected.  Plus, once set up, recruiters can find you too.  (Yes, we search LinkedIn to stay on top of our industries and follow talent.  We also use it to research you.  And you can research us too!)  Use LinkedIn for networking purposes, joining groups and organizations, and positioning yourself as an expert on a certain topic.  Answer group questions and participate in discussions.  Again, get connected.

And, if possible, set up a website for yourself. Include samples of your work, creative pieces and writing, as it pertains to your profession.  When you write or talk with a recruiter, include your link.  It’s another way to be connected.  Remember, HR people and recruiters are digital creatures too.  We’re out there sharing your social space, looking for a few good people.

The CMO of Coca-Cola was recently quoted in the New York Times on his approach to the down economy. “Donʼt let the urgent overwhelm the important.” I jotted it down, thinking it made a pretty great job description for any planner at any time. From time to time, Iʼd like to use this space to explore exactly what “the important” is.

I was greeted by the following in my Monday morning email: “A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world,” John le Carre. (courtesy of the 4Aʼs Smart Brief)

Manitowoc, WI. Just north of the University of Wisconsin- Manitowoc. 7:40 A.M.

It seemed an apropos way to start the week after Iʼd completed The Scenic Shore, a 150-mile bike ride from Milwaukee to Sturgeon Bay. I spent most of my ride marveling at all the things Iʼd missed by taking the expressway north for the past few decades.

Iʼve noticed that the explosion of information in my world seems to be even a little more exponential than usual lately. Statistics are more readily available than ever. RSS feeds are staying stuffed, there are simply too many tweets to read. No getting around that. But a friendly reminder (and a big note to self): Get out from behind your desk. Cycling is different than driving. County highways are different than the interstate. And actually talking to consumers is different than reading trend reports and statistics.

New inspiration is just waiting to be discovered.

I’m on vacation this week. Up north in Wisconsin. In that spirit, I’m letting other people do my work for me. And so I offer a six-pack of quotes I’ve read – or been reminded of – recently. Quotes I really like.

“I check Twitter about 20 times a day to learn what my brand is.” — Jason Kilar, CEO, Hulu

“The top ten ‘in demand jobs’ in 2010 did not exist in 2004. We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist.” — Did You Know 3.0, created by Karl Fisch

“[Social media tools] don’t get socially interesting until they get technologically boring.” — Clay Shirky

“Three ways to add value: IDEAS (create opportunity). INSIGHT (solve problems). INSPIRATION (expand possibilities).” — @sallyhogshead, via Twitter

“The way to be interesting is to be interested.” — Russell Davies

“You do not merely want to be considered the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do.” — Jerry Garcia

Friday evening, it’s 11:00 PM, do you know where your marketing agency is? Are they securing your Facebook username?

Over the course of this past week Facebook has released details on how to claim your Facebook username. Once called “Vanity URLs” the username rush will make it much easier to share your Facebook profile and pages.

For marketers it’s very important to secure your preferred username. Much like the valuable .com domain name, the Facebook username land grab will cause some companies to miss out on a preferred username. However Facebook has implemented some procedures to avoid issues with registered trademarks and copyrights.

If your brand does not currently have an official page, and you have the rights to a given name today, you can proactively prevent the registration of that name by filling out the form here: http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=username_rights.

If for some reason you discover the name you hold rights to is taken, you can report the infringement here: http://www.facebook.com/copyright.php?noncopyright_notice=1.

Otherwise, what are you waiting for? Grab your username now, facebook.com/username.

I had the opportunity to participate in an interview with the Wall Street Journal recently that focused on how employers handle employees’ personal data – contacts, pictures, music, etc. – when separation from an organization occurs.

Whether it is a matter of convenience, longer hours, travel for work or the rise of laptops in organizations, more employees are storing personal data on work computers.

As you’ll see in the article, we try very hard to be accommodating with regards to giving back personal data to employees as long as it is not sensitive information. There are checks and balances to this process but more often than not we are able to accommodate the employee so they don’t lose all their valuable information.

This policy is one of many we have in place to be an accommodating organization to our employees and I believe they recognize and appreciate those policies.

Laughlin Constable has been the proud recipient of a number of workplace awards, including: the 2008 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility; MetroParent’s Family Friendly Workplace Award in 2006, 2007 and 2008; and numerous Best Places To Work and Beyond The Paycheck Awards 2000-2008.

We are proud of those recognitions and are constantly evaluating how we can make our organization better from a HR perspective.

I’m wondering though, are we in the minority? How do you handle your employees’ personal data?

You can read the article here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124105119428271155.html

I’m reminded we’re in a recession every time I check my e-mail. Where were all these people who want to turbo-charge our new business efforts a year ago? Employed probably.

Ironically, while there’s a universal shortage of business, there’s no shortage of new business opportunities. According to a contact at AdForum, web searches for agencies are up nearly double what they were a year ago.

While a new agency may or may not be the answer to jumpstart a brand, new thinking is definitely needed. No matter what your business, the competition is starting to look like hyenas around a fresh kill on the Serengeti. Discounts are so deep whatever normal was won’t ever be normal again. A Wisconsin car dealer is throwing in a free used car for every new car purchased. Unreal. The real surprise is, it’s working. He’s trying to hire 50 people to meet the demand.

If there’s a lesson in this, it’s don’t be shy. Now more than ever brands need to get their edge on. It may be harder to afford advertising, especially in the face of incredible consumer resistance and uncertainty, but there’s little doubt those pushing hardest will get fed first.

This year, more than ever, employees are asking their HR teams, “What can I do to improve my work performance?” I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re hearing this question around your office too. It appears to have replaced the “I hate performance evaluations” comments from years gone by. And it remains an important question, especially during these changing times.

Inside many companies, more and more employees are pro-actively seeking timely and meaningful feedback. They are looking for ways to improve their skill sets and level of knowledge. They are discussing their jobs, their careers and their futures with their co-workers, supervisors and HR teams.

Performance management is a topic that’s important to most of us. Kudos to all employees that come forth on their own and open the discussion! Now, more than ever, the quality of our people may determine our future. And we’re thankful the question is on the table.

Famous creative people have fewer ideas than the generic creative people. The Coen brothers walk in with a story idea and the first words out of your mouth aren’t, “what else have you got?”  So you ask yourself, what would their track record be like if they had to pitch concepts by the dozens and then go through a vetting process with focus groups?  Fargo becomes Mayberry.

You can’t run an organization without process.  But, procedure is the enemy of originality.

Most companies have a department dedicated to idea killing. Ironically, it’s called marketing. Now these bright, enthusiastic people don’t want to kill ideas, because they were put on this earth to bring ideas to life that will engage consumers and increase profits. Yet they are miscast in the role of professional filters eliminating anything that might embarrass the CEO or activate the legal department and public affairs. No wonder CMOs have such a short tenure. Their marching orders are to help win the war, but don’t get anyone shot at.

So if the corporate objective is to avoid risk first and get attention second, ideas get killed.

A healthier mind-set would be to treat every creative person as the next incarnation of Lee Clow, Alex Bogusky, or Jeff Goodby.  Looking for the brilliance in an idea is a much healthier orientation than the mental metal detector scanning for the flaw. There should be a universal no idea left behind rule. After all, a little combustibility might be just what a brand needs most.

So am I actually suggesting companies should lead with their chins and embrace controversy?

No. What is needed, though, is a little more aggression and a little less caution. Self-confident companies take bolder positions and defy conventions.

Years ago when Mastadons walked the earth and young people drank wine coolers, Hal Riney had the audacity to use geezers playing the roles of Bartels and Jaymes to sell cocktails to twenty somethings. These guys were seriously old, wore plaid shirts and suspenders and completely defied conventional wisdom. All they did was sell so much product that no one can remember any other wine cooler brand.

Today in Australia, Kotex brand is running a campaign with a beaver. Yeah, you read it right, a beaver.  It’s controversial to be sure. But no one’s getting hurt and a lot of women are buying Kotex.

I can’t know for sure that this idea didn’t come out of a stack of thirty storyboards. But wherever it started, there’s a famous creative person and famous client attached to it now. Somehow their process didn’t kill their profits.

I was hurting in places a grown man is not supposed to hurt. Typing this, the muscles in my neck are beginning to spasm once again. A Buell Firebolt, while an outstanding motorcycle for afternoon blasts through the Kettles or multiple sessions at the track, made me realize why my disdain for cruisers might be short-sighted. Especially after a 1000 mile trip around Lake Michigan.

When it was suggested we go on a group ride to celebrate the 105th Anniversary of Harley-Davidson, I went along because I thought it would be great fun. But I also saw this as an opportunity to immerse myself in a part of motorcycling culture that I had very little experience with: Touring. This whole notion of “the open road” was a mystery to me. As someone who earns his keep in part because of my knowledge of the motorcycle marketplace, this was something that needed to be corrected immediately. Aches and pains be damned.

Advertising professionals are trained to use all available tools to gain a better understanding of consumers. Surveys, focus groups and questionnaires. Great stuff. But there’s something to be said for going in and becoming the person you want to reach. What does camaraderie among riders actually feel like? How long does it take to order a pizza online? Is it really all that easy to switch over your checking account from one bank to another? Clients love this kind of thing. They love when you go do the stuff you’re asking other people to do. By going through the motions, you’ll better understand what motivates consumers. You’ll get a sense for the subtle nuances of language, thought processes and behavior that are unique to each target. Insights you won’t gain by reading trade pubs or sifting through research. Little nuggets of truth that’ll help you connect with both the clients and their customers.

You’ll be surprised what you might discover. All it takes is a willingness to learn. And in my case, I learned there’s a whole world of riding beyond the twisties and the track.

A little vibration on my thigh signals the arrival of a text message.  The billboard up ahead is digital, sending out a different message every 8 seconds.  The elevator pitches me lunch options on the way to the lobby.  News, weather and sports are on 24/7. Whatever it is I may become interested in next, there’s a magazine, cable channel and three thousand blogs about it.

Despite the endless flow of information we are presented with everyday, it seems as if no one’s got the time to read.  Thank you for taking an exception here.  Item: Publishers are decrying the fact that young men simply don’t read.  Item:  More and more we’re becoming a multi-lingual nation where we no longer read the same language, and when we do, it is difficult for everyone to understand the same idioms.  The result: Clever headlines aimed at catching people’s attention are not getting the reaction they are looking for.

So I better choose my words carefully, here.  We all should.

We’re spewing more words to less effect than any time in our history.  An art director friend of mine suggested we should respond by simply spewing more pictures.  I think he’s right.

The successful marketers are emphasizing design throughout their brands.  Simplicity has become the essence of cool.

Martin Luther said, “The fewer the words, the better the prayer.”  Apparently, not a lot of people got the message.  The cathedrals of Europe sit empty.

Marketers better listen or their pews could sit empty too. That white noise you’re hearing out there is saying, “Keep it simple.”