August 2005 Archives

Funny thing about Los Angeles - people always feel the need to identify themselves with celebrities.

Like I know where I was when I saw Richard Simmons (walking up Fairfax in front of a retirement home) and Tim Roth (Aisle 3 at the Mayfair Market in Silverlake).

In fact, you know you've become an Angeleno when you're able to distinguish the difference between knowing  a) you've met a person before and b) you've seen them in a film or on TV (which happened to me during the Tim Roth episode, I kept asking my wife if we met him at our friend's party).

Case in point, today my contractor couldn't just tell me he was doing woodwork on a house in the hills, he had to tell me the house belonged to an actress. And since I didn't ask him what she'd been in, he volunteered the information: she was on Young And The Restless.

Which leaves me with the question: did the actress tell him that she was on it? Or does my contractor have to take an early lunch every morning to "watch his stories"?

This is a dang funny spot for Carlton Draught from down under.

Who doesn't love grown men marching out in a field? It was probably pretty difficult to keep them all from playing soccer once they got them there.

I chose to watch in QuickTime, maybe you will, too!

Thanks to Night Agency and AdRants for the pass along.

My brother Andy was in town a few weekends ago, having dinner with my wife Wendy and I. He's a pilot with the Air National Guard and flies F-16s.

So, we're sitting there eating and he's talking about practicing strafing the ground with bullets. And I look over and see Wendy looking a bit confused.

So I try to explain to her, "You know when the guns do that 'dttt dttt dttt dttt dttt' thing?" trying to sound like a gatling gun and spitting out some of my risotto.

My brother looks at me and says, "Exactly, but they don't sound like that".

"What do they sound like?" I ask.

"Well, I pull the trigger for a second and it sounds like this: Vvvvvt. It lets off about 700 rounds a second."

Okay, someone's bound to correct me here, but I heard him say 700 rounds a SECOND.

Hmm, I think, his job is considerably different from my job.

And probably much easier to explain to my parents.

As much as I'd like to post up pictures from our Boston event here:

A) I'm pretty sure no one wants to see fuzzy pictures of people in various states of sweatiness and inebriation (no one seemed to be taking pictures during the actual seminars).

B) I thought this list of mangled idioms I got from the 4-day visit might be a little more entertaining.

1. Just like one hand scratches the other
2. Like a square peg in a square hole (as an example of the right candidate for the wrong job)
3. Putting the chicken before the cart
4. Living on a bootstrap

These are just from the event and don't include anything heard from actual Bostonians.

Unfortunately, they don't hold a candle to my all-time favorite (from my friend John):

"I stood out like a screen door"

(I know he meant sore thumb, I just don't how he quite got "screen door" in there, especially since you can see right through it.)

Oh well, there's always next year!

I'm so glad we weren't working in staffing in 1966, if this girl's board game
is any indicator, the only jobs we'd be finding for women would be Actress, Teacher, Airline Hostess, Ballet Dancer, or Nurse.

Oops, don't forget Model!

(Thanks to Cory at Boing Boing)

Okay, if "biannually" means something happens twice a year, why does "bimonthly" mean both "occurring every two months" and "occurring twice a month"? Ditto for "biweekly". Twice a week or once every two weeks?

My friend Kathy was explaining to me that she had a bimonthly newsletter and I wondered how often she published it. She got freaked out until we both looked in the dictionary. She'd been saying bimonthly for years.

I will be at my semi-annual, Back to School training in Boston for the next 3 days, that means either:

1. Drea and I will be taking pictures with her cell phone and trying to load them up as we wander around Boston
2. I won't be posting until next Monday

Either way it's a treat, wouldn't you say?

Talent (both current and past) send us their wedding, baby, band pictures.

Everyone claps whenever Debra's phone rings the Can Can.

Every person who walks into our offices says, "This is cool, I want to work here."

99 Cents Only Store bags flying by our 4th floor window every hour on the hour.

Edible thank you gifts from grateful Talent.

Susie (our Branch Manager) forwards us complements like these: "Michelle is intuitive as to my needs and I truly appreciate her finding me jobs that keep me interested, supported and happy" and "Aquent scores again. Good job, guys! I love you." (Honestly, I've never worked at a place where you get to see compliments like this daily.)

Drea took the time to rename our Conference and Interview Rooms: The Ocean, Salmon, Tadpole, and Coral Reef (and labeled them with homemade signs made with children's magnetic letters you see on fridges).

No office doors (or walls, really).

That I work with a group of people who do amazing work every single day, really the impossible needle-in-a-haystack kind of stuff that never fails to leave me floored.

(Okay, I'm getting weepy.)

Free extra strong coffee + Marshall's Half & Half.

The Aquent ASAP Job List
"Faster Than a AAA Service Truck""

Interested in a position?

E-MAIL THE AGENT:

• A recent resume which REFLECTS the MUST HAVES
• Specific samples that show the MUST HAVES
• A brief summary of how your experience matches the MUST HAVES

YOU CAN ALSO:

Go right to our site and apply for the position, using the MyAquent Job Center

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THIS WEEK'S POSITIONS:

1) Web Designer
2) Flash Designer
3) Benefits Analyst
4) Toy Packaging Designer
5) Senior Designer

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POSITION: Web Designer

TERMS: Temporary (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 3 to 5 years of professional Web design experience
• Must have samples of work (prefer portfolio site)
• Excellent Photoshop skills
• Entertainment Web design and knowledge of Flash a plus
• Fast-paced environment
• West Los Angeles location

CONTACT AGENT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POSITION: Flash Designer

TERMS: Temporary (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 3+ years of professional experience working in Flash
• Must have samples of work (prefer portfolio site)
• Previous experience creating Eyeblasters
• Must know how to upload and test functions
• Must know interaction function
• Entertainment Flash work a plus
• West Los Angeles location

CONTACT AGENT

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POSITION: Benefits Analyst

TERMS: Temporary-to-Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Either BA in Finance or 3+ years handling stock plans, benefits, payroll, federal & state programs, and 401(k) plans
• HR experience a plus
• Entertainment / Financial experience a plus
• West Los Angeles location

CONTACT AGENT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POSITION: Toy Packaging Designer

TERMS: Temporary-to-Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 5+ years experience of designing boys' toy packaging
• Must include samples of boys' toys packaging for consideration
• Ventura location

CONTACT AGENT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POSITION: Senior Designer

TERMS: Temporary-to-Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 5 to 8 years of experience as a Designer
• Strong Photoshop skills (advanced effects, heavy graphic creation, technical)
• Must include samples for consideration
• Must be willing to accept a permanent position
• Valley location

CONTACT AGENT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED, E-MAIL THE AGENT LISTED:

Your most recent resume that REFLECTS the MUST HAVES
Any specific samples you have that show the MUST HAVES
A brief summary of how your experience matches the MUST HAVES

IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED, YOU CAN EITHER:

Send the Agent listed that person's name and contact information
Or tell your friend to send the Agent everything listed above

INTERESTED IN OTHER AQUENT POSITIONS?

Go here, my friend, then select Job Openings

* MyAquent users, use your UserName & Password to express interest in jobs. - Everybody else, they just made the registration process 79% easier!

The new JOB CENTER will track which jobs you've applied for and the current status.

Howdy to everyone migrating over here from our weekly Hot Talent Newsletter.

You'll find the whole sheebang posted over to the left  under This Week's Hot Talent. It'll be there every week. Promise. Well, I hope, anyway.

Feel free to browse around and comment on the blog, too.

My boss reads this, so please watch your language. Please.

Thank you.

Tim

Finishing this week's That Bit at the End with two minutes to spare (one by the time I post this), gives me the energy needed to head home and yell at neighborhood teens from my porch.

This week, St. Peter's out-of-office e-mail:

"St. Peter Bounces Back!"

Thank you for your email, I'm sorry I missed you.

I will be out of the office until August 31, 2005 and will have limited access to phone and e-mail until that date.

All Afterlife Orientations will be initiated on my return. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience.

If you are responding to an e-mail received at your home or office regarding your Afterlife Induction, please accept our apologies (and condolences). Our office is still in the process of migrating its services online and our temperamental server has sent you an e-mail in error. Please go about your summer as planned as Inductions will be rescheduled shortly after my return. We will be in touch with you at a future date, you need not contact my office regarding your new induction date. 

Continued...

Thank you for your email, I'm sorry I missed you.

I will be out of the office until August 31, 2005 and will have limited access to phone and e-mail until that date.

All Afterlife Orientations will be initiated on my return. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience.

If you are responding to an e-mail received at your home or office regarding your Afterlife Induction, please accept our apologies (and condolences). Our office is still in the process of migrating its services online and our temperamental server has sent you an e-mail in error. Please go about your summer as planned as Inductions will be rescheduled shortly after my return. We will be in touch with you at a future date, you need not contact my office regarding your new induction date.

** PLEASE NOTE: All calls and e-mails to our office regarding new Induction Dates will not receive a response! **

If you are checking your e-mail from one of the six terminals connected to the Afterlife Internet in the Pearly Gates Waiting Area, I wanted to welcome you as well as let you know we have a 15-minute time limit for using the computers. Please mind your time, as others may be waiting in line. Courtesy is always first in my book. I realize these are neither the newest nor the fastest computers around, but they were all we could muster from IT. Please don't complain about them as it just brings everyone down.

** The e-mail system only works within the Afterlife Internet Directory (i.e., st_peter@afterlife.hev). Messages sent to outside e-mail addresses will not be delivered and merely slow the server down. **

Make yourself at home during your short stay in the Pearly Gates Waiting Area. Do not become alarmed in regards to the absence of washrooms (or WCs if you will) or drinking faucets in the facility; I assure you that you will need neither. To occupy yourself during your wait you will find "gently used" People, Rugged Backpacker, and Country Cook'n Magazines on the end tables. You are welcome to visit with your neighbor. Please do not adjust the channel or volume on the television.

The candy machine is still not functioning properly; do not try to use it. A technician has been scheduled next month put it back into working order.

Should you need to contact someone concerning your demise or related need, please keep the following numbers/e-mail addresses handy:

* For Administrative or Operational services contact L. Burbank (lburbank@afterlife.hev) 030-11-452-9999

* For Plant Operations, Warehouse, or Transportation ask for N. Bonaparte (nbonaparte@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9998

* 401(k) Rollover Information contact G. Orwell (gorwell@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9991

* For Sales, Marketing, or Merchandising contact A. Rand (arand@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9992

* Hair and Nail Appointments ask for K. Hepburn (khepburn@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9993

* Candy Machine refunds contact S. Clemens (mtwain@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9996

On a final note, do not stand directly in the lighted doorway. New Inductees will be entering through it at a steady stream. As they've just left their Earthly existence by walking into the light, please don't make them regret it by immediately tripping over you on a smoke break.

** Be aware we do not sell Raffle Tickets or Amway in the Afterlife. Should someone in the Waiting Area approach you with either, please contact St. Michael immediately using the Red Courtesy Phone. **

Thank you for your continued patience,

St. Peter
Associate Director, Welcoming Services
1 Pearly Gate Way
Phone: 030-11-435-9994
Fax: 030-11-435-9943

----------------------------------

This e-mail including any attachments is confidential and may be spiritually privileged. If you have received it in error please advise the sender immediately by return email and then delete it from your system. The unauthorized use, distribution, copying or alteration of this email is strictly forbidden. If you need assistance please contact us on +030-11-435-9943.

This email is from a unit or subsidiary of The Heaven Group, LLC.

H  O  T     T  A  L  E  N  T
The Newsletter of Aquent's Available Talent

A  U  G  U  S  T   |   1  9   |   2  0  0  5
__________________________________________________

IN THIS ISSUE:

Hot Talent

Featured Talent This Week

That Bit at the End - "St. Peter Bounces Back!"

Subscribe | Unsubscribe Information

__________________________________________________

HOT TALENT

It's amazing when you think about all things people do in combination: brushing their teeth while making the bed, driving while eating breakfast, watching TV while pretending to listen to their spouse...

But in a world that welcomes an Olympic sport that unites cross-country skiing and skeet shooting, combining things certainly seems to be the wave of the future.

But that's not a bad thing. Life would certainly be a little duller if that guy with the candy bar hadn't run into that other fellow with the jar of peanut butter. And woe to a Swiss Army sitting down to dinner without corkscrews in their knives.

On that note, please find this week's list of terrific (and available) Talent, ready, willing and able to put together the best combination yet:

Them and you!

(Aww...)

Follow the links for profiles, samples, and resumes.

Enjoy!

__________________________________________________

FEATURED TALENT THIS WEEK

Susanne S. - Production Art / Design
Damon M. - Graphic Designer
Lauren W. - Copy Editor | Proofreader
Keisha B. - Project Manager
__________________________________________________

Susanne S.
Production Art / Design

An amazing Production Artist working at Amgen for 5 years (and doing a fantastic job), Susie loves, loves, loves production.

Her outstanding work ethic and excellent skills helped her nab 4 of our top recognition awards while at Amgen, which was no small feat. She's expert at meeting tight deadlines on ads, brochures, posters, booth graphics (you name it), and she's a pro at taking projects from Designer sketches to final mechanicals (including flightchecking). She's laid out enormous college textbooks and worked through her own company on a wide range of print and advertising material for the likes of A&M Records, Disney, Warner Bros., GameWorks, DreamsWorks, and many more.

Susie will be available for both Freelance and Permanent opportunities next week.

See her on-line Aquent profile!

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent

Skills: Adobe Illustrator, QuarkXPress, Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia FreeHand, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, FileMaker
__________________________________________________

Damon M.
Graphic Designer

Former Senior Designer with Nestlé, Damon has most recently been blazing away at biotech giant Amgen with his awesome Quark, Photoshop, and InDesign skills.

Excelling in both Mac and Windows platforms, he's worked on packaging, magazine ads, sell sheets, flyers, coupons, brochures, banners, packaging mock-ups, and pretty much anything else you think of. His middle name might as well be "Detail-Oriented".

At the aforementioned companies as well as at Belkin, DIRECTV, Disney, JD Power and Associates, anywhere goes, people rave about his work. And his teamwork.

You will too, when you give us a call!

See his on-line Aquent profile!

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent

Skills: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, QuarkXPress, Adobe Illustrator, HTML
__________________________________________________

Lauren W.
Copy Editor | Proofreader

If you're looking for a seasoned Proofreader, Copy Editor, and Fact Checker who has worked in every industry imaginable, then read on!

Lauren comes to us with 10+ years of experience working for companies like Time Inc., Ticketmaster, Citysearch, Saks Fifth Avenue, Amgen, Terry Hines & Associates, Propaganda Films, and many, many more. The high-profile accounts she has worked on include Honda/Acura, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, New Line Cinema, Disney and Warner Brothers.

A great eye for detail and extraordinarily industrious, she's the resourceful, vigilant talent you've been dreaming of!

See her on-line Aquent profile!

Desired Work: Freelance

Skills: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Windows, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, WordPerfect, Adobe Acrobat, Macromedia Flash, Real Audio
__________________________________________________

Keisha B.
Project Manager

Most recently at Digital Playground and IFILM, Keisha proved exceptional at supervising a team of 7 Designers, Editors, Engineers, and Marketing folks to make sure nary a project went off track (or budget).

Over 4 years of project management experience along with 4 years of marketing coordination give her an inside understanding of everything going on inside a creative department. As a result, she's done everything from preparing timelines and creating policies and procedures to tracking company competitors and developing marketing programs for places like LowerMyBills.com.

While at Express.com she coordinated and tracked an $18MM budget and negotiated co-op deals. At digital signage company, Scala Studios, Keisha handled it all, from developing customer acquisition and retention plans to coordinating the whole marketing team through all phases of product marketing.

A creative solutions dynamo!

See her on-line Aquent profile!

Desired Work: Permanent
__________________________________________________

THAT BIT AT THE END
"St. Peter Bounces Back!"

Thank you for your email, I'm sorry I missed you.

I will be out of the office until August 31, 2005 and will have limited access to phone and e-mail until that date.

All Afterlife Orientations will be initiated on my return. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience.

If you are responding to an e-mail received at your home or office regarding your Afterlife Induction, please accept our apologies (and condolences). Our office is still in the process of migrating its services online and our temperamental server has sent you an e-mail in error. Please go about your summer as planned as Inductions will be rescheduled shortly after my return. We will be in touch with you at a future date, you need not contact my office regarding your new induction date.

** PLEASE NOTE: All calls and e-mails to our office regarding new Induction Dates will not receive a response! **

If you are checking your e-mail from one of the six terminals connected to the Afterlife Internet in the Pearly Gates Waiting Area, I wanted to welcome you as well as let you know we have a 15-minute time limit for using the computers. Please mind your time, as others may be waiting in line. Courtesy is always first in my book. I realize these are neither the newest nor the fastest computers around, but they were all we could muster from IT. Please don't complain about them as it just brings everyone down.

** The e-mail system only works within the Afterlife Internet Directory (i.e., st_peter@afterlife.hev). Messages sent to outside e-mail addresses will not be delivered and merely slow the server down. **

Make yourself at home during your short stay in the Pearly Gates Waiting Area. Do not become alarmed in regards to the absence of washrooms (or WCs if you will) or drinking faucets in the facility; I assure you that you will need neither. To occupy yourself during your wait you will find "gently used" People, Rugged Backpacker, and Country Cook'n Magazines on the end tables. You are welcome to visit with your neighbor. Please do not adjust the channel or volume on the television.

The candy machine is still not functioning properly; do not try to use it. A technician has been scheduled next month put it back into working order.

Should you need to contact someone concerning your demise or related need, please keep the following numbers/e-mail addresses handy:

* For Administrative or Operational services contact L. Burbank (lburbank@afterlife.hev) 030-11-452-9999

* For Plant Operations, Warehouse, or Transportation ask for N. Bonaparte (nbonaparte@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9998

* 401(k) Rollover Information contact G. Orwell (gorwell@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9991

* For Sales, Marketing, or Merchandising contact A. Rand (arand@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9992

* Hair and Nail Appointments ask for K. Hepburn (khepburn@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9993

* Candy Machine refunds contact S. Clemens (mtwain@afterlife.hev) 030-11-435-9996

On a final note, do not stand directly in the lighted doorway. New Inductees will be entering through it at a steady stream. As they've just left their Earthly existence by walking into the light, please don't make them regret it by immediately tripping over you on a smoke break.

** Be aware we do not sell Raffle Tickets or Amway in the Afterlife. Should someone in the Waiting Area approach you with either, please contact St. Michael immediately using the Red Courtesy Phone. **

Thank you for your continued patience,

St. Peter
Associate Director, Welcoming Services
1 Pearly Gate Way
Phone: 030-11-435-9994
Fax: 030-11-435-9943

----------------------------------

This e-mail including any attachments is confidential and may be spiritually privileged. If you have received it in error please advise the sender immediately by return email and then delete it from your system. The unauthorized use, distribution, copying or alteration of this email is strictly forbidden. If you need assistance please contact us on +030-11-435-9943.

This email is from a unit or subsidiary of The Heaven Group, LLC.

I keep seeing the word "myriad" used as an adjective everywhere I turn.

I got called on it the other day when I said, "A myriad of problems".

Apparently there's a lot of confusion and fuss, check out the usage note at its entry in the Merriam-Webster site.

Wow, who said the written word is dead? Not only is it alive and kicking, but people may be killing each other over it.

After reading about this stampede to buy very old, worn, and nearly useless laptops at computer sale in Richmond, Virginia (which included a person wielding a folding chair as a weapon), Aquent's Annual Laptop and Bake Sale will be delayed until further notice.

Thanks to eagle-eye Jim Feighny at our HQ office (and Yahoo! News, of course).

This morning I get this e-mail from my coworker Kim, in Philly:

"So I'm eating my lunch along with a diet Snapple and the cap says 'The city
of Los Angeles has 3x more automobiles than people.'  Wassup with that?

The only way I figure that this could be true is if Jay Leno has more cars than he's owning up to. Or if Hummers count as 4 compact vehicles.

But I am starting to feel kind of bad that I bought my kids a couple of old Honda Civics to play around on in the front yard.

Our coworker in Los Angeles, Olivia, is gaga over everything Hello Kitty.

I just saw these Hello Kitty Headlamps, but:

1. I don't think they'll fit her 1984 Volvo
2. She should probably invest in a gearshift (instead of a screwdriver) first
3. These look pretty dim and Olivia's not such a hot driver even in broad daylight

(Thanks to Boing Boing for the info.)

Happy weekend, everyone....

The new ASAP Job List is live and over to the right (or you could just hit this link).

You can contact the Agent via the e-mail link or track it through the MyAquent Job Center, it's your call.

Just be sure to back up why you're absolutely perfect for the job. Each one of those bullet points on the Must Haves must be illustrated in your resume or your pitch to the Agent.

If the client asks for 3 years of Marketing experience, those are the only candidates they want to see. (And ultimately, the clients are in charge of the hire.) If you have it, great, point it out to the Agent in your pitch. However, if you don't have the 3 years, you'll want to keep looking for something that's a perfect fit.

Make sense?

The Aquent ASAP Job List
"Still Hasn't Seen Lawrence of Arabia"

Interested in a position?

E-MAIL THE AGENT:

• A recent resume which REFLECTS the MUST HAVES
• Specific samples that show the MUST HAVES
• A brief summary of how your experience matches the MUST HAVES

YOU CAN ALSO:

Go right to our site and apply for the position, using the MyAquent Job Center

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THIS WEEK'S POSITIONS:

1) Associate Marketing Manager
2) Desktop Publishers
3) Production Artist (Night Shift)
4) Research Developer
5) Marketing Communications Coordinators
6) Interactive Project Manager

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POSITION: Associate Marketing Manager

TERMS: Temporary-to-Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

Bachelor's Degree in marketing
2 or more years of marketing experience in the Health & Beauty industry
Experience in planning, developing, and controlling the marketing of product lines from conceptual stages through launch and product lifecycle
West Los Angeles location

CONTACT AGENT

or

Through MyAquent Job Center

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POSITION: Desktop Publishers

TERMS: Temporary (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

Extensive knowledge of Word, PowerPoint, Photoshop, Illustrator, Excel
Must be flexible: able work weekends and overtime for a proposal effort
Working with a team on a 1000+ page document
El Segundo location

CONTACT AGENT

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POSITION: Production Artist (Night Shift)

TERMS: Temporary-to-Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

3 to 5 years of production experience
Must be able to work 3pm to 11pm shift
Packaging and heavy photo retouching experience
Excellent QuarkXPress & Photoshop skills
Mid-Wilshire location

CONTACT AGENT

or

Through MyAquent Job Center

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POSITION: Research Developer

TERMS: Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

3 to 5 years of experience in consumer electronics (preferably automobile and audio)
Experience discerning trends with a focus on consumer electronics in the aftermarket and OEM arena
Excellent Microsoft office skills: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Carson location

CONTACT AGENT

or

Through MyAquent Job Center

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POSITION: Marketing Communications Coordinators

TERMS: Temporary-to-Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

Heavy writing and communications experience
2 to 5 years of experience in a marketing communications role
Previous experience writing departmental communications and pitching projects
Ability to supervise projects and work independently
Duarte and Carson locations

CONTACT AGENT

or

Through MyAquent Job Center

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POSITION: Interactive Project Manager

TERMS: Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

Minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience
Must have project managed large-scale Web sites with complex applications
Experience maintaining schedules in Microsoft Project
Long Beach location

CONTACT AGENT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED, E-MAIL THE AGENT LISTED:

Your most recent resume that REFLECTS the MUST HAVES
Any specific samples you have that show the MUST HAVES
A brief summary of how your experience matches the MUST HAVES

IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED, YOU CAN EITHER:

Send the Agent listed that person's name and contact information
Or tell your friend to send the Agent everything listed above

INTERESTED IN OTHER AQUENT POSITIONS?

Go here, my friend, then select Job Openings

* MyAquent users, use your UserName & Password to express interest in jobs. - Everybody else, they just made the registration process 79% easier!

The new JOB CENTER will track which jobs you've applied for and the current status.

I thought I'd pass along this movie review for the first Revenge of the Nerds movie.

The Reviewer's name has been removed to protect him.

FILM OPINIONS:
The first film is a comedy classic, no questions asked. Honestly, who WOULDN'T laugh at a fraternity full of nerds doing a panty raid on a sorority house? However, the film does question reality - there's NO WAY a college would force its freshman class to move into the gym and give its dorm to jocks. Likewise, many of the actions you see in this film would get students expelled. And do you see anyone getting expelled in the film? Nope. Likewise, it's a movie about college life, but there's only ONE SCENE in the entire movie that takes place in the classroom! But don't let the lack of realism ruin your experience - this is a comedy classic.

OVERALL:
Eighties comedy films are the best comedy films of all time, and this one beautifully demonstrates that. If you sit down and watch this films, I guarantee you - it will be impossible not to laugh.

To: CEO's 50th Birthday Bash "Crew"
From: James Avery, CEO

While I know it might seem uncommon to make requests on a birthday celebration that is still in its early planning stages, I was hoping you would take a moment to find below a short list of things I do not want to see at my upcoming event.

Not that I find turning 50 years old a serious or somber occasion, but I have been hearing a number of "fun" ideas for this event in the hallways that have set my very hair on end.

Since many of my corporate peers will be in attendance (many of whom are high ranking officers at well-respected companies) I am hoping that you are planning a tasteful, yet fun event.

I realize that the four of you have most likely been throwing around a number of themes for this party, which is perfectly acceptable, as I do want this event to be fun for everyone invited. But I did want to reiterate this event should show a certain amount of refinement. That means themes like Rock 'n Roll, Hawaiian Luau, or Pirate Party should not be considered. (I have no idea who would throw a Pirate party, but I saw one pictured in a catalog recently, so I thought I'd better include it.) A Mardi Gras theme is also off-limits for a number of reasons, primarily because I don't want inebriated staff members exposing themselves in exchange for tawdry plastic beads in the middle of this function. I do not want a Roaring 20's Gangster party. We have enough issues with real gangsters in this city, let's not encourage people to dress up and "party" like one.

I am also strongly opposed to any gambling/Vegas themed party. If you have spoken to HR, you are already aware that a number of people in this company have had previous problems with gambling (mostly because those people in HR cannot keep their mouths shut). Knowing that an ex-gambler might relapse while trying to win enough chips to buy an oversized stuffed Tweety Bird and leave their family penniless is not a risk I'm willing to take.

I do not want a Retro 60's party. Many of this company's board of directors were conservative in 1969 and are still conservative now. Subjecting them to wearing beads, fringe jackets, and "Peace Now!" buttons would be like forcing Winston Churchill to dress up like a member of the Gestapo.

There are also a number of items I do not want set out on guests' tables. To begin with, I do not want any item that glows in the dark or makes noise of any kind. I am going to give a twenty-minute speech during the event, it's going to be difficult enough to obtain guests' attention (especially two hours into an open bar), so I do not need to hear the sound of a metallic kazoo playing "I Did it My Way" while I am trying to speak.

For same reason I do not want anything on the tables which can be hurled, flown, launched, hurled, or flung.

Nor do I want to see inflatable footballs, fish decorations, festive straws, themed toothpicks, tiny containers of bubbles, whoopee cushions, or anything to do with a cowboy or a safari.

I don't want plates, napkins, and cheap plastic cups which tell everyone I am "Over the Hill". I do not want to see a headstone with my name on it.

I do not want to see my guests scrambling on the floor for cut-rate chocolate falling out of a piñata.

I do not want to see balloons, streamers, confetti, or goody bags.

And most of all I do not want to do the Macarena, the Electric Slide, or the Limbo.

I realize the four of you have quite a bit of work to do, so I won't keep you further. I do want to thank each of you for accepting your appointment to be on this event committee.

I am sure it will be a resounding success.

Just a quick post to say HOWDY to anyone brave enough to make the jump from our e-mail link to the blog!

You'll find this week's Hot Talent Newsletter right here or over there to the right under This Week's Hot Talent.

If you are new to blogs, please set a timer before you delve in. I'm not so bad, but once you start linking from one blog to the next, you end up reading about the History of Camembert cheese and it's 6PM.

(BTW, supposedly someone named Marie Harel made it famous after a priest gave her the secret to making it. But I don't really buy that.)

Other than that look around and feel free to comment. It's free. It's fun. And I have no way of keeping my boss from looking at it.

Have fun!

H  O  T     T  A  L  E  N  T
The Newsletter of Aquent's Available Talent

A  U  G  U  S  T   |   1  1   |   2  0  0  5
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Hot Talent

Featured Talent This Week

That Bit at the End - "Happy Birthday to Me"

Subscribe | Unsubscribe Information

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HOT TALENT

We're here in the Sierra National Forest to prove a point. Not only can get we get our newsletter out using the National Park's new WiFi access in the middle of the forest...

But... um...

Turns out that was the only point we had.

But it was enough to get us out of the office, which is good enough for us.

You can enjoy our available and local Talent from the comfort of your very own office in this newsletter or on our blog at http://aquent.typepad.com (heck, we'd love it if you went to the blog, checked it out, and let us know what you think!)

Or you can help get our iPod back from the bear.

Choice is yours.

Follow the links for profiles, samples, and resumes!

Enjoy!
__________________________________________________

FEATURED TALENT THIS WEEK

Byron W. - Senior Director
Tara D. - Writer | Editor
Shari J. - Office Manager | Executive Asst.
Donavin S. - Presentations Specialist
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Byron W.
Senior Director

With over 10 years of marketing experience working for Atlantic Recording Corporation you might say Byron has an amazing marketing "record".

But only if you like bad puns.

Former Senior Director of Promotions and Media Development, his expertise includes marketing and promotion, nurturing business relationships with media outlets, demographic analysis, budget management, large-scale communications, measuring program effectiveness, staff supervision, and extensive artist relations.

Byron has executed media campaigns (on exceeding company expectations with sales over $11 million), arranged TV and online artist performances, implemented new tracking systems to increase department productivity, constructed tour sponsorships, and worked closely with giants like MTV, ESPN, VH1, NFL, Launch, BET, NBA, and many more.

An excellent Aquent Talent!

See his on-line Aquent profile

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
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Tara D.
Writer | Editor

Tara is a unique and meticulous full-service Writer, Editor and Proofreader who gives spark and balance to any type of content.

With broad industry experience, she's done technical/content editing of in-house projects for companies like Bear Stearns, Allen Matkins LLP, and Princess Cruise Lines; provided content, editing and storyboards for the marketing and Internet divisions of Universal Studios, Digital City, and Load Media; and writes a fashion/trend column for the Washington Post, as well as penning articles for LA Magazine, Valley Magazine, and LA Bride.

Versatility, creativity, and a desire to see the job through make her the perfect choice for any company needing top-notch work!

See her on-line Aquent profile

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent

Professional Categories: Copywriting, Editing, Proofreading, Content Creation
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Shari J.
Office Manager | Executive Asst.

A strong Office Manager and Executive Assistant, Shari has loads of production coordination/associate management experience in both the entertainment and legal fields.

At Disney Feature Animation she coordinated deadlines with 10+ departments to keep everything running like clockwork. She's also been an Assistant for Disney Corporate Legal, a Production Coordinator/Scheduler for visual effects studios, and Sr. Legal Secretary for two high-tech Palo Alto law firms, where she raised the bar (so to speak) for organization with her filing systems and template creations - even bringing their systems online for use by all.

Shari has great communication skills and can work miracles in super fast-paced environments that present her with lots of challenges.

See her on-line Aquent profile

Desired Work: Freelance and Permanent

Skills: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, WordPerfect, Now Up-To-Date, Lotus Notes, Management, Microsoft Windows NT, OS/2, Microsoft Office, Outlook Express, Typing, Marketing/Media & Entertainment, Event Management, Event Co-ordination, Office Management
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Donavin S.
Presentations Specialist

With years of experience in multimedia/presentation graphics, front-end Web graphics design, and print production working on projects for Ann Taylor, American Express, the NBA, Schering, Bristol-Myers, Coopers & Lybrand and more - Donavin has the right stuff to add visual excitement to any presentation!

In addition to graphic design, Donavin has 5 years of service managing multimedia presentation creative centers. He has experience in financial, legal, pharmaceutical, entertainment, interactive, Web and advertising sectors.

Check out his samples to see what he can do to liven up your company's next presentation!

See his on-line Aquent profile

Desired Work: Freelance and Permanent

Skills: Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, QuarkXPress, Adobe Acrobat, Macromedia Flash, Adobe ImageReady, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Macromedia Director, FileMaker, Adobe PageMaker, Adobe Streamline, CorelDRAW!, Harvard Graphics, Adobe After Effects, Lotus 1-2-3, WordPerfect, Management
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THAT BIT AT THE END
"Happy Birthday to Me"

To: CEO's 50th Birthday Bash "Crew"
From: James Avery, CEO

While I know it might seem uncommon to make requests on a birthday celebration that is still in its early planning stages, I was hoping you would take a moment to find below a short list of things I do not want to see at my upcoming event.

Not that I find turning 50 years old a serious or somber occasion, but I have been hearing a number of "fun" ideas for this event in the hallways that have set my very hair on end.

Since many of my corporate peers will be in attendance (many of whom are high ranking officers at well-respected companies) I am hoping that you are planning a tasteful, yet fun event.

I realize that the four of you have most likely been throwing around a number of themes for this party, which is perfectly acceptable, as I do want this event to be fun for everyone invited. But I did want to reiterate this event should show a certain amount of refinement. That means themes like Rock 'n Roll, Hawaiian Luau, or Pirate Party should not be considered. (I have no idea who would throw a Pirate party, but I saw one pictured in a catalog recently, so I thought I'd better include it.) A Mardi Gras theme is also off-limits for a number of reasons, primarily because I don't want inebriated staff members exposing themselves in exchange for tawdry plastic beads in the middle of this function. I do not want a Roaring 20's Gangster party. We have enough issues with real gangsters in this city, let's not encourage people to dress up and "party" like one.

I am also strongly opposed to any gambling/Vegas themed party. If you have spoken to HR, you are already aware that a number of people in this company have had previous problems with gambling (mostly because those people in HR cannot keep their mouths shut). Knowing that an ex-gambler might relapse while trying to win enough chips to buy an oversized stuffed Tweety Bird and leave their family penniless is not a risk I'm willing to take.

I do not want a Retro 60's party. Many of this company's board of directors were conservative in 1969 and are still conservative now. Subjecting them to wearing beads, fringe jackets, and "Peace Now!" buttons would be like forcing Winston Churchill to dress up like a member of the Gestapo.

There are also a number of items I do not want set out on guests' tables. To begin with, I do not want any item that glows in the dark or makes noise of any kind. I am going to give a twenty-minute speech during the event, it's going to be difficult enough to obtain guests' attention (especially two hours into an open bar), so I do not need to hear the sound of a metallic kazoo playing "I Did it My Way" while I am trying to speak.

For same reason I do not want anything on the tables which can be hurled, flown, launched, hurled, or flung.

Nor do I want to see inflatable footballs, fish decorations, festive straws, themed toothpicks, tiny containers of bubbles, whoopee cushions, or anything to do with a cowboy or a safari.

I don't want plates, napkins, and cheap plastic cups which tell everyone I am "Over the Hill". I do not want to see a headstone with my name on it.

I do not want to see my guests scrambling on the floor for cut-rate chocolate falling out of a piñata.

I do not want to see balloons, streamers, confetti, or goody bags.

And most of all I do not want to do the Macarena, the Electric Slide, or the Limbo.

I realize the four of you have quite a bit of work to do, so I won't keep you further. I do want to thank each of you for accepting your appointment to be on this event committee.

I am sure it will be a resounding success.

Sure it may be funny now, but I remember driving in every morning to work with dread, every news story on the radio was bad news about the economy. And every story, it seemed, had to do with the web world crashing down.

I was just reminded of all that with CNET's Top 10 dot-com flops (Susie Hall here still cries every time she wants a Snickers at 11:30 at night then remembers there's no Kozmo.com). By way of Marc Cenedella's blog.

Wasn't it Alan Alda who said (via Woody Allen in Crimes and Misdemeanors) "Comedy equals tragedy plus time"?

Maybe it'll be much funnier in 2010?

Leave it to Veer to come up with something educational this summer to do instead of drinking 2 Buck Chuck and watching Adult Swim.

In today's blog they point you right to University of Delaware's Visual Communications Group's online typography workshop. (That looks like it needs one more "s".)

U of D, helping make kerning fun again!
 

If showing your belly has become a fashion, why does every woman who wears a short shirt pull it down every five minutes?

Why do Monster Trucks and Hummers go so slowly over speed bumps? Aren't they designed to go over those things at 50mph?

At what age do you stop being called someone's little brother/sister? 40? 55? After your older siblings are deceased?

Why do the Rolling Stones continue to put out CDs?

Can anyone name a Rolling Stones hit within the last 20 years?

How the heck did NASCAR get so popular?

Why do land developers bulldoze stands of oak trees, then put up gated communities called "The Oaks"?

If old people are wise, is it this burden of wisdom that makes so many of them cranky?

Why do so many people who live in big dirty cities insist on eating organic food and yet people living out in places like Yosemite eat stuff like Doritos and Burger King?

Who, again, let the dogs out?

Is Doppler 7000 really all that much better than Doppler 6000?

Just came across Chris Dickman's blog on the Graphic Design Forum discussing, among other things, what do you give a Designer for a gift and things to do while all your clients are vacationing (they're all in Yosemite, by the way, I just saw them at the newly built Yosemite-adjacent Starbucks).

Here's my big question, though. It's August already, shouldn't we start asking ourselves, What holiday gift do you give to the Client Who Has Everything? (That is not a bottle of wine.)

A friend of mine just e-mailed me and asked me how my summer's going.

Summer?

Oh, yes, it's August already, but for some reason I can't grasp summer anymore. Remember when we used to refer to it as Summer and there were late night/early morning parties and days off and Frisbees and 30 packs of Tecate running out much too quickly?

Maybe I'm just getting old, or maybe it's because I'm living in Los Angeles, but summer feels a heck of a lot like most of the rest of the year, doesn't it? (Sometimes, I feel on July 4th I could take out Christmas decorations, put them on my house and people might have to refer to their calendars before they figured it out.)

That Summer Feeling. Do you know that song by Jonathan Richman? If you don't, you are missing one of the great anthems of summer vacation. Well, if you can get past his singing voice. (My mother used to pass by my room and exclaim, "Who in the world told that man he could sing?")

Remember summer songs? Songs you couldn't get out of your mind or ones they wouldn't stop playing on the radio all summer long? I'm not going into it here, because I'll surely date myself. It's just kind of sad when the only time you hear those songs is while shopping at Target for cat litter and batteries.

Hey, this is navel gazing, for sure.

Well, I'll spare you all by taking Friday off...

Coffee inspired rambling to be continued in 1998 VW Jetta headed for Yosemite. Headphones available for passengers for a small fee.

The Aquent ASAP Job List
"The Revolution will not be Podcast"

Interested in a position?

E-MAIL THE AGENT:

A recent resume which REFLECTS the MUST HAVES
Specific samples that show the MUST HAVES
A brief summary of how your experience matches the MUST HAVES

YOU CAN ALSO:

Go right to our site and apply for the position, using the MyAquent Job Center

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THIS WEEK'S POSITIONS:

1) Account Executive (Print)
2) Junior Designer
3) Media Supervisor
4) Project Manager
5) Graphic Designer (Trends & Apparel)
6) Account Executive (Interactive)

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POSITION: Account Executive (Print)

TERMS: Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

3 to 4 years of experience
Experience with full account management of day-to-day activities for a financial client
Expertise in developing strategies, creative briefs, and project estimates Able to manage development of brochures and direct mail
$55 - $60K salary
Long Beach location

CONTACT AGENT

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POSITION: Junior Designer

TERMS: Temporary-to-Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

1 to 2 years of hands-on design/production experience in both print and Web
Agency or in-house design department experience preferred
Hands-on skills with Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, Flash, Dreamweaver, some JavaScript
Start-up environment, tons of creative freedom. Looking for someone to go into a managerial role
$45K salary
Commerce location

CONTACT AGENT

or

Through MyAquent Job Center
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POSITION: Media Supervisor

TERMS: Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

5+ years of media experience at a major agency
4+ years of on-line experience
Large national account experience
Familiarity with research tools such as @plan, Jupiter, Forrester, Net Ratings, Media Metrics
Ability to lead a media group
Mid-Wilshire location

CONTACT AGENT

or

Through MyAquent Job Center

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POSITION: Project Manager

TERMS: Temporary-to-Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

5 to 10 years of project/traffic management ad agency experience
Strong experience in print, outdoor, collateral as well as broadcast knowledge
Must be hands-on and willing to work in a team environment
Santa Monica location

CONTACT AGENT

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POSITION: Graphic Designer (Trends & Apparel)

TERMS: Temporary (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

3+ years experience designing, concepting and full production of inspiration/presentation boards, style/trend guides, licensed character development, and consumer products
Portfolio must include apparel, stationery, 'Tween accessories.
Strong color sense and type manipulation
Strong skills in Photoshop and Illustrator
Previous work with patterns, textiles, and hardlines and softlines
San Fernando Valley location

CONTACT AGENT

or

Through MyAquent Job Center

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POSITION: Account Executive (Interactive)

TERMS: Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

5+ years of experience in managing mid- to large-scale interactive projects
Experience as client interface within multi-disciplinary teams including account, technical, and creative
2 years of experience in account management
Strategic, tactical thinker able to manage deliverables
$55 - $60K salary
Long Beach location

CONTACT AGENT

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IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED, E-MAIL THE AGENT LISTED:

Your most recent resume that REFLECTS the MUST HAVES
Any specific samples that show the MUST HAVES
A brief summary of how your experience matches the MUST HAVES

IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED, YOU CAN EITHER:

Send the Agent listed that person's name and contact information
Or tell your friend to send the Agent everything listed above

INTERESTED IN OTHER AQUENT POSITIONS?

Go here, my friend
Select Job Openings
* MyAquent users, use your UserName & Password to express interest in jobs. - Everybody else, they just made the registration process 79% easier!

The JOB CENTER will track which jobs you've applied for and the current status.

Okay, this time, but less salesy...

A day early and a dollar short, just released this week's Hot Talent Newsletter (our available Talent) and a new Bit at the End, based loosely on my short career as a playwright.

No, I mean it's ficticious! Totally made up!

I've got to learn how to erase these comments...

Good evening, gentle patron of the arts.

The theatre management has been kind enough to give me the chance to introduce myself via this playbill just minutes before you see the show which bears my name as playwright.

An odd choice, considering both the management and the company have mangled my work so far beyond recognition that it would take several dozen firemen working for hours with the Jaws of Life to extract any part of my original phrasing or well-crafted stage directions from this disaster.

What you are about to witness may truly be one of the greatest creative catastrophes the world has ever seen. If you have the courage, I urge you to rise out of your seat and flee the theatre directly. To do otherwise will mean sitting through the torture which is this live theatrical production. (There is also the distinct possibility of being caught in the fumigation this building will surely need after tonight's pathetic offering).

If, however, you are considering watching this low-speed train wreck, I will try to guide you through some of the more key points of my original work. Points so obvious, I might add, that it boggles the mind how this ham-handed company and their obviously alcoholic director (all apparently familiar with the English language) missed them so entirely.

As the curtain opens you will gaze upon a sparsely decorated room set in what could be any part of the world, in any time period (except perhaps prehistoric), at approximately 10:30 in the morning on a breezy Thursday. What you will not see, however, is the menacing 250-foot oil derrick or the active volcano gushing hot lava into the orchestra pit as was penned (and illustrated) by your playwright.

Gone as well is the very first line of the play. The first line! Beautifully delivered in N|u (better known as the African "clicking" language) by the itinerant dwarf monk, Buford, this line perfectly set up the murder of Adolf Hitler's dog, Blondie, at the end of Act I. The removal of this line in and of itself should be enough to warrant getting your money back. But the destruction merely begins on page one, my dear theatregoer.

What happened to the high-speed car chase on page 34? Or the quite nearly extinct Whistling Duck that was to be picking away at some unseen object on Stage Right throughout Act I? That unseen object was Humanity itself, Herr Director!

This company has also sought to "simplify" this production by the sweeping removal of the fifty-piece gospel chorus, who were to be singing slightly off-key and wandering in and out of the audience and snack bar. Maybe you could expect a decision like this in Yodelsville, USA, but hardly from a theatre of this caliber and one so well equipped with a spacious snack bar.

The play's length has also been reduced to an hour and a half, a full 8 hours short of the intended run time. Once again, are we to assume that the audience will know that Big T. Bacco has enjoyed a good night's rest without actually seeing him get one?

The list of infractions is endless. The audience never gets to feel the entire theatre spinning wildly in circles nor experiencing firsthand seeing a meatpacking plant in operation.

Most notably, not one single audience member will be escorted outside the building and locked out by Grav Dig'her in a graphic representation of what it's like to be disregarded by society.

It could make one give up hope for the modern theatre as a whole.

But all is not lost.

There is still time to rip up this program and throw it in the face of the director (as he is sitting just a few seats behind you in Seat 35B).

If you have the fortitude, you can get up and you can leave.

Walk out of the theatre and into the darkened city streets where the Theatre of Life still plays nightly!

And should you feel compelled to get a latte once you're out, I will be across the street at Starbucks until 11pm during the entire run of the production. I will gladly take the time to explain to you, your friends, and any of your family members how truly remarkable this production could have been.

Perhaps you can also get a preview of the next play I'm working on by proofreading a few pages for me.

Your humble playwright,

B. K. Henning

H  O  T     T  A  L  E  N  T

Due to popular demand, the Aquent Newsletter will no longer be Podcast.

A big THANK YOU to all of you who gave us feedback on the author's belabored breathing, noisy page turning, and occasional outbursts at his children while recording our weekly Podcast.

We honestly thought he was going into a studio to record them.

We should have been suspicious after his youthful assistant said we'd better call when Oprah was over.

While we sort things out, please visit a few of our top (and available) Aquent Talent, right here in our newsletter.

No heavy breathing. We promise.

Follow the links for profiles, samples, and resumes.

Enjoy!
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FEATURED TALENT THIS WEEK

Adriana Y. - Graphic Design & Production
Edward D. - Senior Marketing Executive
Lynn C. - Visual Designer
Vincent B. - Marketing Consultant
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Adriana Y.
Graphic Design & Production

Whether you need to produce direct mail, catalogs, video documentaries, or Web pages, Adriana is the answer to your creative prayers!

A terrific personality with the skills to match, Adriana working with us since 1999 helping companies meet their demanding design and production timelines with her awesome hands-on skills. Company identity and branding, retouching fashion and celebrity photos, concepting magazine ads, training on design software - you name it, she's done it for the Milken Family Foundation, California Institute of the Arts, Thomson/Gale, Kaiser Permanente, Conde Nast, Hallmark Channel, and many, many more.

Armed with a Master of Fine Arts, she's the creative Magna Cum Laude who makes the perfect addition to any team!

See her on-line Aquent profile!

Desired Work: Freelance

Skills: QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Windows, Adobe Acrobat, Imagesetting, Output to Film, Flatbed Scanning
__________________________________________________

Edward D.
Senior Marketing Executive

A Senior Marketing Exec with 20+ years of client and agency experience in consumer products and services, Edward helps companies drive bigger revenues, growth, market share, and profitability.

At AAA (Washington/Inland), he managed a 14-person staff at this leading provider of travel, insurance, automotive and financial services, growing the membership by 25% and keeping membership retention at 90% during his tenure. He won the AMA's prestigious Effie Award for AAA's membership recruitment campaign in 2003. At ad agency Trahan, Burden & Charles, he helped successfully reverse the Air Travel Card account's sales/share decline, growing sales from $5 billion to $8 billion over a five-year period.

Edward's keen strategic and analytical talents, combined with his exceptional creative sense, make him the perfect choice for creating effective and thoroughly compelling marketing campaigns!

See his on-line Aquent profile!

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent

Professional Categories: Marketing, Marketing Communications
__________________________________________________

Lynn C.
Visual Designer

An award-winning freelance Designer, we're sure when you see Lynn's samples, you'll know exactly why those judges kept giving her awards. Her work is awesome.

On-line media, CD-ROM presentations, Web sites, Web casts, e-commerce Web sites, motion graphic shows, digital video, and tradition print graphic design work including packaging and collateral, everything she kicks out is clean, colorful, and right on the (marketing) money!

Just ask Charles Schwab, 300feetout, Rhythm Design Group, IntelliClaim, Accurate Research, or dozens of other satisfied clients!

See her on-line Aquent profile!

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent

Skills: Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator, GIF Builder, Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Marketing/Media & Entertainment, Marketing/Interactive
__________________________________________________

Vincent B.
Marketing Consultant

A senior Marketing pro with a diverse background in corporate marketing, branding, advertising, and account management, Vincent comes to the table with more than 10 years of marketing and agency experience.

At Muse Cordero Chen, he managed multi-cultural advertising and direct marketing programs for both the U.S. Army and Honda accounts (including Honda's sold-out Battle of the Bands program). As Account Supervisor at Tic Toc, he directed Frito-Lay and Nokia in the initiation of national event marketing/promotions, project management, and strategic planning for massive events like the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Super Bowl, and Major League Baseball.

He's worked on everything from direct response mailers to creating Marcom plans for Ruben Postaer, DDB Promotions, and Young and Rubicam/Wunderman for accounts like Acura, Lincoln-Mercury, Pizza Hut, and Pepsi. He also understands the client side, having worked at both Sprint and Southern California Edison.

Open to any industry for both freelance and permanent opportunities, we can't think of an industry who wouldn't treasure him!

See his on-line Aquent profile!

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent

Professional Categories: Marketing

Just found a few new sites and blogs for Creatives (mostly thanks to Biz Stone). I've added them to the right under Creative Resources or Blog Rolls.

I'm not sure how many Creatives are aware of how much information is out in the ether (or Web, rather) . And not from just smaller sources, like Be A Design Group and LogoLounge, but big companies like Veer, which has its own blog, The Skinny and nice fat blog roll.

In fact, insanely, the more you look, the more you find.

I'm not sure Adrants really counts as a creative resource, but I'm listing it anyway. Heck, it's funny and that's good enough for me.

Just make sure to check your watch, you can spend a looooong time in cyberspace "just looking around" (as if I had to tell you that).

Yes, it's true, half the office is gone away for our annual BTS (Back to School) company-wide meeting in Boston.

While it's a great opportunity to connect with Aquent office members from around the country and train up on new offerings and what's going on in the company (we just acquired CPRi, an interim marketing staffing firm, making us the largest marketing and creative staffing firm in the world, woo hoo!), but still many of us here are feeling, well, a trifle not hungover.

Though we know we'll get our chance to go to Boston in a few weeks, it's still difficult handling everything going on in the office at half staff when you're thinking a mere 3,000 miles away that this going on:

I'm not sure if any of you saw this regarding the measurement of the branching ratio for the decay  eta⁺µ^- -->µ, but it's not to be missed.

I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep tonight.

Okay, I was fooled.

Several times a month my sister forwards me phony e-mails that I feel compelled to answer, telling her that she won't get money from the likes of Bill Gates or that Robin Williams probably isn't penning foreign policy plans and sending them out via e-mail

But then again, I'm not so smart, I found out yesterday.

Reading a story in the Sunday LA Times about a woman working at AOL who gathered all the celebrity e-mail addresses and hooked up with them via chat rooms to help get her into Hollywood, the writer mentioned how Steven Spielberg created the tale of him setting up shop in an empty office on the Universal lot.

Man, how many times have I repeated that story?

I shouldn't feel stupid, because (according to snopes.com) Spielberg has never told the truth about how he started in Hollywood.

But I still feel stupid. And let down.

If I can't believe Director Steven Spielberg, who am I to believe?

So, there I am at San Diego Street Scene, watching the Pixies, when the mosh pit opens up beside me. The guy leading the whole thing has already punched another guy and he and he psycho girlfriend are taking turns making out, then rushing into the pit and pushing and screaming at everyone, then hopping out to make out again.

At what point do you say, "Man, I'm really too old for this" and move faaaaar away?

Obviously older than I am now, because the view was so good after everyone moved away from the lunatics, it was worth occasionally shoving people back in the circle.

Plus, I figured even the most whacked out twenty-something surfpunk psychotic could understand the phrase: "I hope you've got a damn good lawyer."

I wonder what it was like over at the Wayne Newton stage?