April 2008 Archives

By now you've heard the expression Greenwashing, right? A marketing team decides they want to join the Eco Bandwagon (which, by the way, is getting pretty full) so they play up some "green" part of their company.

Say run two-page spreads during Earth Day featuring their regular products with eco tips interspersed throughout, as Macy's did.

Or build minimal impact LEED gas stations, as BP has done.

Many times marketers, it seems, confuse the playing field for their own company's profits. Not that I mind playing up the green part of a company and telling the world about it (I did it myself when we ran an FSC certified direct mail piece), but to pretend your entire company is out to save the planet to make a buck is about as honest as selling snake oil.

Look, snake oil salesmen weren't curing tuberculosis with their bogus medicine and BP sure isn't making a dent with their gas stations considering they make most of billions in gas and oil revenues.

So what's a company to do?

Patagonia may just have the answer.

Fast Company has a terrific article on Patagonia's challenge to 10 employees to "track five products from the design studio to the raw-materials stage to Patagonia's Nevada distribution center".

The company decided to post the employees findings, good and bad, on a microsite called The Footprint Chronicles. The site covers 10 products' journey to the factory and its energy consumption, CO2 emissions, waste generated, and distance traveled.

They then ask for the consumer's feedback and post the feedback on their Cleanest Line blog.

This is no bogus marketing ploy, this is honest-to-goodness "put your ethics where your wallet is" marketing.

Congrats to Patagonia for, again, raising the bar when it comes to corporate, and marketing, honesty.

At the end of last year I wrote a post proclaiming that I was going to make this blog more about Aquent. As part of that effort, I've wanted to introduce more and more voices from around the company into this channel. Of course, I've continued to highlight Aquent talent, their insights, abilities, and achievements, and I've also given periodic shout-outs to my environmentally conscious and often funny comrade-in-blogs, Tim Donnelly. But I know I could do so much more.

For starters, check out our Tampa office. The folks down there were talking to me about starting a local blog and so I asked them to say a little bit about the market for this one. I ended up speaking with Tampa's Isela Santisteban, and this is what she told me:

"I've been working with Aquent for the last 9 years, first in Miami, then Fort Lauderdale, and now here in Tampa.

"Tampa is like the mid-West of Florida. It's a great place to raise a family, have fun, and go to the beach! A lot of businesses are located or headquartered down here - Home Shopping Network, OSI Restaurant Partners (that owns and operates Outback Steakhouse, among other properties), and Publix Super Markets, for example - and there are plenty of opportunities for people looking to work in healthcare, finance, hospitality, technology, consumer packaged goods and related fields.

"About half the work Aquent talent do in Tampa is interactive. The rest consists of marketing, graphic design, and print production. Our clients include a number of high profile companies as well as agencies with major accounts. The way the market is right now, I can find a job for anyone with interactive experience at any level.

"What I love about my job is that today's talent becomes tomorrow's client. I'm still talking to people I placed 9 years ago and I'm sure there are people I've just begun to work with that I'll still know 9 years from now."

It's not unusual for Aquent staff like Isela to be with us for a long time. This sort of longevity gives our clients and our talent a lot of continuity. It also means, as you can imagine, that the Isela's of the Aquent-world are centers for ever growing networks of talented, creative professionals. To get in touch with Isela or any of her equally enthusiastic and connected colleagues, call them at (813) 287-9119.

On another note, and speaking of Florida, right now Aquent's training arm, AGI is busy putting on the CRE8 Conference in Orlando. One of the presenters there is none other than Todd Tibbetts, a consultant with Aquent Studios in Seattle, whom I've mentioned here before. He's blogging about his adventures at CRE8 and, more than anything else, making me feel like I'm missing out on something magical. We'll be hearing more from Todd in the days to come, so stay tuned!

Image Courtesy of soupboy.

Back in 1992, our CEO wrote a letter to all Aquent employees outlining the four principles that guide us in the work we do. The first principle, and the one that has consistently spoken to me, is, "People make the difference."

OK. We're not the only company that espouses this value. In fact, we're not the only company for which it is true -- this slogan can be applied to many organizations, especially those which provide specialized services, such as doctors, lawyers, architects, tattoo artists, and so on.

But I'm on board with it as one of our guiding principles for several reasons. First of all, it's true in a literal way for us. We don't have a secret formula or patented product that makes us different or better. Aquent IS the people who work here and the people we represent.

Second of all, this is how our clients tend to see things. As I mentioned in my post on customer loyalty, the two things that matter most to clients of staffing companies, particularly niche-players like us, are (1) the people or talent represented by the firm, and (2) the relationship with that firm's representatives. (The latter also confirms the findings of Michael Lowenstein and others.) In other words, it's good to have a principle that actually reflects the interests of our clients.

Wouldn't it be neat to design your very own protégé?

Or live forever?

Now you can do both with AIGA's DESIGNING THE DESIGNER 2015!

Well, sort of.
AIGA (in partnership with Adobe) are trying to grasp the "skills, education requirements and work environments Designers are likely to face in the year 2015".
Essentially they want to try prepare young Designers for the skills and roles that will be expected of them.

So it's a survey.

But it's a little more important than the "Did your server offer to supersize your meal?" survey you probably took last.

All the details at this very special AIGA site.


(Subject line joke refers to this)

The Aquent ASAP Job List
"The Diva Made Me Do It"

Friday's Job List everyone!

And don't forget, Aquent LA is still blogging! Today's post: Creative Pro's Quick Business Tips for Creatives

Interested in a position?

PLEASE E-MAIL THE AGENT (see links for each job):

• A recent resume which reflects all the must haves
• A brief summary of how your experience matches the MUST HAVES
• Any samples, if requested

See something for someone else? Forward to a Friend!

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

Not finding anything you're interested in? For more jobs go here.

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

THIS WEEK'S POSITIONS:

1. Web Writer/Editor
2. Web Designer
3. HTML Coder
4. Interactive Creative Director
5. Mid-Level Web Designer
6. Sr. Web Designer with Hands-On Skills
7. Sr. Web Designer with Flash Animation Skills
8. Marketing Project Planner
9. Fulfillment Project Coordinator
10. Jr. SEO
11. SEO Specialist
12. VP of Marketing
13. Mac Systems Administrator

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

1. POSITION: Web Writer/Editor

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 2 to 3 years of experience writing and editing content for the Web including headlines and body copy
• B2B experience preferred
• Must have experience working with a content management system
• Healthcare, insurance, or financial experience preferred

PERKS!:

• New high-profile Web portal
• Help create internal process for a leading non-profi,

PAY:

• Up to $30 an hour

LOCATION:

• Glendale

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

2. POSITION: Web Designer

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 3 years of professional experience as a Web Designer
• Prior work on content-heavy sites
• Excllent knowledge of UI and HTML
• samples.

PERKS!:

• Exciting start-up environment
• Opportunity to be a part of a company who is really starting to be make a name for themselves
• Social networking site
• Cool casual fun environment

PAY:

• Up to $80K

LOCATION:

• Beverly Hills

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

3. POSITION: HTML Coder

TERMS: 12-Week Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Hands-on skills in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• At least 2 to 3 years professional experience as a coder
• Prior work on large sites
• Experience working closely with a creative team

PERKS!:

• Agency environment
• Great office space
• Work on lots of different projects

PAY:

• Up to $33 an hour

LOCATION:

• West Hollywood

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

4. POSITION: Interactive Creative Director

TERMS: Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 10+ years creative experience (including prior Interactive CD role)
• Hands-on skills in Flash, Photoshop, InDesign, and CS3
• Must be able to present work to client
• Must have team management experience.

PERKS!:

• High-end luxury clients
• Amazing location
• Great team and a nice working environment

PAY:

• Up to $140K

LOCATION:

• Miracle Mile

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

5. POSITION: Mid-Level Web Designer

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 2 to 5 years as a Web Designer
• Hand-coding in HTML and CSS
• Agency experience
• Keen eye for design and knowledge of UI
• Must supply URL with samples

PERKS!:

• Top media agency
• Working with large teams
• Be on the forefront of internet technology

PAY:

• Up to $70K

LOCATION:

• Culver City

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

6. POSITION: Sr. Web Designer with Hands-On Skills

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 5 years of creative experience and 3 years of producing Web sites
• Hands-on skills in HTML & CSS
• Strong design and production skills

PERKS!:

• Position has growth into creative management role
• Company offers training and improvement on skills

PAY:

• Up to $75K

LOCATION:

• Beverly Hills

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

7. POSITION: Sr. Web Designer with Flash Animation Skills

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 5+ years of Web design experience

• Experience with big brand ecommerce sites

  Great hands-on skills in Photoshop and Flash
  

  Plenty of Flash banners and Flash page samples

  Clean, noise-free design

  
  

PERKS!:

• Work on large, global brands with really talented Creative Directors
• In-house agency environment (without the crazy agency hours)
• Gym membership

PAY:

• Up to $85K

LOCATION:

• West LA

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

8. POSITION: Marketing Project Planner

TERMS: 6 to 8 Week Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Project management experience on a marketing team

• Experience copyediting and working with direct mail

• Experience in development and execution of marketing plans and projects

PERKS!:

• Leading financial company in a great location

• Work in a friendly environment with a cohesive, small team

PAY:

• Up to $30 an hour

LOCATION:

• South Bay

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

9. POSITION: Fulfillment Project Coordinator

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Experience managing fulfillment/order processing between marketing and fulfillment house

• Experience managing data integrity

• Able to manage customized marketing collateral fulfillment

PERKS!:

• Use your love of detail and project management to work for a great Manager and an amazing team!

PAY:

• Up to $28 an hour

LOCATION:

• Pasadena

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

10. POSITION: Jr. SEO

TERMS: Freelance or Freelance-to-Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 1+ years of experience in an SEO or technical position (Mac tech, PC tech, general computers, or interactive)
• Must be technically inclined
• Must have a genuine interest in SEO Marketing!

PERKS!:

• Super fun, creative environment
• If you're interested in the interactive industry this is the job for you!

PAY:

• Up to $22 an hour

LOCATION:

• North Hollywood

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

11. POSITION: SEO Specialist

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 2+ years as a SEO for high volume site
• Able to set up and manage PPC campaigns
• Able to identify SEO problems, prioritize, and implement SEO fixes and improvements (including MetaTag-writing)
• Must have site analysis and reporting and keyword search knowledge

PERKS!:

• Working with large interactive team on a variety of well-traveled sites
• Global entertainment company

PAY:

• Up to $40 an hour

LOCATION:

• Burbank

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

12. POSITION: VP of Marketing

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 15+ years experience in strategic marketing
• Prior position as a VP level or above (reporting to CEO)
• Consultant background
• IT services and business consultancy (i.e., CapGemini) background a plus

PERKS!:

• Amazing role, taking in strategic marketing for a large, well-known company
• Great location, great benefits

PAY:

• Up to $180K

LOCATION:

• Century City

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

13. POSITION: Mac Systems Administrator

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Strong TCP/IP knowledge (XWindows, FTP, ping, etc.)

• Third party software experience (I.e., MS Office, Maya, FileMaker Pro, Motionbuilder)
• Installation and troubleshooting experience with a variety of software applications for Mac Operating Systems

PERKS!:

• Work on-site at a leading entertainment company

• This team works on the top shows and movies in Hollywood

PAY:

• Up to $25 an hour

LOCATION:

• West LA

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

Line that is.

No one said working for yourself would be easy (except, of course, Donald Trump), but it does have its perks.

Say working close to your toaster.

Or learning an awful lot about the personal life of your postman.

On the minus side is learning to cope when people keep telling you, "OMG, the economy is in the gutter!"

Especially if its your postman.

Happily, the fine folks over at Creative Pro (Terri Stone in particular) put together a "boat-load" of articles from their Business section on, well, the business of creative.

The have happy sounding titles like:

Avoiding the Heartbreak of Collections

Negotiating in a Soft Market

Setting Your Rates

(Okay, there are happier ones like A Little Help from Your Friends, but I'm forever drawn to the dark side.)

All 16 gems of wisdom collected right here.

Please remember to send me cookies when you've opened your own agency.

I prefer chocolate chip, thank you.

Photo by are you my rik?

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to your article in last week's paper on appallingly bad drivers ("You're In Reverse, Moron!" Apr. 17th), which I consider to be one of the most ill researched, one-sided articles I've seen in eons.

As Chairperson for Bad Drivers of America (BDA), I am compelled to give "the other side of the story" and round out this extremely prejudiced attack on a group of our community who disproportionately suffer from yelling attacks, road rage, and obscene gesturing.

Your "reporter" unashamedly categorizes poor drivers as if every one were exactly alike. I would expect this kind of naiveté from lesser publications, but not from a paper of your reputation.

When it comes to scrutinizing any organization or group, none of us should assume that each gardener, snowboarder, or mah-jongg devotee shares identical thoughts and practices. This is how stereotypes evolve and hatred begins.

Your article assumes that any substandard driver going the wrong direction down a one-way street is also the same one who makes a quick left in front of oncoming traffic as the light turns from red to green.

Au contraire!

You might as well say that Loreena Bobbit and Emeril Lagasse are similar handlers of cutlery.

Poor drivers are, in fact, a part of a highly diverse group whose members range the full breadth of our society: from conservative to liberal, from the merely distracted to the blindingly stupid, and from the petulantly aggressive to the pathetically indecisive.

A rotten driver could well be the fellow next door or an ambassador from some far away country.

Who is that exiting the freeway by crossing 4 lanes of traffic at 80 miles per hour?

A retired carpenter or the Duke of Edinburgh?!

It actually staggers the imagination.

So who exactly are the Bad Drivers of America?

We are your neighbors, your church and synagogue members, your classmates, your office workers, and quite possibly your very own family.

We live, shop, and work in the same places you do.

We just happen to get there while navigating our vehicles onto sidewalks or peeling out in school zones.

With over 6,570 members, Bad Drivers of America has become THE leading organization for inept and hopelessly inferior drivers, outpacing our competition, The Insufferable Automotive Maneuvering Club, nearly two-to-one.

We lobby tirelessly to reduce the fines and sentences handed down to second-, third-, and fourth-rate drivers.

It's our feeling that every red-blooded American has made a poor decision now and again, so why should a slight infraction like running over the foot of a Traffic Officer count against a motor vehicle operator until the end of time?

So we ask you to be fair in your judgment of us.

Who among us can honestly say they've never had a car up on two wheels while making an illegal left turn through a red light at a busy intersection?

Let those who have had no infractions cast the first stone, we say.

We are an upstanding, non-profit organization. We hold monthly chapter events, have our own newsletter ("Signals Optional"), and donate generously to charitable causes (over $15,000 alone last year for the Injured Officers' Foot Fund).

We have families just like you.

So the next time you are on vacation and one of our members stops in the middle of the road to take a picture of the lovely scenery or doesn't signal because of the inherent difficulties involved in smoking a cigarette, talking on a cell phone, and driving a vehicle simultaneously, please don't yell out derogatory and drivist sentiments like, "Get off the road!" or "Hang up and drive!"

Just remember that we were just sitting next to you in prayer or standing to your left at the voting booth.

And we'll still be in our cars long after you've left yours and have to cross the street.

Just saying.

Bob Murphy
Boston, MA

IN THIS ISSUE:

Hot Talent

Featured Talent This Week

That Bit at the End - "Drive, She Said"

Subscribe | Unsubscribe Information

__________________________________________________

HOT TALENT

This is not a chain letter.

Do not send a kitchen towel, ten dollars, or sourdough starter along with a copy of this e-mail to five of your friends.

This e-mail has not been sent around the world nine times.

In fact, the only way to get GOOD LUCK within the next 4 days is by:

1) Reading the enclosed e-mail
2) Clicking on the links and taking a look at the resumes and samples
3) Calling us to book the perfect Aquent Talent for your company

David Dyler ignored the last Hot Talent Newsletter and 10,000 of his direct mail pieces went to the same address in Reseda.

We can't guarantee this newsletter had anything to do with it, but why take chances?

Follow the links for profiles, samples, and resumes.

Enjoy!

__________________________________________________

FEATURED TALENT THIS WEEK

Billy D. - Front-End Web Developer | PHP Master
Alvaro G. - Flash Animator | Rich Media Designer
So Young A. - Graphic Designer
Yolanda S. - Graphic | Jr. Web Design
Luningning A. - Marketing | Brand Manager
Joseph A. - Marketing Administrator | PowerPoint SuperUser
__________________________________________________

Billy D.
Front-End Web Developer | PHP Master

With incredible hands-on skills in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby On Rails, Ajax, and mySQL, we just had to tell you about Billy!

Recently at billing solutions company Epoch Transaction Services (formerly PayCom), he's the guy who managed repaired, updated, and augmented several massive on-line, real-time reporting applications for their global customer base.

For Sony Music he developed the on-line music store and licensing site (in JSP) and programmed and designed databases for numerous clients like CleanTransportationFund.org, JennaElfman.com, and iSupplyCoupons.com.

If you're looking for a top-notch Front End Developer who also understands back- and middleware, then you can stop reading and call us!

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Alvaro G.
Flash Animator | Rich Media Designer

Fresh from San Francisco, Alvaro comes to us with loads of experience under his belt and ready for a great opportunity in our City of Angels.

Working for agencies and companies such as Citizen Group, eigoMANGA, and Pulse Entertainment, his work can be seen on sites and Flash banners for Franklin Templeton Investments, Amnesty International, Shibuya Airwaves, Golden State Warriors Green Guide, and many more.

He's amazingly skilled at integrating video into Flash, and his animation chops are tops!

As with all great Aquent Talent working in Flash, ask to see him today, because we can't guarantee he won't be out working tomorrow!

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

So Young A.
Graphic Designer

A terrific new Art Center-educated Designer (well, new to us, anyway) who simply loves print and packaging, So Young has designed marketing materials, packaging, bellybands, POP, hang tags, identity systems, and much more for the Disney Store, CalTech, Hana Grill restaurants, Mission Tile, and many others.

At Disney Store, she created the beautiful packaging for Buzz Lightyear, the Princess series, and Pixie line as well as pattern work for their holiday packaging. Recently she's branched out both into Web design and art direction of photo shoots, both of which can be seen in her beautiful redesign of the AfGrowLabs site.

Don't just take our word for it, check out her clean, beautiful style fully demonstrated in her on-line portfolio!

See her on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Yolanda S.
Graphic | Jr. Web Design

A talented Designer who works in both print and Web, Yolanda's design sense and illustrations will knock you out!

Working in the both the print and Web worlds, her engaging work covers design and production for Web sites, catalogues, signage, and packaging. Her clean design sense encompasses a great use of typography, not to mention her striking illustration skills (she's has her BFA in Illustration from Otis).

Her staff positions and client roster include Photologic, Implant Direct, AAA Wireless, Bouquet One, Fruitasis, and more!

She'll make an awesome addition to any creative team!

See her on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent Work
__________________________________________________

Luningning A.
Marketing | Brand Manager

Luningning (who goes by Ning) is a savvy Marketing Manager with over 10 years of management experience in highly competitive markets.

Working in the real estate and mortgage industry for the past 4 years, at her most recent position she was responsible for determining the objectives of and implementing all corporate marketing campaigns, including creating and sourcing promotional and advertising materials for the needs of 20 real estate/mortgage loan Agents. Her role included managing the creative and development for broadcast, print advertising, and direct mail.

Working in consumer products as Brand Manager at Unilever, she was responsible for strategic development, goal setting, forecasting, research and P&L for 6 hair care brands and oversaw their media, promotions, and advertising.

Looking for long-term contract and freelance-to-permanent opportunities, she's the best strategic champion your brand will ever have!

See her on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance
__________________________________________________

Joseph A.
Marketing Administrator | PowerPoint SuperUser

A recent MBA from Pepperdine University's Graziadio School, Joseph's perfect for any marketing department demanding the very best.

He's also happens to be a rock star PowerPoint Specialist ready, willing, and able to take your presentations to the next level.

For Walt Disney Pictures National Promotions he helped research and develop cross-promotional and ad strategies to promote one of their "tentpole" theatrical features for 2008. For Warner Bros.' In2TV Web site, he created a marketing plan by researching and analyzing data of consumer habits and market trends that was adopted into the larger corporate strategy currently in production.

A bright star on the rise, take a look at his resume, then call us!

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent

As Advertising Age pointed out, big sales at the mall.

In a recent article by Natalie Zmuda (republished here at Commercial Alert), she asked, "Is Earth Day the New Christmas?"

"...marketers of all stripes are bombarding consumers with green promotions and products designed to get them to buy more products—some eco-friendly, some not so much. And while that message seems to contrast with the event’s intent, the oxymoron seems to have been lost on marketers jumping on the Earth Day bandwagon in record numbers. This year it seems that just about everyone has found a way to attach themselves to what is fast becoming a marketing holiday that barely resembles the grass-roots event founded in 1970."

As much as I'm never a fan of buying things to celebrate a national holiday (or even to celebrate the weekend, much to my wife's chagrin), I'm not sure I agree with Ms. Zmuda's point.

Americans are, by their very nature, consumers. I think Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is the only holiday I'm aware of that doesn't inspire Sit 'N Sleep to slash prices on affordable bedding. Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Presidents' Day have nothing to do with white sales, free shipping, or moving merchandise on the sidewalks, and yet there they are, staples of the modern American landscape. Is anyone surprised businesses have hopped on board to sell merchandise on Earth Day?

What's more, the merchandise they're moving actually is aligned with the day itself, which is more than I can say about buying a new washing machine Columbus Day. ("He hated filthy clothing, you know.")

If Home Depot decides to reduce prices and sell thousands, nay millions, of fluorescent light bulbs, water saving shower heads, and bottles of plant fertilizer made from worm casings instead of petroleum (I'm not joking) then wouldn't you say that's a good thing to promote?

So, instead of just picking up trash for one day out of the year, by buying one fluorescent bulb you could be using(according to ENERGY STAR) 75% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb. And that one bulb will last 10 times longer than the incandescent one.

If Home Depot and Lowes can help people in America pull that off, then I for one am all for it.

If you want to consume today, go ahead.

Make today the last day you buy bottled water and pick up a nice reusable water bottle.

Just make sure to bring your reusable bag to take home your purchase.

(A side note, how, exactly, does Advertising Age run an article about consumerism out of control? Is that or is that not like an adult film star asking the FCC for Howard Stern to tone it down?

How many times can I turn my lights out in 2008?

The answer: To reduce CO2 emissions, as many times as I have to, dang it. (We did it at home in October and March, and of course, every time we go to sleep.)

Saatchi and Saatchi LA just sent us along a missive (via thinkLA) that their office will be turning off their lights every day this week from 2 to 3pm and encouraging their customers and friends to do the same.

Well, Aquent LA and Aquent Orange County are hopping onboard, too.

And why not? It's not an incredibly complicated procedure.

(Though it does put a damper on our scheme to run searchlights in front of our building to help people find us, but hey, you've got to make sacrifices, right?)

Why this week, you ask?

In case you forgot, tomorrow is Earth Day and Car Free Day in LA.

Anyone else (besides me) biking to work? Don't forget routes are easier to find with the BikeMetro mapping system!

Photo by L. Marie

THIS WEEK'S POSITIONS:

1. DVD Author/Encoder
2. Web Writer/Editor
3. Front-End Web Developer
4. Sr. Web Producer
5. Web Developer
6. Project Manager
7. POP Production Artist
8. Production Artist
9. Manager of Production and Fulfillment
10. XP Systems Administrator
11. Mac Systems Administrator

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

1. POSITION: DVD Author/Encoder

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 3 to 4 years of DVD authoring and encoding experience
• Non-linear editing experience
• Excellent customer service skills and experience managing client relationships

PERKS!:

• Great self managing position
• Lots of client contact

PAY:

• Up to $60K

LOCATION:

• Sherman Oaks

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

2. POSITION: Web Writer/Editor

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 2 to 3 years of experience writing and editing content for the Web (including headlines and body copy)
• Prior work with a content management system
• B2B, healthcare, insurance, and/or financial experience preferred

PERKS!:

• New high-profile Web portal
• Help create internal process for a leading non-profit

PAY:

• Up to $30 an hour

LOCATION:

• Glendale

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

3. POSITION: Front-End Web Developer

TERMS: 12-Week Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Hand-on fluency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Good design sense
• Ability to speak with Art Directors and execute their direction
• Fluency in back-end languages a big plus (ASP, PHP, AJAX, etc.).

PERKS!:

• Prestigious agency
• Lots of automotive and travel clients
• Super cool environment

PAY:

• Up to $33 an hour

LOCATION:

• West LA

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

4. POSITION: Sr. Web Producer

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 5 to 7 years of project management experience in the Internet or software industry
• Working knowledge with any analytics tool (Omniture, hitbox, websidestory, etc) and DART reporting
• Ability to develop and run an entire digital program for a client
• Strategic background

PERKS!:

• Innovative interactive agency with major accounts

PAY:

• Up to $40 an hour

LOCATION:

• Westside

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

5. POSITION: Web Developer

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 5+ years of HTML, CSS, ASP, and JavaScript experience
• Full lifecycle development of Web apps

PERKS!:

• Leading software company
• Fast paced, team-oriented atmosphere

PAY:

• Up to $50 a hour

LOCATION:

• Camarillo

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

6. POSITION: Project Manager

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 3 to 5 years of professional experience as a Marketing Project Manager in a marketing group
• MS Project experience
• Finance experience a plus

PERKS!:

• Fortune 500 company
• Growing department at an incredibly stable company
• Reputable group with strong credentials

PAY:

• Up to $70K

LOCATION:

• Downtown

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

7. POSITION: POP Production Artist

TERMS: 3- to 4-Month Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Must have POP, instore display, and signage experience
• Entertainment experience a huge plus

PERKS!:

• Great long-term assignment working on cool film and TV projects

PAY:

• Up to $28 an hour

LOCATION:

• Hollywood

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

8. POSITION: Production Artist

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 2+ years of professional experience
• Great hands-on skills in InDesign, Quark, and PowerPoint
• Must be comfortable on PC
• Presentation experience and client-facing skills a must!

PERKS!:

• A great team environment and lots of room to grow!

PAY:

• Up to $50K

LOCATION:

• Pasadena

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

9. POSITION: Manager of Production and Fulfillment

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 5 to 10 years of print production and fulfillment management experience
• Knowledge of fulfillment systems
• Experience managing people and processes
• Budget and cost analysis experience

PERKS!:

• Leading non-profit!

PAY:

• Up to $40 an hour

LOCATION:

• Pasadena

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

10. POSITION: XP Systems Administrator

TERMS: 6 to 8 Week Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Third-party software experience (i.e., MS Office, Maya, FileMaker Pro, Motionbuilder)
• Installation and troubleshooting experience with a variety of software applications for Windows 2000/XP Operating System
• Strong TCP/IP knowledge

PERKS!:

• Work on-site at a leading entertainment company
• This team works on the top shows and movies in Hollywood

PAY:

• Up to $25 an hour

LOCATION:

• West LA

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

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

11. POSITION: Mac Systems Administrator

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

MUST HAVES!:

• Strong TCP/IP knowledge (XWindows, FTP, ping, etc.)
• Third-party software experience (i.e., MS Office, Maya, FileMaker Pro, Motionbuilder)
• Installation and troubleshooting experience with a variety of software applications for Mac Operating Systems

PERKS!:

• Work on-site at a leading entertainment company
• This team works on the top shows and movies in Hollywood

PAY:

• Up to $25/hr

LOCATION:

• West LA

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AGENT

I am generally bored by presentations, business, academic, or otherwise. I fidget, I doodle, and my comments or questions tend to fall into the "distracting/sometimes comedic" category. And while I've sat through my share of boring presentations, I will freely admit that I have likewise conducted some of my own. Moreover, I have known the searing pain and embarrassment of consciously doing so.

I've tried to play with the genre in order to liven things up. At academic conferences, I've eschewed the traditional reading approach and spoken ex tempore. In business contexts, I've used Godin-esque PowerPoints featuring provocative images and 5 words or less per slide, and I've even daringly presented without a PowerPointed net.

Still, I have yet to try Pecha Kucha. A Pecha Kucha Night is an event whereat designers present their ideas on design under rather strict limits: Each presenter gets 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide. If you do the math, you'll realize that gives each presentation 400 seconds, or a little over six minutes.

The founders of PK Night, Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham architecture, realized that, if you "give a mike to a designer (especially an architect) ... you'll be trapped for hours." At the same time, they wanted to create "a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public." Incipit Pecha Kucha.

I'm loving the concept. Can you imagine a speaker telling you, "Yes, I'd be happy to present at your conference, but I refuse to speak for more than six and a half minutes"?

If that sounds like a dream come true, CALL ME! I would be happy to speak anywhere, on ANY SUBJECT, Pecha-Kucha-style. Even if I'm boring, the light at the end of the tunnel of boredom is coming atcha in twenty 20-second increments. So don't worry. It will be over soon.

Image Courtesy of Sam Takes Photos.

Sometimes relationships with vendors (that includes staffing agencies) don't work out the way you like.

When you're counting on someone to provide so much, having them fall far short is enough to make you pick the phone up and give them the old "what for". (I was going to go for something more offensive, but after all, this is a PG blog.)

Stop! Do not pass Go, Do not collect $200.

The recent issue of iMedia has an interesting article on ending business relationships graciously.

The first caveat?

Lesson #1: The interactive space is one where people jump around from company to company on a regular basis.

Which means you could be calling a new company for help only to find you're dealing with the rep you let have it 6-mos. ago at the old company.

Insert frownie face.

The lesson, no matter how hard it may be, don't burn your bridges when it comes to important business relationships.

But don't just take it from me, read the whole article here from Sean Cheyney, VP of Marketing and Business Development for AccuQuote.

Photo by Stig Nygaard

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

A P R I L | 1 7 | 2 0 0 8
__________________________________________________

IN THIS ISSUE:

Hot Talent

Featured Talent This Week

That Bit at the End - "Kiddie Lit"

Subscribe | Unsubscribe Information

__________________________________________________

HOT TALENT

Is it getting hot in here?

The SoCal weather seems to be mirroring our job market. Aquent Talent are moving fast (true, we just got one an interview before he left our office), and so should you.

So, we BEG YOU, if you're interested in one of these fabulous Talent, please call your Aquent Account Director or Account Manager, and we'll try to get him or her to you first!

So, quickly, follow the links for profiles, samples, and resumes.

Enjoy!

(Quickly?)

__________________________________________________

FEATURED TALENT THIS WEEK

Ed M. - Interactive | Web Creative Director
Robert C. - Senior Web Designer | Art Director
Nicolas Z. - Jr. Flash Developer
Kerry R. - Graphic Designer
Henry T. - Marketing Manager | Consultant
Laura R. - Proofreader
__________________________________________________

Ed M.
Interactive | Web Creative Director

Former Creative Director for Buzznet.com and its network affiliates during its rapid growth stage (from 3 to 8 million users), Ed's steady creative direction and cohesive identity helped lead the design team to new creative heights!

Ed has amazing (not to mention extensive) experience in UI, new site launches, product launches, and on-line branding.

At Want Media, he created the hugely popular UPN Digital Lounge for FOX Television, as well as creating branding for Fox TV, MyNetwork, and UPN. He was also cofounder of one of the first social networking sites, allowing users to upload videos, MP3s, and create unique community posts, years before anyone even dreamed of MySpace.

He's a master of creating beauty out of content heavy sites and consistently creates UI solutions that allow for easy navigation and reach target demographics.

From conference room concept to Live-And-On-The-Web, call us about Ed before someone else does!

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Robert C.
Senior Web Designer | Art Director

Most recently leading a team of 5 at Valueclick, concepting designing high-clicking landing pages, banner ads, and microsites, Robert is THE go-to when you need creative design that yields amazing click-thru conversion rates!

His extensive background includes on-line campaigns, rich media, and heavy direct response experience for clients such as Nordic Track, Lasik, Heineken, and ProForm. Robert is comfortable working on both agency side and client side.

We'd go on and on, but by then he might already be working somewhere else!

Is that a call to action or what?

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Nicolas Z.
Jr. Flash Developer

Hit me with your best shot!

Nicolas is an amazing Talent able to take images and assets to create some of the most amazing, interactive Flash sites you've seen.

He also scored incredibly well on our rigorous Flash ActionScript assessment in record time! His recent work includes complete site design, navigation, and interface for a number of entertainment businesses (please contact us to see URLs).

We believe Nicolas has an impressive future ahead of him, don't you want your company to be part of it?

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Kerry R.
Graphic Designer

With sophisticated and clean design, Kerry led the print department at George Fischer LLC for 3 years, designing timely, cost-effective (not to mention great looking) catalogs, newsletters, vehicle wraps, tradeshow graphics, sales literature, and POP displays for a national customer base.

Her experience includes Web site design & production for Cosmeticare; catalog design for The Carpenter Group; design and client management for Mybar Printing; print and Web work for Morris Creative; and much more.

Kerry's adept at working with both clients and vendors, managing production timelines and budgets under tight deadlines all while maintaining her ever-keen attention to detail.

Her proficiency with both type and color skills will knock your socks off!

If you're looking for a creative ready, willing, and able to take your design to the next level, call us about Kerry!

See her on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Henry T.
Marketing Manager | Consultant

A creative strategic marketer with an advanced degree in marketing and solid experience managing a wide range of marketing projects, Henry contributed to one of the most successful launches in cable television history and market top-selling DVD titles including Pirates of the Caribbean, Happy Feet, and Wild Hogs.

Clients such as Walt Disney Studio Home Entertainment, Warner Bros. Home Video, Hallmark Channel, and Emak Worldwide (Crayola, Baby Einstein) have turned to Henry for his adept handling of brand management, marketing materials, vendor relationships, promotions, and successful direct mail programs.

For Hallmark Channel he handled national promotions and partnerships, trade show/event management, product development, project management, vendor relations, budget management, and more. His promotions efforts helped the channel reach sell-in goals exceeding 100% and subscriber growth of 30% in one year.

Just now available, he's ready to help your company reach all your marketing goals!

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Laura R.
Proofreader

A meticulous Proofreader with a broad range of experience in advertising, medical, publishing, and finance, Laura raises proofreading standards to new heights wherever she goes.

Most recently contracting at biotech giant Amgen, she quickly gained a reputation for incredibly accurate work, an excellent command of the written language, and a comprehensive knowledge of typography. She wrote the supplement to the Amgen Style Guide, which became the in-house reference for training new Proofreaders.

She's proofread everything from brochures and large Web sites to annual reports to textbooks for companies like IBM, McGraw-Hill, Union 76, Warner Bros. and Virgin Records, Mattel, and Saatchi & Saatchi. Her collateral experience includes copyediting, copywriting, and production supervision. Her dedication to her craft is truly exceptional.

If it absolutely needs to be error free, call us about Laura!

See her on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance
__________________________________________________

THAT BIT AT THE END
"Kiddie Lit"

As a Children's Book Editor, I'm that behind-the-scenes gal you never think of when reading your child his or her favorite bedtime story.

Just like a Music Producer or pushy Stage Mother, a good Children's Book Editor should disappear from a work so completely that the only thing you'll experience is a superbly told story that's beautifully illustrated.

You should take into account the conference room full of exhausted executives debating whether or not Wallace the Kitten should wear a beret. (An actual event, by the way. Looks like we made the right decision because Wallace went on to nab the coveted Caldecott Medal with head unadorned!!)

Though invisible, Editors still have a crucial job. Thanks to people like me you'll never see books like "Jinky the Markedly Neurotic Inch Worm" or "Is That YOUR Filthy Handkerchief?" Two projects nixed by yours truly.

Just last week I was showing an Author that in no way does a reader want to see Max the Frustrated Calico Kitty toting a semi-automatic weapon ("The Cat with the Gatt"). Can you believe it? What if the gun went off and hit Boisterous Baboon or Trembly Elephant with armor-piercing bullets? Mind-boggling.

Let's face it, it's an unfortunate fact of life that Authors and Illustrators, just like many Artists, are out of their minds.

I say this out of love, but (God bless them) they really are a bunch of fruitcakes.

Many even have children of their own, if you can believe it. Even though these kids' parents are well meaning, merely by being gainfully employed Artists themselves, they're teaching children that people can earn a good living by making art.

A poor lesson all around.

You'll never catch THIS Editor working on a child's book starring Lil' Weepy van Gough, I assure you.

Art is fine, but if you're still in your room drawing at 38 years old, there is just something wrong with you.

But my job isn't to decide who does or doesn't get work, it's to make good work better and ensure bad work never makes it to your local library. It's time consuming, but I have you and your children in mind every time I reject titles like "Strangers Have the Very Best Candy", "The Gaza Strip Pop Up Book", or Snoop Doggs' "Go Dogg Go!"

I "just say no" to any book that promotes blatant consumerism ("Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart, Where's the Wal-Mart?" and "Campbell's Soup for the Toddler's Soul"), is too outrageous (George Carlin's "Seven Words you Can't Say in a Children's Book"), or just depressing ("Your Future in Middle Management" and "Look! The Universe is Falling Apart").

I also am VERY picky about character names in books. I say there are just some names you don't dole out. Male names like Adolf, Jeb, Clive, Puffy, Lester, Cletus, Myron, Nigel, and Schlomo. Or female names like Fanny, Breeanah, Agnes, Rita, Barbra, Ulrika, and Lurlene.

"Cletus Hears a Who". I mean, really!

If YOU were a children's book Author would you give Giggles Gorilla a Yiddish accent ("Bananas? Oy vey, what do you know from bananas?") Or have Billy Trembil espousing the merits of hemp? Probably not.

Though strikingly illustrated, does any child really need to know more about Corporate Mediation? And why, oh why, would anyone make a coloring book about P. Diddy's life?

Yet this is the kind of pablum that crosses my desk every day.

Artists.

So, the next time you're reading aloud and your little one doesn't have to ask, "What's wrong with Betty's adrenal gland?" or "Why do those bears live in a trailer park while these bears live in a gated community?", you can think of me.

I'll be hiding in the shadows with a red pen, tackling all of the tough issues.

So you don't have to come down to my office and punch the Artists in the nose yourself.

__________________________________________________

SUBSCRIBE | UNSUBSCRIBE INFO

If you don't want to receive any more of these newsletters, please reply with the word "remove" in the subject line.

Also, please feel free to reply to give us updates on your contact information.

And of course, we'd love to hear your feedback!

__________________________________________________

Tim Donnelly
Propagandist | Blogger | Stuff Coordinator

A Q U E N T
6100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Phone: 323 634 7000 | Fax: 323 954 8517
tdonnelly@aquent.com

We represent more than 400,000 marketing and creative professionals around the globe.
Visit aquent.com to learn more.

As a Children's Book Editor, I'm that behind-the-scenes gal you never think of when reading your child his or her favorite bedtime story.

Just like a Music Producer or pushy Stage Mother, a good Children's Book Editor should disappear from a work so completely that the only thing you'll experience is a superbly told story that's beautifully illustrated.

You should take into account the conference room full of exhausted executives debating whether or not Wallace the Kitten should wear a beret. (An actual event, by the way. Looks like we made the right decision because Wallace went on to nab the coveted Caldecott Medal with head unadorned!!)

Though invisible, Editors still have a crucial job. Thanks to people like me you'll never see books like "Jinky the Markedly Neurotic Inch Worm" or "Is That YOUR Filthy Handkerchief?" Two projects nixed by yours truly.

Just last week I was showing an Author that in no way does a reader want to see Max the Frustrated Calico Kitty toting a semi-automatic weapon ("The Cat with the Gatt"). Can you believe it? What if the gun went off and hit Boisterous Baboon or Trembly Elephant with armor-piercing bullets? Mind-boggling.

Let's face it, it's an unfortunate fact of life that Authors and Illustrators, just like many Artists, are out of their minds.

I say this out of love, but (God bless them) they really are a bunch of fruitcakes.

Many even have children of their own, if you can believe it. Even though these kids' parents are well meaning, merely by being gainfully employed Artists themselves, they're teaching children that people can earn a good living by making art.

A poor lesson all around.

You'll never catch THIS Editor working on a child's book starring Lil' Weepy van Gough, I assure you.

Art is fine, but if you're still in your room drawing at 38 years old, there is just something wrong with you.

But my job isn't to decide who does or doesn't get work, it's to make good work better and ensure bad work never makes it to your local library. It's time consuming, but I have you and your children in mind every time I reject titles like "Strangers Have the Very Best Candy", "The Gaza Strip Pop Up Book", or Snoop Doggs' "Go Dogg Go!"

I "just say no" to any book that promotes blatant consumerism ("Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart, Where's the Wal-Mart?" and "Campbell's Soup for the Toddler's Soul"), is too outrageous (George Carlin's "Seven Words you Can't Say in a Children's Book"), or just depressing ("Your Future in Middle Management" and "Look! The Universe is Falling Apart").

I also am VERY picky about character names in books. I say there are just some names you don't dole out. Male names like Adolf, Jeb, Clive, Puffy, Lester, Cletus, Myron, Nigel, and Schlomo. Or female names like Fanny, Breeanah, Agnes, Rita, Barbra, Ulrika, and Lurlene.

"Cletus Hears a Who". I mean, really!

If YOU were a children's book Author would you give Giggles Gorilla a Yiddish accent ("Bananas? Oy vey, what do you know from bananas?") Or have Billy Trembil espousing the merits of hemp? Probably not.

Though strikingly illustrated, does any child really need to know more about Corporate Mediation? And why, oh why, would anyone make a coloring book about P. Diddy's life?

Yet this is the kind of pablum that crosses my desk every day.

Artists.

So, the next time you're reading aloud and your little one doesn't have to ask, "What's wrong with Betty's adrenal gland?" or "Why do those bears live in a trailer park while these bears live in a gated community?", you can think of me.

I'll be hiding in the shadows with a red pen, tackling all of the tough issues.

So you don't have to come down to my office and punch the Artists in the nose yourself.

If you talk to marketers who have run customer loyalty programs, they can pretty quickly tell you the basic keys to program success. I've set them out as best I can here, though I recommend reading the last key first.

If you think I'm right on target, or way off base, please leave a comment.

1. Listen to the Customer

In order for the program to be meaningful and attract participation, you need to offer participants things they want. To find out what those things are, you have to ask them. Then, when the program is up and running, you've got to continually ask them if they are really getting what they want. Were they happy with the item they received? Was the customer service up to snuff? Were their expectations met? Is there anything else they'd like to see in the program? And so on.

The listening should never stop. You've got to keep checking in with them to update and expand your offerings to meet their changing needs and wishes.

2. Act on What the Customer Tells You

If you're going to go to the trouble of asking what customers want, and they are going to take the time to respond, then you've got to deliver. If they want pet supplies, offer pet supplies. If they want home and garden accessories, offer home and garden accessories. If they want it, and you can get it for them, do it.

More importantly, if there are problems with fulfillment, customer service, or the account management process, you've got to fix them. The program is supposed to be a benefit to your customers. If it turns out to be a hassle or a disappointment, it will fail.

You know, IKEA almost had me. Really.

That is, until I found the final piece of my daughter's pink MALM 3-drawer chest I was assembling was nicked. And I rang customer service to find out how they wanted to go about replacing the piece. And I rang. And rang. I rang for 10 minutes. And no one answered. I rang for two days. And still...

Nor did anyone answer at the HQ IKEA number (they redirected me, after much pushing of buttons, back to my local store where it rang some more.)

There's a lot to like about IKEA, but what's not to love is their customer service. (Please see Danielle Crittenden's blog "Why I Hate IKEA" at the The Huffington Post.)

Maybe one of the execs from the Scandinavian giant will take a moment to attend the latest AMA/Aquent Webcast:

Optimizing the Profitable Link Between Employees and Customer Loyalty Behavior

Michael Lowenstein, Vice President and Senior Consultant at Harris Interactive, points out that research indicates "at least 70% of your customers’ behavior is driven by their interactions with your employees."
Which would explain why there's no rush for me to hustle on back to that big blue and yellow store to get more furniture.

But enough about my allen-wrench assembly skills, here's the delio on the Webcast.



In this free and informative Aquent/AMA webcast, Michael Lowenstein, Vice President and Senior Consultant at Harris Interactive, will present critical insights about the relationship among profitability, employee behavior, and customer loyalty, which will prove that true customer commitment is attainable only when the entire organization understands and performs its roles in providing superior customer experiences.

You will learn how to:

• Effectively measure and understand customers’ perceptions
• Pinpoint which employee attitudes and actions affect customer behavior
• Leverage employee positivism and customer focus
• Identify and eliminate employee sabotage
• Develop a customer-centric culture

The AMA recommends attendees of this Webcast should include Senior Executives and Managers of:

• Customer Service/Customer Experience
• Customer Relationship Management
• Retail Operations
• Training and Development
• Sales
• Marketing

As with all our Webcasts, it's free.

Here's the date and time:

Thursday, April 24, 2008 10:00 am (PST)

Details here.

You might not expect a graphic designer working as part of a program support center housed within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to say, "The majority of work I do gives me creative freedom," but that's exactly what Chris Spangler, who is represented by Aquent's Baltimore office, told me when I spoke with him last week.

I gave Chris a call because a poster he had designed on assignment won first prize in the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA) Communications Contest. (To see his winning entry, you can click here.) As it turns out, designing posters, which he has done for everything from promoting IT security within the agency to celebrating Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, is just part of his job at HHS (or, more accurately, SAMHSA/PSC). He has also designed and illustrated annual reports, brochures, and info-packs, he's designed logos and updated brand identities for various governmental programs, and he's even had the chance to serve as photographer at meetings with ambassadors and other functions.

"Working for the government is great job security," Chris says, but what really appeals to him is "... feeling like your making a difference by helping people with the stuff you're creating. I've designed a book on preventing bullying, I worked for a year and half on materials related to 9/11, and I put together a publication on responding to bio-terrorism attacks. You've got to look for different ways to find satisfaction in your work and these types of projects help do that for me."

But funny anyway. Make your own motivational (or demotivational) posters at AutoMotivator.

Just remember that an open window isn't just an opportunity, it could be up to 16 floors above street level.

THIS WEEK'S POSITIONS:

1. Jr. UI/IA
2. Web Designer with Flash
3. Sr. Web Designer with Flash
4. Sr. Web Designer with Flash Animation Skills
5. HTML Coder
6. Systems Administrator
7. Marketing Project Planner
8. Fulfillment Project Coordinator
9. Marketing Project Manager
10. Sr. Project/Traffic Manager
11. Account Director (Sales)
12. Interactive Recruiting Coordinator
13. Marketing Project Manager
14. Proofreader
15. Print Traffic Coordinator
16. On-Line Ad Traffic Manager
17. Sr. Print Designer

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

1. POSITION: Jr. UI/IA

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

MUST HAVES!:

• Strong knowledge of Web site functionality
• 2+ years as a Web Designer or Web Producer
• Knowledge of Web site architecture

PERKS!:

• Great innovative interactive agency
• Work with a top international entertainment client
• Terrific team!

PAY:

• Up to $30 an hour

LOCATION:

• Marina del Rey

CONTACT AGENT

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

2. POSITION: Web Designer with Flash

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 2 to 3 years of Web Design experience for consumer sites (preferable youth oriented)
• Excellent hands-on Flash skills
• Please submit a URL with recent Web work

PERKS!:

• Work for major youth CPG company on major brands
• Team of elite Designers in Southern California
• Passionate for design? This is the place for you!

PAY:

• Up to $35 an hour

LOCATION:

• El Segundo

CONTACT AGENT

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

3. POSITION: Sr. Web Designer with Flash

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 4 to 5 years of experience as a Web Designer working on major sites (entertainment or CPG preferred)
• Highly conceptual and strategic skills
• Extensive youth-oriented market experience

PERKS!:

• Work for major youth CPG company on major brands
• Team of elite Designers in Southern California
• Passionate for design? This is the place for you!

Pay:

• Up to $45 an hour

LOCATION:

• El Segundo

CONTACT AGENT

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

4. POSITION: Sr. Web Designer with Flash Animation Skills

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 5+ years of Web design experience
• Experience with big brand ecommerce sites
• Great hands-on skills in Photoshop and Flash
• Plenty of Flash banners and Flash page samples
• Clean, noise-free design

PERKS!:

• Cool, in-house agency environment
• Free gym membership

PAY:

• Up to $90K

LOCATION:

• West LA

CONTACT AGENT

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

5. POSITION: HTML Coder

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Incredibly strong CSS and HTML hand-coding skills
• JavaScript coding skills a must
• Multibrowser experience

PERKS!:

• Cool entertainment company
• Really, your friends will be incredibly jealous

PAY:

• $40 an hour

LOCATION:

• Marina del Rey

CONTACT AGENT

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

6. POSITION: Systems Administrator

TERMS: Two-Month Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!

• Installation and troubleshooting of hardware and software issues for Windows XP operating systems
• Experience software apps (i.e., MS Office, Maya, FileMaker Pro, Firefox, Adobe products)
• Experience installing software patches and virus scanning software
• Experience imaging computer systems

PERKS!:

• Work on-site at a leading entertainment company
• This team works on the top shows and movies in Hollywood

PAY:

• Up to $25 an hour

LOCATION:

• West LA

CONTACT AGENT

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

7. POSITION: Marketing Project Planner

TERMS: Two-Month Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Project management experience on a marketing team
• Experience copyediting and working with direct mail
• Experience in development and execution of marketing plans and projects

PERKS!:

• Leading financial company in a great location
• Work in a friendly environment with a cohesive, small team

PAY:

• Up to $30 an hour

LOCATION:

• South Bay

CONTACT AGENT

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

8. POSITION: Fulfillment Project Coordinator

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• Experience managing fulfillment/order processing between marketing and fulfillment house
• Experience managing data integrity
• Able to manage customized marketing collateral fulfillment

PERKS!:

• Use your love of detail and project management to work for a great Manager and an amazing team!

PAY:

• Up to $28 an hour

LOCATION:

• Pasadena

CONTACT AGENT

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

9. POSITION: Marketing Project Manager

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 3+ years of professional experience
• 1 to 2 years of project management experience in a marketing department
• Focus or interest in International marketing
• Foreign language skills preferred

PERKS!:

• Growing marketing group at a Fortune 500 global company
• This position makes an impact on the whole team

PAY:

• Up to $70K

LOCATION:

• Downtown

CONTACT AGENT

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

10. POSITION: Sr. Project/Traffic Manager

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 3 to 5 years of experience maintaining schedules and managing workflow of print collateral
• Liaison for cross-functional teams
• Ability to manage large numbers of projects simultaneously

PERKS!:

• Great non-profit
• Terrific, fun team!

PAY:

• Up to $30 an hour

LOCATION:

• Pasadena

CONTACT AGENT

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

11. POSITION: Account Director (Sales)

TERMS: Freelance-to-Permanent or Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 2 to 4 years of phone sales experience (must love the phone!)
• Staffing experience preferred
• Interactive experience a plus

PERKS!:

• Right here at Aquent!
• Fun environment, room for growth
• Untapped territory with huge opportunities

LOCATION:

• Miracle Mile

CONTACT AGENT

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

12. POSITION: Interactive Recruiting Coordinator

TERMS: Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 1 to 2 years of experience in an interactive or Web environment
• 1 to 2 years of staffing or recruiting experience preferred
• Strong knowledge current interactive technologies
• Proven ability to manage high volume of information and build a network

PERKS!:

• Right here at Aquent!
• High energy and fun team environment
• Work with interactive creatives (they're cool!)

LOCATION:

• Miracle Mile

CONTACT AGENT

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

13. POSITION: Marketing Project Manager

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

MUST HAVES!:

• Client presentation skills
• Able to work with both creatives and vendors
• Print and on-line experience

PERKS!:

• Small boutique agency environment
• Get to take ownership of projects you're working on!

PAY:

• Up to $70K

LOCATION:

• Santa Monica

CONTACT AGENT

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

14. POSITION: Proofreader

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• This company is looking for the best of the best!
• 2 to 3 years of professional proofreading experience
• Experience proofreading marketing collateral
• Able to ensure accuracy of branding guidelines

PERKS!:

• Work with a great team on core projects
• Great non-profit!

PAY:

• Up to $25 an hour

LOCATION:

• Pasadena

CONTACT AGENT

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

15. POSITION: Print Traffic Coordinator

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 2 to 3 years of experience trafficking print collateral
• Ability to manage multiple projects and have the team love you at the same time
• Enthusiastic team player and design team advocate

PERKS!:

• Great snacks, varied and interesting projects
• A fun product with a global brand

PAY:

• Up to $25 an hour

LOCATION:

• Glendale

CONTACT AGENT

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

16. POSITION: On-Line Ad Traffic Manager

TERMS: Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• At least 2 years of experience with on-line ad trafficking (DART and /or DoubleClick)
• Prior work for an ecommerce company
• Some HTML knowledge to troubleshoot Web sites

PERKS!:

• Stable and cool Internet company at the top of their industry
• Really cool office space and great people

PAY:

• Up to $80K

LOCATION:

• Santa Monica

CONTACT AGENT

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

17. POSITION: Sr. Print Designer

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

MUST HAVES!:

• Minimum 5 years of graphic design experience
• CPG experience preferred
• Please send samples with styles close to Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel

PERKS!:

• In-house agency environment
• Gym membership

PAY:

• Up to $85K

LOCATION:

• West LA

CONTACT AGENT

Someone's trying to start a revolution.

And, wouldn't you know it, it's Seth Godin.

His recent post, Why bother having a resume? started a bit of discussion around the blogosphere, but the bare facts are, yes, you still need a resume.

Seth's point is that if you "you're remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular, you probably shouldn't have a resume at all."

Riiiight.

I like Heather Hamilton's point, "Donald Trump doesn't need a resume, Seth Godin doesn't need a resume. You? You need a resume."

Make that "You, me, and Heather Hamilton." (No, Susie, I'm not currently looking for work.)

Seth Godin's job is to shake things up, to be, in his own self-description, an "agent of change" (for some reason I'm thinking about the time Lenny Kravitz declared his album was better than Sgt. Pepper, then later admitted he just said it to hype sales). But really, there's little information in this post for 99.999% of folks looking for work.

Not only should you have a resume, you should pay very close attention to the information you put on it.

Most importantly, have a Grammar Police friend proofread it. (True, I heard tell of a Recruiter who'd toss any resume who misspelled QuarkXPress.)

And when you change it, have them proof it again.

Make it as cool or as daring as you want, just as long as you have a resume.

We're still big on these tidbits for style:

• Keep to 1-2 full pages and use letter size paper
• Use bullet points, bold type, etc.
• Use past tense without subject (eg. created, worked developed, implemented) except with current position
• Market your skills and experience relevant to the position you are looking for
• Analyze ads and job descriptions to identify keywords
• Use power/action words to get attention
• Prioritize the content of your resume (most important=first)
• Tweak and target each of your resume(s) and cover letter(s)
• Keep your resume updated!
• State URL of profile or portfolio site

I've got a PDF we produced a few years ago with Dos & Don'ts if your interested.

Just write me.

(Photo by miss_rogue)

HOT TALENT

It's Harassment Training time at Aquent Los Angeles!

After a four-hour session with our HR department on what we can (and can't) say, we hope you'll find this week's newsletter virtually free of potentially libelous prattle.

Sad, since we were going to lead off with a story about a priest, a minister, and a rabbi concocting a marketing plan.

Maybe next week.

In the meantime, have a look at these 6 terrific (and available!) Marketing and Creative Talent.

Some work on Mac...

And all are PC!

Follow the links for profiles, samples, and resumes.

Enjoy!

__________________________________________________

FEATURED TALENT THIS WEEK

William W. - Front End Developer
Cloe J. - Interactive Art Director
Debi L. - Art Director | Sr. Designer
Ryan G. - Print Design
Heidi F. - Marketing Project Manager
Eric B. - Entertainment Marketing & Promotions
__________________________________________________

William W.
Front End Developer

Habla Espanol?

Maybe not, but William speaks GUI, HTML, XHTML, XML, XSL, CSS, VSS, Microsoft .NET, and a myriad of other markup languages and platforms that you might find handy when trying to speak to your customers.

Over 7 years of professional Web development, he's built sites for such diverse clients as General Motors, Shopzilla, Toyota, Park Place Entertainment, Reebok, eMap Publishing, Dell, Paris Las Vegas, There.com, Denver Broncos, and Einstein Bagels.

Most recently he's been involved in advanced XHTML & CSS programming for Yahoo! with a special focus on advanced CSS and semantic markup.

Some may speak the language of love, William flourishes in the language of Web.

And when it comes to your on-line customers, isn't that the vernacular of choice?

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance
__________________________________________________

Cloe J.
Interactive Art Director

Her specialty is creating highly trafficked Flash/Rich Media Web sites and banners, but we're sure you'll find Cloe is just as talented on the print side!

Just ask top clients like Warner Bros., davidandgoliath advertising, TBWA\Chiat\Day, Sony Universal, and The Big Picture Group.

Recently art directing and creating daily updates on community site momlogic.com for Warner Bros. Interactive, she oversaw a team of 4 Designers and a bicoastal staff of 9 Writers. Solidifying the crisp look with unique and compelling visuals, the site seamlessly blends Flash pieces, videos, slides shows, contests, and other Rich Media applications for beautiful results.

Cloe's able to talk to Creatives as well as Developers and has the kind of personality that encourages everyone around her to strive for excellence.

Available today, so call us now, because we can't make any guarantees about tomorrow!

See her on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Debi L.
Art Director | Sr. Designer

An Art Director | Sr. Designer with 10+ years of experience creating packaging and marketing collateral, Debi is also a skilled Project Manager with great hands-on skills.

Her specialties include logo design, DVD, toy and video game packaging, key art, brochures, POP displays, special events and publicity and marketing kits. She's designed for variety of clients including the film, TV, video game and toy industries as well as corporate businesses, design studios and boutique agencies. Her extensive roster includes Vivendi Universal Games, Havas Interactive, Hill and Knowlton, Fisher-Price, Mattel, Sony, Disney, Hitachi, Knowledge Adventure, and DIRECTV.

Debi's a conceptual designer with hands on skills and a strong sense for project management.

Armed with a terrific personality and great design sense, she's sure to brighten up any brand and any team!

See her on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Ryan G.
Print Design

A recent relo from NYC, Ryan was most recently at Cushman & Wakefield, managing a full-service marketing team of 3 and concepting and art directing business development presentations, marketing deliverables and advertising campaigns.

Promoted to the company's worldwide headquarters, he led his team in the creation of proposals for multi-billion dollar contracts and was recognized as "Team of the Year" by their National Marketing Group.

Ryan's extensive experience includes creating beautiful campaigns, trade show graphics, and newsletters, and specializes in elegantly laying out data-heavy print pieces.

Did we mention he works in Web, too?

Don't snooze on this new Aquent LA Talent, because we're sure he'll be gone in a New York Minute!

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Freelance & Permanent
__________________________________________________

Heidi F.
Marketing Project Manager

Most recently at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Heidi oversaw the creation of packaging and collateral for all specialty products sold in grocery and club stores and cinemas across the country. She also handled analysis of the company's marketing campaigns and logistics of inventory.

Managing their 2007 promotion at Ralph's Service Deli, she achieved a whopping 263% sales growth over the holiday season. Her creation and maintenance of a new budget data system resulted in a $10K savings for Coffee Bean.

As Marketing Manager at New York Life Insurance, she was responsible for customer acquisition and retention and creation and analysis of all advertising and direct mail campaigns.

Bilingual in both English and Mandarin Chinese and skilled in strategic planning, make your project's (and your CEO's) day by bringing Heidi on board!

See her on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Permanent
__________________________________________________

Eric B.
Entertainment Marketing & Promotions

Armed with a great mixture of marketing and entertainment experience, when you need customers talking, you need Eric!

At Nettwerk America as Senior Director of Marketing, he created buzz around music acts including Kinky, DJ Tiesto, and Delirium by using peer-to-peer marketing, street marketing, and co-branding opportunities with XM Satellite Radio, Napster, M-Audio, and Ted Airlines. While on staff he created and developed the company's Street Marketing Team, negotiated all media buys, and established $200K+ budgets.

For Republik Management he was responsible for all direct sales and marketing efforts for musical acts which included use of heavy social networking marketing and on-line music site aggregators, such as IODA, to ensure talent's music was available on all music purchasing/file sharing sites.

Over 10 years of marketing and music experience, if you're looking to capture an elusive audience, call us about Eric!

See his on-line Aquent profile by clicking here.

Desired Work: Permanent

Available for a limited time only, the Special Features Bonus Disk of your life now on DVD!!

Yes, if you act now, a special limited edition commemorative DVD based on your VERY OWN LIFE can be yours for only $19.95!

But you must act now before this offer expires.

Without seeing the extra Special Features of your life, how else would you know what that guy in line behind you at the ATM was thinking?

Just hear what that guy said about Stacy Q. from Tampa, FL:

GUY BEHIND STACY Q. AT THE ATM:
"I have no idea what was taking her so long. What the heck she was doing up there, transferring money between her U.S. and Swiss accounts? Paying her mortgage? She had a good 5 minutes in line, you would have thought that she would have used that time to endorse her checks, add them up, or even get an envelope. But no, she just went up there and kept pushing buttons, counting on her fingers, and reading the instructions to see how to put the envelope in. Man, what a ditz!"

Tony T. from Pocatello, Idaho bought his Special Features Bonus Disk so he didn't have to speculate what his film school professor thought of his short films. He heard it from his former teacher's mouth!

JEREMY COSTON, PHD, Tony's USC Film School Professor:
"I don't think I have ever seen films so boring, either before or since Tony's. And I've sat through some real losers like Andy Warhol's 'Sleep', a full six hours of poet John Giorno dozing. That film was a summer action blockbuster compared to this kid's films. Surprising, since most of Tony's were only a few minutes long."

Palm Readers and Phrenologists can PROMISE you the future, but only hindsight is 20/20. Get a play-by-play look back at your life from the people who made it happen and don't be doomed to repeat your big mistakes!

• What did your fourth grade teacher REALLY think of your State Project?
• Why did you get a bigger punishment than your brother for skipping church?
• What was that crazy man outside of Kmart ranting about?

Only your Special Features Bonus Disk knows for sure!

(Note: Though these disks may tell you WHY your boyfriend started dating your best friend, it will NOT explain why you were dumb enough to be a bridesmaid at their wedding.)

NOW YOUR FUTURE IS IN YOUR VERY OWN HANDS FOR THE LOW, LOW PRICE OF $19.95!!! ($39.95 for Blu-ray)

Operators are standing by!

Just look at these great Bonus Features:

• Hours of Footage of Your Life Narrated by Your Father, Mother, and Ex-Boyfriends/Girlfriends
• Deleted Scenes from Your Life
• Interactive Game Based on Your Career Choices
• List of Common Misconceptions Most People Have About You
• Screen Tests of B-Level Actors Portraying You (should your life be made into a movie)
• Brief (3 min.) Sitcom-Style Short Based on the Most-Embarrassing Moment that Ever Happened to You
• List of Every Pet You've Overfed, Forgot About, or Otherwise Caused to Expire
• Subtitles in Spanish and Canadian French

All in theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and exclusive Dolby Digital and THX surround sound!

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Order today and you'll receive:

A limited edition cuddly plush doll of YOU at ABSOLUTELY NO CHARGE!

How can we afford to make a DVD of every single person's life and sell it for just $19.95?

Volume!

We're the largest producer of personal Special Features Bonus Disks in the world!

Heck, we may be the ONLY producer of Special Features Bonus Disks.

Don't forget, these make great gifts for every single friend and family member who ever had an opinion about how you were living your life!

ORDER YOURS TODAY!

(Please note that Special Features Bonus DVD material depends on cooperation of parents, siblings, friends, and local/national authorities.)

Commentaries presented in Special Features Bonus DVDs do not necessarily represent those of Your Life On DVD Productions, LLC or any of its subsidiaries.

Offer not valid in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, or U.S. Virgin Islands.

I'm not going to pretend I'm a Web Developer (even though I play one on TV), so when I recommend something like XRAY, a program that lets you peer beneath the skin of any Web page, I can only imagine how you'd use it.

But the fine folks over at Creativepro were kind enough to include it in their recent newsletter, so I know it must be pretty danged helpful.

XRAY is a free program that lets you "peer beneath the skin of any Web page", so you can tell where the top and left of an element is, how bit the margins and padding are, and how wide a content box is.

You can also get information on an element's parents, sibling, and children.

It's free and runs on Firefox, IE 6+, Camino, and Safari. A sample of what it looks like is below.

Interested?

Download here it at the WESTCIV site.

Random searching in Google brought me to this site: Smashing Magazine. Created by two German fellows (they live in Germany, anyway), who claim that, "Our aim is to inform our readers about the latest trends and techniques in web-development - clearly, precisely and regularly," the magazine threatens to, and I quote, "SMASH YOU WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER. REALLY." Well, forewarned is forearmed.

I browsed through the "INSPIRATION" category and found this post on "Beautiful Handwriting, Lettering, and Calligraphy." You have to scroll a bit to get into the meat of it, but they have collected an amazing assortment of lettering styles and approaches.

There's also a lot of great stuff in their "FONTS" category, if you are into that sort of thing. My guess is that, once you get an eyefull of the "Breathtaking Typographic Posters," or the "60 Brilliant Typefaces for Corporate Design," you will be.

Now go get smashed.

Image Courtesy of woodleywonderworks.

Sorry for the massive break in blogging, we had our Q2 Staff Meeting last Thursday (pictures to come), ran our Annual April Fool's Day client newsletter, revamped our ASAP Job List to (hopefully) work better, and took some time to go camping at Joshua Tree.

Not that you need my lame excuses... but now I'm back and raring to go.

An interesting thing about camping with a group is seeing how each person adapts to the environment, especially when that environment has no water and the weather can vary by 70 degrees in a day. If one person has a great idea, the others will probably use it the next time. (We learned a couple years ago from someone that it was just as easy to pack an espresso maker as it was drip coffee maker. Man, that's a nice lesson at 6am.)

Which brings me to the Core 77 1 Hour Design Challenge. Industrial Designers are given an hour (or so) to take on a design challenge and post their work.

Recently they tackled Theft Proof Bicycles.

"Can you design a better bike lock in one hour or less? Push aside that looming deadline and pick up your Sharpies….its 1HDC time again! What can you bring to the table to prevent [the stolen] Huffy Heartache?"

The winner was a Designer who turned the removable (and thus prone to be stolen) bike seat into a bike locking system.

Good place to challenge yourself whenever you're feeling underchallenged in your current work or while watching your favorite reality show.

The other day when I posted Laurie Baldwin's thoughts on the five things that people forget about SEO and SEM, I forgot to mention the sixth thing: you can rap about it.

The fellow who made this, Chuck Lewis, is also known as "The Poetic Prophet," and, more to the point, "The SEO Rapper." In addition to dropping science on the importance of design and coding - "please don't use tables even though they work fine/ when it come to indexing they give searches a hard time/ make it easy for the spiders to crawl what you provide/ remove font type, font color and font size" - he kicks serious k-nowledge on conversion, social media, and paid search. Check it out, boyeeeez! (I almost can't believe I just wrote that.)

Long story short, if your page rank is illin' and your SEM isn't "fillin'" it, go on and pick up on what the SEO Rapper is puttin' down. He'll school y'all. Peace. Out.

Special "shout out" to Shelli and Mariam in Aquent's Detroit office for turning me on to this dude.

THIS WEEK'S POSITIONS:

1. Web Designer
2. Jr. Marketing Coordinator
3. Part-Time Product Manager
4. Marketing Account Manager
5. Consumer Insights Brand Planner
6. Marketing Manager
7. Marketing Admin.
8. Proposal Writer
9. Traffic Coordinator

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

1. POSITION: Web Designer

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 1 to 2 years of Web design experience
• Great hands-on skills in Photoshop and Illustrator
• Strong knowledge of Web marketing
• Pay is up to $35 per hour
• Please send your URL with samples!

PERKS!:

• Awesome team!
• Excellent pieces to add to your book

LOCATION:

• Marina del Rey

CONTACT AGENT

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

2. POSITION: Jr. Marketing Coordinator

TERMS: Permanent (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 1 to 2 years of marketing experience
• Bachelor's Degree
• Must commit to working in West Valley

PERKS!:

• Fast growing company located in beautiful offices
• Travel perks!

LOCATION:

• Woodland Hills

CONTACT AGENT

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

3. POSITION: Part-Time Product Manager

TERMS: Part-Time Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 3 to 4 years of consumer packaged goods experience
• Tactical experience managing new product development
• Knowledge of supply chain
• Position is 30 hours a week, on-site

PERKS!:

• Premiere consumer products company
• Global brand

LOCATION:

• El Segundo

CONTACT AGENT

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

4. POSITION: Marketing Account Manager

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 5+ years of experience in marketing and account management
• Strategic and tactical marketing experience
• Client service experience within an advertising or marketing agency (or in-house marketing communications department)
• Pay is up to $75K

PERKS!:

• Leading non-profit

LOCATION:

• Pasadena

CONTACT AGENT

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

5. POSITION: Consumer Insights Brand Planner

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 5 to 7 years of brand planning/strategy experience
• Consumer product strategy background
• Experience writing research plans, running focus groups, etc.

PERKS!:

• Part of a new department in a stable company
• Great growth opportunity!

LOCATION:

• Northridge
  

CONTACT AGENT

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

6. POSITION: Marketing Manager

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 2+ years of experience in CPG (preferably cosmetics)
• Direct marketing and/or customer retention experience
• Experience building a brand

PERKS!:

• Fun-loving and charming coworkers
• Very creative environment

LOCATION:

• Santa Monica

CONTACT AGENT

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

7. POSITION: Marketing Admin.

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

MUST HAVES!:

• 5+ years of experience supporting departments or executives
• Strong computer skills in PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Lotus Notes
• Basic knowledge of SAP
• Entertainment or finance background preferred
• Pay is up to $24 an hour

PERKS!:

• World's leading non-profit
• Fun and upbeat team!

LOCATION:

• Pasadena

CONTACT AGENT

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

8. POSITION: Proposal Writer

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 3 to 4 years of experience writing proposals and/or business plans
• Experience working with SMEs to fulfill research requirements
• Healthcare background preferred
• Position is on-site, 40 hours a week
• Pay is up to $30 an hour

PERKS!:

• Work with a great team and amazing manager
• Leading non-profit

LOCATION:

• Glendale

CONTACT AGENT

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

9. POSITION: Traffic Coordinator

TERMS: Long-Term Freelance (On-Site)

MUST HAVES!:

• 2 to 3 years of experience as a Traffic Coordinator within print design studio
• Experience managing workflow and data input
• Need to be a high energy, team building, team advocate
• Pay is $25 per hour

PERKS!:

• Great internal design team
• Snacks!

LOCATION:

• Glendale

CONTACT AGENT

June Dershewitz has been a web analyst for almost as long as that has been something to be. Currently a member of the leadership team at Semphonic, a top web analytics consultancy, June is a passionate advocate for the field of web analytics as well as a thoughtful and informed adviser on how best to pursue a career in it. An involved member of the web analytics community, June was an early instigator of "Web Analytics Wednesday" and is currently running for a seat on the Board of Directors of the Web Analytics Association.

For this podcast, I spoke with June - the first interviewee to ask me, "You do know that I grew up on a goat farm, right?" - about careers in web analytics, the changes she's seen in the field, and avoiding the "report monkey trap." I invite you to listen in on our conversation. You can do so by clicking on the Flash device below. You are also welcome to download an mp3 of this interview by "right-clicking" ("control-clicking," Mac-wise) on this link. Finally, this and other Talent Blog Podcasts are always available on iTunes.

powered by ODEO

A few highlights of the interview can be found at the following time coordinates:

02:36 - "Web Analytics" is really about "people"
06:28 - "The technology has changed quite a bit - THANK GOD!"
08:43 - Omniture, Visual Sciences HBX, WebTrends, and the limits of Google Analytics
10:47 - Analysis starts with thinking about your goals
12:25 - Things to consider when hiring a web analyst
13:21 - Avoiding the "report monkey trap"
14:59 - Going from "what people are doing" to "why they are doing it"
17:00 - The value of using staffing firms to get project-based contract work
20:12 - Advice for people just starting out in web analytics
21:13 - The origin of "Web Analytics Wednesday"
23:06 - A WAA campaign pitch: Vote for June!
24:53 - "It's important that every company has someone on staff who owns web analytics"
26:03 - Happily employed (and unemployed) as a contractor

Image Courtesy of linkerjpatrick.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Featured Advertisers

More Advertisers

Yes, We Fit a Couple More Advertisers Here, Too

Subscribe | Unsubscribe Information

Advertisement
__________________________________________________

YOUR COMPANY LOGO HERE (call to inquire)

As our way of offsetting the cost of this expensive-to-produce newsletter, once a month we'll be opening much of the space to advertising.

Okay, all of it.

But how else can we continue to pay for such high-end production values?

As Creative and Marketing Professionals, we're sure you'll understand.

And while you may not find as many Aquent Talent as you hoped for (okay, any), you may indeed find a bargain or two that you won't find anywhere else.

Well, provided you don't have Internet access or a working phone.

Enjoy!
__________________________________________________

(If you're looking for Real, Honest-To-Goodness Aquent Talent, watch your inbox or ask your Aquent Account Director, Agent, or me for on-line profiles!)

__________________________________________________

FEATURED ADVERTISERS THIS WEEK

1. Burger Queen

2. Ted Nugent

3. This Space For Rent

4. Deeply Discounted Books on CD
__________________________________________________

Burger Queen
"Mo' Meaty Meat"

Hungry? You will be!!

How about heading on down to your local Burger Queen for our new 2 LB. Left-Handed Whopster? (Weight before cooking and jamming into cardboard box.)

You'll save big time over those other burger places by cooking your burger yourself on our exclusive Patron's BBQ Pit.

If you love fondue or Shabu Shabu, then you'll adore standing with new friends over our blazing hot 575-degree grill. In our non-air-conditioned environment, you'll probably drop the pounds you were going to put on anyway!

What a great way to "meat" someone special and develop long-lasting relationships. It may be your only chance to use the phrase, "Would you like fries with that?" as a double entendre!

See you there!!!

Jimmy & the Burger Queen Crew

One location only: NE corner of Fairfax & La Cienega
(Former site of Dairy King)

Check out our menu by clicking here.

__________________________________________________

Ted Nugent
"Quit Makin' Fun of Me"

Hi, Ted Nugent here - Rocker, Hunter, NRA board member, and Father, tellin' you all...

ENUF!

Stop with all this trashing the Nuge!

Are you considered the #1 Guitar Showman on the planet?

Have you sold over 35 million albums worldwide?

Were you invited to be guest speaker at the International Law Enforcement Convention by FBI Director William Webster, Edwin Meese, and President Ronald Reagan?

SO BACK OFF!

I bet you're not even a deputy sheriff!

Well I am, pal!

Pipe down or I'm putting ALL OF YOU on my next hunting list.

Oh yeah, buy my CD, books, bow hunting arrow tips, line of gourmet coffees, and camouflage cowboy hats!

YOWZA, YOWZA!!!

Visit Ted!

__________________________________________________

This Space
For Rent

Do you have a product or service you need advertised?

Please contact our friendly representative by phone today.

If our friendly representative is not available, please talk to our really burnt-out representative.

But just don't call us to complain afterwards.

Because we already warned you about him.

Contact us at 323.634.7000 x106
__________________________________________________

Deeply Discounted Books on CD

We have nearly every book on CD you could imagine.

Actually, many of them no one could imagine. That's why they are available from us at deep discounts.

Just look at these fantastic bargains:

Michael Jackson reads "When Bad Things Happen to Good People"

Carrot Top and Adam Sandler read "Hamlet"

Barry White reads "The Bible, King James Version (unabridged)"

Ozzy Osbourne reads "The Cat in the #$@*&@!! Hat"

Residents of Wisconsin read "Who Moved My Cheese"

Ted Nugent reads "Bless the Beast and the Children"

(HEY, I SAID CUT IT OUT! - Ted)

But act quickly, these titles are going like hotcakes!

Okay, call whenever you want, we're going to have these titles awhile.

8-track tape versions of titles also available.

Every product thoroughly dusted before shipping.

See our site by clicking here!

Once a month we will be replacing That Bit at the End with Those Personals at the End.

The reason for this is three-fold: 1) More revenue for this lush publication. 2) The single folks in the office can stop bugging us to get them a date. 3) The cranky guy who writes the column won't be in for a whole week. (Whoo hoo, more coffee for us!!)
__________________________________________________

THOSE PERSONALS AT THE END

LOOKING: You: Five foot something, brown hair, going the other way down the street. Me: Looked at you, looked the other way. Can we meet? Reply to Mr. X, c/o PERSONALS

NOTE TO MY NOSY BOSS: Stop sniffing my food! I understand that you were curious as to what "smelled so good" and noticed that I was eating lunch. If you wish to ask me about my meal, or even inquire about my interest in cooking, that is fine. But do not, under any circumstances, grab my food and hold it within an inch of your cracked, runny nose! Regina

WANTED: Jingle for really cheap looking product sitting on my desk. Need by 5pm TODAY!!! Reply to: Jingly c/o PERSONALS

LOOKING: You: On cell phone at Native Foods produce section and breaking up with your boyfriend while comparing organic plums. Me: Hands in the bulk polenta barrel looking for the scoop. You sound like my type. I take it you're free?
Call me. Steve at x104

LOST: Attention span. Reply t

FOR SALE: To whoever sent me the cryptic message in reply to my advertisement with the text: "i lied 2 buy, can u do lol $5, lozl k? bie," I just want to sell my dang couch, not crack the Rosetta Stone. Would you please tell me what the heck you are trying to say? (NOTE: Anyone responding with those stupid blinking animated icons, your email will be deleted!) Brenda: wfc@shotmail.com

FOUND: 10th step from AA. Did you lose? Please respond to JT c/o PERSONALS

FREE!: Latest CD offering from Bon Jovi. Buyer's remorse. Still in shrink-wrap and record store bag. Bring tongs and oven mitts to remove from back seat of my car. Jenny c/o PERSONALS

LOOKING: You: Brunette, 5 ft 6, standing in lobby at People's National Bank on 6th Street last Tuesday. Me: 6 ft., ski mask, holding semi-automatic weapon. Are you avail? Reply to John: jct1004@letzero.com

LOST: "NUM LOCK" key on PC. Do not return! Good riddance. Terry

PLEASE SHUT UP!: Me: Bookstore employee. You: Woman needing copy of a book for your friend. You describe it as having a blue cover, about someone in trouble, and written by a woman with curly brown hair. I have not memorized this year's NY Times Bestseller lists, and I still have no idea what book you're talking about. Stop calling! Greg

FOR SALE: 2002 Fleet F-1600 26-seater SUV in Black. Lo miles. Alloy wheels, tint, GPS, DIRECTV, washer/dryer combo, radar, rotisserie grill, fireplace, rec room, sauna, lap pool, and dog run. Includes optional Bounce House for the kids. Great condition, used for commuting across canyon to work only! Must sell for bigger model. Contact rfuzz@letzero.com

FREE to good home: Cursed jade trinket. Respond to Carl via Veteran's Hospital

APOLOGY: I overheard your conversation on the train. You said something to your friend like, "Wow, I'm glad we've become such great friends! It feels just like Sex and the City!!" and then I lost control and punched you. I'm sorry. It's just really annoying when girls say stuff like that. Jerod

That Bit at the End will return, already in progress, next week.

You know there are some events that breed so many headlines.

I mean, what would you do with AIGA LA's Sole Search Design Contest, an event that asks participants to:

1. Buy a blank pair of TOMS Shoes ( which is $40: buy one and another is given to a child in need + $8 sent to the AIGA/LA Scholarship Fund)
2. Decorate the shoes
3. Send in photos of the shoes
4. Have the winning shoe replicated as a TOMS Limited Edition product on their site

You would probably come up with a clever headline.

Something like "Sold My Sole for a Good Cause", "Give Me Some Sole", or "Found Soles". (Or maybe you would write, "Soupy Soles", though painfully aware most of your audience would have no idea what you were referring to.)

Or maybe you should just design the shoes.

I'll just be telling you about it, since we've established that my design skills are on the poor side.

But hey, if your design wins, I'll buy a pair.

(photo by Nantaskart! )