http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/ work inspired en-us Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:30:11 EST Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:30:11 EST http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Movable Type Pro 4.33-en 60 http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/08/career_games_the_ups_and_the_downs.html In a perfect world we know what we want to be when we grow up, we undertake the necessary training, we get an entry-level job and our career takes off to whatever lofty heights we so desire. Like I said...... Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:34:08 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2158 Karen Thompson At work Career Career advice Careering Games Work-life balance careers http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/i_came_across_an_interesting.html I came across an interesting article this morning about the Top 10 Social Sites for Finding a Job written by leading personal branding expert Dan Schawbel, who stresses the importance of actively engaging these sites - from the old guard... Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:09:33 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1960 Careering Job Search Social Media Social Networking http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/why_culturepersonality_fit_may_matter_less_to_web_talent.html I'm still trying to figure this out. When you ask web professionals and the people who recruit or hire them to evaluate the importance of the various attributes used to distinguish one Web professional candidate from another, you get some... Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:51:33 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1958 Matthew Grant Careering Interactive Design Job Search http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/are_web_talent_sitting_pretty.html Aquent partnered with Monster to uncover the key to "attracting, keeping and developing Web talent in an uncertain economy" and we presented our findings in an AMA webcast today (I've embedded the slides below for your viewing convenience). It would... Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:18:08 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1954 Matthew Grant Careering Design Management Flash Freelancing Interactive Design Job Search Market Research Trends Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/the_hills_are_alive_with_the_sound_of_job_hunting.html This post was contributed by long-time Aquent veteran, Julie Hiipakka. Here's a picture of Julie with her cat. Whether or not you're one of those people who's been to a Sound of Music Sing-a-Long-a (if you are one of those... Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:22:16 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1951 Matthew Grant Careering Interviewing Job Search Resumes http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/is_this_downturn_less_bad_for_the_creative_class.html I heard Richard Florida on the radio this morning. You may remember him as the author of The Rise of the Creative Class, which traced "the fundamental theme that runs through a host of seemingly unrelated changes in American society:... Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:44:24 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1948 Matthew Grant Careering Creativity Design History Job Search Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/jack_goldenberg_is_a_creative.html Talent Spotlight Jack Goldenberg is a creative copywriter represented by agent Randi Martin in Aquent's New Jersey office who, since cracking into the industry over 30 years ago, has served as the creative muscle behind such influential product launches as... Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:35:03 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1943 Advertising Careering Copywriting Creativity Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/getting_horizontal_web-wise.html @iamkhayyam turned me on to this inspiredology post featuring intriguing examples of "horizontal" web design (i.e., sites that scroll from right to left instead of up and down). Checking them out made me realize a) that I don't see this... Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:28:26 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1941 Matthew Grant Agencies Careering Design Flash Interactive Design Job Search http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/forget_about_transparency_how_ome_kin.html Good news for all you wannabe Mad Men (and Women)! There's now an alternative to getting into advertising: becoming an advertisement. That's right. Anyone with untouched skin space and no self-image issues can now create an online profile and pimp...I... Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:38:27 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1939 Advertising Branding Careering Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/job_hunting_in_the_24-hour_workplace.html This post was written by Aquent's Alex "Anytime/Anywhere" Weaver. This is a picture of him. As fluid and uncertain as it has become (thanks in part to companies shedding full-time employment opportunities faster than A-Rod is shedding fans), the career... Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:06:24 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1935 Careering Design Management Globalization Interactive Design New vs Old Media Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/careers_on_the_time-space_shifting_continuum.html The concepts of time-shifting and place-shifting (originally called "space" shifting) come from the realm of consumer electronics. The classic time-shifting device is TiVo, which allows you to "shift" the time of your favorite TV programs to a time of your... Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:13:12 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1930 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Job Search Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/demand_innovation_and_opportunity_the_interactive_talent_market.html A recent survey we conducted with the American Marketing Association showed that, even though most marketers are turning to online marketing for salvation in these dark times, they are finding themselves in a bind because they don't want to outsource... Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:11:36 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1924 Matthew Grant Careering Design Management Events Marketing Management New vs Old Media SEO Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/attract_without_distracting_the_challenge_of_interactive_design.html Talent Spotlight Jon Billett is a designer represented by Aquent's Philadelphia office who has spent the last several years making the transition from print to web. Of the work he's done that you may have seen are a set of... Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:55:17 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1923 Matthew Grant Careering Creativity Design Flash Interactive Design Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/do_you_have_a_portfolio_site.html If you're a designer of any variety and don't have a portfolio site, I have one question for you: Why not? If you do have a portfolio site and you think that others would be impressed or inspired by it,... Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:45:13 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1915 Matthew Grant Careering Creativity Interactive Design Job Search Resumes http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/just_because_the_technology_exists_doesnt_mean_you_have_to_use_it_-_erik_hauser_on_the_state_of_expe.html Well, I'm back in the podcast saddle (thought I did one in September, but turns out I've maintained radio silence since May - yikes!) and talking with my friend Erik Hauser (with whom I've spoken once or twice before. Erik... Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:35:17 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1913 Matthew Grant Careering Creativity Experiential Marketing New vs Old Media Podcast Social Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/what_are_blogs_good_for.html I didn't need the Fake Steve Jobs to tell me that blogging won't make you rich (though I'm comfortable). And while I do believe that blogging can help you find work, I understand from this ex-CNN head writer/senior producer that... Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:01:58 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1911 Matthew Grant Blogging Branding Careering Copywriting Job Search http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/marketing_career_questions_get_answered_expertly_by_me.html You know, I've answered a lot of marketing career questions as part of my Ask the Expert column on the American Marketing Association's website. The questions have ranged from the fairly general, "Why can't I get an interview?," to the... Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:49:18 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1907 Matthew Grant Careering Interviewing Job Search Marketing Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/did_britney_spears_find_her_20_media_manager.html Couple weeks back it was announced that Britney is hiring a 2.0 Media Manager. This was posted on a Harvard-only job board, for what that's worth (don't get me wrong - some of my best friends went to Harvard). I've... Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:33:59 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1894 Matthew Grant Careering New vs Old Media http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/surround_yourself_with_competent_specialists.html Aquent and the AMA engaged the Dihedral Group to conduct a couple surveys asking marketers about salaries and hiring trends, as I mentioned in this post. Well, the findings have been analyzed, reflected upon, and transformed into a convenient white... Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:57:22 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1891 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Market Research Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/01/the_cult_of_transparency.html A random Google search brought me to this Wired article, "The See-Through CEO," from March 2007 (remember 2007?). Though it seems kind of old-hat now, the thrust of the article (is it strange to use "thrust" metaphorically in a corporate... Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:43:42 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1882 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Ethics New vs Old Media Public Relations http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/01/working_for_the_man.html Unless you spend your days managing a healthy portfolio, spending your inherited wealth, or begging on the streets, then you have to work and, specifically, you have to work for somebody. The question is, "Are you getting your money in... Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:53:48 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1880 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Job Search Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/01/pragmatism_versus_panic_marketers_respond_to_the_recession.html As the scope of the current economic downturn expands and evolves, marketers are responding with pragmatism rather than panic. The pragmatic view, as revealed by research conducted by The Dihedral Group (TDG) on behalf of Aquent and the American Marketing... Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:27:28 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1848 Matthew Grant Careering Freelancing In-House Interactive Design Market Research Marketing Marketing Management New vs Old Media SEO Social Media Social Networking Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/01/aquent_you0.html One distinguishing characteristic of Aquent has always been our entrepreneurial spirit. That spirit, at its best, expresses itself as independence, self-reliance, creativity, and the desire to serve others. In this vein, we've developed a corporate culture that seeks these attributes... Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:48:05 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1830 Matthew Grant Aquent Branding Careering Creativity http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/12/its_all_about_fit.html We have found again and again that if a placement doesn't work out, it's not because our talent lacked the necessary skills or experience. Instead, it's because their style and personality didn't click with the environment and/or the team at... Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:20:28 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1809 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Creativity Interviewing Job Search http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/12/getting_all_methodical_twitter-style.html Don't mean to re-hash my "reduce the randomness" schtick, but the truth nestled therein was reaffirmed for me yesterday when I was talking with @PinkOliveFamily, whom I met via Twitter (follow me on Twitter here: @Aquentminister). @PinkOliveFamily is a marketer... Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:10:17 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1803 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Social Media Social Networking http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/12/reduce_the_randmonness_in_your_game.html Second foray into vlogging. The first installment was like 8 minutes long and everyone said that was too long. This one is closer to 2 minutes. Basic message here: If you're going after something specific, like getting a specific job... Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:31:48 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1781 Matthew Grant Careering Job Search Social Networking http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/12/keep_your_head_up.html Update: I got some feedback that suggested, well, said, that this vid was too long. I shortened it up and fixed the color that was bugging me. An improvement? - Matt My message in this video is fairly simple: If... Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:30:19 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1775 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Job Search Social Networking http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/11/pre-holiday_thought-provoking_humor.html It's always dangerous to advertise something as "humorous" when it's quite possible that no one finds it funny. Here goes anyway. Two years ago, there was a modicum of hub-bub about the "no A-hole rule" and a lot of discussion... Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:44:08 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1760 Matthew Grant Careering Ethics Public Relations http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/11/aquent_boston_-_a_globe_100_top_place_to_work.html Congratulations are due our Boston office which was recognized in The Boston Globe yesterday as one of the Globe 100 Top Places to Work. Here's a DIY video-window on the world I and about 150 others work in everyday. It... Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:43:05 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1731 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/11/can_marketing_help_you_find_and_retain_talent.html Just yesterday, the Godin One published a post on the 90/10 Rule of Marketing a Job. This brief ex cathedra tidbit boils down to these two questions he poses: If marketing works so well that you spend a fortune on... Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:53:18 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1728 Matthew Grant Careering Job Search Marketing Marketing Management http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/11/is_there_a_secret_to_working_with_aquent.html In a comment on my last post, someone wrote: "I am completely baffled and mystified by Aquent. My background and skills are stellar. I see a few people here and there who do get work through Aquent. But there really... Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:26:00 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1725 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Interviewing Job Search Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/11/about_us.html I'm working on a new "About Us" page for Aquent.com. As part of that process, we asked a lot of the staff what they tell people when asked why they work at Aquent. My favorite response was the simplest, "Because... Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:14:31 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1722 Matthew Grant About Aquent Careering Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/10/are_any_marketers_designers_or_heaven_forfend_web_analysts_really_rock_stars.html C.C. Chapman mentioned yesterday during his New Marketing Summit presentation that he hated terms like "rock stars" when used in the context of new media/marketing folk. Having myself once aspired to be a rock star, I tend to wince as... Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:50:53 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1680 Matthew Grant Careering Design Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/10/the_new_model_for_productivity.html An old compadre over at the web shop known mysteriously as Silverthreaded, pointed me to this post, "Productivity 2.0: How the New Rules of Work Are Changing the Game," on an interesting blog called, "Zen Habits." The gist is this:... Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:18:36 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1675 Matthew Grant Careering Freelancing History Project Management http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/10/qa_if_ur_an_old-school_marketer_how_do_you_get_enough_knowledge_to_catch_up.html First of all, if UR are someone who uses "UR," then you can't be TOO old school. Second of all, I should mention that this question was actually a three-parter, the other two parts being: "How much is schooling vs... Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:48:25 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1658 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing New vs Old Media Project Management Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/10/qa_what_are_the_5_disciplines_of_marketing.html In my recent webcast on marketing careers I spoke about the rise of marketing operations as an important development in the field. In doing so, I referred to "marketing operations," somewhat erroneously as it turns out, as the "fifth discipline... Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:09:35 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1647 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Marketing Management http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/qa_given_the_down_turn_in_the_economy_do_you_expect_an_increase_in_project_based_opportunities.html Another marketing careers webcast related question. Actually, in its entirety, the question went like this: "Given the downturn in the economy, combined with the marketing dept. being the 1st to be cut/reduced, do you expect an increase in project-based opportunities?"... Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:31:59 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1641 Matthew Grant Careering Freelancing Marketing Management Project Management http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/qa_do_you_consider_seo_a_part_of_marketing_or_a_separate_job.html Got this question after our AMA webcast on marketing careers t'other day and I'm reading it this way: Should all marketers be thinking about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or should there be a specific individual in the organization who focuses... Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:36:34 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1640 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Management SEO Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/do_what_you_love_and_the_money_will_follow_right.html I used to listen to the Talking Heads a lot. In fact, these lyrics from their song, "Found a Job," echo down the corridors of my mind to this day: "If your work isn't what you love,/ then something isn't... Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:31:33 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1634 Matthew Grant Careering Creativity Design Job Search http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/do_something_with_your_life.html About twenty years ago, after I had stopped out of grad school and quit my job at SuperShuttle and was so broke that I made all my family members collages as Christmas presents, my father sat me down for a fireside chat. The gist was: Dude, you got to get it together, figure out what you want to do with you life, and do it. As he put it, semi-incredulously, "You don't seem to do anything." Was I a lost soul at that point? Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:42:05 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1602 Matthew Grant Careering Ethics History http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/careers_in_marketing_flux_flexibility_and_the_future.html UPDATE: In case it's not totally obvious, September 25th is now in the past! If you'd like to see the slides, etc., from this webcast, you may do so here. - Matt On September 25th at 1:00pm EST, I will... Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:00:29 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1593 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Events Marketing Marketing Management New vs Old Media http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/aquents_los_angeles_office_sti.html Just because something happened like two weeks ago doesn't mean it's absolutely meaningless two weeks later, right? (Oh, how internet time has spoiled me.) Banking on an affirmative answer to that last unnecessarily convoluted rhetorical question, let me add my... Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:44:30 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.371 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/08/we_probably_cant_give_you_what.html I know you're not supposed to come right out and say that, but what if it's true? You see, the vast majority of people who contact Aquent looking for work will not be placed by us. This is especially true... Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:32:47 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.367 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Data Analytics Job Search http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/08/do_you_compete_against_a_what.html If you're selling anything, be it good or service, you are competing for the attention and money of buyers. If you want to "win," even in the most basic sense of "just staying in business," you need to understand the... Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:34:48 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.361 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Job Search New vs Old Media Social Networking http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/08/betrayal_of_everything_we_stan.html We're in the process of rethinking our on-line presence/strategy and redesigning our website. We've already changed the homepage fairly drastically and continue to experiment with it, even as we reconsider our whole approach. As part of the experimentation, I started... Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:09:49 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.357 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Design Design Management Ethics New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/retrotech_as_virtual_gatekeepe.html A job-seeker recently told me that a local public radio station explicitly asked applicants to SEND THEIR RESUMES AND REFERENCES VIA SNAIL MAIL. This set me to thinking. While email has made communication faster and easier, it has also lowered... Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:03:05 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.354 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Job Search New vs Old Media Resumes http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/have_you_heard_about_the_aquen.html Aquent now features a referral program that not only rewards you for the referral itself -- regardless of outcome -- but continues to reward you when we conduct an "official" interview of the individual referred, and then keeps on rewarding... Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:09:37 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.351 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Events Job Search http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/apparently_the_united_states_i.html Looks like we're in a recession, my fellow Americans (if you happen to live somewhere else, more power to ya!). Home prices are dropping and foreclosures are up. Over 500,000 private sector jobs have evaporated since November 2007. We're even... Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:29:52 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.350 Matthew Grant Advertising Careering Content and Content Management Copywriting Design History Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/flogging_a_dead_horse_you_real.html As part of Aquent's sponsorship of the American Marketing Association, I write an "Ask the Expert" column about marketing careers on their site. One question I get a lot goes something like this, "I'm applying for jobs and sending my... Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:29:48 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.346 Matthew Grant Careering Job Search Marketing Social Networking http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/heres_what_i_want_you_to_do.html It's high time I took the time, dear blog reader, to explain what I'd like you to do now that I've gotten your attention (at least for the next minute or so). Here goes. Since you're reading this, you're already... Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:33:28 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.343 Matthew Grant About Aquent Blogging Careering Marketing SEO http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/whats_twitter.html I was iChatting with a former colleague who left a while back to join a fast growing design and production agency. I told him that I was on Twitter (my handle is @aquentminister, if you're interested in my sporadic digital... Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:34:19 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.338 Matthew Grant Careering History Marketing New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/how_much_does_your_boss_make.html Aquent and the AIGA, in cooperation with Communication Arts magazine, recently published a survey of design salaries for the US. Aside from showing how much people make in different design roles, it also comes with a handy salary calculator. Analysis... Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:54:39 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.336 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Design Design Management Talent Talent Spotlight Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/clients_in_every_direction_the.html "When you're a project manager, everyone's your client," says Sheila D'Aniello, a web project manager represented by Aquent's Chicago Office. After initially launching her career in the world of broadcast journalism some years back, Sheila increasingly found herself taking on... Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:56:33 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.333 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Design Management Marketing Management Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/simms_jenkins_and_the_truth_ab_1.html Simms Jenkins is the CEO of BrightWave Marketing and the author of The Truth About Email Marketing. He will also be the featured speaker on an upcoming (June 26, 1pm EDT) webcast hosted by the AMA and sponsored by Aquent... Sun, 08 Jun 2008 21:25:36 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.332 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Marketing Marketing Management New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/is_staffing_obsolete.html Aquent is, first and foremost, a staffing company. If you are unfamiliar with that phrase, allow me to explain that a staffing company is what the lay-person might call a "temp agency." A temp agency will tend to call itself... Tue, 27 May 2008 19:24:09 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.328 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/first_solo_cast_whither_the_we.html As a follow-up to our webcast with Lance Loveday and Sandra Niehaus, I thought I would proffer my two cents on ways that the evolution of the web is and will affect careers in web design. It's the first time... Fri, 23 May 2008 13:42:18 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.327 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Content and Content Management Creativity History Interactive Design New vs Old Media Podcast SEO Trends Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/getting_on_sally_hogsheads_rad.html Sally Hogshead is the author of Radical Careering, a book that "helps you visualize your no-compromises future, so you can start to build it, piece by piece." I came across Sally's work via Ad Age where she writes a career-oriented... Mon, 19 May 2008 17:51:52 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.326 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering Creativity Interactive Design Public Relations Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/what_do_web_designers_want.html Greg Kuchmek, who is represented by Aquent's DC office, has been working on the web since 1994. That's when he was hired to help produce a webzine, Stim, started by Prodigy. [Editor's Note: For an interesting flashback to 1996, read... Thu, 15 May 2008 02:29:43 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.324 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Flash Interactive Design Interviewing Talent Talent Spotlight Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/did_you_know.html I saw this video on DeanHunt.com. Well, actually, Dean posted a slightly earlier version of it. The one below dates from June 2007: The main point seems to be that the world is bigger, more connected, and changing faster than... Mon, 05 May 2008 18:43:53 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.321 Matthew Grant Careering Data Analytics Globalization History New vs Old Media Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/customer_service_blowing_the_j.html Some quick stuff for today, May 2. Customer Service I had a little problem with my iTunes account so I sent a message to their support center. The first response I got concluded with: "Good luck on downloading the song... Fri, 02 May 2008 14:17:46 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.320 Matthew Grant Aquent Blogging Careering Interviewing Job Search New vs Old Media http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/04/people_make_the_difference.html 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... Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:18:54 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.318 Matthew Grant Aquent Branding Careering History http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/04/make_yourself_indespensible_ta.html 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... Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:00:26 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.315 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering In-House Job Search Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/04/june_dershewitz_on_careers_in.html 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... Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:32:35 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.312 Matthew Grant Careering Freelancing Interactive Design Podcast Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/every_job_is_a_project.html I always get in trouble when I start a post this way, but I'm a slow learner... The other day I was talking to a friend who happens to be in marketing. When I first knew him some seventeen years... Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:25:34 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.311 Matthew Grant Careering Job Search Marketing Resumes http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/new_podcast_erik_hauser_talks.html Ever since I spoke to Erik Hauser last year I've been looking for an opportunity to speak with him again. He's optimistic, he's infectiously enthusiastic, and he has a lot to say on a lot of different topics almost any... Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:03:50 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.310 Matthew Grant Advertising Branding Careering Creativity Experiential Marketing Interviewing Job Search Podcast Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/brains_on_brands_part_2_straw.html In Part 1 of our podcast interview with James Intriligator, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Wales in Bangor, we talked about branding, loyalty, and consumer psychology. In Part 2, we discuss personae and customer motivation, different neuormarketing... Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:50:06 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.305 Matthew Grant Branding Careering Creativity Design Experiential Marketing History Interactive Design Marketing Podcast Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/brands_and_brains_marketing_me.html The other day an SEM specialist told me, "Marketing is a hard science." She said it, at least in part, ironically. "Marketing? A science? Come on! What's next? Fishing?" Marketing may not yet be a hard, or even soft, science.... Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:46:20 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.304 Matthew Grant Branding Careering Design Experiential Marketing History Interactive Design Marketing New vs Old Media Podcast Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/5_things_people_forget_about_s.html Laurie Baldwin, who is represented by Aquent's Richmond Office, has spent the last five years running a successful search engine marketing company with clients like Wrigley's, Lumber Liquidators, and the Christian Children's Fund. A self-proclaimed Web marketing "addict" -- she... Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:08:50 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.303 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering SEO Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/ron_leland_on_brand_architectu.html Ron Leland of Real Life Brand Architecture is an architect by training, a surfer by vocation, and happens to be the president of the Orange County Chapter of the AIGA. He's an enthusiastic, reflective, and interesting guy who has... Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:56:48 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.301 Matthew Grant Branding Careering Creativity Design Podcast http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/debbie_weil_on_corporate_blogging_a_podcast_experience.html Debbie Weil is a corporate blogging and social media consultant who literally wrote the book on corporate blogging, which she aptly entitled, The Corporate Blogging Book. I had the good fortune of interviewing her the other day on the three... Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:54:14 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.297 Matthew Grant Aquent Blogging Careering Copywriting Podcast http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/back_in_the_saddle.html I was on vacation last week and that means I got to hang out with one of my cousins in Vermont. We were talking about work, partly because she's still trying to decide on a career and partly because, from... Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:05:56 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.295 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/easier_said_than_done.html Upon reflection, I found my last post glib and platitudinous, and I apologize for that. Having experienced unemployment and under-employment, I know that it doesn't have to be a worst-case scenario for it to be pretty lame. Looking for a... Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:38:34 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.293 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Job Search Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/is_unemployment_a_worst_case_s.html The other day I came across a query on ProfNet from a journalist who was writing an article on how one should manage one's time after losing one's job. Specifically, she wanted to know if people should take time off,... Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:07:21 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.292 Matthew Grant Careering Interviewing Job Search Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/leave_robot_work_to_the_robots.html Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:30:11 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.291 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/aquent_and_the_story_of_my_lif.html Since we Aquenters are strewn liberally across the globe, we need to make a special effort to get everybody together and remind ourselves that the wide world of Aquent includes many more folks than we see around our particular office... Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:41:08 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.290 Matthew Grant Aquent Blogging Careering Creativity http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/friday_fun_videos_that_make_fu.html The other day, a colleague turned me on to this video: It was created by the very talented illustrator, Kyle T. Webster, and somehow I missed it when it was posted on about a million blogs and other sites. Look,... Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:41:33 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.286 Matthew Grant Careering Creativity Ethics Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/going_to_fuse.html Aquent is going to be at FUSE: Design, Culture and Branding Conference this year, if for no other reason than that, "Every year, hundreds of design legends and corporate superstars converge at FUSE to experience a sense of community in... Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:06:31 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.285 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Discounts http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/career_advice_what_are_you_loo.html The other night I was talking to a friend of mine, Peter Dixon, about his cool new cd, "Shady Planet." It hasn't been selling as well as he had hoped, so I, as Mr. New World of Marketing, was suggesting... Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:43:04 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.284 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Job Search Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/back_to_the_blog.html Greetings, loyal followers and coincidental visitors of Aquent's Talent Blog! I know I only did one post last week and I extend my heartfelt and sincere apologies for my shortcomings and unworthiness. I'm back in the saddle this week, though,... Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:36:28 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.282 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Creativity Marketing Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/so_many_channels_so_little_tim.html The writing is on the FunWall: Marketing is undergoing an unprecedented and overwhelming proliferation of channels. This isn't new news, naturally. It's been going on for a while, what with computers in taxicabs and digital bulletin in elevators and all.... Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:02:27 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.281 Matthew Grant Advertising Agencies Branding Careering New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/is_bad_economic_news_good_for.html We've been hearing about the credit meltdown and the bursting housing bubble for a while, but Fed Chief Bernanke was talking yesterday about a worsening economic outlook and even the President is finally copping to the notion that the economy... Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:12:43 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.280 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Talent Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/we_are_all_temps.html In my last post, I floated out various reasons why people "temp" in hopes of dispelling the notion that people temp because they can't find permanent work. In this post, I want to debunk the myth of the "perm job"... Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:39:37 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.279 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Job Search Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/why_do_people_temp.html Anyone watching Aquent over the last few years would see that we've shifted the emphasis in our marketing from "the world's largest talent agency for creative, web, and tech," back in 2001, to "a professional services firm that specializes in... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:38:10 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.278 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Job Search Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/do_people_hate_marketing_or_ju.html I know I said in my last post that I was going to talk more about Aquent and give the folks who are Aquent more of a voice here. Believe me, I will. But it's sort of late in the... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:33:17 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.277 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/12/the_aquent_talent_blog_in_2008.html Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:01:25 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.276 Matthew Grant Aquent Blogging Branding Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/12/turning_information_into_insig.html Talent Spotlight You launch a new product and it doesn't perform as you hoped. What do you do? Well, you could turn to someone like Irma Salinas for answers. Irma is represented by Aquent's Connecticut office and is currently working... Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:36:22 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.275 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Market Research Marketing Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/12/getting_the_most_from_your_seg.html "If you're not thinking segmentation, then you're not thinking," Ted Levitt of the Harvard Business School supposedly quipped. While every marketer would readily agree with him, getting segmentation right can be as challenging as it is necessary - and getting... Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:14:55 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.274 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Data Analytics Market Research Marketing Management Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/12/how_do_professionals_know_how.html Many moons ago, a friend of mine sent me a book entitled, Disciplined Minds, the subtitle of which reads, "A critical look at salaried professionals and the soul-battering system that shapes their lives." I actually read the book straightaway, but... Tue, 11 Dec 2007 19:47:01 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.273 Matthew Grant Careering Ethics History Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/11/william_lunderman_on_brand_des.html (Note: I had to repost this entry without the Odeo player due to a technical glitch. If I can fix it I will. - Matt)William Lunderman is VP of Global Strategic Brand Design at Colgate-Palmolive. He's thus far led quite... Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:22:34 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.268 Matthew Grant Branding Careering Design Management Globalization Marketing Marketing Management Podcast http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/11/jim_sterne_the_emetrics_summit.html Jim Sterne, the producer of the eMetrics Summit and the president of the Web Analytics Association, has been talking about the internet and marketing since 1993. Indeed, he was kind enough to talk to me about it just the other... Wed, 21 Nov 2007 22:26:16 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.267 Matthew Grant Careering Data Analytics Interactive Design Market Research Marketing Marketing Management Podcast Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/11/5_steps_to_jumpstarting_your_j.html It's hard to believe that December is well-nigh upon us, but that is the horrible and shocking truth. Since this is a time when many companies slow down or halt their hiring activities altogether, it also means that this is... Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:12:34 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.265 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Job Search http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/11/david_meerman_scott_on_the_new.html When I was at PodCamp in Boston a couple weeks ago I finally met David Meerman Scott, whom I'd wanted to interview at the time that we were doing the webcast with Paul Gillin. David has literally written the book... Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:18:57 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.261 Matthew Grant Advertising Blogging Branding Careering Marketing New vs Old Media Podcast http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/10/aquent_seeks_manager_for_new_y.html People don't usually think of job ads as "entertaining." Frankly, they can be kind of dry. At least that was the case until July when P.Diddy posted an ad on YouTube for a personal assistant. (His update of the posting... Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:51:14 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.250 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/09/an_aquent_podcast_miniseries_c_2.html In this third and final installment of our podcast mini-series, we speak with Carol Burke, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at AMN Healthcare. Carol discusses how she makes sure that her team is using the marketing channels most preferred... Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:07:09 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.248 Matthew Grant Aquent Branding Careering Copywriting Design Design Management In-House Interactive Design Marketing Management Podcast http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/09/oncoming_economic_turbulence_g.html According to Joel Cheesman, SEO pros don't share their fellow American's fear of an imminent recession. In a recent post, Mr. Cheesman says, that, on the contrary, SEO's are "drooling over [the] worsening economy." His main point is that companies... Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:23:49 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.243 Matthew Grant Careering SEO http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/09/seo_optimization_is_more_than.html An Aquent Talent Spotlight Bonnie S., who is represented by Aquent's Philadelphia office, got into Search Engine Optimization (SEO) the honest way: by working hard to optimize her own website. "I got a degree in architecture and then worked as... Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:23:53 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.242 Matthew Grant Careering Interactive Design Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/09/changing_the_world_one_gaping.html A friend of mine sent me a link to this gapingvoid post, which contains forty-five random notes assembled by Hugh MacLeod on his experiences creating the site and his thousands of "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards." My... Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:18:04 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.238 Matthew Grant Careering Copywriting Creativity http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/08/marketing_vs_finance_a_podcast.html A few months back I created and posted a podcast here on producing successful creative briefs. Now I've returned to the podcasting arena with another podcast on the tensions between Marketing and Finance. As you can hear for yourself, I... Fri, 24 Aug 2007 03:19:36 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.232 Matthew Grant Careering Design Management Marketing Marketing Management Podcast http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/08/im_just_that_breed_of_cat.html A passion for visual communication "of any sort," an "inner sense of professionalism," and a sincere interest in "people asking me to do something new," characterize Betty W., who has been working through Aquent for the better part of 10... Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:28:57 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.230 Matthew Grant Careering Design Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/07/blogging_has_radically_changed.html Back in February, in a post about marketing ethics and the Mooninite scandal, I referred to a post on the blog of one, John Cass. When John responded to my post with thoughts of his own, I learned a valuable... Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:13:25 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.224 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/07/seasoned_cmo_needed_for_hot_so.html I don't usually use this blog to support specific searches being conducted by Aquent, but then I thought to myself, "Why the heck not?" Whenever we have surveyed Talent, you all have made it crystal clear that the thing... Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:15:02 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.223 Matthew Grant Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/07/as_a_marketing_professional_th.html Do you ever talk to people who are genuinely psyched about their work, sincerely committed to doing a great job, and who seem to pursue their career with an infectious passion? Well, that's how I felt when I had the... Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:43:04 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.222 Matthew Grant Careering Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/07/career_voyeurism_see_where_cre.html First of all, have I ever mentioned how consistently impressed I am with ADVERTISINGLAB, the self-proclaimed "blog on the future of advertising technology"? Well, if I haven't, let me just say for the record that I find this blog consistently... Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:09:28 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.221 Matthew Grant Careering Creativity Design http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/07/new_product_experts_can_write.html Aquent recently held a large training event for out staff here in Boston (well, technically, Cambridge). In one session two product managers whom we represent talked about their accomplishments, what they are looking for in a job, and what sorts... Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:49:15 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.216 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/3_things_i_learned_about_produ.html My friend, Alex, is a product manager represented by Aquent's Boston office. He was a product manager in the biotech world for the last 9 years and when I spoke with him about the evolution of his career the... Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:02:18 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.214 Matthew Grant Branding Careering Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/youre_the_one_steering_the_shi.html Suzanne is a product manager currently working for Kraft through our New York office. As is the case with many people who work with Aquent, Suzanne's choice to work as a contractor came at a midpoint of her career... Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:18:05 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.212 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/marketing_careers_is_marketing.html I wrote a post for the Daily Fix over at MarketingProfs wondering if careers in marketing were going the way IT careers went in the late 90's/early 00's. At the turn of the present century, careers in technology saw... Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:18:46 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.209 Matthew Grant Careering History Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/3_things_to_do_when_work_dries.html With Memorial Day safely behind us, summer has officially begun (well, technically, summer begins on June 21, but let's not quibble). While businesses in the U.S. don't generally shut down for the summer, things do sort of slowdown as school... Mon, 11 Jun 2007 17:45:09 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.208 Matthew Grant Careering Freelancing Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/work_life_its_not_about_balanc.html Aquent, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and Work+Life Fit, Inc., collaborated to survey hundreds of working professionals and corporate executives on the subject of flexible career paths and work arrangements. (A summary report entitled, "Changing the Career Ladder: Paving... Fri, 01 Jun 2007 19:37:39 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.202 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/alternative_career_paths_for_m.html In a front page article in the New York Times entitled, "Advisers Fault Harsh Methods in Interrogation," I read the following: "Some of the study participants argue that interrogation should be restructured using lessons from many fields, including the... Wed, 30 May 2007 15:12:45 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.200 Matthew Grant Careering History Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/honing_your_communications_ski.html Jeffrey Emenecker is the president of the Analytics Group at Aspen Marketing Service, a Chicago-based firm with offices around the country and an impressive client list. [Disclosure: Aspen Marketing Services also happens to be a client of Aquent's.] Jeffrey has... Wed, 23 May 2007 18:57:12 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.196 Matthew Grant Careering Data Analytics Market Research http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/should_you_take_a_job_with_a_n.html I attended a workshop yesterday produced by the Nonprofit Marketing Group of the Boston Chapter of the American Marketing Association called, "Wikis and Podcasts and Blogs, Oh My!" The workshop was run by David Galiel of Public Interest Entertainment Corporation,... Thu, 17 May 2007 20:09:16 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.192 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Social Networking http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/stability_breeds_stagnation.html "If you feel comfortable in a situation, start looking around," a senior graphic designer who works through our Philadelphia office told me, "Comfort and stability breed stagnation." She came to this conclusion after working 8 years as a creative... Tue, 08 May 2007 20:29:21 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.186 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/are_resumes_bogus_in_principle.html The recent story concerning former MIT Dean of Admissions, Marilee Jones, who was asked to resign after 28 years because she had lied about (misrepresented might be more generous, if less accurate) her educational background, got me thinking about... Thu, 03 May 2007 18:05:08 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.184 Matthew Grant Careering Ethics Resumes http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/the_editor_as_accidental_marke.html When I contacted Ann Handley of MarketingProfs -- who apparently invented blogging-- to talk about her career in marketing she told me, "I don't think of myself as a marketer." Instead, she clarified, she was an "editor of a marketing... Wed, 02 May 2007 20:10:02 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.183 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/blogs_resumes_and_information.html In December I wrote a post about blogs as the new resume in response to something I had read on a blog called "Servant of Chaos." I stated then, as I still believe now, that a blog can function... Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:49:20 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.182 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering Social Networking http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/wanted_leader_of_robot_army.html Several years ago, I was joking around with a friend of mine about things to put on my resume and he suggested: "1993-95 - Leader of Robot Army." Well, the joke's on us now. Reading the New England Tech... Wed, 25 Apr 2007 21:08:50 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.179 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Resumes http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/sometimes_it_actually_is_brain.html Talent Spotlight: Holly Goodrich When I started working as an agent in Aquent's (then MacTemps') Boston market, Holly Goodrich had already been with them for four years. She did presentation work and print production and was known for her technical... Thu, 12 Apr 2007 20:39:24 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.171 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Talent Talent Spotlight http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/who_needs_portfolio_advice.html While following a link about pencils made from human ash, or, "cremains", I stumbled across this post by Ben Garfinkel, Creative Director at Vancouver's Industrial Brand Creative. [Warning: Their Flash site is cool but slightly disturbing.] In said post, he... Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:01:46 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.170 Matthew Grant Careering Design Resumes http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/some_reasons_to_consider_contr.html There's a blog called Notes on Design over at sessions.edu and I'm going to be one of their guest bloggers for the next couple weeks. My first post appeared today and it focuses on reasons why design professionals should consider... Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:32:43 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.167 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/cc_chapman_new_media_marketing.html C.C. Chapman is a blogger, a podcaster on music and new media, and VP of New Marketing for crayon, that "new marketing" company presided over by Joseph Jaffe with offices in Second Life. Given the increased demand for interactive marketing... Tue, 03 Apr 2007 20:55:33 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.166 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering New vs Old Media http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/working_with_aquent.html This blog was initially conceived as a resource and forum for Aquent talent (the folks who work through us for our clients 'round the globe). The focus has primarily fallen on the ins and outs of marketing careers, from the... Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:20:42 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.165 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/blog_blog_blog.html I've tried desperately to avoid blogging about blogging and I've succeeded, more or less. When I have found myself blogging about blogging, I've striven to make sure that my comments were at least arguably career-related (for example, back in December... Fri, 30 Mar 2007 20:52:26 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.163 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/copywriting_careers_and_depige.html According to Nietzsche, our conscience tells us, "Become what you are" (advice not to be confused with transversal theorist Bryan Reynolds' recommendation to "become what you aren't"). Unfortunately, when you work as a copywriter, it's more likely that you will... Thu, 29 Mar 2007 14:16:00 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.162 Matthew Grant Careering Copywriting Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/marketing_vs_creative.html Aquent got its start in "creative" staffing. Back then we were called MacTemps and our stock in trade was connecting businesses with creative types who could use the Mac to do desktop publishing. As time went by, we expanded out... Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:55:32 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.161 Matthew Grant Careering Design Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/why_would_a_successful_freelan.html Once upon a time I was talking with a fellow, a Flash developer by trade, who had worked through Aquent from time to time. He, like many freelancers who work with us, saw Aquent as a business development partner who... Mon, 26 Mar 2007 20:51:35 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.160 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/giving_contractors_respect.html On his blog, Scott Berkun provides managers with several reasons why contractors deserve special attention. First of all, he asserts that managers should treat contractors well because, once you see them in action, you may actually want to hire them... Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:25:09 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.156 Matthew Grant Careering Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/fresh_marketing.html Mike Wagner recently posted to his blog a piece on raw marketing. "Raw marketing" involves "a raw, direct, and honest invitation to become someone's customer," while the "cooked" variety makes him feel like "some marketer is trying to yank me... Thu, 15 Mar 2007 21:07:35 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.153 Matthew Grant Advertising Careering New vs Old Media Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/impress_your_clients_do_too_mu.html Rebecca worked with Aquent for a little over a year before taking a permanent job as a designer with one of our clients. I gave her a call to ask her about her experience with us and to find out... Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:26:57 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.149 Matthew Grant Careering Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/the_mind_behind_the_eyes_how_s.html A fellow who calls himself "Rands," and who works as an "engineering manager of teams that design phenomenal software" wrote an insightful post on what he looks at when reviewing a resume. I encourage you to read the post in... Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:47:54 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.148 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering Resumes http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/overindulging_in_innovation.html At a recent marketing conference, the catchphrase was "innovation," as in, "We've entered the age of the 'innovation economy,'" or, "Today, innovation is the key to differentiation." Given the premium placed on innovation, a colleague who attended this conference wondered... Thu, 01 Mar 2007 22:03:38 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.147 Matthew Grant Advertising Careering Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/02/should_interviews_be_outlawed.html If you are not a recruiter or an HR professional, and chances are that, if you found your way here via Aquent's website, you are not, then you're probably not familiar with ERE.net, which is an online resource center for... Thu, 22 Feb 2007 04:35:31 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.145 Matthew Grant Careering Interviewing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/02/get_an_mba_from_mit_for_free.html Paul Barsch posted some thoughts on MIT's practice of making MBA course syllabi, class notes, and recommended reading lists available for free on-line. While some may see this as "giving away the milk for free," if that metaphor makes sense,... Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:28:24 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.143 Matthew Grant Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/02/godaddy_and_everybody_wants_to.html I addressed the question, "What is Marketing?" here a while back, and then most recently, here. The latter post inspired this thoughtful response from John Cass and got me thinking even more about the distinction between sales, advertising, and marketing... Wed, 07 Feb 2007 21:34:58 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.139 Matthew Grant Advertising Blogging Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/01/interviewing_tips_from_famed_m.html Heather Hamilton posted this lengthy piece on how to come across as confident in an interview without seeming "jerky." If you don't have the time to read it - though you really should - I'll pass along it's three most... Fri, 26 Jan 2007 19:43:21 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.134 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering Interviewing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/01/i_am_a_box_of_tide.html When I entered grad school 20 years ago, I got to know a fellow who was just wrapping up his graduate career and preparing to go on the job market. He told me that his personal motto had become, "I... Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:19:10 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.132 Matthew Grant Careering Copywriting Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/01/designing_careers_the_move_int.html Erin Malone, editor emeritus for the awesome online journal for information architects, Boxes and Arrows, wrote an interesting essay on the lessons she learned when moving from the role of designer to manager of a design organization. This is recommended... Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:27:39 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.131 Matthew Grant Careering Design Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/01/liftout_recruiting_and_freelan.html Repeat after me: I am my network. When a company recruits an entire team or group from another company, it's called a "lift-out," according to this article from Business Week. (Of course, sometimes its referred to as "employee raiding," and... Sat, 20 Jan 2007 13:46:39 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.130 Matthew Grant Careering Ethics Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/01/how_one_wisecrackin_copywriter.html Creative and marketing careers can take strange twists and turns and you never know what will lead to your next job. This lesson was brought home to me when speaking with a talented copywriter and marketer represented by Aquent's Nashville... Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:52:27 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.124 Matthew Grant Careering Talent http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2006/12/again_with_the_interactive_med.html For what's shaping up to be my last post of the year I'm going to return to a topic I've addressed before: the talent shortage in the interactive world. Just this morning, for example, in a WSJ article [registration required]... Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:42:22 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2006:/thetalentblog//5.121 Matthew Grant Agencies Careering New vs Old Media http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2006/12/blogging_a_great_career_move.html A colleague of mine said that, although this blog is supposed to be about careers, I should never post any resume tips on it. I'm fine with that, seeing as how I already weighed in on resume mistakes some time... Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:09:38 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2006:/thetalentblog//5.115 Matthew Grant Careering http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2006/11/integrated_belowtheline_and_in.html A story in the Wall Street Journal a few weeks ago pointed out an interesting effect of the interactive talent shortage felt throughout the marketing and design world: it may in fact be limiting on-line spending. According to one analyst,... Fri, 17 Nov 2006 22:37:23 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2006:/thetalentblog//5.104 Matthew Grant Careering