Join the Club

As a marketer and communications/media professional, there are a few memberships I have joined in the past as well as organizations I am a member of today. Most of which are marketing related, however there are also a few that are a bit broader.

The Editorial Freelancers Association: I am not currently a member of this, but stumbled upon it during my research and really like it. It encompasses everyone, from writers to editors to proofreaders. It is the largest and oldest national professional organization of editorial freelancers (www.the-efa.org) and has various aspects to its membership. The free online directory lists freelancers, all of whom may network and find another editorial freelancer to help work on a project. Writers can find editors; e ditors can find proofreaders, etc. Members can submit a job posting or search for open positions. The organization also hosts its own events across the country, such as Regional Meetings and Scrabble nights.

Business Marketing Association: I am not currently a member of this, because I currently do not do B2B type marketing, but it’s a very good organization from the outside. The BMA represents those in business marketing communications. Much like any other organization, there is a membership to join. The BMA provides members with education, training and professional development in business-to-business marketing (www.marketing.org). The organization provides local chapters to join which lead to networking events, conferences and training sessions. Annual membership is $185; Educator membership is $125.

Media Bistro: This is an organization that I am currently a part of. It involves all types of media and communications positions (and isn’t the name cute?). Annual membership is on the low side compared to many organizations (about $59) and it opens up a whole new world to you. You are invited to various conferences and trainings around the county (topics include “Breaking into Magazine Writing” and “Advertising”) and if you are a member, you can view the transcripts from those trainings for free. There is also a job search site, showing openings in the creative field all over the country. There is also a site dedicated to freelancers, called the Market Place, where people can post their work to be viewed by potential employers. There is also networking, various parties held in cities like New York and Chicago as well as blogs (www.mediabistro.com).

American Marketing Association: This is my pride and joy. I just joined this organization, and I love it. They have some of the most interesting and relevant events and conferences. They use the term “marketing power, which is exactly what it is. Since this organization is generalized towards marketing, it includes B2B and B2C marketing. There are also local chapters to join and events such as “Advanced Social Media” (I am hopefully attending this training in Chicago soon) as well as online all-day seminars, one of which I am taking tomorrow about Market Research. There are job listings, a resource library and discounts on marketing publications (www.marketingpower.com).

American Association of Advertising Agencies: This organization is very much like the American Marketing Association, only it is for advertising professionals and agencies. . The organization includes national events and local chapters, resources in the field of advertising, talent development and job listings. This organization and website also keep their members up to date with all of the latest news on the advertising front. There are member bulletins and social networking opportunities (www.aaaa.org).

People can expect many things when joining a professional organization. First and foremost, they can expect to pay for a membership. There is an annual fee, and many times if you also join a local chapter you will pay membership dues as well. I would always suggest joining a local chapter, if you live near one (I currently do not). That way you can always attend meetings and do your networking in person! You can also expect to keep up to date on the latest news pertaining to your field as well as invitations to training seminars and conferences. There is always a fee for the conference; however you can save up to $400-500 on the total cost if you are a member. I would always suggest joining an organization that pertains to your profession, mainly for networking purposes, as well as furthering your knowledge and staying up to date.

What I Want to be When I Grow Up

Maybe I'm already a grown up, but I'm not quite where I'd like to "be." Sure, I'm doing a little bit of it, but not as a whole. I hope that after my education is finished and I am no longer involved with the military, I'll be able to pursue one of these many Communications driven careers:

Marketing: This is my true passion. Not the sales side, but the creative side. It can entail everything from business development to advertising to event planning. Even the thought of this career makes me feel warm inside. This career path suits me because I'm able to be creative and work hard -- I don't like to dilly-dally -- I love being busy at work, and Marketing provides a certain "organized chaos" feeling that I love. The salary can range, depending on what position you're in as well as city or state. The potential for growth in this career is not bad -- you can start out as an Assistant, then move up to a Coordinator, a Manager and then a Director. The average salary for a Marketing Assistant in Southern California is between 37K and 47K. The average salary for a Marketing Coordinator is 47K to 65K; The average salary in the same area for a Marketing Director is 126K to 186 K. Holy dinero! This differs greatly in other parts of the country, say the Central Valley CA where I'm living now. Over 70% of Marketing Assistants and Coordinators have their Bachelor's Degrees and 44% of Marketing Directors have their Master's degree. (www.salary.com)

Copy Writer/Editor: I have done lots of this in my career so far as well. Copy writing can consist of anything from advertisements to web copy to promotional items copy. Basically, you write what goes on them. I think this is a fun job because you're able to be creative and come up with some really bizarre slogans and tag lines. Sometimes this can tie into a marketing career. The only potential for growth is to become a lead copy writer, or a copy editor (if that's what you want to do). When you write copy, there's basically nowhere to go other than writing copy. The average salary in Southern California for a Copy Editor for the Web is between 52K and 71K. I personally know a few people who make both less and more than this. Again, it all depends on company and city. 74% of Copy Editors have their Bachelor's Degree, 15% have a Masters, and 4% have no degree at all (www.salary.com).

Technical Writer: This is probably my least favorite of all the Communications careers. Just the word "technical" makes me itch. That might be due to the fact that I hate Math, Science and anything that seems to be logical in any way. I have, however, done some technical writing in my career in the form of reports, proposals and web copy. The average salary for a Technical Writer in Southern California is between 44K and 57K. 65% of people who are Technical Writers have their Bachelor's Degree, 20% have a Masters (www.salary.com).

Public Relations: This is another area that I love very much, like Marketing. I have recently been looking into a few PR jobs. A PR professional within an organization deals with all media, inquiries, events, press, etc. You are constantly communicating with other people when you are a PR professional. Like Marketing, there is a bit of room to grow. You can start out as an Assistant, grow to a Coordinator and finally a Director. The average salary for a PR Coordinator in Southern California is between 42K and 55K with 80% having a Bachelor's Degree and 14% holding a Master's Degree. The average salary for a PR Director is 119K and 178K. Holy dinero again. 63% of PR Directors have their Bachelor's Degree and 30% have their Master's Degree.

Media Relations Manager: I love the sound and description of this job because I love the media, and more so I like furthering a business' success through it. A Media Relations Manager Media Relations Manager ddevelops and implements policies and procedures for the relations between the media and the organization (www.careerbuilder.com). Much like a PR Director, a Media Relations Manager oversees the relationship between an organization and the current media. Salary for this position in Southern California is between 78K and 116K, with 68% holding a Bachelor's Degree and 25% holding a Master's Degree (www.salary.com).

Obviously there are so many factors that go into pay with every career. However, from my research, I have learned that in the field of Communications, you are not doing yourself any favors by not furthering your education. I have decided to get my Master's degree for this reason. Anything to push in front of the competition and further your knowledge is key for getting a job in this field. I really love all types of Communications jobs, and I really really love jobs where I can be creative and have fun. My career goal is to be a Marketing Director in a mid to large size company.

www.careerbuilder.com

www.salary.com

Shape Up or Ship Out

No one wants to deliver bad news to anyone. Usually, when there's no way out of it, we sandwich it in with good news: "I have some good news and I have some bad news." So what do you do when the only meat for that sandwich is bad? How do you tell someone bad news when there is no good news to soften the blow?

Case scenario: I am a department manager in a mid-sized company that provides technology support services. I have ten employees who are required to maintain a high level of technical expertise and deliver excellent customer service. One of my employees, who has been with the company for two years, is performing at a substandard level and you have received numerous complaints from customers and coworkers. In addition, this employee has displayed confrontational behavior which has created a hostile environment. I must now meet with this employee and deliver an ultimatum regarding the need for immediate improvement or dismissal.

In a company that small, there is no room for under performance. First, a mandatory six month review should be in place for each employee. Employees shall review their own performance, as well as face a review from their department manager. Employees who receive a bad review have six months to clean up their performance - if there is another bad review, employee shall be dismissed. Employees are aware of this process at the time of hire and sign that they understand the procedure.

At this time, the employee needs to be spoken to regarding his behavior. I would first approach this employee via email to let them know of the time and place I would like to meet with them. The subject of the email should include "Performance Review" and should be marked urgent. In the email, I would inform the employee that a meeting will take place regarding recent developments regarding job performance. The employee is to respond immediately that he has received the email and will be present at the meeting.

At the meeting, I will have the employee handbook present that discusses what is expected of all employees. When the employee in question enters the meeting, I would ask him to give me his side of the story, i.e. how he thinks his performance has been, why there has been confrontational behavior, etc. I would then tell the employee in question about the complaints that have been coming in about job performance and workplace behavior. I would show the spots in the employee manual that discuss what is expected. The ultimatum given to the employee would be clear: ship up or ship out. With a small company, each member is part of a team and the company cannot afford to have one faulty member. I would let the employee know that since they have been working at this company for two years; I would give them the benefit of the doubt and let them be placed on a probationary status for three months. If behavior did not improve, or if further complaints came in, the employee would be let go at once.

There are a few conflict resolution strategies that I would use when dealing with this problem. I would first use S-TLC (Cahn & Abigail 2007). I would probably state that this should always be used when confronted with possible conflict. First, I would stop - in this case, calling the meeting with the employee is putting a stop to the behavior. Next, I would think about possible solutions. Then, I would listen to the employee's side of the story. Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt. Lastly, I would communicate to the employee what is expected, and what will eventually happen if behavior did not improve.

Lastly, a good conflict resolution strategy not to always use is avoidance (McNamara 2010). By letting the problem sit still, the company would suffer along with the rest of the employees. As a manager, it is important to make the workplace somewhere that employees want to work, not feel they are stuck at. That is achieved by creating a happy environment where people are comfortable and feel supported.


References

Cahn, D. & Abigail, R. 2007. Managing Conflict Through Communication.
Third Edition New York, New York.

McNamara, C. 2010. Basics of Conflict Management. Retrieved June 9, 2010 from http://managementhelp.org/intrpsnl/basics.htm.

Global Phenomenon

Talk about phenomenon.

You click you have, in a few seconds flat. Whether it be a new car, a recipe or directions to the mall, you can see it in the same amount of time it takes to click your finger. No place like home?

The Internet has become the most ever powerful tool for man throughout the world (Parkhare 2010). With this fine piece of technology, people are instantaneously connected to whatever type of communication they want to be connected to. Whether it be news, information for a research paper or YouTube, it’s all there. You can even diagnose yourself and order medicine over the Internet!

The Audience for this technology is much like that of the computer audience – whereas there are some people who use the computer but don’t use the Internet. The audience for the Internet is growing and expanding to both the youth and older adult markets.

We can chat with a friend who lives in Australia via Skype or keep in touch with Aunt Ester and Uncle Bobby via Facebook. We can all see each other's photos and read each other's profiles and feel instantly connected. Who needs actual face to face contact anymore?

Well, I do. While I am very happy to be able to stay in touch with my best friends in New York City, it isn't enough for me. While it does keep us from drifting, I still miss the shopping trips and sleepovers. Internet, if not used sparingly, can take away from normal communications and hinder people's ability to have a normal conversation. Sometimes, I catch myself writing an email to my co-worker down the hall.

Bottom line, the Internet is a wonderful and exciting piece of technology. It just keeps getting better. My hope is that people don't quit actually being humans and turn into pods.

Parkhare, J. (2010. Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet. Retrieved June 3, 2010 from www.buzzle.com

Man Make Computer

Maybe, this is the only thing that has surpassed the greatness of the television.

The computer has evolved over time just like the television has. What started out as a great big box that sat on our desk (I admit having one like this all the way through college), taking up all of the space there was, has now turned into flat screen monitors and laptops.

The computer replaced many current data and file systems in the workplace, allowing people to store things electronically. Audiences for the computer vary. While there are many children who are very inept at using this piece of technology, there are many older adults and senior citizens who do not (my mother, for example). This is a generation who did not grow up with it, and therefore it is more foreign to them. However, my generation will have grown up on computers, making them a more natural technology like the television.

Computers are now being used to enhance other forms of communication, such as the already popular cartoon. Animated movies are now being made by computer animation, creating such an incredible experience at the movies. Movies like Avatar use computers to create a whole new world for viewers. The same goes for video games. My cousin makes a very good living at the company "Blizzard" creating video games for the computer.

Negative nancies can say the downside of a computer can be that people don't know how to socialize anymore, they don't see enough sunlight or they develop an addiction. Yes, this is true. However, don't we all need to practice self control? Too much of a good thing is still too much.

Turn on the Tele!

The television is one of the greatest technological mediums that has ever been invented. People are able to receive communications right from their very own home, through this box that sits on a stand in their living room.

The television itself has evolved over time, as well as the types of messages that are being communicated through it. What started as pure black and white and two channels has now become not only color, but High Definition, 500 channels and TiVo. Advertisements have gone from clean and wholesome to the current "Carl's Junior" ads that don't leave much to the imagination.

While I do believe advertising on television is still one of the greatest mediums out there, you do run a large risk due to... TiVo. People aren't watching "live" TV anymore. I am one of those people. If there's something I really want to watch, I'll record it so that I don't have to watch commercials. So, if there are people like me out there, there's a lot of advertisers who aren't getting their message out there.

Conclusion? TV, good. Don't see it going out of style any time soon.

So Which is it?

Is it tomato? Is it tomahto? Does it really matter? Keep repeating both, and both will start sounding a bit silly.

Welcome to my blog. The title comes from a place where opinions may differ -- but in the end, it's just a fruit. Right?