From Marketing to Storytelling

From Marketing to Storytelling Success Story > From: Job To: Startup From Marketing to Storytelling “I'd plateaued in my day job; after ten years I needed something new.” * From Marketing to Storytelling Matthew Barrett didn't dislike his work, but he wanted to start something of his own. Here, he shares how he built and tested his ideas gradually (without risking his income), the mindset shift that's been crucial, and the financial plan that's allowed him to finally make the jump with both feet. What work were you doing previously? I worked in sports marketing and sponsorship for ten years, for a number of agencies within WWP (the world's biggest advertising and media conglomerate). It was very much more commercial and corporate compared to what I do now. What are you doing now? For the last four years, I've been running a project called Goal Click. It's a global media and photography project. Our aim is to help people understand each other through football. We essentially find people from every country in the world and ask them to tell us a story about themselves or their country through football. We give them a disposable camera each, we also take their written words and audio as well. It allows people to tell their own stories in an unfiltered way. Why did you change? I'd always wanted to set up my own business or organisation, looking at this type of storytelling, using football and sport and how it can explain the world. I'd plateaued in my day job, and after ten years I needed to freshen myself up with something new â€" I felt that would be healthy. And I wanted to have a go at being an entrepreneur! I studied sport in war zones and I'd always wanted to do something that was a bit more journalistic and creative, something that I could be in control of. I didn't necessarily dislike my old work. The quality of my workâ€"life balance was good, but I really believed in this idea and wanted to do this for myself. So, my shift was a positive move, rather than a change because I disliked my former life. When was the moment you decided to make the change? The first real moment I decided to commit to Goal Click was the launch of our first exhibition, a couple of summers ago. We'd operated the project under the radar for the first couple of years, as a hobby. Then, we did an exhibition for five weeks and at that launch night, where there were 250 people, speakers and photographers from around the world, I looked around and realised that out of nothing we'd created something. I saw then that one day I could do this full-time. Two years of working on the project alongside my day job work got me used to the idea that this was what I really wanted to do. I got more comfortable as we went along. Ahead of the World Cup this year, I thought that this was the time. Looking back, I remember telling the CEO at my last company that I planned to be like him one day,which he liked! Within a year, I'd started Goal Click. Are you happy with the change? I couldn't be happier. That's not to say it's all a sure-fire thing and I'll be doing this for the rest of my life (though, I hope so), but the one thing I can categorically say is that I'm glad I did this because I'm proud of what we’ve achieved. It was the right time, the right moment, and I'd got as much as I could out of the ten years of my previous working life in terms of experience, connections and knowledge. I'm 31, without a wife, without a house, without a mortgage, without kids, and that's very conducive to taking that kind of gamble. It's easier for me in my life situation to do this than it would be for people who have those ties. So I'm very lucky that I could do this now. Three or four years later or earlier and it wouldn't have been so right. It's almost been a 'Goldilocks' moment â€" everything has been 'just right' for me to do this. If it doesn't succeed, I'll be very disappointed, but if it does, it's the perfect story! What do you miss and what don't you miss? In many ways it's been nice to tighten the belt, financially speaking. I'd been looking for active ways in which to cut down on frivolous spending, not least on alcohol and very fancy meals, not that I lived a particularly fancy life beforehand. Telling your friends and having them understand that you can’t go on holiday, go for those drinks, or have that meal, is hard but your real friends get behind it. It requires a mental shift whereby disposal income is no longer your friend. I knew my lifestyle wasn't extravagant and I spent less than what I earned but I didn't really notice what I spent. Whereas now I'm hyper-aware. It's a case of weighing up the priorities â€" is this holiday worth it when I could spend the money supporting my business instead? How did you go about making the shift? As I've mentioned, I co-founded Goal Click and ran it as a side/passion project for three and a half years. Then, four months ago I decided to quit my job and devote my full-time efforts to Goal Click. I'm quite a big believer in starting up projects on the side to see how they're faring and building things gradually, rather than leaping into something new without careful planning. So it was important to me that I built Goal Click to the point where I knew it wasn't a wild punt and I could see that it was something that was worth devoting my time to. I worked on it a little every week for two years until I got to that moment. Basically I was working evenings and weekends, for the pure love of it. I did a couple of hours a night and then one big session at the weekend. A lot of the project is network management of the people we have, photographers and storytellers, so I was growing the project by liaising with them regularly. Also, writing and publishing content as and when it was ready. It's a crowd-sourced media project so I can do it from my computer. It really required time and application. Now, I do what I used to do in two weeks in half a day. It had been such a slow-burn process before, which is why it had taken two years to even countenance a first exhibition. Whereas now, I feel we could turn something around very quickly. What didn't go well? What wrong turns did you take? After our first exhibition I had knocked myself into the ground and needed a break from it. My learning was that you don't have to be 'on' the whole time, you need to have some down time in order to make sure you don't get frustrated. If you lose all of your free time to what is your passion project you can end up resenting it. Thankfully, I never got to that point, because I always built in some time to take a break from things. Some people can go too hard at something and not look after their health and mental well-being. I knew I wanted to do this, I was passionate about it, so it was easier to find that extra ounce of motivation that in the day job I was paid for. It never felt like a chore because I could see the results: the validation from good media coverage, the kind words from people who respected what we were doing â€" it all suggested we were on the right track. I've always found it easier to work hard at something I’m passionate about, because I believe in it. How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible? The project has paid for itself through brand sponsorship and through more consumer-focused monetisation, but the lion's share of it has been through a partnership with Adidas. While I was doing the full-time job there were no other costs to cover. And the costs of the project itself are not massive, because we're dealing with crowd-sourced business, so the finances have not been that difficult to manage. I saved for pretty much the whole time I've been doing the project, so that I could take six to nine months to work on this project, to turn it into a fully functioning media organisation. I'm not taking a wage for potentially the first twelve months, and I saved to be able to do that. I never had to work out costs against incomings. I'd basically got to a point where I knew I'd saved enough to support myself for six to nine months. I'm aware of my overall spending and outgoings: how much per month I have going out of my bank account. In reality, I'm very lucky in that I have a potential fall-back position (moving in with family), which may happen, but I want to stand on my own two feet with this business. So, it was important to factor in my living costs. I'm hoping that by March next year we'll be in a position to start a payroll. What was the most difficult thing about changing? My general view on it is pretty positive. If anything, I have more time now than I did before, because I was doing this in my free time before! Knowing that ultimately you're where the buck stops makes you aware of the need to make it what you will â€" there's no more excuses, it's not just a nice project anymore, it's serious and you have to learn to work commercially. Goal Click has always been thought of very highly but we've never asked people to put their hands in their pockets. Whereas now we're having to develop a totally different mindset and ask people to pay for it. I'm very aware of the fact that the time for it to be a nice, fun passion project is over, and we may have to look at it from a colder, harder, business lens. What help did you get? We've been fortunate in that we've had a few friends help us with our design and our website, and some legal considerations. Nothing too drastic, but things that we wouldn't necessarily have been able to pay for. Broadly, 99% of the work has been done by myself and my co-founder. We now have a third member in our Goal Click collective. Ultimately, our aim is to put us all on the payroll in the next six months. What do you wish you'd done differently? If I could have my time again, I would be a bit more commercially savvy. Because this wasn't my chief source of income, at times I underplayed the value of what I was creating. It took us quite a long time to be commercially savvy, which we are now, because we know the importance of having an income! Before, we did a lot of things for free, which we wouldn't do now. That's something you learn though when you haven't run a business before and you're used to accepting a salary. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? I do think that starting something in your free time to test and learn from it is a very good idea while you have an income to support yourself. You'll do all the hard work of developing the concept and understanding what works and what doesn't while you're being supported by your full-time job. I think it's risky to quit at the first sign of an idea. Go through that time. It might be tiring, it might be hard to juggle two jobs, but ultimately the business you create will be better for it. You also won't press panic buttons because you'll be confident in what you're offering. We've been very fortunate in that we've had some great people around us to offer pro-bono assistance. Having champions of our work, friendly people from our network that want to see us succeed, has really helped us. I generally see Goal Click as the sum of a lot of good parts, bringing people together from around the world to make a whole. I think that extends beyond what we've created: you're not going to have all the skills yourself, but you will need to bring different people in with different expertise. If you can, try to get those people around you in the early stages because in the long run it will be enormously helpful. To find out more about Matthew's project, visit: www.goal-click.com. What lessons could you take from Matthew's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

Career (Con)Quest #6 Playing the Confidence Card

Career (Con)Quest #6 Playing the Confidence Card Career (Con)Quest #6: Playing the Confidence Card Acting confident and being honest is important during the job interview. But don’t overdo your strengths.Most employers appreciate honesty from job candidates, but don’t stretch it too far. Sam’s Nana clearly preached him way too often that telling the truth is important :). So hold on that interview suicide bomb ready to roll from the tip of your tongueand think of a more ‘corporate-friendly’ version of your next statement. It’s simple:“I like bossing people” = “I have strong leadership qualities”“I hate coming early to the office” = “My productivity peaks in the afternoon”.“My last boss was a jerk” = “I feel that I have outgrown my current company”.“Can I buy you a coffee?”   = you can ask out that HR person in a few weeks after you land the job. previous article A Quick Nanny Resume Example With Actionable Writing Tips next article How To Use The Star Method for your Next Job Interview you might also likeCareer (Con)Quest #20: Spray and Pray

Sheryl Sandberg Gen Y Womens New Guru - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Sheryl Sandberg Gen Y Womens New Guru - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Sheryl Sandberg : The Next Guru for Modern Women in the Workforce! The recent attention given to Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, has brought her celebrity status and controversy over how to educate the next generation of women to become leaders and their own advocates. Shes written a book called Lean In:  Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. and is unapologetic about aiming to  fix one of the worlds biggest problems: a lack of women in power. In her book she discusses many reasons women do not hold equal power but focuses on one reason in particular: that women are taught that they need to keep themselves out of power and they therefore inhibit their own ambitions and sabotage their own careers.  She says that woman leave before they actually leave work; implying that they fail to negotiate for salaries they deserve and for promotions theyve earned based on the unique value they offer. Sandberg presents deeply troubling stats about women that reinforce her claim about gender inequality in the workforce.  Women are 57% of college graduates and 63% of masters degree holders, but that majority fades as careers progress; 21  of the Fortune 500 CEOs are women;  Women hold 14% of executive officer positions; Women hold 16% of board seats; Congress is 18% female;  In 1970, Women were paid $0.59 for every dollar men made. Its now $0.77.  Women have to prove themselves more than men. A McKinsey study says men are promoted based on potential, while women are promoted on accomplishments.   In a survey of 4,000 employees at big companies, 36% of men said they want to be CEO. Only 18% of women said the same.  Middle school boys say they want to be leaders when they grow up. Middle school girls usually dont say that.  Successful women are more likely to feel like impostors who will be found out.  Men attribute their success to innate qualities and skills. Women attribute their success to luck and help from others. So why do women seem less and be less confident? Sandberg points out many stats from recent studies including; that mothers spend more time comforting girls. Mothers overestimate their sons ability to crawl and underestimate their daughters.  Teachers answer boys when they call out, but scold girls who call out, and tell them to raise their hands. She reports that  41% of women are primary breadwinners, 23% are co-breadwinners and 52% of black kids are raised by a single mother.   Many woman are left wondering whether they should consider her opinion (and her distressing statistics) or dismiss her as a privileged feminist (Harvard grad billionaire) who put her career before her family and sold herself as a role model. As a mother of two college age children, I think Sandberg has some great points.   She says “Don’t leave until you leave!”   In other words, don’t limit your goals before you have children because at some point in your life you might regret not having fully developed the network, skills and experience  you need to leverage in order to get hired. Sandberg acknowledges that everyone’s situation is unique but she claims that too often woman  sit in the back of the board room, fail to negotiate for salaries that their male counterparts have, and attribute their success to luck or others help. She says this passive approach to their career is hurting them in the workforce. Whether in the corporate boardroom, PTA or in negotiating for a raise, Sandberg wants women to have courage to ask for what they deserve based on the unique value they offer to the firm. She makes the emphatic statement that the most important career decision you make is who you marry!  I agree with her fully.  I wrote in my book, From Diploma to Dream Job: 5 Overlooked Steps to a Successful Career, available on amazon, when entering a relationship you should have the discussion about the roles each person is willing to play in the relationship.  Sandberg reiterates that the spouse you choose is the single most important career decision youll make; She asserts that sharing financial and childcare responsibilities with a husband is critical for those women who want to have a career. Try to project forward anticipating what role you want to hold in the relationship and identify how you will balance the work and domestic responsibilities before you have a family. On the flip side, if a woman chooses to put her career on hold and stay home to raise a family, its likely shell need to reconcile that assuming domestic responsibilities will become a large part of her role. If both parties choose to work then the domestic responsibilities will need to be shared. The point is, these issues should be discussed prior to making a commitment to a relationship as they could add tremendous stress when overlooked. I agree with Sheryl in that its best to project forward in order to avoid making costly mistakes later. Although the topic may seem mundane, those who are emotionally mature will recognize that this can affect the serenity and peace in ones life.  There is no one right answer for all couples but the one thing that is for sure is that the topic of what role you plan to play in the relationship shouldnt be ignored! Also, its necessary for both men and women to be your own best advocate especially in todays challenging economy in order to get what you deserve in terms of salary and promotions. Kudos to Mrs. Sandberg for writing this courageous book “Lean In” and taking the time to voice her views about what holds woman back from becoming more successful. We have heard over and over stories about successful women and their career paths but few have stood up and written their advice for the next generation! I hope Sheryl will start a trend of career/life story sharing among professionals across a variety of industries  so we can hear more opinions from men and women who have made a wide range of choices;  Young women and men need to have options for role models and stand to benefit from those who are willing to share their stories about what worked and what didnt. The information, wisdom and insights they provide will help the next generation of workers make  career choices based on knowledge of the potential outcome of their decision. The more stories the better! Young people could benefit from having a forum where they can ask the tough questions that they cant always freely ask in an informational interview or to their graduate school professor.  There are powerful and important lessons to glean from Sheryl Sandbergs story and lets hope her fame will encourage many others to follow suit so coaches and prospective employees can  learn from the successes, set-backs, trade-offs and life experience of others in order to improve their career and life decisions! Author: Beth  is Founder and President of Get Hired, LLC.   She advises students on how to bridge the gap from school to career.  Beth is the co-author of  From Diploma to Dream Job: Five Overlooked Steps to a Successful Career.  Her coaching assists students and career changers to successfully match their needs, interests, passions, skills, and personal goals with the needs of a sustainable industry in a sustainable location.  She is a resource for print and online media and offers workshops for University Career Service Departments, Executive Recruiters, Outplacement Services, College Guidance Counselors and College Alumni Associations. See website for more details about Beth’s services  www.fromdiploma2dreamjob.com.  Beth’s Webinar was sponsored by George Washington University’s Career Services Dept. for their worldwide alumni association:  Leverage Your College Diploma.  You can follow Beth on twitter @BethKuhel

Personal Branding Blog - the best of the blogosphere list - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Blog - the best of the blogosphere list - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I would like to give special mention to a few blogs that have really caught my eye over the past few months. Below is a listing of blogs I would like to recognize for enriching and compelling content. The personal brands that activate and dictate these blogs are some of the finest on the web. I also subscribe to each one and comment regularly. Due to the sheer number of blogs (millions), I concentrate my efforts on the most impactful and thoughtful blogs, providing me information on topics such as the state of social media, networks and strategies I can blend with the personal branding practice. First, these blogs are the best of the web and where my loyalty lies: TechCrunch Marketing Pilgrim ProBlogger.net Read/Write Web Brand Autopsy Chris Brogan Converstations Web Strategy by Jeremiah Tom Peters! ShoeMoney Copyblogger Influential Marketing Blog Mitch Joel @ TwistImage PR 2.0 PR ^2 Drew McLellan MarketingProfs Daily Fix Now for my Personal Branding Magazine superstars!!! Modite Connie Bensen Effective Networking and Success Tips Build Your Capital Little Red Suit Rick Mahns Blog Branding Maven Rob Cuesta Nina Burokas The Buzz 101 Personal Brand Marketing podblog Jim Stroud Executive Career Suite Dazzlin Donna Additional blogs of interest [from comment section] Marcapropria Make it Great Slacker Manager Deft Labs Blog Tune Up Your EQ Want to be added to my list? Add a comment to this post with a link and explanation of your blog. Disclaimer: this list in no way represents nominees or is associated with the 2008 Personal Brand Awards.

Writing a Resume For Administrative in Education

Writing a Resume For Administrative in EducationWriting a resume for administrative in education is not that difficult, if you do it right. In fact, the internet has been really helpful in finding the information that you need. However, there are still a lot of students who ask themselves if it is indeed worthwhile to spend their time writing a resume for administrative in education. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of having your own resume.First and foremost, writing a resume for administrative in education will help you secure a great job in your desired field. Most of the employers today are looking for well-written resumes. There are also some companies that require that their applicants send them their resumes first.If you put all your efforts into this, you will surely find yourself a good career. There are numerous companies that offer job opportunities in this line. These are jobs that pay high salaries and provide you with top-notch benefits.Another good ad vantage of writing a resume for administrative in education is that it is not difficult to write a great one. You can even hire an assistant who will be able to help you out with this. You don't have to do a lot of work and you don't have to spend too much time on researching about this topic. You can write your resume right on the computer at your convenience.Since most companies want their applicants to present a clear, concise and impressive resume, they want you to have a general overview of the entire job. Since the whole thing is a one-page document, you can put down the key points in this. You can make sure that your resume will stand out from the rest.The best thing about this is that it is a good idea to keep it short. Keep it under two pages to make sure that it can fit within the limit of what the employer wants. This way, it will be easier for you to present what you have to offer.However, keeping the personal qualities aside, there are some disadvantages to the writing a resume for administrative in education. If you need to rewrite your resume every year, you can expect a lot of hassle. It will be a real hassle for you and will most likely cause you to quit this career.Because there are so many people nowadays who want to become administrative in education, the competition is high. You may not be able to get a high-paying job if you don't have a high GPA or if you don't have a top-notch degree. You should know that this is a very competitive field and that you need to be very efficient in presenting what you have to offer to land that dream job.

Welcome to the Dark Side of Job Search - CareerAlley

Welcome to the Dark Side of Job Search - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. We typically cover all of the good career stuff. You know, how to have the best resume, the best companies to work for, the best job search sites. What about the bad stuff? What about what not to do? As a hiring manager, Ive seen my share of bad interviewees, poorly written resumes and stuff I cant even write about. As a job hunter, Ive made my fair share of mistakes. But the dark side of job search is also about what to avoid. The telltale signs that an opportunity is not all it is cracked up to be, career choices that may seem wonderful but have negative aspects as well. The Dark Side of Consulting Careers Have you considered consulting? Sounds like a really good career, but have you researched the negative aspects? Covering Work Life Balance, Travel, Staffing and more. While many people have been consultants their entire career (and could not love it more), many more get into consulting only to discover it is not for them. Take a look at this article if you were considering consulting as a career. The Dark Side of Being Self Employed Many people, myself included, dream about being their own boss or owning their own business. What could be better? Like everything in life, there are good points and bad points to being self employed. So, before you go out and start your own business, take a look at this article from SteveScottSite.com. Its a great story, and it raised some points that you may not have thought about. What Not To Do When Job Searching This article is by Alison Doyle (from About.com) and it is a good read. Of course, non of us starts out trying to not get hired, but some of us dont always have the best sense when it comes to job search etiquette. The article is somewhat short, but it is followed by a wealth of related links (like Follow the Rules and Interview Etiquette. 11 Reasons You Wont Get Hired at a Career Fair Job fairs are a great place to make some contacts and give out some resumes, but many people ruin their chances of getting an interview by making some fatal mistakes. Scams Schemes in Work and Employment Services One of the best sites for tons of job search resources is the Riley Guide. If its related to job search, theyve got it. This article is a case in point. As with everything on the Internet, for every legitimate topic there is probably several scams out there as well. From asking for a utility bill to fake jobs, this article provides a very large list of scams that are out there (just when you thought it was safe to job search!). Payment forwarding, executive marketing and work at home scams. Take a very careful read of this article before you get scammed. 15 Outrageous Job Interview Blunders Which of these mistakes have you made (or not realized they were mistakes)? Take a look a some interview blunders and dont make the same mistakes when you get your big interview. Seven Best Jobs for Paranormal Enthusiasts I was worried that my job might show up on this list, but I guess that financial services doesnt qualify yet. So, if you want a different type of job where you can use your ESP or other paranormal powers, this is the article for you. From Ghost Walks to become a paranormal hunter, there is lots of interesting stuff for those who are bored telling fortunes at parties (wait a minute, thats one as well). Yeah, I know, if you are really a psychic you dont need to read this article because you already know. It you are like me, then take a read. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+

How to be a Job Search Santa - Pathfinder Careers

How to be a Job Search Santa - Pathfinder Careers How to be a Job Search Santa Ho ho ho!   The holidays are  upon us,  and Christmas is just around the corner. But unfortunately, many people arent feeling so jolly this holiday time simply because they still havent found work, which can be incredibly depressing  during this time of gift giving. If you find yourself in this situation, heres a few tips that will help you keep your head up and still enjoy the celebration. You can be a Job Search Santa, believe it or not, and heres how you can still enjoy the spirit of the season which is giving: 1)   Find a volunteer opportunity and give of your time. Not only are you helping a noble cause, but you are also making connections and learning new skills that can be helpful at a later time.   And you never know when good karma can circle back to you as a result of giving your time and energy! 2) Realize that we all live in abundance, and give back.   You might not be able to give a physical gift to someone, but stepping outside your circumstances and helping another person engaged in a job search by offering your contacts and advice, that can also help lift another persons spirits as well.   Open up your Rolodex and your calendar, and youll be amazed at how helping others helps you as well. 3) Mentor someone.  Brother, can you lend me a hand?  No matter how bad your circumstances are, theres always someone else who has it worse  or just needs that one person who will help elevate them to the next level and you could hold this key.   Mentoring someone can help bring out the best in you and help lift someone else up.  You might not have a job  to offer that person, but helping them achieve their dreams can help you  realize your own!  By working with each other during a job search and supporting one another, everyone gets a boost. 4) Thank those that have helped you.   Remember to drop a note or even pick up the phone to thank people who have helped your job search, no matter the results.   By taking a moment and making this gesture, you are giving a valuable gift back: gratitude.   In our fast-paced society, appreciation and gratitude are not expressed often enough, which oftentimes leads to  the impression  that many  people have a sense of entitlement.   Instead, give a gift of thanks to those who helped you, and that will touch their very heart. The spirit of Christmas is about giving, whether it be big or small, its the effect that matters. How can you help someone else by giving? Merry Christmas!