Cut&Paste returns for its annual Digital Design Tournament! This year’s Call for Competitors is open for entries, so show off your skills in 2D, 3D, or Motion Design in fast-paced, single-elimination rounds, each with a unique theme and time limit.
Deadlines for Entry
North America: September 10, 2010
Europe/Asia/South America: October 15, 2010
Select competitors will be invited to Test Rounds, short weekend events that serve as both auditions and a chance to get to know the candidates. This is a show of one’s design skills, experience what live design feels like, and potentially earn a spot on stage.
This workshop is specifically geared to those that are either currently working or looking to work in PR and communications and need to get up to speed on social media quickly. Whether you’re planning on creating campaigns for clients or strategizing on how to use it for yourself, in this 2-hour seminar you’ll get a broad overview of the most popular social media tools and how to put them to work for you. We’ll also cover:
Programs used to monitor your social media presence
Ways to analyze and measure results
Promotional techniques to build your followers
Pitfalls
The social media press release
This will be a highly interactive class where you’ll get a chance to get all your questions answered. Join us and learn more about how to use this valuable information for yourself and your clients!
Details:
Date: Tuesday September 14, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Location: MyPRGenie, 1501 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, NY
Cost: $30 in advance/$35 at the door (Light snacks & beverages will be served)
RSVP: Email socialmediapro@yahoo.com or phone 212-650-0226
You’re invited to a gathering of the most influential leaders in digital media, to discuss the way forward. Hear insights from digital leaders from Coca-Cola, OMD, MediaVest, Conde Nast Digital, Bank of America, PHD, ADWEEK, Electronic Arts, PepsiCo and more. Moderated by former CNBC Europe anchor Kavita Maharaj.
Details:
Date: Tuesday September 21, 2010
Time: 8 am to 1 pm
Location: Museum of Art and Design Theater, 2 Columbus Circle, New York, NY
Registration Fee: $200 before August 20, $300 August 20-September 20, $400 day of the event
P3 is a network of IDEAlliance, focusing on Continuing Education, Career Advancement, and Media Best Practices.
Details:
Date: Thursday September 23, 2010
Time: 5:30 to 8 pm
Location: Inc Lounge, 224 W. 49th St., btwn. 8th & Broadway, 2nd Floor of the Time Hotel, NYC
How Much: Free! Your first drink is free! Bring a friend and get a second free drink! Bring your business card for fabulous door prizes, including an iPad donated by Intelligencer Printing.
Film, Stage & ShowBiz Expo is a five-star event that brings everyone in show business together under one roof. Whether you are a producer, studio executive, director, musician, filmmaker, performer, designer, writer, stage manager, or anyone else involved in film, stage, fashion, live events, and concerts, this event is for you.
Details:
Date: Saturday October 9, 2010
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Location: New York Hilton, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, NY
Role: Product Manager, Mobile (2021)
Client: Top Financial and Business News Publisher
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance, Freelance-to-Hire or Direct Hire … it’s all good
Overview:
This Hired Guns client, a leading brand for financial and business news, is seeking a Product Manager who can lengthen their lead over the competition in mobile products. You’ll start by getting an iPhone app up and out the door. From there, the future is largely in your capable hands!
Gun Profile:
You are a digital Product Manager with a track record of leading mobile site and mobile app development. You have a solid command of the technology with an in-depth understanding of on-deck versus off-, ad-serving platforms, and the challenges of optimizing web CMS for mobile. More importantly, you are dialed into the users’ needs and can translate your grasp of their media consumption behavior into a superior mobile experience. You have the ability to select and manage third-party vendors, as well to assemble in-house capabilities when it makes sense.
Nitty Gritty:
The good news: their mobile site is already one of the leaders of the pack. The bad news (well, actually this is also good news): the bar is set very high, and only a true star is going to cut it in this gig.
You will own the mobile product and feature roadmap, write requirement docs, and communicate the reqs to the business, design, and development teams. You’ll inform your plans by analyzing competing and comparable products in the the mobile marketplace. And you’ll prioritize features and make trade-offs among customer experience, site performance and operational support load to ensure that your products are not only elegant but also commercially viable.
Job One for the Mobile Product Manager will be to design and launch a new iPhone app, including the key task of leading the search and evaluation process for a third-party vendor to do the build. After that … hey, it’s your roadmap!
Inside Skinny:
These guys love their product managers very techie, so let your geek flag fly and impress us with your technical knowledge and insight into the mobile innovations just over the horizon.
Net-Net:
Nab this gig and you’ll be positioned to define a world-class customer experience, bridging the online and mobile channels and delivering a best-in-class product.
Role: Information Architect (2031)
Client: Strategic Consulting and Enterprise Software Company
Location: Washington, DC
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
If your idea of a hot celebrity sighting is Edward Tufte, you’ll want to tune in to this one. This Hired Guns client, a cutting-edge consulting and enterprise software company, is looking for an Information Architect to help build intuitive user experiences that will make an analytically complex enterprise web application an unexpected pleasure to work with.
Gun Profile:
You’ve got the instinct for great usability and user interaction it takes to really excel in this world, combined with a passion and flair for visual design that puts you right at the top of the heap. You have solid business intuition and impressive analytical and quantitative skills. As a highly motivated, self-directed kind of Gun, you can manage multiple projects simultaneously and have a keen attention to the most minute of details. Your skill set includes a working knowledge of Photoshop, proficiency with Balsamiq or other wireframing application, and a solid understanding of HTML, CSS, JavaScript and the like. And, if you have experience with large-scale software applications in an agile development environment, even better.
Nitty Gritty:
As IA, you’ll switch gears smoothly between projects involving information architecture, page layout and visualization of data. You’ll be expected to create high quality interactions and conduct rapid translation of complex business ideas into easily digestible and effective visual solutions (sketches, workflow diagrams, wireframes, mockups). And, as the champion for the end user’s experience, you’ll be an important voice on the project team. Collaboration is key, and you will work closely with product managers, engineers, and client teams to deliver an exceptional end product.
Inside Skinny:
This company is truly interested in the best and brightest UX brains out there. So, while flawless wireframing skills are important, it’s your strategic insight that will set you apart from the pack.
Net-Net:
At any one time you might be overhauling information collection and display, evolving the overall workflow of the application, or wireframing interactive pages. This is a fantastic shot at growing your user interaction career and gaining exposure to the software development process.
Role: Online Editor (2029)
Client: Engineering Professional Organization and Publishing Company
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This new Hired Guns client, a huge professional organization focused on serving the informational, educational and networking needs of engineers, has its sights set on creating a website that’s vibrant and user-friendly, thereby maintaining its status as the online epicenter for the engineering community. To make that happen, they need an outstanding Online Editor to come in and whip things into shape.
Gun Profile:
The perfect Gun for this gig is already an accomplished online editor with experience leading new site development. With a decade or so of journalism behind you, and lots of that time spent in digital publishing, you’ve got the necessary chops to craft enticing content and drive audience engagement. You know the ins and outs of content management systems and are building mobile apps for the iPad and iPhone, telling stories with video, and producing podcasts and syndication-ready content. Bonus points for blogging experience, social media expertise as it relates to elevating a content brand, and insight into deployment of SEO and SEM.
As befits a modern Editor, you’re also a great manager, negotiator, and product visionary. You can work effectively with staff and freelance writers, in-house developers and outside agencies. And you know how to mold subject-matter experts (in this case engineers) into confident content producers.
Nitty Gritty:
You’ll be joining the organization at an exciting time, because there is a launch happening, and the company is investing heavily (they’ve hired one of the top agencies in NYC to strategize and build the site). And you will be a key partner in the success of that implementation. As Editor, you’ll head up the creation and management of both short- and long-term content strategy, so be ready to be in it for the long haul.
A key element of this role is sourcing content from internal and external parties, negotiating any necessary agreements, and managing to tight deadlines. That means you need to be the consummate motivator. You’ll be a liaison for the engineering profession, ensuring that the organization’s members – and the larger engineering community – are strongly engaged with a plethora of existing and new online products that you will envision.
This is an excellent organization to work for: the people are driven, and their mission is clear. Your challenge will be coalition-building around the full potential of what a true digital offering can do for this organization. The new website is just the tip of the iceberg, so we need a dreamer who is also a terrific leader to help them meet their full potential.
Inside Skinny:
Write a terrific pitch letter – and really demonstrate what you could deliver if given open road. If you’ve got an engineering, technology or science background, this would be a great time to mention it. B2B experience is a plus.
Big brownie points if sometime in your history you’ve been able to take dry educational content (webinars/webcasts) and make it a little sexy.
Net-Net:
This is a primo opportunity to synthesize new engineering ideas, technology developments and general engineering occurrences impacting our world.
Role: Vice President, Loyalty Program (2017)
Client: Leading Media Company
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This Hired Guns client, a media giant with a portfolio that includes TV, radio, and interactive, knows a thing or two about holding onto and growing an elusive audience and is always looking to productize new digital offerings to build trust and loyalty to their brand. To keep their much-loved viewers content and coming back, they are looking for a Vice President who can develop and deploy a creative new loyalty program that does for their unique audience what AARP has done for seniors. We need a true general manager who can think well beyond your typical “rewards” programs to create a compelling offering for the fastest-growing demographic in America.
Gun Profile:
The ideal Gun will be a true innovator – we’d love it if you’ve spent time evaluating or building ground-breaking companies that are pioneering new customer relationship models (think Gilt Groupe or Groupon). You’ve done this before. In fact, you’ve got quite a few years under your belt creating attractive new revenue streams and offerings around big audiences, and establishing loyalty programs is a big part of your experience.
This means you are super-skilled in assessing the needs of targeted customers, then developing successful digital and offline offerings based on a combination of data, gut feel, and good old-fashioned experience. You’re adept at understanding the motivations of your audience, enabling you to fine-tune offers, discounts and benefits to create compelling experiences that keep customers coming back. The audience for which you’ll be building the product is highly mobile, so experience with social media, texting and app development is a major plus.
Nitty Gritty:
You’ll be paving the way and setting the tone as the first person to hold this entirely new position within the company, so you self-starter Guns will love this. Expect to be responsible for managing the program as a stand-alone business line, maximizing revenue, profit and customer satisfaction. The ultimate objective of your role is to create acquisition, usage and loyalty behaviors which will allow the business to hit its financial goals.
To do this, you’ll need to gain a thorough understanding of the customers’ needs, analyze the capabilities of the company’s media platforms, and assess overall operational feasibility. Then the real fun will begin as you develop the product offering, identify the unique value proposition and size up the total addressable market. From there you’ll blow out the pro-formas and do the heavy lifting to understand the true value of the business. There may be more than one path to success, and we need a brain that’s genius at business planning and corporate development to discover the right solution.
A big measure of your success will come from the development and management of distribution channels (Web, phone, events, retail) to acquire new customers and the orchestration of the activities of various internal and external parties to build and run the program.
Inside Skinny:
The client has a strong preference for Guns who are fluent in Spanish and/or can demonstrate an intimate understanding of Hispanic consumers.
Net-Net:
Working in an entrepreneurial environment tucked within a larger organization – this is a chance for you to shape and foster an incredible new loyalty program.
Role: Web Editor (2013)
Client: Top Cable Network
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This Hired Guns client, a reality-based cable television network in the midst of a truly meteoric rise, needs a Web Editor to help turbo-charge their website and get it headed on an equally impressive trajectory.
The current site is essentially a marketing vehicle promoting tune-in to the TV network. The right Gun for this gig will help lead the transformation of the site into a prime destination for guys 18-34 with an incurable curiosity for all things reality. After all, with reality like this, who needs a script?
Gun Profile:
Equal parts idea generator, creative conceptualist and pop-culture addict, you are the ideal blend of strategic brain and artistic spirit. You’ve got solid experience writing short-form, easily digestible content for the Web. Your writing abilities reflect a clever, pitch-perfect tone of offbeat humor and we-know-our-stuff-but-don’t-take-ourselves-too-seriously attitude.
If you’ve held the role of Editor before, you know what’s involved in assigning stories and managing teams. If not, maybe you’re feeling like now is the time to step up to that level. Either way, you understand the blog ecosystem and feel strongly that content is the best marketing tool to drive traffic. You’re skilled and savvy when it comes to best practices in social media, including that impressive network of writer pals who can promote your content and get your thoughts heard by a broader audience.
Nitty Gritty:
As Editor, you’ll be taking the helm of a quirky, niche site; these guys take great pleasure in highlighting things that fall squarely into the “you can’t make this sh*t up” category. You will set the tone, drive the voice and write your butt off, all while overseeing a team of staff and freelance writers. By constantly monitoring the hot trending topics, you’ll come up with brand-relevant story ideas that can keep even the most reluctant readers and reality haters riveted. We know as well as you do – sex sells, especially when you’re working on a website aimed mainly at guys. But that’s not part of the brand position, so what we need from you is the tricky balance of keeping things sexy … without listing toward pervy.
Creating a new content strategy is big work, and you will be squarely in the middle of the mix helping to conceptualize and launch a number of completely new digital features that deliver on the brand promise and support the site evolution, yet still find a logical link to pimp the shows – without sounding like you’re pimping the shows. You will lead the charge with the strategy and execution of all social media for the brand, with the dual goals of growing the fan base and driving traffic back to the site.
Inside Skinny:
We need you wired into this world; tell us about that killer contact list of other web nerds you’ve got, and how you can leverage those connections to get your content out to an ever-broader audience.
Net-Net:
What’s taking place here is the evolution of a brand, and this is your shot at leaving a major mark.
Role: Deputy Editor (2026)
Client: Online Network for TV Fans
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This Hired Guns client, a whole new kind of online network, is looking for a Deputy Editor who can breathe life into their vision of a one-stop online shop for happily TV-obsessed female viewers. These guys are funded by the same venture capital firms that have backed some companies you may have heard of before … like Facebook and Starbucks. So yeah, they have a lot of fun, but they’re serious about their business and serious about finding an editorial Gun who will help them reach new heights.
Gun Profile:
Your special gift to the world is your ability to find the perfect voice, the just-right tone that makes everything come out sounding appealing and fresh. From your years in web publishing, you know that there’s a particular voice that draws an audience in the entertainment and lifestyle genre. You’ve honed a deep understanding of how to optimize content for readability and presentation on the Web, strengthened by your strong familiarity with SEO, video, social media and photo editing.
You thrive in a collaborative team environment and can oversee freelance writers and editors skillfully. Your knack for managing deadlines and priorities in an ever-changing industry and work environment will be a crucial skill.
Nitty Gritty:
As the Deputy Editor, you’ll be managing a team of editors and overseeing the news operation of a large and growing TV entertainment site. Working alongside the Editor-in-Chief (she’s a fellow Gun), it’s up to you to deliver the news, gossip and featured of-the-minute products to viewers in a way they’ve never experienced on other fan sites.
Your primary focus will be on day-to-day management and audience-building for a set of properties catering right to the site’s core female demographic. In broad strokes, this will include social media distribution, production, content editing and writing, and managing the team of editorial talent (assistant editors, interns, contractors). You will help to plan the content and publishing schedule, make sure the site is updated with breaking entertainment news, and contribute to the development, writing and editing of the site’s content.
Inside Skinny:
You’re a true TV addict. You like watching it as much as reporting on it and believe that whether it’s “Glee” or “Jersey Shore”, every show is a gem in its own way. And giving viewers a deeper and richer experience is something you know you’d excel at (if you could just find the runway to be able to deliver it).
Net-Net:
Come join an excellent team of talented creatives to help shape a truly best-in-class web publishing platform.
Role: Interactive Art Director (1999)
Client: Ad Agency for Non-Profits
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns have teamed up with our newest client, an ad agency aimed at non-profits and socially-aware companies, to find a world-class Art Director with expertise in digital and interactive media. This agency is known for their ability to build strong movements around ideas and causes, and they need someone who can really delve into the strategies behind why people become passionate about a cause and what motivates them to get involved.
Gun Profile:
Whether you’re coming in from the agency side or the client side, you are a natural entrepreneur who can execute visionary creative projects, no matter the constraints: from creating on a blank slate to building on an existing style guide, you’ve got it covered. You’re fascinated by the idea of fostering long-term client relationships while playing an active role in everything from strategic direction to new business development activities and internal branding initiatives.
This is a streamlined group where everyone is involved in both strategy and execution, so you’ll need to wear two hats: those of talented manager and hands-on creative practitioner. As a hybrid creative, you can design across various media, as well as oversee everything from the strategic overview to the most minute executional details. You are a fervent design advocate and an expert in your core creative competencies.
And, most important of all, you’re actively involved on your own time with the things that matter most to you, giving you exactly the right perspective to relate to our client’s drive to make a difference. This company was founded by a couple of titans in the non-profit world, and they want someone who shares their passion.
Nitty Gritty:
As an Art Director, you will play a vital role in the future direction of this start-up. With a few carefully selected designers already in place, they are looking for someone eager to mentor the existing crew, while remaining hands-on and actively involved in the day-to-day design work. You’ll be working on a little bit of everything, from website design to social media, branding and mobile.
What makes this opportunity special is that besides articulating the vision and executing the creative output, you’ll will be responsible in a very real way for safeguarding and enhancing the reputation of the unique “movement” brands this agency serves.
Role: Business Manager (and COO-in-waiting) (2024)
Client: Innovative, Eco-Conscious Consumer Goods Company
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
Thirty eight billion plastic bottles end up in landfills each year, and Americans spend over 15 billion dollars putting them there. How about joining a company that has built a sustainable consumer product that can help fix that? Meet our client: an industrial design company that wants to reduce the planetary impact of our modern lifestyle, without compromising on quality and style. The company’s flagship product is going gangbusters, and they need to hire a Business Manager to support the CEO’s efforts to grow the company aggressively yet strategically. In their first six months in business, they’ve sold nearly a million units and are already in 5,000 retail doors (on track for 12,000 by year-end). If you’re an operational genius with top-notch consumer goods experience (and preferably an MBA), and you want to put your brainpower to use at a company that can help save the planet, this gig’s for you!
Gun Profile:
We need an operational innovator who wants to take a company to the next level by capturing market share through creative disruption.
Part operations mastermind, part finance geek, a COO-ship is in your future, and this role is the one to prepare you for that. For their Business Manager, our client is seeking a candidate with an MBA (or street-smart equivalent), with considerable experience in consumer goods. You should have U.S. and Asian manufacturing experience and strong analytical skills to boot. If you have operational and financial experience working with Target, J.C. Penney, and other major names in the retail landscape, you’ll be sitting pretty.
Nitty Gritty:
You’ll be joining a lean start-up that has hit the ground running in double time. This company lives “flexible workforce” – nearly 100% of its work is outsourced, from sales and marketing to manufacturing. And we need an insanely organized yet modern business manager to come in and tackle the complexities that go along with that. If you figure it out … global domination is yours! Sisters and brothers, this one ain’t for the faint of heart. You will control all operations – domestic and international – from supply chain management and international manufacturing to distribution, inventory management, back office, customer service, major account routing and delivery. (Whew!) You will also be responsible for P&L, all reporting (including to the board, since the company is privately held), budgeting, forecasting, financing and more.
Right now the CEO is doing about five jobs, including yours. He wants to parse off the duties of the Business Manager to someone he can trust, allowing him to focus on corporate strategy, investor relations, sales, marketing, international expansion, branding, and design. Together working hand-in-glove, the two of you will ensure that the company can stay on its rapid growth trajectory.
Inside Skinny:
Design snobs and the eco-conscious, please apply! The person who is going to land this job must be aesthetically aware and care deeply about sustainability and Mother Earth. The company really believes they are starting a movement here. And as we all know, movements get built by true believers.
Net-Net:
If you like being in the vanguard of creative disruption and want to be a key player in the building of a superior, sustainable consumer product, then this gig is for you.
Role: Interactive Senior Project Manager (2023)
Client: Leading Ad Agency
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance (3 months)
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking an experienced, industrial-strength Senior Project Manager with big site-build experience to join our client, a world-class advertising agency that is currently in the home stretch on a major deployment. They need an extra boost from a seasoned project management pro who has a strong track record of jumping into projects midstream and ramping up to full velocity in minimal time.
Gun Profile:
Love a lot of hand-holding and micromanagement? You definitely want to look elsewhere. If talking shop with the tech team makes you cringe, you might want to steer clear. But if this isn’t your first rodeo, and you’ve led major site builds involving multitudinous moving parts for major brands, preferably as a PM for a leading-edge interactive agency, you might be the Gun we need. We’re looking for 4 to 6 years’ PM experience, an eye for detail, and a mastery of multi-tasking. You have a strong command of the latest web technologies (their capabilities as well as limitations) and a flair for effective interaction with many different functional areas (creative, engineering, UX, and account teams). Your process is sound, and while you are fully up to speed on Project Management best practices, you also know how to read the room and adapt your process to the needs of the team to get the job done.
Nitty Gritty:
The client deliverable here is a large, complex site build for a global corporation which will include several “child” sites (for various major brands) under the main corporate umbrella site, integrating tons of content and assets and implementing back-end integration with content management systems and databases.
The project is at full speed, and as Senior Project Manager, you’ll need to jump in and assume responsibility without letting a single ball drop. You’ll utilize your excellent communication skills to facilitate effective workflow between creative and technology teams and, in concert with the account team, to keep the client apprised of status and issues.
Net-Net:
You’re a senior PM who likes to work with the best of the best on high profile accounts. What are you waiting for?
Role: Product Manager, Mobile (1891)
Client: Global News and Information Provider
Location: New York, NY
Type: Long-term Freelance
Overview:
A global giant in the news and information business is seeking a highly accomplished Product Manager with several years’ expertise in Mobile, and they’ve come to The Hired Guns to find them a star. This company is synonymous with fast, accurate, actionable information (which in today’s world spells M-O-B-I-L-E), and they’re making a major investment in category-killing products for the mobile platform. You’ll be part of a growing, dedicated mobile team, including designers and developers, for which you’ll be carrying the ball on overall product direction.
Gun Profile:
This won’t be your first time around the mobile track. You’ve got two to four years of real mobile product management under your belt … that means building and launching impactful and broadly-used mobile products for well-established, innovative companies (ideally, you’ve handled both new product rollouts and major migrations). You have a systematic approach to product management, a tangible road-map which you follow from strategy to concept to research to requirements to more research … you get the idea. In other words, you’re not a seat-of-the-pants product person: your well-honed methodology leads to consistent success. You have a technology background, you understand software development, and you are knowledgeable about mobile platforms, networks, and development environments. You are an excellent communicator who works confidently with many different stakeholders and operates well with both internal development teams and outside vendors. (Undergraduate degree required, MBA a plus.)
Nitty Gritty:
You’ll be the key decision-maker for product rollouts and migrations impacting tens of thousands of mobile users. As the owner of new product vision, strategy, and execution, you’ve got a lot on your plate: mapping out long-term product strategy and timelines, conducting strategic and tactical user research on the mobile space, formulating requirements and use cases, matrix-managing across the development, project management, and support teams, and planning and leading releases and migrations. This is a high-stakes opportunity: you’ll be expected to meet timeline and budget constraints and will be measured on growth in mobile product revenue and customer base as well as on ongoing improvement in customer satisfaction.
Inside Skinny:
This client is looking for the real deal … a rare combination of creative innovator and highly disciplined implementer. Show us the serious stuff you’ve accomplished in the mobile space – we mean serious – and you’ll get on the inside track.
Net Net:
Major content provider … intrapreneurial team … leading edge products … the mobile space.
Role: Product Manager (2022)
Client: Strategic Consulting and Enterprise Software Company
Location: Washington, DC
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
Overachievers, unite. The Hired Guns are seeking an innovative Product Manager for our client, a cutting-edge consulting and enterprise software company looking for the next team member to join their ranks. Working closely alongside peers and mentors who hail from some of the country’s most prestigious schools and world-class companies, you’ve got a shot at teaming up with the best of the digital creative class.
Gun Profile:
Quant jocks, mathletes, stats nerds and computer science geeks, your time has come! Your mathematical and technological skill, inventiveness and intuition for great product design will be greatly valued at this company, which provides a SaaS-based customer analytics platform to the world’s best companies.
You’ve spent the past few years gaining invaluable experience in a web-enabled software product management role, honing your analytical and quantitative skills. You’ve got killer experience in business intelligence and can put together outstanding product requirements for new businesses at the drop of a hat. You’re a builder through and through, who can take ideas from white board to tangible product, leading a strong team of software engineers, and apply statistical rigor in your approach to solving business problems. A solid user experience background is a major plus.
Nitty Gritty:
As Product Manager, your primary responsibility is to make sure the company’s software meets the clients’ high standards. You’ll do this by working closely with the clients and the internal sales, marketing and engineering teams to understand the business problems facing existing and prospective clients. Once you can leverage this understanding, you will form short-term and long-term goals for the company’s application growth and tactical plans for execution.
By leading the overall development effort, you will coordinate with the associate product managers and the software engineers to ensure that the end result is a high quality, highly interactive, highly valuable user experience. You’ll be expected not only to have a tremendous impact in generating value-driving ideas for the company’s applications, but to take a leading role in shaping its future.
This company moves fast, and so will you, through quick cycles of agile product development and rapid prototyping that will allow you to test and learn as you go.
Inside Skinny:
We always ask our clients to tell us, heart to heart, what they’re really looking for in a Gun. This one actually answered. Survey says …
Analytical horsepower.
Amazing communication skills, both verbal and written.
We know you’re hot stuff. We know you’ll have your pick of amazing jobs. And we know this gig is something really special … an incredible chance to collaborate with an exceptional group of people, giving you an opportunity for unparalleled professional growth.
Role: Associate Product Manager (2007)
Client: Enterprise Software and Consulting Company
Location: Washington, DC
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This Hired Guns client, a rapidly growing leader in its industry, is busy revolutionizing the way huge companies use data to measure, tailor, and target their investments to create millions of dollars in increased profits. If you’re highly analytical and quantitative and aspire to a career in the product management field, you could be the rockstar Associate Product Manager they’re looking for.
Gun Profile:
These guys are fantastic at recognizing great potential. They’re looking for a Gun who may be new to the game, but who has no shortage of drive, ambition and passion, particularly for technology and innovation. You’ve got killer analytics skills – Computer Science, Applied Math, and Behavioral Science majors could all have a home here – along with a serious head for business. You’ll be jumping right into the deep end, so make us believe you can self-direct, stay flexible, and thrive in a small project-team environment while still getting big things done.
Nitty Gritty:
Some of the country’s most recognizable household brands rely on this company’s software to help them make mission-critical decisions. As an Associate Product Manager, you will play a key role in ensuring that the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) application consistently and continuously meets the clients’ needs. You will work closely with the clients, so it’s vital that you be professional, polished, and always on top of your game. By teaming with the consulting and engineering teams, you’ll help build easy to use, highly interactive features that provide the highest value business analysis.
A key part of your job will be to identify new analytic opportunities and to own the development of added features from ideation through implementation. You’ll be involved in all phases of the development process, from developing business cases and refining requirements to coordinating with sales and marketing to maximize value created for your clients.
Inside Skinny:
Geeks Rule, literally, at this place. These guys are busy teaming up with the smartest kids from the best schools, so bowl us over with your killer GPA from your impossible-to-get-into college or university.
Net-Net:
This could be your big break. The company competes with the likes of Google, Facebook and Twitter for the best undergrad talent out there. You’ll get to collaborate with exceptional peers who are really passionate about what they do and are equally excited about mentoring and training you for your career.
Role: Talent Agent (2020)
Client: Talent Agency that represents the best of the digital creative class (well, that would be us)
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are on the hunt for our next Talent Agent, and we’re reaching out to all Guns who are interested in finding and managing the best darn digital talent out there. We pride ourselves on working with our talent for the long haul, we dream and grow with them, and we think that’s the best way to help them achieve their full potential.
Gun Profile:
Our ideal Talent Agent has a top-notch digital pedigree – you know the space and love it. You have a passion for where technology is headed. And you’ve been thinking about making a move to recruiting, or perhaps you made the leap recently and are looking for a more team-oriented approach to the business.
You’ve walked a mile (and probably more) in the shoes of the kind of people whose careers you’ll be managing … meaning it’s a big plus if you’ve got experience in one or more of our core areas (particularly agency account management, project management, product management, design, content, or marketing), because that will make you an awesome digital yenta matching the best talent with jobs where they will produce exceptional work. Client-facing experience (and the confidence, diplomacy, negotiation skills, and think-on-your-feet nimbleness that come with it) is a critical success factor in this role.
You are a great listener with exceptional writing skills. You’re straightforward, attentive, responsive, strategic, and highly ethical. Combine all that with a killer work ethic, a sense of fun, and true intellectual curiosity, and you’ll fit right in. It’s a tall order, but we’re at the top of our game and expect you to be, too.
Nitty Gritty:
As a Talent Agent at The Hired Guns, your job will be to scout and vet exceptional talent to bring onto our roster. We have a tremendous network already; it’s your job to ensure that it gets bigger and better by finding and grooming new Guns. Your fast-paced days will consist of finding great new talent (through the Web, personal connections, networking, etc.) and screening, interviewing, and pitching potential Guns to exciting opportunities with our clients. You’ll also be charged with forming strong, long-term relationships with the talent you represent.
A big part of being a Talent Agent here is shaping career paths, offering advice and guidance, sharing industry trends and helping our Guns to continue to be the most sought-after digital talent in the business. That means keeping your own chops sharp by reading the industry press, attending panels and functions, and joining relevant organizations and Meetups.
You’ll partner closely with our Client Managers, who maintain the relationships with clients ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500s, including media and entertainment companies, brands, digital agencies, technology companies and more.
Inside Skinny:
It’s a given that you have an engaging personality that attracts the amazing talent that the Hired Guns are known for. Killer networking skills are just as important, and if you’ve got the Gladwell-ian “Connector” gene, this is definitely the place for you.
Net-Net:
If the idea of building the talent agency of the future sounds interesting and exciting to you, then get your hat in the ring … we look forward to hearing from you!
Role: Director of Interactive and Marketing (2018)
Client: E-commerce Division of Global Media Company
Location: New York, NY or Miami, FL (client will also consider other locations for right candidate)
Type: Direct Hire
Special Requirement: must be fluent in Spanish
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking an e-commerce whiz – with incredible acquisition/retention marketing chops – for our client, a major player in the media game. The Director of Interactive and Marketing is an exciting, brand-new position … if you want to be on the forefront of innovative commerce models, here’s your gig.
Gun Profile:
We need a marketing maven and digital product developer rolled into one. Your mission: to create a giant prepaid payment card business. To do this, you’ll need a strong background in digital media product development with an exceptional track record in marketing – you know acquisition and retention inside and out, and there isn’t a sales funnel you can’t command. You have hands-on experience executing social media, SEM, SEO, and lead generation to acquire new customers, as well as expertise in CRM strategy to keep them.
You must be highly effective in a flat, matrixed organization. A natural diplomat, you’re intra-preneurial, inventive and curious. And although you’re strategic on demand, you’re first and foremost a doer who can be counted on to make big things happen. Fluency in Spanish is mandatory, and experience marketing to Hispanic consumers is an extremely strong plus, so make sure you call these out in your resume and pitch.
Nitty Gritty:
Prepaid payment cards are fast becoming a checking account alternative for debt-conscious consumers, and this company wants to capitalize on that by combining consumer-friendly financial content with this new financial tool. As the Director of Interactive and Marketing, it will be your job to increase interest, conversion and usage of prepaid payment cards by developing a rich content experience, state-of-the-art commerce solutions and a laser-focused direct marketing strategy.
To grow this business, you will optimize web and mobile acquisition and servicing sites, always encouraging customer engagement through proactive communication and tools. The ultimate objective of the role is to drive customer acquisition, usage and loyalty behaviors, thereby enabling the business to achieve its sales and profit targets.
Inside Skinny:
Research shows that Hispanic consumers over-index in their use of mobile. So if you’ve got the chops for developing mobile marketing programs and appropriate apps, it’s a leg up on the tight competition here.
Net-Net:
This is an ambitious new role, and a vital one in a growing, important financial business.
Role: Senior Project Manager (two opportunities) (2006)
Client: Top Web Development Agency specializing in Media/E-commerce
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
We aren’t easily impressed around here at The Hired Guns, that’s for sure. But when it comes to this agency client – with their global scope and their stellar handling of all things interactive – we have to admit we’re pretty much blown away. They’ve asked us to find them two seasoned and all-knowing Senior Project Managers, and we know it’ll take a couple of top-notch Guns to make the cut.
Gun Profile:
You’ve got several years of experience overseeing large-scale interactive projects, running with them all the way from discovery and design through technical development and implementation. Specifically, you’ve worked on the development of substantial websites and have a firm grasp of associated web development technologies and third-party applications and platforms. Time spent in an agency environment, working on both project management and online best practices, is a critical requirement for this role.
As far as the intangibles go, it’s vital that you value the details even as you work to make the big picture a reality. Things move fast around here, so quick, analytical thinking is essential. You’ll need to be an enthusiastic and capable problem solver, engaged at all levels of the project.
Nitty Gritty:
As a Senior Project Manager, you will be responsible for developing an overall project management strategy. You’ll be monitoring the day-to-day activities of discipline leads and project teams, staying actively involved with the work and ensuring that things are moving along as planned. Expect to keep a grip on several projects at any given time, staying on top of schedules, budgets, assets, and overall project organization to ensure requirements and deliverables dates are clearly communicated, understood and executed upon.
On the client side, you will identify needs that the client may not recognize and manage their expectations accordingly. The agency will rely on you to consistently deliver the highest possible quality of service and solutions, soliciting and acting on client feedback, communicating and documenting the project’s status and strategic recommendations to your clients, escalating and resolving issues quickly and skillfully.
Inside Skinny:
If you’ve got any mobile or social media/community experience in your bag of tricks, we are prepared to be amazed. The same goes for E-commerce or big media site experience.
Net-Net:
As the key point of contact for both the client and the project team, you will play a pivotal role in the success of any major engagement. So bring your game face.
Role: Two UX Designers (one Mobile and one Web) (1938)
Client: Global News and Information Provider
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This Hired Guns client, one of the biggest names in news, is looking for two UX pros – one Web guru and one Mobile master – to round out their elite design team.
Gun Profile:
Whichever role you’re going for, you have a skill set crucial to any good user experience designer. You’re passionate about solving problems and communicating solutions, and your interest lies in uncovering and exploring all things new media. You understand shared product experience across a variety of mediums and can work efficiently and effectively across any number of multi-disciplinary teams.
On the technical side of things, you understand the capabilities – and limitations – of the standard toolkit, ranging from HTML, XML and CSS to JavaScript and Flash. You’ll need a thorough familiarity with Visio, OmniGraffle and Photoshop, but more than that, it’s essential that you’re open to and comfortable with learning new technologies.
What sets the two roles apart is the specific area of expertise: our Web UX Designer is completely proficient when it comes to the intricacies of the complex world of digital publishing, while our Mobile UX Designer will be well versed in the world of mobile interfaces (obviously).
Nitty Gritty:
Whether you spend your days focusing on the Web or staying on top of the latest mobile advancements, you’ll be working as part of the product team to translate business goals into interactive solutions. Both UX Designers will be expected to conceptualize projects from description to detailed specifications and to produce creative concepts, prototypes and storyboards to communicate solutions to core team members and major stakeholders.
As the Web UX designer, you’ll spend your time and energies creating documentation to be used by business, development and QA; it will include site maps, use cases, detailed wireframes, the whole shebang. On the Mobile front, get used to devoting your days to the iPhone, Android, Blackberry, dumb phones and all the fun mobile technology still to come.
Inside Skinny:
Web Designers, if you’ve got previous experience working with market data that’s a great plus. And for our Mobile Guns, we’re just as excited about the iPad as the rest of you, so be sure to mention any work you may have done on that platform.
Net-Net:
If you are the ultimate advocate of good experience – whether it be on the Web or on mobile platforms – and you yearn to work with a team that is constantly pushing the envelope of the digital publishing space, then this is the place you want to be.
Role: Interactive Designer (2000)
Client: Major News Site Network
Location: Manhattan
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This Hired Guns client, the digital side of some of the best, most respected news content on the Web today, has the added bonus of being just an all-around great brand. A true rich multi-media experience, these guys strive to deliver a genuinely user-friendly approach to presenting mass quantities of news (rather than the eye-crossing overload of text you see on so many news sites these days).
Better still, it’s a great place to work – a best-in-class team within a company that genuinely values these product and design roles. To keep cranking out the top-notch work they’ve come to be known for, this small, closely-knit digital team – with lots of room for growth – needs an Interactive Designer.
Gun Profile:
As a digital Designer, you’ve earned your stripes leading the design of engaging, content-driven sites. You’ve built yourself a great reputation for having a strong sense of what looks good on the Web, and you innately understand marketing and branding as it applies to site design.
In your time creating solutions for the Web, you’ve collected experience on every step of the process. From the initial information architecture, to the actual design of web pages, applications, widgets and more – you know how to handle it all.
Nitty Gritty:
As an Interactive Designer, you’ll contribute a broad base of knowledge regarding site layout, user interface design, and user experience optimization including color and font usage, imagery, and more. You’ll help hone the design of the existing site, along with the constant influx of new products that will need their own look and feel. You’ll be participating in all stages of the product development process, guiding the team along the path from ideation to tangible visual implementation. In essence, you will be the chief evangelist for usability and the user experience, as well as the driver of the site’s visual style guide.
Inside Skinny:
The environment around here is fast-paced, the goals are lofty, and the expectations are high. But at the same time, the team is supportive, the work is respected, and there’s an opportunity to really contribute to the changing face of online media.
Net-Net:
This is a phenomenal chance to help evolve a well-known and respected brand into something bigger and better than ever, so we need a Gun who can really up the game on design.
Role: Mobile Designer (1986)
Client: Digital Network of a Major News Organization
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The digital team of this renowned group has asked The Hired Guns to find them a stellar Mobile Designer who knows how to make the most of the mobile medium (interface design, touch interactivity, image optimization, and more) to provide compelling customer experiences. If you can offer the complete package of aesthetic genius and problem-solving practicality, then we’d love to hear from you.
Gun Profile:
The designer we’re looking for has a solid background designing user interfaces for content-rich websites and has migrated all that learning into the mobile space, creating web and native applications that offer compelling experiences on mobile devices. You have advanced knowledge of industry-standard web design software (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc), a solid grasp of the latest graphic and web design principles and aesthetics, a thorough understanding of current mobile and web technologies (Flash, HTML5, CSS, JavaScript), and a familiarity with major mobile platforms and their constraints. You know that “going mobile” means a lot more than web design on a smaller canvas: you appreciate the special challenges of the medium when it comes to interface design, performance tradeoffs, and image optimization, but you also are thrilled by the potential of mobile (e.g. touch, plus the inherent “always-on, always-with-you” nature of the beast) to provide the ultimate interactive experience.
Nitty Gritty:
In your position as Mobile Designer, you’ll be immersed in a fast-paced, news-oriented environment. You’ll be working alongside business stakeholders, product owners, and front-end developers to define or refine the user experience of new and existing products. This includes developing new approaches to complex design problems and conveying these designs in the form of presentations, prototypes, and design specifications. Also expect to interface closely with IAs, design technologists, and back-end engineers to implement and deliver final products. You’ll be designing for a range of mobile devices, from the iPad to smart and dumb phones, so clear communication with the various members of your design/dev team about timelines and schedules will be essential.
Inside Skinny:
While experience designing for market data is a plus, this company really values designers who are problem solvers at heart. Give us examples of some thorny design challenges you faced and how you solved them if you want to stand out from the pack.
Net-Net:
This is a rare opportunity to make your mark in the mobile space, while working for a major name in the news and media world.
Role: Product Managers with Platform Development Experience (1981)
Number of Roles: 2
Client: Subscription-driven E-commerce Company
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns have been tapped by a successful subscription-driven e-commerce company that brings content creators and publishers together on the Web. We signed on to help them find a trio of product managers, and now it’s one down, two to go – we’re still seeking one product manager specializing in the customer-facing product and e-commerce interface and a second focusing on tools for handling the video and image content.
Gun Profile:
You thrive on autonomy and are a big believer in lean start-up methodology. Agile Development: Hello! Waterfall Development: Been there, done that, no thank you. You’re happiest when you can lead a team through a sprint – rapid prototyping and getting your product in front of users as fast as possible so you can test, listen, refine and even pivot.
As a product manager, you’ve built products from scratch and scaled them to a broad consumer base, working directly with engineers and stakeholders as you go. You know how to work at breakneck speed; in fact, the thrill of the sprint is one of the things that drew you to technology in the first place. You have a gift for data visualization and could very easily have had a career in User Experience.
The product people who will score this gig have e-commerce or software as a service (SaaS) experience as well as experience developing and managing subscription businesses (with a Retention emphasis) on the Web.
Nitty-Gritty:
This company is in super-size mode, and the top management team wants two product managers to move them forward on multiple fronts. Let us know in your pitch which role best fits your skill set:
Customer Interface. This product manager will drive the subscription and retention side of the product. E-commerce, funneling, usability, and user research exposure would be terrific. For you getting customers to part with their credit cards is like taking candy from a baby. A background in Design / UX is a bonus.
Content Handling. This product manager will be devoted to serving the content creators (photographers, illustrators and videographers), enhancing the tools and user experience for offering content on the service. Supply chain management, usability, research and technical knowledge of digital imagery formats, image manipulation software and gear are needed. A background in photography, illustration or videography is a bonus.
Each product manager will be part of a team consisting of 2 or 3 developers, a project manager, an IA, and a QA analyst. The company values those who are able to be entrepreneurial, work independently and take initiative.
Inside Skinny:
Your boss is an evangelist for Agile Development who successfully moved an entire organization from a few product releases a year to a constant surge of releases. He wants disciples of the Agile Way on his team. If that’s you, talk it up in your pitch, because it will definitely score you brownie points.
Net-Net:
If you’re hankering for autonomy and product ownership from start to finish, this is the place for you.
Please indicate in your cover letter/pitch which of the two remaining roles you think fits you best.
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Join us at our first annual Benefit to celebrate our successes and to help us continue to make positive changes for independent workers.
Details:
Date: Thursday December 9, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 9 pm
Location: Helen Mills, 137 West 26th Street, New York, NY
Role: Director of Project Management (1940)
Client: Leading Global Ad Agency
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance-to-Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are working with a global icon of the ad business that has a reputation for really knowing how to do integrated campaigns right. They’re looking for a highly experienced Director of Project Management to lead an entire team of digital PMs working to turn a major new account win into a smashing success. This is a high-profile opportunity that will give you a seat at the leadership table: at this agency, being director of PM means that you are the senior stakeholder for the account when it comes to digital.
Gun Profile:
For starters, you have 10+ years in interactive project management (including significant agency experience). Because you’ll be responsible for the ongoing training of all the project managers on your accounts, it’s important that you bring significant interactive/software development process expertise to the table. Your knowledge of web development, email and rich media technologies is noteworthy; equally impressive is your familiarity with interactive process, whether it be a large, complex site build or a completely integrated marketing campaign. You’ve got great interpersonal skills, strong leadership ability, and an unequaled talent for keeping a multitude of balls in the air.
Nitty Gritty:
As the Director of Project Management, you’ll wear a rack-full of hats: mentoring, training and managing other project managers; strategizing and road-mapping on new business pitches; and participating in the operations of the project management department and the interactive discipline. As you work in cooperation with account management and discipline leads (creative, IA, content engineering) you will plan for, staff and scope projects, always accountable for the quality of the project delivery.
You’ll have a considerable amount of client contact and will be responsible for ensuring that deliverables across multiple projects meet time specifications and quality goals. Day-to-day tasks will run the gamut, so cross-functional task management is indispensable. Plan on handling everything from the creation of project schedules, project briefs and statements of work, to adjusting control procedures and cost estimates on the fly, to giving regular project status updates to management and clients alike.
Once you have this big new account under your belt, your responsibilities will soon grow to encompass other accounts as well.
Inside Skinny:
The primary client with whom you will be interfacing on this project is rather technical. So your in-depth knowledge of technology and your high comfort level talking shop about it will get you to the top of the heap.
Net-Net:
If project management is your career and your passion, and you’ve got serious experience, this gig is the big one: handling a mega-global brand at a top agency that’s doing some of the best integrated work anywhere!
Role: Community Manager (1944)
Client: Huge Direct-to-Consumer Media Distributor
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance
Overview:
As one of the largest direct-to-consumer distributors of media products in the U.S., this Hired Guns client is a household name. Right now they are looking for a Community Manager who will build, manage and monitor presence, content and conversations across various social media channels.
With this (new!) role, the company is hoping to create community and buzz both around their membership clubs and their content. The Gun who lands this gig will be called upon to help the company better understand the social media behavior, needs, and interests of current and potential members; it’s this “club” aspect that you’ll really get to sink your teeth into, providing added value through content and community.
Gun Profile:
With your finger firmly on the pulse of social media, you’ve got strong ideas on what types of content work best and how to market that content. You’ve got a real knack for uncovering and utilizing relevant social media research, as well as for staying on top of the latest social trends and behaviors in order to identify opportunities. With a firm grasp on SEO best practices and strategies, you understand the importance of keywords and effective link-building techniques. Earn some bonus points for any direct experience in SMM and a background building online communities.
Share with us your ideas on what content and conversations you think will really engage people in social media and attract attention from the blogosphere. Tell us how you’ve reached out to online influencers before and break down the analytics behind successful social content. You’ll be building on an existing social media strategy that’s ready to be implemented, but it’s imperative that you can roll up your digital sleeves and dream up your own ideas for distributing content, growing audiences, and building brand presence.
Nitty Gritty:
As Community Manager, you’ll spend the majority of your time building, engaging and monitoring the company’s presence across multiple social media channels, including sites like “managed” profiles and pages, as well as any other pertinent communities, blogs and discussion boards. They have already put up a handful of social media profiles and pages, but you’ll be working heavily on expanding the community to include external channels like Facebook, Twitter, and all those usual suspects. Audience development will also be critical; you’ll be expected to draw in current members with content, incentives and communication (effectively driving member participation) and find online sources of potential new members.
In essence, you are responsible for relationship building at an individual and group level, collaborating with members and ensuring that online and offline efforts toward promoting and evangelizing the benefits of the company’s various branches are recognized and rewarded. Performance will be measured by your ability to grow key external (social media) and internal (club website) metrics, to track the performance of social content and campaigns and additional KPIs, and to propose recommendations for future improvements and innovations.
Inside Skinny:
If you have experience managing partner and/or vendor relationships, that’s a plus. Management of another person or a small team is a plus PLUS. Also, because the Community Manager will serve as the bridge to the PR world, any publicity experience is more plusses than you can count.
Net-Net:
Through your combined efforts with the rest of the Emerging Media team, your work will be instrumental in advancing SEO initiatives, developing online partnerships, and expanding the user experience for millions of members. There’s a ton of room here to come in and really define what social media and community can mean for this company.
Role: Emerging Media Content Manager (1945)
Client: Huge Direct-to-Consumer Media Distributor
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance
Overview:
This Hired Guns client is a major player in the direct-to-consumer distribution of all kinds of media products – books, music, DVDs, you name it and these guys are probably behind it. With their impressive array of catalogs, websites, and mailings, the company serves millions of members across North America, and their reach is ever-expanding. To help them in their quest for complete domination, they need a freelance Gun to step in as Content Manager for their online marketing department.
Gun Profile:
Your obsession with all things social media has earned you quite the reputation; here’s your chance put it into action. Known for your ever-evolving vision of content’s role in the online landscape, you’ve got ideas and a serious plan of action. You have a substantial background in editorial, marketing or PR, and a good chunk of that experience has been specific to online work like content production, packaging and optimization, and effective content dissemination in social media.
In addition to that uber-organized and entrepreneurial mind of yours, you’ve got a creative finesse that enables you to write fresh and engaging content. A familiarity with monitoring and analytics tools will be helpful, as you’ll need to make sure that basic KPIs reflect the content’s worth and ROI. Tell us all about your experience managing relationships with bloggers, writers, videographers and other content producers, so we’ll know you’ve got the chops to ensure that the editorial style, tone and mission statement remain intact. A working knowledge of SEO best practices and strategies, including the importance of keywords and effective link-building techniques, is vital, as is an ability to inform others about how compelling content is the key that unlocks social media’s potential.
Nitty Gritty:
Straight up, this role involves a lot more than just posting content; while creative copywriting is a part of this role, so is having a 360-degree view of SEO and the ability to collaborate with content producers and manage multiple projects. Reporting straight to the Director of Emerging Media, you’ll be expected to take charge of the development and production of compelling content for various social media channels.
You will manage day-to-day Emerging Media content development, production and workflow, as well as handle input and feedback from internal stakeholders across multiple departments. You will generate original (leader) content and gather supporting content (through partners, etc.) that can be used to engage members, help build robust social presence (including links), and grow key metrics. You will ensure that editorial and brand integrity/positioning is maintained across all social media verticals. You will own, maintain and update the Emerging Media content calendar, ensuring that all Marketing and Editorial efforts sync up, and that content is placed in the appropriate managed channels and messaged into additional relevant communities and online hubs.
Inside Skinny:
These guys will want to know all about your history with Emerging Media tools and participation in online communities, so be ready to share any relevant social media footprints and links (to your blogs, profiles, contributions to taste sites, etc.).
Net-Net:
These guys already have an emerging media strategy in place. Now they need you to sweep in and execute. Come lead the production of content for this highly respected group.
Role: Engagement Director with Strong Project Management Chops (1941)
Client: Digital Strategy and Design Shop
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This Hired Guns client is a leading interactive agency best known for creating exceptional online experiences for some of the top media and e-commerce brands out there. They’re looking for an Engagement Director – a true go-to guru on all things digital strategy who also knows how to keep the trains running on time and the clients statused and satisfied. If you want to up the marquee value of the clients listed on your resume with some first-time-ever digital experiences, you’ve come to the right place.
Gun Profile:
You come already armed with a heck of an arsenal: experience at top-tier digital consulting firms, interactive agencies, or large consumer-focused media or e-commerce properties; plenty of long-term, big-budget engagements; a history of managing cross-disciplinary teams and multiple project tracks; and a mastery of process, planning and methodology. You know design, product management, and technology, and can inspire your junior PMs and developers while you manage up to the C-suite.
You’ll be the owner of digital strategy around here, and you need to have the vision to back it up. Senior project managers and account folks ready for the next rung on the ladder are great fits for this role, as are product management types who want to move to the agency side. Regardless of your background, you’re all about identifying opportunities and building smart products around them. Roadmaps and functional requirements don’t faze you, because you have a top-notch track record in getting smart, beautiful products out the door (on time and on budget, of course).
Nitty Gritty:
As the Engagement Director at this agency, you’ll be expected to handle your (super-sexy, multi-million-dollar) clients with precision and grace, owning the relationship from top to bottom. As the senior manager on the team, you’ll be overseeing all discipline leads and project teams involved in execution. Financially you’ll hold responsibility for account P&L and ensuring on-budget performance. Hammering out contracts, managing scope of work, and resolving conflicts with the client and within your team are all on you; the agency will count on you to successfully develop and cement client relationships and identify all opportunities for follow-on business.
Inside Skinny:
“Just do it” won’t cut it around here. This shop wants makers, thinkers, drivers, creators. Think grandly for the greater good, and they’ll help you to grow bigger and better than you can imagine. Be a thought-leader and you’ll shine.
Net-Net:
These guys are sassy, fun, opinionated, smart, and get seriously big stuff done.
Role: Front End Developer (1942)
Client: Subscription-based Content Provider
Location: New York, NY
Type: Fulltime Freelance (duration about two months)
Overview:
This well-known Hired Guns client is keeping busy… so busy that they need some extra players in the game. They’ve tapped us to help them find a highly qualified, super-entrepreneurial Front End Dev master who can come in and help them get a number of high-priority projects off the ground over the next couple of months.
This company’s culture is rich in camaraderie, driven to succeed, and powered throughout by a supreme desire to provide its customers the very best experience possible. They are intent on truly changing the subscription-based service game … and that’s where you come in.
Gun Profile:
Since you’ll be joining a development team that’s already cranking, you need to be ready, willing and able to jump in, full steam ahead. You’ll fit right in if you have a passion for whatever project you’re working on, a willingness to stand behind – and stand up for – your work, and a desire to work in partnership with your team. Of course you’ll need all the basics, like experience coding HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and all that fun stuff.
Nitty Gritty:
This is more than just punching a clock and working on one particular task; you’ll be counted on to keep this busy team afloat across a number of projects. Expect to work on coding everything from the website to new products to applications, emails and more.
These guys thrive on collaboration and would love to have you working onsite, but they won’t say no to a talented, locally-based Gun working offsite. So if you can make it in a few times a week to review work and take a couple of meetings, sell us on why you’re the right Dev for this gig. Just be aware that, onsite or off, you’ll be viewed as a true addition to the team and expected to devote your full attention to the gig.
Inside Skinny:
If you have a talent for coding HTML specifically for emails – or any Flash or ActionScript skills – we definitely want to know about it.
Net-Net:
At the end of the day it’ll all come down to the code, but team players are always welcome. If you’ve got any game-changing theories or ideas to contribute, here’s your chance.
In today’s tough economy and ruthlessly competitive job market, nobody can afford to have poor interviewing skills. Introverts, in particular, may have trouble in the spotlight of the interview process. Learn how to present yourself authentically and get tips on how to use your introversion to earn coveted jobs. Instructor Nancy Ancowitz, author of Self-Promotion for Introverts, is a business communication coach specializing in marketing and presentation skills. She was previously a marketing vice president at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Details:
Date: Tuesday April 20, 2010
Time: 10 am to 12 pm
Location: 92YTribeca, 200 Hudson Street, New York, NY
Admission: $25
Renowned comics writer and editor Danny Fingeroth will lead a hands-on workshop in writing comics and graphic novels. This is a four-week class whose aim is to teach students, in a supportive atmosphere, how to structure and write comics and graphic novel stories of professional caliber. Combining lectures, assignments in class and at home, and roundtable critiquing, the class will cover writing for all kinds of comics, including autobiographical, historical, “indy” and superheroes. This class will contain no nudity, but will encourage naked truths and uncovered emotions in students’ work.
***Note: please come to class with three short “springboards” (story ideas) so we can hit the ground running!***
Details:
Dates: 4 Tuesday evening sessions on April 20, April 27, May 4, and May 11
Time: 6:30 to 9 pm
Location: Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA), 594 Broadway (between Houston and Prince), Suite 401, New York, NY
Tuition: MoCCA members $225, non-members $245
Networking and panel discussion on “New Media vs. The Old School.” Mingle and learn at a great venue with two industry heavyweights on the front lines of changes affecting the advertising, agency and marketing community: Peter Geary (EVP and Senior Account Director at BBDO) and Jonathan Opdyke (Chief Executive Officer at HookLogic). Watch as we passionately debate two equally compelling points of view about the role of metrics vs. creativity in marketing. Can you test your way to great results or are inspired ideas still the coin of the realm? Join us for a lively debate and free hour of open bar. This should get interesting.
Details:
Date: Wednesday April 21, 2010
Time: 7 pm
Location: Gershwin Hotel, 7 East 27th Street, New York, NY
Admission: Members $30, Non-members $35 in advance ($5 more at door)
colorbars is a professional and social network established to support the advancement of all people of color working in media, entertainment and communication. These initiatives are achieved through networking events, panel discussions, informational lectures, and mentoring programs. colorbars hosts networking events in New York City every two months. The event is a platform for our members to build relationships, share information, strengthen their confidence, and increase their own professional network.
Details:
Date: Wednesday April 21, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 pm
Location: Brick NYC (downstairs), 22 Warren Street (between Church and Broadway), New York, NY
Admission is free. RSVP at www.colorbarsnetwork.com. (When you click “Networking Events,” you will be prompted to log in or become a member. You must be a member to attend events, but membership is free.)
85 Broads is a global network of 20,000 trailblazing women who are inspired, empowered, and connected. At their April conference in New York City, see entrepreneurs and visionaries including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Susan Lyne, Nomi Ghez, Niko Canner, Cindy Padnos, and Aswath Damodaran and have an opportunity to meet and network with like-minded women leaders in business and not-for-profit.
Details:
Date: Saturday April 24, 2010
Time: 8 am to 5:30 pm
Location: NYU Stern School of Business, West 4th Street, New York, NY
Admission: 85 Broads members $50, non-members $100
Not buying property in Florida? You’re not alone. Few of us are seeking the “golden years” retirement that appealed to our parents’ generation. We’re living longer, staying healthier and yearning to do something important, something that leaves the world a better place. That’s where the encore career comes in. It’s work in the second half of life that combines passion, purpose and a paycheck. The world has a host of problems in need of fixers. And a legion of baby boomers is at the ready to be that talent pool. Many are already crafting new careers in health care, education, nonprofits, the environment or government. Join this lunch-time talk to learn about what’s driving the encore phenomenon, then get some tips on how to get started on your own encore career. Instructor: Marci Alboher. Marci Alboher, one of the nation’s top experts on career issues and workplace trends, is a Vice President at Civic Ventures, working to help boomers searching for encore careers. A former blogger and columnist for The New York Times, Alboher is the author of One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success.
Details:
Date: Tuesday April 27, 2010
Time: 12 noon to 1 pm
Location: 92Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson Street, New York, NY
Admission: $25
“Media Madness: A Forward Look at the Media Marketplace”
The digitization of communication has resulted in the radical change of every medium. New forms of content distribution, advanced analytics, iterative messaging across multiple platforms – these are the challenges and the opportunities that digitization poses. Are we scrambling to stay current in an environment where to be current is to invite extinction or are we looking forward with excitement and passion as we meet these challenges? Today we will engage in energetic debate as to how each of us will rise to the challenge and re-create an industry that is poised to lead the consumer dialogue well into the 21st century.
Details:
Date: Wednesday April 28, 2010
Time: 8 am to 12:30 pm
Location: The Times Center, 242 West 41st Street (between 7th and 8th Avenue), New York, NY
Admission: AD Club members $200, non-members $300
Title: Mobile Application Tech Lead (1916)
Client: Global Financial News and Information Powerhouse
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This global giant in the financial news and information business is making a major investment in Mobile Solutions product development and innovation to bring their customers the next-generation mobile application that will give them competitive advantages they haven’t even dreamed of yet. To help lead this drive, The Hired Guns have been tapped to find them a mobile innovator who eats, breathes and sleeps mobile apps to serve as the Mobile Application Technical Lead for the group. You’ll be part of a growing, dedicated mobile team working to ensure the company is leading the mobile revolution rather than following the competition.
Gun Profile:
You are a development guru who took a bet that mobile was the way of the future even before the iPhone was launched and App dev shops started sprouting up like weeds. You have been working in the software development industry for 10+ years, with the last 2-3 years focusing on mobile applications development. You have strong hands-on programming and visualization experience in building commercial mobile applications for smartphones (iPhone, BlackBerry, and/or Android devices preferred, exposure to Windows Mobile and Symbian a plus). You are on top of industry trends and the technology pipeline out of passion rather than pure necessity.
You are a devotee of Agile development methodologies such as Scrum, DSDM, or XP, and you have a solid conceptual understanding of test-driven development and continuous integration. More importantly, you have experience leading a development team through architecting, delivery, customer service, and project and people management.
You have a proven track record creating a work culture that promotes knowledge development through technology and domain reviews, as well as retention of high-quality teams. You are the kind of manager that people follow from company to company.
Rounding out your toolkit, we are also looking for …
Experience with mobile development SDKs, development frameworks, languages such as Objective C and Embedded C#/C++/J2 ME, and database technologies such as SQL, stored procedures, and scripting.
Exposure to visualization and product mockup tools such as Balsamiq or Protoshare, third-party/open-source mobile application frameworks such as Roambi, Viigo, ReaddleDocs, or similar, and cross-platform frameworks such as Pyxis Mobile or Airplay.
Experience in service-oriented architecture, .NET web services, J2EE, or other application integration solutions is a plus.
Familiarity with web technologies such as AJAX, HTML, XML, ASP, VB/Jscript, Java Servlets, and JSP is a plus.
Experience in delivering software products in a multi-OS environment (Windows, Linux) is a plus.
Familiarity with financial data concepts, snapshot and streaming financial data, financial analytics and screening, portfolio analysis, company and economic data, and business and price charting is a plus.
Computer Science or related degree strongly preferred
Nitty Gritty:
From a technology perspective, you will manage planning, design, implementation, and delivery of a portfolio of next-generation mobile applications across all smartphone and tablet devices that showcase the rich content and workflow capabilities of the company. Your task will be to determine how to take the Product Strategy Lead’s killer ideas and bring them to life. You will be charged with the realization of a strong, unique mobile experience that helps to enhance brand recognition and competitive differentiation.
You will be a senior member of the team, responsible for staffing, managing, coaching and mentoring a team of highly qualified software professionals, QA testers, support people, technical writers, and offshore/outsourcing operations. You will also contribute to the ongoing development of project process, tools, and techniques, guiding their evolution in line with company organizational, technical, and commercial requirements.
You will work closely with product and program management, marketing, and clients to gather customer requirements and translate them into product functional specifications, and formulate and execute a project plan to achieve the desired results. You will also manage relationships with other business divisions and vendor partners.
Inside Skinny:
While this is an established global company, the mobile group is running fast and operating much like a start-up. To that end, they are open to a rockstar up-and-comer. So if you are a lead developer who has not yet held the role of Technical Lead but are confident you are up to the task, don’t hesitate to put your hat in the ring. The mobile space is moving fast, and they get that.
Net-Net:
These guys are serious about taking mobile solutions to the next level. If you’re frustrated by your current company, where they keep talking the mobile talk but refusing to walk the walk with funding and corporate support, this will be your dream come true.
NOW-NYC hosts business psychologist, career coach, and mom, Dr. Debra Condren, author of Ambition is Not a Dirty Word. Are you not advancing in your career as you would like? Are you not making the money you deserve and feeling unfulfilled? Are you afraid of what you might have to sacrifice if you pursue your big goals? If you’re in need of fresh, powerful tools for reclaiming your dreams, please join us for this not-to-be missed opportunity to meet Debra. She will show us how all our priorities – personal and career goals alike – can fit together harmoniously, without compromising our ethics and integrity. Exclusive offer: Purchase Debra’s book from Amazon before the event and receive a complimentary one-on-one speed coaching session immediately following the NOW event.
Details:
Date: Thursday April 29, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 8 pm
Location: NOW-NYC Headquarters, 150 West 28th Street, Suite 304, New York, NY
Admission: Free for NOW-NYC members, $15 suggested donation for non-members
To RSVP, phone 212.627.9895 or email contact@nownyc.org.
Digital Hollywood debuted in 1990 and has from its start been among the leading trade conferences in its field with over 15,000 top executives in the film, television, music, home video, cable, telecommunications and computer industries attending the various events each year. The Spring 2010 Digital Hollywood conference is being held in Santa Monica, California.
Details:
Dates: Monday May 3 through Thursday May 6, 2010
Location: The Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Santa Monica, CA
Digital Hollywood debuted in 1990 and has from its start been among the leading trade conferences in its field with over 15,000 top executives in the film, television, music, home video, cable, telecommunications and computer industries attending the various events each year.
Role: Interaction Designer, Mobile Apps (1936)
Client: Financial Information Powerhouse
Location: New York, NY
Type: Fulltime Freelance
Overview:
This long-standing Hired Guns client, a leading provider of global financial information, is looking into the future … and the future is in motion. These guys recognize that the most critical arena of information innovation is mobile, so they’re making a huge investment in their Mobility Group to leap to the forefront and stay there. As their newest Interaction Designer, you’ll play a key role in the development of a huge fleet of mobile applications. Reporting to the Director of Mobile User Experience, this position will get you invaluable experience and unequaled exposure.
Gun Profile:
Design for motion is wired integrally into your aesthetic DNA: you have a special talent for creating cool, powerful apps with compelling flow and personality. So the idea of joining a team of like-minded visionaries who are creating award-winning mobile apps and getting ready to push the limits still further is just about enough to make you drool.
With a couple of years’ experience already under your belt, you’ve been working in some combination of interaction design, information architecture or usability. You can handle spec’ing and wireframing apps, you’re familiar with the vast array of mobile devices out there – smartphones, e-readers, and tablets, as well as stuff most people haven’t heard of yet – and you’re a whiz with all the design tools crucial to the job, like Flash, Photoshop, Fireworks, InDesign, Visio, and Balsamiq.
Nitty Gritty:
As Interaction Designer, you’ll be working with the Design Lead to translate conceptual designs based on business objectives and requirements into interaction and interface specifications. Sharing ideas with a cross-functional team of product managers, business analysts, marketing people and developers, you’ll be the primary advocate for the user, creating a cohesive user experience across all applications. You’ll expand high-level sketches and workflows into fully fleshed-out wireframes, site maps, and specs, partner with the Visual Designer to create guidelines and patterns for analysts and developers, and work with development and QA to ensure that the final deliverables meet the intended user interaction objective.
Inside Skinny:
The Director of Mobile User Experience tells us that this is a growth role with terrific visibility – he plans to make you his number-one go-to on design issues.
Net-Net:
Here’s your chance to make a big impact, in a start-up environment ensconced within a well-established, well-financed institution. Whether you’ve been working in mobile for the past two years or you’ve designed one app and are irrevocably hooked, this is the fast track to mobile god-hood.
Be sure to provide the URL of your online portfolio when you fill out your application form!
The Variety Entertainment and Technology Summit is a jam-packed schedule of in-depth discussions and networking focusing on the top business issues impacting technology in entertainment today. The Summit’s unique environment enables attendees to engage, debate, and define the latest technological developments in the entertainment marketplace. With an unprecedented group of opinion leaders, the summit will focus on how companies can capitalize on innovations in technology and is a “must-attend” event for individuals and companies working at the intersection of content, technology, and entertainment.
Details:
Date: Monday May 3, 2010
Location: The Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Santa Monica, CA
Give yourself some springtime rejuvenation! Come socialize with other creative, entrepreneurial folks and make new connections at our networking event. Put away the winter jacket, venture outside, and mix up the way you mingle.
Details:
Date: Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Location: Stout, 133 West 33rd Street, New York, NY
Admission: $12 (includes 1 drink + gratuity, cash bar thereafter) Walk-ins are welcome. We are unable to accept credit or debit cards at the door. You do not have to be a member to attend.
“The Elevator Pitch” – most people get a sinking feeling when they think about it. “How can I possibly squeeze my entire life into 15 seconds?” The answer: you can’t. What you can do is examine who you are and what you stand for, and put it into clear, simple prose – in other words, a story that others can retell (over and over again), but that is still authentically you.
And who better to mentor you in the art of keeping your story short, sweet, and smart than Larry Smith, master of the Six-Word Memoir phenomenon, and Allison Hemming, The Hired Guns’ very own Top Gun, personal branding expert and networker extraordinaire?
Get set for a highly participatory course, with limited capacity (hint: sign up fast!), that will get you up and moving and comfortable sharing your story … specifically:
the “So, tell me about yourself” (The first thing an interviewer says)
the “So, what do you do?” (The classic cocktail party/networking event opener)
the “15-second Elevator Pitch”
In one fast-paced evening, we’ll hone your story and teach you how to make it grow along with you as your career progresses. When it’s all over, you will walk out of The Hired Guns Hive able to confidently handle each of these situations with ease. And better still, have your classmates out there passing your story on!
Your Instructors:
Larry Smith is the founder and editor of SMITH Magazine, the online community known for mastering the art of personal storytelling. Editor of the bestselling Six-Word Memoir book series, Larry has led storytelling workshops for audiences from the Hewlett Foundation to ESPN to second grade classes. He’s a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. Follow Larry on Twitter.
Allison Hemming is the founder and Top Gun of The Hired Guns, a talent agency that represents the best of the creative class. She is author of the popular job-hunting book Work It! How to Get Ahead, Save Your Ass and Land a Job in Any Economy! (Fireside/Simon & Schuster) and creator of the Pink Slip Parties, a job networking event that has been replicated around the globe for nearly a decade. Follow Allison on Twitter.
Details:
Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Time: 6:00-9:00 PM
Place: The Hired Guns Hive, 33 West 17th Street, New York, NY
Cost: $99
Instructors: Larry Smith and Allison Hemming
Pre-requisites: A sense of humor. And a good dose of humility – you’ll get some tough feedback, but you’ll love us for it!
Registration for this course is now closed. We regret any inconvenience.
Role: Interactive Art Director (1926)
Client: Global Leader in Communications and Public Relations
Location: New York, NY (onsite)
Type: Freelance (six to twelve weeks)
Overview:
The Hired Guns are looking for a highly talented Interactive Art Director to swing into action for our client, a global leader in PR and communications. You’ll be the visual branding and design leader for a high-profile account in the medical technology space. This freelance gig will start out with strategy, branding, concepting, and style guide work, and rapidly evolve into a CD role in which you’ll be overseeing the work of a more junior designer as you implement your master plan.
Gun Profile:
We’re looking for a senior designer/art director with a clean, modern aesthetic and five or more years’ interactive design experience. You’re right on the cusp of moving up to the Art Director level (or perhaps you’re already there), so you’ve had the opportunity to guide the work of more junior designers. But you have no desire to go purely “management”: you’d dry up and blow away if you had to give up hands-on design work. Obviously you’ve got to live and breathe in PhotoShop and Illustrator, and we’d love you to have user interface and/or IA aptitude and facility with HTML, Java, ExtJS, and CSS. Past work targeting physicians (such as pharma or medical devices) is a plus.
Nitty Gritty:
Our client is doing branding and design for a medical technology account that is launching a cutting-edge web-based application. Your task will be to own the design side of the project, culminating in a comprehensive visual identity for the application as well as the website it will “live” in. During the first phase of the gig, you’ll be flying solo, crafting the brand strategy, design concepts, preliminary hands-on design work, and a brand style guide to establish visual principles that will ensure consistency across multiple verticals of the site. As that phase wraps up, the client will bring in a junior designer to report to you, and together you’ll implement the whole package.
Inside Skinny:
Past experience developing brand strategy and style guides in the digital arena will give you a really big leg-up. But if you’ve got everything else but, don’t let that deter you.
Net-Net:
This is a great opportunity for you to work from a blank slate, turn in fantastic work, and accelerate your climb up the ladder toward Creative Director.
Be sure to provide the URL of your online portfolio when you fill out the application form!
How do you make yourself stand out from your competition? How do you reach clients beyond typical in-person networking events or word-of-mouth? Join Freelancers U and Technology Therapist Jennifer Shaheen to learn how you can use Facebook to extend your brand and cultivate new clients. *For this event we recommend that you have some understanding of how Facebook works or already have a profile.
Details:
Date: Tuesday May 11, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Location: Freelancers Union offices, 20 Jay Street, Suite 700, Brooklyn, NY
Admission: $30 members, $40 non-members
The overshare is everywhere. Depression. Drug use. Too much sex. Not enough. Our writers have spilled ink and guts about all of it. Join them as they share their recent writings and talk (candidly, of course!) about what happens when you make your life an open book. Featuring Emily Gould, former Gawker editor and author of the new memoir And the Heart Says Whatever, Liz Spikol of The Trouble with Spikol, and Emily Steinberg, whose memoir Graphic Therapy began as a web comic on SmithMag.net. Hosted by media psychologist Dr. Judith Sills.
Details:
Date: Tuesday May 11, 2010
Time: 7:30 to 9:30 pm
Location: Arts Bank, 601 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Admission: $10
Role: Interactive Producer (1928)
Client: Consulting Company Offering Leadership Training and Development
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance, potential for conversion to fulltime
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a top-notch interactive project manager for our client, a consulting company that offers leadership training and development to some of the best companies on the planet. In this role, you will oversee web properties and marketing intiatives, brainstorming key deliverables with the marketing and content/editorial teams that will support and extend the brand and generate new business for the company.
Gun Profile:
The ideal gun will have digital agency experience as a project manager working on commerce sites and micro-sites and driving interactive marketing, advertising and social media campaigns. Bonus points for digital direct marketing experience. B2B experience is a plus, particularly in professional services (management consulting, law, etc.) or training/education. Experience targeting college-educated, professional-level consumers is also key. Familiarity with SEO/SEM will give you a major leg-up.
Nitty Gritty:
In this role, you will manage the day-to-day oversight and optimization of all of our client’s web properties. Your job, in short, will be to keep the trains running on time (and on budget). You will drive the relationship with the client’s web development agency, managing all changes and enhancements including task prioritization and scheduling. You will handle site updates (e.g. new landing pages, functionality, etc.) and be charged with asset gathering (images, copy). You will be the QA eyes and ears, testing and approving all site changes, web forms and creative to optimize for conversion. You will be charged with site analytics, web metrics and SEO/SEM, working closely with the web agency to deliver against key search terms.
Additionally, you will manage the day-to-day marketing mix for the firm, supporting the strategies of the Director of Marketing and executing acquisition and retention efforts designed for lead generation, including executive briefings, public seminars, etc. (Desired leads will include C-level executives and Training/Development decision-makers within Fortune 2000 companies.) This company is early stage in its efforts, and there is a big drive to build B2B and B2C databases via the generation of new leads online and offline (co-registration, link swaps/partnerships, list buys, targeted advertising, events, etc.). You will develop, execute and send regular email marketing messages/newsletters in line with overall contact strategy/objectives while coordinating the creation of landing pages associated with all inbound campaigns. You will collaborate with the content team to ensure social media is supporting and tying in with all other marketing efforts.
Inside Skinny:
In this job, you’ll get to learn a ton and drive some exciting marketing projects, like overseeing the launch of a new webinar program, coordinating the company presence at industry events, and managing the creation and design of sales collateral. We need a can-do kind of gun whose attitude is, “No matter what this gig throws at me, this is going to be fun!”
Role: Internal Communications Consultant (1927)
Client: Global Law Firm
Type: Fulltime Freelance, On-site (Maternity Leave Fill-in)
Duration: Mid-May until September
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking an Internal Communications Consultant for our client, a global law firm. You’ll be responsible for content and production of the corporate intranet and employee e-newsletters, along with other internal/employee-targeted communications. You will be filling in for the person presently in the role, who is going on maternity leave in June. The gig starts with training in mid-May and runs through late September.
Gun Profile:
The ideal gun will have a background working on the communications team of a corporate intranet within a professional services organization. We’re also open to managing editors/reporters who can translate their skill set to an intranet environment. This is a great opportunity to adapt your editorial skills to a corporate, employee-facing role which is becoming mission-critical inside many organizations. You must have top-notch writing skills and a laser-focused expertise in line editing and proofreading. A reporter’s basic training will come in handy for your research responsibilities. Good interpersonal skills and business acumen are a must, as you’ll be communicating regularly with people at all levels in the firm, right up to senior partners. A proven ability to learn new CMS systems is a must, as are strong Microsoft Word skills, basic Photoshop or InDesign skills, an enthusiastic attitude and a sense of humor.
Nitty-Gritty:
You will be responsible for reporting on firm events via the corporate intranet site, including ongoing story development, curation of additional news and daily postings on the firm’s global home page and the site’s New York channel. Additionally, you’ll be charged with the creation and distribution of the company’s weekly firmwide e-newsletter and its monthly e-newsletter to retired and alumni partners. You will also provide editorial support and communications advice for Marketing, Human Resources, Training and Development, and other groups within the firm and will conduct research (data and market color) for various internal firmwide presentations.
Inside Skinny:
If you have a design eye worthy of a digital Art Director, let us know, as you’ll get bonus points here for helping to drive the visual design of the website, banners, and other elements.
Note: the application form only allows you to send one attachment (your resume). We will request writing samples after reviewing your resume and cover letter.
Role: The Yoda of Email Marketing (1925)
Company: Paid Content/Subscription Marketing Company
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance
Duration: 1-3 Months, with micro-engagements thereafter to tweak campaigns.
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking the Yoda of Email Marketing for our client, a top paid-content company that specializes in subscription marketing. As a consultant, you will come in to assess their program, make recommendations for improvement, teach best practices and then let the Force be with them. This company has a best-in-class direct marketing team in place, and you, dear gun, are going to be the secret weapon, helping them take their practice to the next level by making tactical improvements that will boost response rates with every email they send.
Gun Profile:
You’ve gained top-notch experience working at companies that offer free services as a way to drive customers into a paid subscription-based service (e.g. WeightWatchers, Netflix, Match.com, etc). You are well trained in the art of direct response, but it’s email marketing that has been and always will be your true calling. In particular, you enjoy the art and the science of building email marketing campaigns that work. How did you get to be so good? You have a hard-core traditional DM background, and you’ve got the benefit of experience: you’ve tried, failed, learned, failed again, perfected … until the student became the master.
Nitty Gritty:
For this gig, we need a confident consultant who can improve performance through effective analysis, courage and Jedi mojo. This company is not starting from scratch; instead, you’re going to take a well-oiled machine and make it better, tighter, faster. When you leave, the organization will be more successful for having integrated your many best practices. In this role, you need to be fairly senior, but not so hoity-toity that you can’t roll up your sleeves and get things done. Over the next 1-3 months, they want your fresh set of eyes to help them uncover some low-hanging fruit and a couple of “big wins.” Specifically, our client has a successful “freemium model” in place and relies heavily on email and on-site experiences to get free subscribers to convert to paid subscribers. The challenge: how does our client do more with less? They have a loyal customer base that is telling them to cut down on the volume of email they send, and while they respect their customers enough to listen, they don’t want revenue to suffer. If you are a master in the art of CRM and have the secret sauce on how to develop contact messaging strategies that work, you’re our one true email Jedi Master!
Inside Skinny:
When it comes to Email Marketing you know: don’t give in to spam, for that leads to the Dark Side.
Net-Net:
We need someone who’s done this before, lives and breathes email, can help the client understand the analytics, and can “get it” and be up-and-running in a short amount of time. If that’s you, write up a killer pitch and let ‘er rip.
Role: Director, Product Management (1923)
Company: Leading Job Board
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a Director of Product Management for a great client of ours, the provider of a leading job board, to build out and evolve their online consumer site. If you’re a highly seasoned online product expert with a track record of building products and experiences that drive acquisition and conversion for subscription-based services and the vision to weave a collection of online products into a beautifully synergistic whole, read on!
Gun Profile:
You’ve got 8+ years of experience in product management, with experience in Internet marketing for an online service or product (B2C experience preferred) including ad-based or subscription-based sites. You’re a superb communicator who blows ‘em away in presentations and can connect with colleagues at all levels. You have managed teams successfully, inspiring them to produce consistently excellent results, and you’re always willing to roll up your sleeves and pitch in whenever necessary. You’re highly quantitative and analytical, expert in an impressive spectrum of online marketing tools: online DM tactics and testing methodologies (landing page optimization, CPC/CPA campaign development, email marketing), campaign management tools (AdSense, Google Analytics, ESP platforms, CMS systems). You’ve got a strong background in the use of SEO as an acquisition channel (bonus points for experience in online reputation management via SEO). To top it all off, you’re highly adept in research, gathering market input to identify and attack customer needs and using the results of acquisition testing to optimize conversion funnels.
(Note, if you’re not sure you’ve got quite enough experience for this role, check out the Product Manager gig we’re working on for the same client!)
Nitty Gritty:
As Director of Product Management at a company where the product truly is the business, you will hold an absolutely essential role on the business leadership team. You will gather input by conversing with customers, understanding competitor solutions, and partnering with internal stakeholders. You’ll lead the definition of the product experience for customers accessing the basic (free) site, building and maintaining the roadmap for all of the products that reside in front of the pay wall and delivering an integrated suite of products and experiences focused on improving on-line conversions associated with organic and paid marketing campaigns. It will be your job to weigh and balance the competing needs and disparate life cycles of the many products and identify key tradeoffs to senior management, as well as to understand the business’s acquisition and conversion goals on both strategic and tactical levels and build products that deliver.
Inside Skinny:
This company’s culture is rich in camaraderie, driven to succeed, and powered throughout by a supreme desire to provide its customers the very best experience possible.
Role: Product Manager (1922)
Company: Leading Job Board
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
A great client of ours, a leading job board with a fantastic customer orientation and a huge focus on user experience, is looking for a talented, experienced Product Manager to join their tight-knit product team. If you’ve got solid B2C web-based product management chops and are looking for a company that’s well-known for its great working environment, we’d love to hear from you.
Gun Profile:
You’re a creative, innovative product pro with a 5+ year track record of success in launching and maintaining web-based and/or service-based products, with a strong preference for consumer-facing products. You’ve got a thorough understanding of the full product lifecycle (having lived through it many, many times) and a proven ability to manage multiple projects and tasks. You thrive in a deadline-driven, fast-paced environment and love nothing better than the stimulation and challenge of working cross-functionally with marketing, creative, and technical engineering teams. You’re a renaissance man or woman, with strong business sense and solid technical knowledge. You are highly quantitative and analytical and have impressive communication/presentation skills.
(Note, if you think you might be a little senior for this role, or are an experienced product manager looking for a step up, check out the Director, Product Management role at the same company.)
Nitty Gritty:
As Product Manager, you will lead cross-functional teams (taking into account issues of technology, marketing, support, design and UX) to translate business requirements and customer needs into a usable and effective consumer experience. You will be responsible for defining, documenting and delivering products with both online and offline service components. You’ll perform research and analysis to discover new product development opportunities and evaluate product success. You’ll communicate product advances to the rest of the company, create and manage project plans, and draw up long-term product roadmaps. This is a great opportunity for a talented product person to truly shine, in an environment where great ideas really do see the light of day!
Inside Skinny:
This company’s culture is rich in camaraderie, driven to succeed, and powered throughout by a supreme desire to provide its customers the very best experience possible.
A half-day, high-velocity event held at TheTimesCenter on May 14,L2’s Generation Next Forum will dissect the characteristics, influence and brand affinities of tomorrow’s affluent consumers. Speakers range from 14 year-old fashion blogging sensation Tavi Gevinson and the youngest Congressional candidate, Krystal Ball, to the Publisher of Teen Vogue, Laura McEwen, and Economist editor Matthew Bishop. The largest gathering of prestige marketers in North America, L2 forums combine education and entertainment to inspire and enlighten.
Details:
Date: Friday May 14, 2010
Time: 8:30 am to 1 pm
Location: TheTimes Center, 242 West 41st Street, New York, NY
Tickets: Brand Professionals $500, Industry Professionals $1,000
L2 is pleased to extend Hired Guns readers a 50% discount using the code HIREDGUNS.
Title: Interactive Senior Project Manager (1890)
Client: Leading Ad Agency
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance (6 to 8 months)
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking an experienced, industrial-strength Senior Project Manager with large-scale site-build experience to jump on board with our client, a world-class advertising agency, to help them put together a huge, complex site for a well-known multinational brand. If you’re not sure you’re up to the challenge, this isn’t one to learn on. They need a confident, competent taskmaster who can lead this massive project independently and bring it home.
Gun Profile:
Love a lot of hand-holding and micromanagement? You definitely want to look elsewhere. But if this isn’t your first rodeo, and you’ve led gargantuan site builds involving multitudinous moving parts for major brands, preferably as a PM for a leading-edge interactive agency, you might be the gun we need. We’re looking for 4 to 6 years PM experience, an eye for detail, and a mastery of multi-tasking. You have a strong command of the latest Web technologies (their capabilities as well as limitations) and a flair for effective interaction with many different functional areas (creative, engineering, UX, and account teams). Your experience encompasses everything from complex websites, campaign mini-sites, email campaigns, and comprehensive online media campaigns. Be ready to show us your solid track record of successfully developing projects from start to completion within the tightest timelines.
Nitty Gritty:
The client deliverable here is a large, complex site build for a global corporation which will include several “child” sites (for various major brands) under the main corporate umbrella site, integrating tons of content and assets and implementing back-end integration with content management systems and databases.
You know the drill – as Senior Project Manager, you’ll set up the overall project process for this entire execution, create and manage project plans, estimates, scope of work documents, requirements, risk assessments, specifications, schedules, and budgets. You’ll utilize your excellent communication skills to facilitate effective workflow between creative and technology teams and, in concert with the account team, to keep the client apprised of status and issues.
Net Net:
You’re a senior PM with some big site executions already in your trophy case, and now you’re looking for even bigger game. Hmmm … going from discovery to delivery on a big-brand corporate and marketing site in a six- to eight-month timeframe? Yeah, that’ll do it.
The Secret Science Club presents Biologist Iain Couzin and “The Perfect Swarm”
A predator approaches a school of fish, and-seemingly in one motion-the fish dart to safety. A flock of pigeons wheel over city rooftops, their movements orchestrated as if by a conductor’s baton. Stadiums full of people jump up and do the Macarena in 1996. What’s at the root of these mysterious behaviors?
Biologist and mathematician Iain Couzin of Princeton’s Collective Animal Behavior Lab discusses swarming locusts, marching army ants, and even crowds of bugged-out Homo sapiens. He asks:
How did collective animal behavior evolve and what are the fundamental principles underlying this behavior?
What enables groups of animals to move in unison?
How does individual behavior influence group dynamics?
Can crowds cause species to undergo dramatic “personality” changes?
Flock don’t run to this wild talk . . .
Before & After
Groove to synchronistic tunes
Stick around for the “orderly” Q&A
Try our highly unified cocktail of the night, the Herd Mentality
Date: Tuesday May 18, 2010
Time: doors open 7:15 pm, talk starts 8 pm
Location: Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn, p: 718.643.6510 Subway: F to 4th Ave; R to 9th St; F or G to Smith/9th
Admission: FREE! Just bring your smart self (and ID: 21+). Limited seating.
Role: Director of Strategy (1777)
Client: Interactive Agency Specializing in Social Media/Non-traditional Marketing
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
Our client, a multi-award-winning cutting-edge agency based in New York, has undergone a major growth spurt and is in need of a top-flight Director of Strategy to lead the agency in crafting strategies, building proposals and delivering pitches for their A-list client roster (think CPG, Food and Beverage, Auto, and Luxury). This is a true leadership role in which you’ll be expected to manage and grow a department which is central to the agency’s success.
Gun Profile:
You have about 10 years of strategy, consumer insights and planning experience with a forward-thinking interactive agency (including at least 4 years directly managing others), where you have worked on numerous accounts across multiple industries, honing an unparalleled ability to gracefully and proactively juggle many campaigns at once. You are a consummate story-teller, able to articulate creative, impactful strategic proposals and presentations to new and existing clients alike. You have a 360-degree approach to ideas and strategy, but your core knowledge and experience base is in non-traditional marketing, including social media, experiential marketing, word-of-mouth and digital. Ideally you’ve pitched clients in food and beverage, CPG, apparel, and other categories that “get” non-traditional, and you’ve targeted college, young adult and “millennial mom” demos. You are a true diplomat and charismatic leader, expert at building consensus but not afraid to stand up for your ideas forcefully with both internal and external stakeholders.
Nitty Gritty:
The Strategy group is the core of this agency’s business, so you’ll be right at the forefront working with new and existing clients to lead their strategic initiatives. This shop is very much a collaborative environment, so you’ll spend a lot of time working with the creatives and account managers to come up with compelling ideas, which you will then craft into “wow”-inducing pitch decks using that masterful story-telling talent of yours. About half of your pitches will be to new prospects and half to existing clients. But the job’s not just about the dog-and-pony: you need to be right in there leading the idea-generation process, solving problems for the client as well as the agency with concepts for innovative approaches and novel revenue streams. Your consumer insights, brand analysis experience and media-agnostic eye will be crucial to pitches.
You’ll have junior strategists reporting to you and will be tasked with adding on to the team. You will also be expected to contribute to agency thought leadership (via blog, white papers, speaking engagements, Twitter, and the like).
Inside Skinny:
If you’re tired of coming up with strategy that justifies the creative choices already made, this is a great company for you. This shop is all about the strategy informing the creative, and their winning process has attracted so much attention in the agency community that they are practically beating off clients with a stick.
Net-Net:
This is a meaty role in a high-growth agency with dream clients. What could be better?
Be sure to provide a web address with links to your work in the application form.
Role: SEO Manager (1909)
Client: Leading Social Media Consultancy
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This pioneering Social Media agency doesn’t just follow best practices – it creates them. At the forefront of the social media revolution, this client is making their mark in the interactive space, and they’re looking for a forward-thinking SEO Manager who can help them take things to the next level. (Just to be clear, this role is all about organic search optimization. If your passion is paid search, this isn’t the gig for you).
Gun Profile:
You’re an organic search engine optimization guru with hands-on experience concepting, executing, and reporting on pure SEO campaigns, and you’ve built a toolkit of your very own tried-and-true strategies.
An excellent writer, you know how to optimize content for search without butchering it. You also know that website layout matters, and you won’t be shy about chiming in when a client (or colleague) over-values form at the expense of optimization. You’re highly quantitative and methodical in your approach, are an expert in web analytics, and have a superb client-facing manner.
With 2 or 3 years of previous SEO experience (preferably in an agency), you have a firm grasp of the coding behind the curtain. Familiar with all the leading programming languages (HTML, XHTML, Ajax, J-Script) and web technologies (CSS, Flash, video, RSS, etc.), you feel comfortable jumping in and making the necessary changes to keep your site at the top of the heap. Don’t worry, you won’t be doing any heavy programming or site dev. But the ability to get hands-on with the code will be invaluable.
This role calls for a true strategist with proven white-hat techniques that will give your clients’ sites a boost over the rest. Link building, link baiting, and ranking for targeted keywords are all things you can do in your sleep, and you’ve used the important SEO tools (WebCEO, Cavorio, WebPosition, etc.) long enough to have a distinct preference.
Nitty Gritty:
As the SEO Manager, you’ll be optimizing sites for traditional search engines, video, image, and international search. You’ll be handling campaign execution as well as strategy, so this is the perfect role for Guns who aspire to do it all. From quick wins (like optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, and body copy) to longer-term optimization tactics, you will be the driving force behind all SEO efforts. You’ll develop and execute inbound linking strategies and carry out customer research, keyword research, competitor site monitoring, and more. You’ll also be responsible for in-depth analysis and reporting on how well your efforts are delivering for the clients. Finally, you’ll manage timelines, price out campaign executions, and maintain excellent communications with your clients.
Inside Skinny:
To succeed in this role, you’ll need the perfect blend of editorial/content awareness and coding/web structure knowledge. Be sure your cover letter includes a few lines about how you’ve integrated both sides of the coin.
Net-Net:
If you have previous SEO experience and are ready to join an organization that has tons of room for growth in an industry that’s gaining importance every day, this is the gig for you.
Be sure your “pitch” (cover letter) in the application form includes a few brief case studies/success stories.
Role: Account Executive: Online, Events and Sponsorships (1877)
Client: Travel and Entertainment Website
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This Hired Guns client is an international travel and entertainment marketing company with headquarters in Manhattan. The firm’s integrated marketing approach – combining public relations, events, sponsorships and digital advertising – continues to be a hit with top brands in categories like entertainment, fashion, luxury goods and lifestyle brands. Since taking its initiatives online, this group has established itself as an industry thought leader with several notable success stories. Business has grown considerably, and they’ve asked The Hired Guns to help find their next Account Executive.
Gun Profile:
You have two years of experience selling branded digital ad campaigns and three to four years of interactive experience either at an agency, online publisher or premium ad network. Because this is an integrated selling environment, you have to be a big-picture thinker with a creative outlook, quick on your feet in devising innovative integrated ideas and crafting angles to your pitch that nail each prospect’s particular needs.
You are a consummate networker (you are a Gun, after all) and have a selling style that values quality as much as quantity. The relationships you’ve established thus far in your career are rock-solid, and you maintain them with a sincerity that makes you a favorite with both clients and colleagues. You are an ace at interacting with and pitching not only to agency media planners but also C-level decision makers.
This role will require you to meet and impress some serious V.I.Ps in the entertainment, fashion and luxury goods industries, so it’s imperative that you are articulate, polished and tactful.
Nitty Gritty:
The gun lucky enough to land this gig will have the opportunity to sell a highly desirable brand to a list of leads (mostly warm) across a range of categories. Just about everyone on your target list, be it the client-side CMO or the interactive agency planner, will be happy to take your call. Talk about a dream gig! As Account Executive, you will sell online ad solutions, sponsorships, events and more to both local and national advertisers. You will be responsible for the full advertising sales life cycle: prospecting, qualifying leads, responding to RFPs, producing presentations and proposals, pitching, pitching, and more pitching, and of course closing the deal. To succeed, you will collaborate with your Marketing, Product, and Editorial teams to develop customized advertising programs tailored for each prospect’s needs. You will also interact with your internal print and membership sales teams to deliver value-added digital solutions to advertisers who are already on board.
Once the deal is done, you will work closely with the account team to maintain the relationships. This will include optimization, performance reports, renewals and up-selling.
Inside Skinny:
If you’ve already been selling online advertising into the aforementioned categories, the client wants to meet you pronto!
Join us on Mon, May 24 when Brandhackers hosts a panel discussion on “Social Search – How and why to effectively leverage search engine marketing with social media programs”. A panel of experts will weigh in on Social Search discussing whether companies can market search OR social media without some expertise in both camps. Brandhackers is a monthly Manhattan Meetup and social network showcasing prominent and rising digital marketing opinion leaders providing an environment bringing people, technology and brands together.
Details:
Date: Monday May 24, 2010
Time: 6 to 9 pm
Location: Red Sky, 47 E 29th Street, New York, NY
Admission: $10. Cash bar/drink specials.
It’s a whole new economy out there, where independent voices and ideas can gain visibility and momentum like never before. But before you can take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime moment, you need to take ownership of your brand.
Your personal brand matters, whether you’re working independently or inside a corporation, launching a new business of your own or a new product for “the man.” To help you define and project your personal brand effectively, The Hired Guns Academy is proud to present “Personal Brand Management.” Get ready to dig deep and start thinking about your unique value proposition, along with how to manage others’ perception of what you have to offer.
This course will really challenge you to hold up the mirror, taking an up-close-and-personal look at what you have to offer the world. You’ll examine your competitive set, articulate your brand essence and start to develop your positioning.
Bottom Line: It’s time to take ownership of your brand and invest in yourself. This hard-core course will help you get recognized for being the best in the world at that thing you do.
Your Instructor: Allison Hemming, Top Gun and Hired Guns Founder, will guide you in your quest to differentiate yourself from the crowd. She is a B2B Marketing expert and has spent the last ten years identifying the best of the creative class, managing their careers and elevating their brands. Touted as “the Ari Gold of the creative class,” Hemming has coached thousands of individuals on enhancing their personal brand and propelling their careers to the next level. Follow Allison on Twitter.
Details:
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Time: 6:00-9:00 PM
Place: The Hired Guns Hive, 33 West 17th Street, New York, NY
Cost: $129
Instructor: Allison Hemming
Pre-requisites: A lot of ego and a little humility
“Great Expectations” is a collaborative group exhibition featuring Jessica Park, Susan Brown and Stephen Kramer on loan from Pure Vision Arts in Chelsea and new work by the students of the Cooke Center Academy High School in SoHo. Hosted by P.S.122 Gallery in Manhattan, “Great Expectations” is an opportunity to ponder and explore the endless possibilities from which we build our futures. The Cooke Center Academy High School is a branch of the Cooke Center for Learning and Development which is an educational institution working specifically with children who are challenged by developmental disorders such as Down syndrome and the various extremes of the autism spectrum. Pure Vision Arts (PVA) is Manhattan’s first specialized art studio for adult artists with developmental disabilities. Republic Worldwide is proud to bring these two important institutions together for the first time.
Details:
Date: Tuesday March 9, 2010
Time: 4:30 to 7:30 pm
Location: P.S. 122 Gallery, 150 First Avenue (on E. 9th Street between First Ave. and Ave. A), New York, NY
Inside a converted warehouse . . . above the mist and mystery of the Gowanus Canal . . .
The “Secret Science Club” is back at the Bell House with more brain-boggling lectures, super-smart cocktails, and synapse-stimulating sounds! Neuroscientists Joseph LeDoux and Daniela Schiller lecture on fear, memory, and the brain. Then they jam with their “heavy mental” band, the Amygdaloids (“They’re not rocket scientists. They’re brain scientists who rock it!”) Don’t miss a single nanosecond!
Details:
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Time: doors open 7:30 pm
Location: Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn, p: 718.643.6510 Subway: F to 4th Ave; R to 9th St; F or G to Smith/9th
Admission: FREE! Just bring your smart self. Please bring ID: 21+.
Role: B2B Marketing Manager (1899)
Client: Executive Leadership Consultancy
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a B2B marketing visionary for our newest client, an executive leadership consultancy based in NYC. The CEO is a New York Times #1-best-selling self-help author and Fortune 500 management guru who works with the top brass of forward-thinking companies interested in making their employees happier, more engaged, and more productive. (If this all sounds a little familiar, it’s because we recently assembled our own brand management agency around the CEO – complete with a strategist, managing editor, product manager, B2C marketer, social media star, and publicist.) Your mandate as our B2B marketing consultant is to continue to build the client’s core (and highly successful) consulting practice targeting large companies.
Gun Profile:
We are looking for an experienced B2B marketer who can handle the whole gamut of the marketing mix, but has particular strengths in event management and online direct marketing. It’s a big plus if you’ve been involved with professional services targeting senior corporate leaders or have exposure to corporate training and development. You are an ideas person, but you don’t live in your ivory tower: you love to get hands-on executing your plans. We are going to look for a track record of managing events large and small, from trade shows and multi-city speaking tours to smaller, focused events like breakfasts and roundtables. We’ll also have our antennas up for email marketing, SEM, and other forms of online lead generation, as well as working closely with a sales team on contact strategy (including familiarity with Salesforce.com).
Nitty Gritty:
You will work with the management team to devise a B2B marketing program to reach large companies, specifically their executives in charge of employee development and training, and sign them up for the client’s consulting services and programs. Your focus will be on customer acquisition through the heavy use of online channels and (especially) events.
They have recently become a highly visible presence at events and conferences, which has already proven a very successful means of promotion and lead generation. So a major emphasis for you will be to blow it out into a multi-city effort to reach scores of potential customers by hosting business breakfasts, salons, and roundtables with audiences of 15 to 25 CEOs (a format that has proven particularly effective), at which the client’s evangelists will present case studies on the success of their methodology. (The reach of these programs will be extended through the implementation of webinars, which you will spearhead.) In addition, you will manage the company’s presence at trade shows and conferences, ensuring high visibility in the form of speaking engagements for the CEO and other key members of the team.
Meanwhile, you will create and kick off a comprehensive online marketing and promotional plan aimed primarily at B2B customer acquisition/lead generation. You’ll utilize SEM, SEO, social media, targeted advertising (on- and off-line), telemarketing (outsourced), list buys, and more. You’ll also work with the internal sales and content teams to develop an integrated contact strategy, content and tools that will drive site traffic and generate further leads.
You will be reporting to the Director of Marketing and will need to be available from now through the end of the summer on a fulltime freelance basis. The client prefers that you work onsite a minimum of three to four days a week.
Inside Skinny:
Besides landing a fascinating marketing gig, you can expect to get a whole new lease on your working life: this company is all about teaching the world how to work smarter, happier, and healthier, and you’ll have the opportunity to learn their approach first-hand.
Role: Digital Business Analyst/IA (1811)
Client: Marketing Agency with Financial Services Focus
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance-to-Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a Business Analyst/IA to join the strategy and interactive team of our client, a marketing agency that works with financial services firms focusing on private wealth management. This is a great opportunity for someone with strong strategic, analytical, and IA/UX skills and a passion for the financial space to join a young, growing company.
Gun Profile:
You are a bright, intellectually curious overachiever who wants to be a strategist for brands in the financial services sector. You like to roll up your sleeves, dig deep into research and have your opinions heard. Perhaps you have a couple of years at an interactive agency as a junior IA or business analyst.
With 2-5 years of experience, you know the drill and are ready for your next big step. Your experience in the digital space has given you a robust toolkit of skills to draw on: from Visio to all things MS Office (especially PowerPoint and Excel), you’ve mastered it all. You are equally comfortable working with a team or flying solo (as long as you get to produce great work, of course). From competitive assessments to process documentation and training and reference manuals, you’ve helped to research and implement it all, and won’t hesitate to bring your existing best practices to the table.
Nitty Gritty:
In this role you’re going to be working directly with the agency’s Senior Strategists. You’ll transform seemingly complicated project specs into easy-to-execute objectives for interactive collateral including websites, Flash tutorials, applications, and more. You’ll also collect and analyze competitive data, market research, company profiles, and industry trends, so solid research and analytical skills are a definite must. You’ll produce everything from competitive assessments and business requirements to basic wireframes and process maps – so be sure to include a few examples of previous IA or business requirements/functional spec documents that you have created (and don’t forget to explain to us how they helped move the needle).
Inside Skinny:
This agency is building a team from scratch and has big plans for the people they choose. They are truly looking to find the best and brightest minds and are committed to helping them become the next generation of digital strategists.
What is the process and methodology a Hollywood studio uses to sell a movie and make it into a blockbuster? Join us for this complimentary teleclass and learn what the studio methods are and how you can use some of the same techniques to create blockbuster sales for your business or product, no matter what industry you are in. This seminar is presented by Exceptional Launch, a marketing and product launch consultancy.
Details:
Date: Wednesday March 10, 2010
Time: 1 to 2 pm
Location: Anywhere! This is a complimentary teleclass. RSVP for the Teleclass
Announcing the 12th night and ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of Pecha Kucha in Providence! The theme, dedicated to the summit in Providence with the same name, and which will be sandwiching Pecha Kucha from March 9-11, is: Connecting Creative Communities. If you haven’t yet heard of this global yet unpronounceable phenomenon, Pecha Kucha is a monthly format for sharing ideas, in which presenters are allotted 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide. Put simply: 6 minutes and 40 seconds of adult-style show & tell. It began in Tokyo in 2003, has since spread to 280+ cities worldwide, and landed in Providence one year ago in March. Doors open at 19:20, presentations start at 20:20, and shmoozing goes down throughout. ***Wear your dancing shoes, because after the presentations, we’re celebrating our one-year with a dance party to DJ duo Micah Jackson.***
Details:
Date: Wednesday March 10, 2010
Time: 7:20 pm to ?
Location: Waterplace Restaurant, 1 Finance Way, Providence, RI
Role: Online Publicist with Top Social Media Chops (1882)
Client: Prominent Cosmetic Surgeon
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance
Overview:
The Hired Guns are delighted to announce that we’re expanding the team we’ve fielded for our Cosmetic Surgeon client and are looking for a publicist who has great beauty connections, knows the online community inside and out, and can get serious traction within the social Web. So, if you think you’ve got what it takes to raise the profile of this unique client, read on! It’s our mandate to turn him into every woman’s beauty practitioner. The nip/tuck is not his first option – he has an innovative approach to lifestage enhancement, ensuring that his clients look the best they can for as long as they can with minimal invasive surgery. And he has partnered with NY’s top nutritionists and style experts to ensure his patients’ needs are served holistically.
Gun Profile:
That Rolodex of yours is primed and ready to work, chock-full of your contacts in the celebrity circle, beauty and style outlets, local media, the trades and more. Raising the good doctor’s profile in the digital space will be essential to his ultimate success, so online contacts aren’t preferred – they’re a must. Tell us how you’ve worked the blogosphere for your previous clients, especially those in the beauty or fashion space, and fill us in on your proven strategies for success. We are gearing up for a regional push, so you should have terrific NYC mainstream media contacts as well. There’s no time to waste … bathing suit season is just around the corner!
Nitty Gritty:
Our client is terrific on-camera, good on the fly, and current with the latest style, fashion and beauty trends. He also can comment on celebrities like the best of them. So he’s a great client to work with. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make the Good Doctor the go-to source for all stories related to modern beauty as it relates to cosmetic surgery as well as non-surgical options (e.g. Botox).
In particular, we’re looking to light up all female-focused fashion and beauty websites and mommy blogs. He’s got a modern approach that we feel will resonate well with digital media. Our client will be a valuable source for these online editors, and it’s your job to make sure they know he can be an ongoing resource for everything from eyelash enhancement to tummy tucks.
His practice targets the “Mommy Makeover” set (think post-kids/pre-hot flashes). While he’s already getting into the top doctor guides of New York and lands the occasional CNBC appearance, he’s ready to generate a new level of media exposure. You’ll be charged with elevating his visibility among trade, consumer, and online press (particularly local NYC media), and scoring him speaking engagements at key industry events where he can talk about his success with the latest treatments and procedures.
Inside Skinny:
Want bonus points? Be sure to shamelessly name-drop a few of the best online properties you’ve worked with in the past. And tell us how you’ve gained traction for your other clients through the use of social media.
Net-Net:
Whether it’s on-air time discussing a new FDA-approved treatment or a quote in the hottest beauty blog about how celebrities seem to defy time and gravity (hint: it ain’t the Master Cleanse, people), it’s your job to make sure he’s the first doctor getting the call. If you can do this, we want to talk to you.
Role: User Experience Lead (1900)
Client: Extraordinary Creative and Design Shop
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
Here’s your chance to take a lead UX role at a shop that truly gets it. The Hired Guns has been tapped by an extraordinary digital strategy and design shop that creates exceptional online experiences for some of the best media and e-commerce brands out there. These guys are brash, confident, fun, opinionated, and smart, and they consistently win transformative projects. Fasten your seat belt … you’re in for the ride of your life!
Gun Profile:
You have five or more years’ experience in the creation of large-scale sites or major software interfaces. You are viewed as a user experience expert, with a curious mind full of your very own creative ideas and approaches to UX to complement your encyclopedic knowledge of the discipline’s best practices, methodologies, and heuristics. A leader not only of thought but of people, you know how to instill passion and dedication in your colleagues, firing them up to produce their very best work. With a healthy leavening of diplomacy to go along with your UX evangelism, you are a whiz in front of clients, inspiring confidence in your entire team while advocating strongly for your approach. As befits a practitioner of the your discipline, you habitually think about the entire user-client-agency ecosystem holistically. Interdisciplinary mind-melding is second nature for you. You are equally comfortable delegating or rolling up your sleeves to work hands-on. You are driven by an obsessive desire to create the best experiences to be found anywhere.
Nitty Gritty:
User Experience is the engine for everything at this agency, and as UX Lead, you are to a very considerable extent in the driver’s seat, executing on and evolving their methodology. You’ll act as guru to a cadre of interaction designers as together you build conceptual product models on a firm foundation of research and experimentation to discover user goals and behaviors. You’ll interact directly with senior clients and oversee the entire discovery process; develop user personas, use scenarios, interaction models, and experience briefs; and manage the creation of mockups and functional prototypes. “Hand-off” is an unknown concept around here … you’ll be intimately involved both upstream and downstream of the wireframing and site-mapping, working with engagement management on the initial briefs and plans and staying involved right through launch to make sure the experience remains intact and exceptional.
Inside Skinny:
Every single person in the organization is client-facing, which is why they are so good at zeroing in on the needs of the clients’ businesses. If you want to be considered, you’d better be ready to walk in confident and focused, brimming with ideas and the conviction to stand behind them. You’ll be challenged to think, contribute and innovate, minute-by-minute. And that’s just the interview!
Net-Net:
Tired of being that lonely UX voice crying in the wilderness of your current agency? Frustrated that your discipline is continually seen as an afterthought? Show us you’re “that good”, and you’ll find yourself at the agency of your dreams.
Be sure to provide the address of your online portfolio in the application form.
Role: Project Manager, Interactive Advertising (1897)
Client: Top-Ranked Site for Women
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance-to-Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a highly experienced Project Manager with a great track record of delivering interactive marketing proposals to join the ad solutions group of one of the foremost sites for women. This is a tremendous opportunity to work for a great company, with a terrific boss who’s an excellent mentor. If you’ve got a keen strategic mind, world-class PM skills, and exposure to a digital agency or online ad sales environment, you’ve got to give this a look!
Gun Profile:
You have 4 to 6 years of interactive project management experience, either at a digital agency, with the ad sales group of an online content site, or similar environment where you’ve played an integral role in the concepting and development of proposals and pitches for value-added advertising solutions. You know how to scope and cost out a large number of projects under aggressive deadlines and move them all forward simultaneously through relentless monitoring and communication. You have impeccable attention to detail, great client-facing skills, a deep understanding of the latest Internet technologies, and formal training in project management best practices. Experience with women-focused brands and/or sites is a definite plus.
Nitty Gritty:
You’ll be a key player in the ad solutions team that responds to RFPs, drafts proposals (including detailed scope, schedule and cost parameters), and supports pitches to prospective advertising clients for this top women’s site. The team will be pitching value-added solutions that enrich and increase the ROI on the advertising proposition through such means as micro-sites, contests and other promotions, sponsored content, branded entertainment, and other integrated marketing ideas. It’ll be up to you to determine what’s doable, how much it will cost, and how long it will take. And the quality of your recommendations will ripple through the entire organization, determining in a meaningful way the ultimate success or failure of the campaign. To succeed, you’ll communicate effectively with the client as well as the internal ad sales/solutions and creative teams. And we hope you thrive in a pressure-cooker environment, because you’ll have up to thirty projects bubbling along at a time!
Net Net:
This is a gig that will challenge your organizational skills to the utmost, and you’ll be undergoing an eight-week freelance tryout while they see if you’ve got the stuff to get brought on board. The reward: a plum job at a household-name site that’s leading the way in its category, working for a great, motivated team and a terrific boss.
Role: Project Manager, Web Production (1898)
Client: Top-Ranked Site for Women
Location: New York, NY
Type: Freelance-to-Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a highly experienced Project Manager with a great track record of production of exciting integrated marketing experiences (micro-sites, contests, games, branded entertainment) to join the ad solutions group of one of the foremost sites for women. This is a tremendous opportunity to work for a great company, with a terrific boss who’s an excellent mentor. If you’ve got a keen strategic mind, world-class PM skills and Web tech knowledge, and exposure to a digital agency or online ad sales environment, we’d love to hear from you!
Gun Profile:
You have 4 to 6 years of interactive project management experience, preferably in a fast-paced web production environment (experience as a PM at a digital agency works particularly well, but experience on a big content, community or e-commerce site is also great). Familiarity with the online advertising business is a plus. But whatever your background, bottom line you’re a crack technical project manager who can work effectively with the developers, creatives, and suits to deliver projects on time, on spec, and on budget. You have impeccable attention to detail, great client-facing skills, a deep understanding of the latest Internet technologies, and formal training in project management best practices. Experience with women-focused brands and/or sites is a definite plus.
Nitty Gritty:
If you happened to peruse the other PM gig for this client, understand that this role works “downstream” from the other one. After the pitch succeeds, the proposal is accepted, and the client is signed, it’s your time to shine by delivering a successful implementation of the solutions your team sold in. You’ll be riding herd on development projects to build micro-sites, contests and other promotions, sponsored content and community, branded entertainment, and other integrated marketing ideas. You’ll construct detailed project plans with clear tasks, deliverables and deadlines that you’ll parcel out to the editorial, design, tech, and marketing teams and then follow up continuously to make sure it all gets done. Meanwhile, you’ll status upper management and the client on progress and issues, supervise quality control, maintain all project documents, and manage any change requests.
Net Net:
This is a real rubber-hits-the-road PM decathlon with a lot of pressure and tremendous accountability. You’ll start out as a freelancer for the first couple of months while the client sees if you’ve got the chops to get brought on board. The reward: a plum job at a household-name site that’s leading the way in its category, working for a great, motivated team and a terrific boss.
Role: Director, Digital Marketing (1893)
Client: World-Famous Entertainment and Content Brand
Location: NYC Tri-state Area (Westchester)
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a dynamic Director of Digital Marketing – with serious online subscription chops – for the online publishing division of a world-class provider of entertainment content for kids (we’re talking household-name brand here, folks). Every media company in Tiny Town is trying to crack the code around building an online subscription business, with the Holy Grail being to successfully unlock millions of dollars in recurring-payment revenue. If you have a vision of how to solve this unique business challenge and know the art and science behind acquisition and retention, we want to talk to you!
Gun Profile:
The perfect gun is exceptional at driving online subscription-based business models. Let’s just say you know your “intake curve” from your elbow. You’re a direct marketer through and through, who happened to make the jump to digital early and with impact. In your career, you have managed significant organizations and handled sizeable budgets. You are an inspiring leader who operates well in a matrixed organization and is skillful in influencing not only your own staff, but stakeholders in other parts of the company as well as outside vendors and other players. You love that all major trends are pointing towards performance-driven marketing and ROI. Given the role, it goes without saying that you have a high comfort level with metrics and statistics.
Nitty Gritty:
You are jumping into a role that is absolutely integral to the sales and marketing effort for a new digital content experience intended for children (but marketed to their parents). You’ll be setting overall marketing strategy, as well as developing and managing acquisition programs to drive traffic and generate subscription sign-ups (including paid search, email, affiliate marketing, online advertising, and social media) and customer retention and up-selling (including CRM and loyalty programs). You’ll be responsible for forecasting the results of your campaigns and analyzing the outcomes (with the help of the web analytics team you’ll be managing), then optimizing (again and again and again). You’ll manage the relationships with the creative agency, media networks, search agency, email service provider, marketing affiliate partners, shopping comparison engines, and online media companies. You’ll also collaborate with the internal product development and brand management groups as well as the marketing teams for other products (so as to coordinate and create synergy on messaging, campaigns, social media, and public relations). In this densely interconnected world, you’ll be giving frequent presentations to internal and external constituencies to communicate strategy, aims, and results. And most importantly, you will move the needle.
Inside Skinny:
Kids and/or parents experience is a major plus (we mean marketing to them, not having them or being them). But more important than audience experience is your POV on where the industry is headed. We need a thought leader on the paid content model who has a unique opinion about the future of online media and entertainment and can lead our client there.
Role: Art Director/Digital Design Lead (1838)
Client: Major Job Board
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking an Art Director/Design Lead for our client, a major job board. You need two things to succeed this role: sick design skills and a distinct POV on “What is Good Design?” If this is you, and you’re looking to move from a senior designer role to one where you’ll get autonomy, authority and the chance to add management skills to your dossier, speak up! Quickly!
Gun Profile:
We need a talented creative who can bust a move when it comes to pumping out sites that look great and work great. To be considered, your online portfolio should include site design for content-rich sites (with tools and applications galore) or e-commerce sites. (We are also open to individuals who’ve designed B2B sites or large-scale enterprise software sites.) Bonus points if you’ve got a slick iPhone app or two in there. Your designs stand up for the users’ needs, leading them through transaction paths that work in an intuitive fashion – so an interaction design background would be quite helpful indeed. You’ve got a modern, clean aesthetic, and you think about problems holistically yet synthesize ideas quickly.
Hard skills with Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks), Flash, Ajax, HTML5, and CSS are expected of course, but it’s also important that you understand web development technologies – their power as well as their limitations.
Nitty Gritty:
This is a great company to work for, one of only a few organizations that have actually figured out the “freemium” model. Given that just about every media company on the planet is trying to figure out how to get paid for their content, you’ll be sitting pretty not just learning best practices but driving them. The back end is singing, the marketing programs are accelerating, and now they need you to take the look, feel and aesthetic of the product to the next level.
In this role, you will translate wireframes and other requirements documents into first-class user experience designs for all online properties and products. You will be the design lead, but you are also very much expected to get your hands dirty and do some design yourself. You will be reporting to the head of UX.
At the company, you will find a real drive and energy to succeed. They reward innovation, passion and initiative. And there is still a lot of room to shine and be a star.
Inside Skinny:
The ideal candidate will have designed a site from scratch or handled a massive relaunch. Dial this up if it’s in your background. Also demonstrate that constant iteration is in your very nature.
Net Net:
This client not only wants to redefine their visual brand, but also to set a new and higher design/UX bar for this entire category … and you could be the one who makes it happen. Put that in your portfolio and smoke it!
Be sure to provide the address of your online portfolio in the application form.
Role: Interactive Designer, Mobile (1845)
Client: Global News and Information Provider
Location: New York, NY
Type: Full-time Freelance
Overview:
A global giant in the news and information business is seeking an expert Interactive Designer with several years’ expertise in Mobile, and they’ve come to The Hired Guns to find them a design wizard with strong UX chops. This company is synonymous with fast, accurate, actionable information (which in today’s world spells M-O-B-I-L-E), and they’re making a major investment in category-killing products for mobile devices. You’ll be part of a growing dedicated mobile team, working on cutting-edge products for multiple platforms.
Gun Profile:
You’ve been designing mobile applications for over three years now, and you’ve become a real expert in visual design and interface problem-solving for these platforms. You’ve got a fantastic talent for making apps look great (along with expertise in tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, DreamWeaver, Visio, Visual Design Studio, etc.), but you’re also a nuts-and-bolts person who knows how to design so that products work great as well. That means you have a penchant for UI/UCD/IxD principles, a good understanding of the technology side (web and platform standards, the software development process, some exposure to HTML/XHTML/CSS), and a passion for getting down in an interdisciplinary, skunk-works type team environment. Experience in an Agile development environment is a big plus, and the more mobile platforms/OSs you’ve worked on, the better.
Nitty Gritty:
You’ll be doing UI design for the client’s mobile applications across mobile web/HTML, BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android platforms. Working with product managers, developers, external vendors, and other groups, you’ll quickly solve challenging design problems. You’ll document and validate your design work diligently and keep multiple projects running smoothly.
Net Net:
If you’ve been wondering where the fun and excitement went, you’ll find it here in this tight, highly motivated dream team.
Be sure to provide the address of your online portfolio in the application form.
Congrats on your winning entry. For the Luddites in our network, can you kindly deconstruct your twesume? I am an experienced print and Web writer and editor who crafts copy that attracts search engine bots (spiders) without distracting readers (humans). Contact me (DM or direct message) me at @teresa808
I find it rather ironic that a Twitter newbie won the contest. Yes, I signed up in May 2009, but actively started using it Jan.13, 2010. I have 39 followers and follow 52 people.
Who are your favorite Twitterers? There are four: @ArjunBasu for his 140-character stories; @SmithMag for their six-word memoirs; and @SocialNetDaily and @Mashable for tips and news about social media.
Two of your four faves are short-form folks. You may be onto something. Let’s find out if your winning this Twesume contest was a fluke or the real deal: give us your elevator pitch… I am a strategic evangelist for hire. I am an online writer with a magazine and advertising background. I can elevate the voice of your company and increase your online presence by creating and implementing an editorial strategy that reaches a broader audience than you already have.
Who would you most like to meet on that elevator? The owner of a start-up company.
Which start up company? I would like to meet someone from The Met who wants to revamp their site and take a new approach to social media.
The Met’s been around since 1870, but we’ll forgive that transgression because you were very specific. And specificity is the key to networking. People are more likely to remember you – and more about you – after networking if you’re specific about what you do, as opposed to simply saying “I’m a writer.”
So, what’s your bet on the future of all media? I think we will continue to see smarter and more innovative marketing techniques (the “Repo Men” movie is running a very clever online ad campaign right now), and more television shows creating online communities (“Heroes,” “True Blood”). As for the future of Print: until the decision makers in publishing accept the fact that print writing and layouts are different than online writing and layouts, the struggle will continue.
So do you think the iPad is the savior for all these magazines? It’s up to the magazine publishers whether the iPad can increase their chances of survival. Sports Illustrated and Interview Magazine both have iPad demo templates which show how the magazines can incorporate audio and video features, making the magazines more interesting for subscribers. And Wired is planning an iPad issue this summer. I think the iPad offers great opportunities for the magazine industry, but the survival of individual titles rests solely on the publishers.
You recently moved to Gotham from Atlanta. What’s your favorite thing to do here? One of my favorite things to do is walk through the neighborhoods (and sometimes look into apartments – a lot of people own parrots). I love the way the city changes from one block to the next – the architecture, the public art (commissioned and guerrilla), the fashions (some high, some questionable) – and the energy on the streets.
Current obsessions? I’m slightly embarrassed to say this, but lately I’ve been obsessing over Twitter. I can’t read the posts in my feed (which is a mix of media, art and news sites) quickly enough.
Title: Information Architect (1886)
Client: Digital Agency building a new e-commerce site
Location: New York
Type: Full-time Freelance (4 weeks +), mostly on-site
Overview:
The Hired Guns are looking for a freelance Information Architect for our client, a digital agency with terrific thought leadership. This agency is in the early stages of redesigning a very hot e-commerce property with a content bent, and they need an information architect who knows a thing or two about building elegant online commerce experiences.
Gun Profile:
Like Superman, you seek truth and justice; like the consummate UX advocate, you know that users will show you the way. And when it comes to e-commerce, you can get users to check out in a single bound. Boxes and Arrows is as integral to your morning routine as that cup o’ joe, and although you’ve been known to be a bit pedantic about living and breathing UX best practices, it hasn’t stopped you from pushing the envelope and creating great online experiences. You’ve got hard-core usability testing under your belt, and you have the ability to look at the big picture from many angles and come up with breakthrough ideas.
Nitty Gritty:
Working under the agency’s lead strategist, you’ll be part of a collaborative agile development effort collaborating with designers and producers to create a ground-breaking “First Time Ever” content and commerce experience that will reinvigorate their client’s brand (and a great brand it is!). This will be accomplished not only by reinventing the shopping experience but also by integrating blogs and other social media. Part of this redesign involves allowing the user to configure part of their experience, and it’s your job to make that process fun! Deliverables include site maps, content maps, schematics and outlines, and oh so much more.
Inside Skinny:
We’ve known the gang at this agency for a long time. They are the perfect blend of old school meets new school. (Which is another way of saying they know their s*&^!) Brownie points for the UX gun whose pitch letter includes his or her 3 favorite online shopping experiences (and why)!
Net Net:
This gig has the potential to be a highlight of your portfolio for decades to come. If you have the cojones to break new ground, we guarantee that others will follow your lead.
Role: Speechwriter/Presentation and Seminar Creator (1883)
Client: Marketing Agency with Financial Services Focus
Location: NYC (mostly remote work, but some on-site required)
Type: Freelance
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a top-notch Speechwriter/Presentation and Seminar Creator for our client, a marketing agency based in the Flatiron District of Manhattan. Our client specializes in developing enterprise-level strategic marketing solutions for financial services companies that target a high net worth clientele.
Gun Profile:
You are an experienced writer who has a special gift for making the people who are delivering your speeches, presentations and seminars look like rockstars. Maybe you’ve worked in corporate communications at a big financial services firm or have sat on the agency side, crafting dozens of pitches. In either case, PowerPoint is your medium. You can create the whole package of full speech text, speaker notes, and bullet points, not to mention craft the overall flow and logic of the piece. On top of that, while you don’t need to be a designer, you should have a knack for communicating information visually, as you will need to collaborate with designers to finalize an impactful product. The ideal gun has worked in financial services and created dynamic speeches, presentations and seminars for large and demanding audiences. Bonus points if you have experience speaking to a high net worth audience.
The Nitty Gritty:
In this role, you will write persuasive speeches and presentations to be used by the financial advisor networks of major financial services firms that target high net worth clients. These financial advisors operate like one-person shops that sell products and services ranging from portfolio management and insurance to philanthropy and estate planning. Your work will form a library (residing on the company intranet) of presentations and seminars, which the advisors will employ to pitch and educate their clients on complex financial products and convince them to take action. You will write the full text of the speech to be delivered by the advisor, then bulletize the major talking points for the PowerPoint presentation. These speeches and presentations will be delivered in a variety of settings (large group seminars, individual in-person meetings, and webinars, among others), so they’ll need to be versatile and flexible (just like you).
Inside Skinny:
There are lots of solid writers out there, but you’ve got real examples of your work to show off – actual PowerPoints that were used with successful results. Material geared to top-level executives is particularly relevant, so let us know about it!
Note: the application form only allows you to send one attachment (your resume). This is intentional. Please mention in your cover letter what kinds of work samples you have, and we’ll get them from you on follow-up.
Title: Product Manager (1878)
Client: Leading Financial News and Information Site
Location: New York
Type: Freelance (6-8 months, 30 hrs/week)
Overview:
The Hired Guns are looking for a strong Product Manager to lead the redesign of a top-ranked financial news and information site. This client is definitely the big time, baby! They are looking to transform their well-respected digital institution into an even more vital destination for audience and advertisers alike. Their goal is to revolutionize how financial news is presented online while improving monetization and increasing uniques and retention. If you’re a leader, a problem-solver, and a consummate juggler of competing priorities, we want to hear from you!
Gun Profile:
This is definitely not your first launch or redesign. You have a track record of success as a Product Manager, or are an experienced Business Analyst or Project Manager with the vision to handle a product role and the ambition to step up to your next challenge.
As product managers go, you are definitively a techie: you have an in-depth understanding of Internet technologies and know what is and isn’t feasible (meaning, you can write an actionable functional spec for a dev team that won’t look like it’s out of Fantasyland).
On top of that, you know how to navigate in a corporate atmosphere with multiple high-level stakeholders while keeping a close eye on strategy, and are a veritable Rosetta Stone in translating between tech, marketing, and senior management. You are an assertive and effective leader, but aren’t too high and mighty to get down and dirty defining feature sets and crafting documents.
Nitty Gritty:
As Product Manager, you will lead brainstorming sessions and analyze the marketplace to map out feature sets and redesign requirements.
There are numerous internal stakeholders, including senior managers, who have opinions on what improvements are needed and when they should be implemented, and this is not the kind of environment where you can ignore or overrule them. Your diplomatic finesse and political savvy will enable you to respond to these requests in a way that optimizes the big picture and keeps the process on track.
You will be monitoring the progress of the redesign throughout its development cycle, identifying risks and opportunities and keeping all parties informed. This includes working closely with the tech team to scope requirements and translate features into development tasks. Edit, ad ops, marketing and sales will also be key partners in executing product strategy and achieving business goals.
Inside Skinny:
An essential part of this job is dealing successfully with the many different personalities it takes to make a redesign of this magnitude happen. If you’ve got people skills to match your product, technology, and business skills, then you’ve got what it takes to be a part of this exciting opportunity.
Net Net:
You’re looking at a major resume-builder here! Stellar performance in this gig will land you plum jobs for a long time to come.
Title: Account Manager (Sales Support) (1875)
Client: Travel and Tourism/City Guide Site
Location: New York
Type: Freelance with definite Direct Hire potential
Overview:
This Hired Guns client is an international travel marketing company. Headquartered in NYC, their reach extends across over 20 countries. The firm’s integrated approach – combining print, digital, outdoor, public relations and events – has been a hit with top brands in categories like movies, finance and fashion. In the few short years since its inception, this group has established itself as an industry thought leader with several notable success stories. Just over a year ago, they launched a major city guide site and have been incredibly successful selling advertising and sponsorships. In fact, their sales team has been closing so much business that they’re seeking a strong Account Manager to support and execute the campaigns.
Gun Profile:
You’ve been working for the last couple of years in the interactive space (at an agency, online publication or ad network), and now you’re looking for the next rung on your career ladder. You’ve gained an understanding of ad campaign management and the media sales cycle. You know how to handle existing clients with your warm style and high-touch approach to service. Technically, your skills are strong across the board in PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and salesforce.com or a similar CRM system. A true perfectionist, you can be counted on multi-task while paying close attention to every little detail.
Nitty Gritty:
Your job is to provide the ultimate reinforcement to the sales and account management teams. You’ll prepare all sales materials, proposals and supporting information for RFPs. You’ll assist with the proposal development process, oversee advertising inventory forecasts, track daily pacing goals and prepare end-of-campaign reports. The sales staff may ask you to accompany them on key meetings, and you will have the opportunity to network at entertainment events (really great ones, we might add). You will collaborate with sales reps on renewals and upselling and help out the operations team with optimization suggestions. And you’ll have a high level of ongoing client contact, including coordination and troubleshooting, collection of ad creative, and preparation of periodic web activity reports.
Inside Skinny:
While this gig starts out freelance, it’s a far cry from a temporary job. This is a substantial position with a great career track. This is a great way to work your way into sales, if you are driven by the art of the deal. Or this gig could lead to a client services role, where you could find yourself running point on seven-figure multi-year programs with top advertisers.
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Title: General Manager for Asian City Lifestyle Site (1857)
Client: Major Media Publisher
Location: Hong Kong
Type: Fulltime Freelance (one-year commitment with option to renew)
Overview:
The Hired Guns have been tapped by our client, a major media publisher, to find a General Manager with experience leading pan-Asian media properties to take the reins of a recently launched city lifestyle site covering the best of Asia, currently focused on six major markets with an aggressive eye toward expansion. The task at hand is to grow this nascent start-up property from its current beta state into a leading lifestyle brand.
Gun Profile:
You are a seasoned leader with a big media/entertainment company pedigree who knows how to operate in a big corporation, yet is wired for a start-up. Maybe you did a tour with an early-stage company, or perhaps you have been responsible for launching new lines of business within a large organization. Either way, you know how to do a lot with a limited budget and how to rally a passionate team around a common goal.
You’ve got a substantial history in online media management and are knowledgeable in traffic-driving strategies – partnerships, SEO, promotions – as they relate to online editorial. Your experience leading a cross-regional team in Asia has given you a level of cultural sensitivity that can only be gained first-hand.
The working environment here moves at the speed of blog, so you need to be quick and nimble. And a little bit of humble will go a long way, as no job here will be beneath you – you’re just as quick to get things done yourself as you are to delegate.
This is a hyper-collaborative management matrix … think facilitator, not dictator. You will be liaising heavily with ad sales, editorial, and product teams, so you need to be creative and ambitious with advertising solutions and have a capacity for hatching ideas and packaging proposals that goes far beyond that of the average GM.
Nitty Gritty:
You ultimately own the business – product, marketing, operations, partnerships, sales intermediation. You will assess opportunities that have product implications from the perspectives of both users and advertisers. You’ll bring a strong visual sense and creativity to define and deliver on traffic and revenue goals. You will read the marketplace and refine and adapt the product strategy, marketing efforts and roadmap (detailed product, marketing and project plan) as needed to ensure seamless execution and clear product direction. While this is essentially a stand-alone start-up business, it lives within a larger corporate ecosystem, and you will be responsible for managing the inter-relationships with the broader company.
Inside Skinny:
A background growing traffic from “a lot” to “a lot more” is nice. But a background growing traffic from “practically nothing” to “a lot” (especially in a no- to low-budget world) is what will land you this gig.
Net-Net:
This is start-up excitement with corporate funding. You’ve got momentum from one buzzing site, and have a chance to shape, form, and round out an entire enterprise.
Title: Sales Manager (1877)
Client: Travel and Tourism/City Guide Site
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This Hired Guns client is an international travel marketing company. Headquartered in NYC, their reach extends across over 20 countries. The firm’s integrated approach – combining print, digital, outdoor, public relations and events – has been a hit with top brands in categories like movies, finance and fashion. In the few short years since its inception, this group has established itself as an industry thought leader with several notable success stories. Just over a year ago, they launched a major city guide site and have been incredibly successful selling advertising and sponsorships. In fact, business has been so good, they are seeking a superstar digital Sales Manager to join the team and continue the growth trend.
Gun Profile:
You are a sales pro with one to two years of experience selling in the interactive advertising industry and three to four years of overall interactive experience. Those you’ve worked with can and will attest to your amazing track record of meeting and exceeding sales goals. You are first and foremost about making the sale, and you know how to close a deal. But there’s more to you …
You are a consummate networker (you are a Gun, after all) and have a selling style that values quality as much as quantity. The relationships you’ve established thus far in your career are rock-solid, and you maintain them with a sincerity that makes you a favorite with both clients and colleagues. You are an ace at interacting with and pitching not only to agency media planners but also C-level decision makers. You are extremely creative and quick on your feet in devising innovative sponsorship ideas and crafting angles to your pitch that nail each prospect’s particular needs.
It goes without saying (but heck, we’ll say it anyway) that you possess stellar presentation skills, have superb attention to detail and follow-up skills, and are an unparalleled team player.
Nitty Gritty:
The gun lucky enough to land this gig will have the opportunity to sell a highly desirable brand to a list of leads (mostly warm) across a range of categories. Just about everyone on your target list, be it the client-side CMO or the interactive agency planner, will be happy to take your call. Talk about a dream gig! As Sales Manager, you will sell online ad solutions to both local and national advertisers. You will be responsible for the full digital advertising sales life cycle: prospecting, cold calling, and qualifying leads … responding to RFPs, producing presentations and proposals … pitching, pitching, pitching … and of course closing the deal. To succeed, you will collaborate with your Marketing, Product, and Editorial teams to develop customized advertising programs tailored for each prospect’s needs. You will also interact with your internal print and membership sales teams to deliver follow-on digital solutions to advertisers who are already on board.
Once the deal is done, you will work closely with the account team to maintain the relationships. This will include optimization, performance reports, renewals and up-selling.
Inside Skinny:
An impressive sales track record is highly preferred, but if you have established yourself solidly in an assisting capacity, have a great Rolodex of New York-centric experience and contacts, and can prove to us that you’re ready to step up and earn your “sales badge”, we’ll pitch you hard to the client.
A big thank-you to all who entered The Hired Guns Twesume Contest 2010!
Our panel of judges had a tough time choosing ten semifinalists … so they picked eleven! (It’s one better … isn’t it?) Now we need your help: vote on your favorite in the poll below.
An award-worthy Twesume should
Give a clear idea of the person’s profession or skill set
Be engaging and hold your attention for the full 140 characters
Expert panelists in the field of social media and viral communications will offer insights and guidance to what works and what doesn’t in creating successful social media and viral campaigns. A discussion of tools, techniques and ideas from the masters. Includes wine reception. Panelists include Jessica Amanson, Social Media columnist for The Huffington Post and Viral Editor for Buzznet.com as well as fellow Hired Gun Matt Heindl, social media strategy consultant and Director of Social Media Marketing at Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners.
Details:
Date: Tuesday February 2, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Location: For Your Imagination Studios, 22 West 27th Street, New York, NY
Admission: $30 (includes pre- and post-panel wine social)
Title: Content Partnership Director (1619)
Client: Pop Culture/Relationships Site
Location: Manhattan
Type: Full-Time Freelance (6-month commitment)
Overview:
This gig has the best of both worlds – the excitement of a Web start-up, incubated within a large media company, which happens to be a long-standing Hired Guns client. They’re looking for a seasoned Content Partnership Director to drive pop-culture-crazed 18- to 34-year-old females to the site through partnerships with like-minded blogs and portals. Get ready to take the lead in negotiating major traffic-driving deals with top sites popular with this demo.
Gun Profile:
This ain’t your first rodeo: you’ve done this before, and you innately understand what it takes to get the deal done. Your Rolodex of key players in the female content market is thick and well-worn. You know what the major players are looking for in content partnerships and can quickly negotiate and structure deals to generate major traffic and stimulate aggressive growth. After the deal is done, you don’t call it quits – you closely monitor and manage the relationship to ensure it continues to grow and thrive. You pride yourself on your attention to detail and your ability to communicate effectively across many functional areas. You are extremely comfortable with Excel and familiar with CMSs.
Nitty Gritty:
Traffic is the name of the game. This is not about negotiating big revenue-share deals (that will come with time). Instead, it’s about critical mass. Start to finish, you’ll be responsible for leading the negotiations, closing the deals and supporting the partnerships. You will actively seek large new portal partners as well as evaluate and respond to random inquiries from less well-known (but still potentially strategic) sites. You understand content and know what type of editorial works with your audience.
Day One on the job, you will take over as key point person to maintain, continuously evaluate, and optimize more than 15 current partnerships. If a relationship is going to last, it needs to be mutually beneficial, and it’s your job to ensure both sides are living up to their end of the bargain. This can be a game of personalities. You have an innate ability to read different personality types and know whether it’s time to pour on the sugar or apply a little vinegar to maintain the balance. You will manage incoming and outgoing traffic with partners and troubleshoot any problems that surface.
Inside Skinny:
This isn’t the place to try and figure things out as you go. Come in with your bag of tricks ready, and wow us with how far ahead of the game you are.
Net-Net:
These guys have some very aggressive traffic goals, and it’s up to you to meet them.
Title: Designer (1860)
Client: Pop Culture/Relationships Site
Location: New York, NY
Type: Full-Time Freelance
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking an up-and-coming designer with a passion for pop culture to work on one of the hottest websites for women, run by a major global media company. We’re looking for a whiz kid to translate their brand’s unique editorial and marketing concepts into visually alluring “wow” pieces. This is a fun and collaborative place to work, and though you may be called upon to put in some long hours, you’ll dig every minute of it.
Gun Profile:
You’ve racked up some solid experience doing digital design in online media or publishing. You can effortlessly jump between all Adobe CS apps and have a basic knowledge of HTML and CSS. You are adept in dealing with photos: from stock photo agencies to photographers, you are familiar with the purchasing and rights process and have an eye for selecting just the right shot. You enjoy working in a creative environment and thrive off the energy of those around you.
Nitty Gritty:
As a Designer on this site, you will have the opportunity to sink your teeth into a variety of interesting assignments. Editorial will expect you to punch up their irreverent content with compelling photos and original art. Marketing will rely upon you to create promos, email newsletters, PowerPoint decks, and even some printed pieces. Advertising will assign you the task of designing mini-sites, proposals and ads. No chance of you getting bored at this place!
Inside Skinny:
Any background in illustration will give you a distinct advantage. A comfort level with Flash (beyond the basics) and video editing will also make you a stand-out candidate.
Net-Net:
If reading about Heidi Montag’s ten surgeries conjured up an image of her as the new “Cavity Sam” in an interactive version of the game “Operation”, this job will be right up your alley.
Role: Junior Sales Executive (1823)
Client: Leading Developer of Casual Gaming and Adver-gaming
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a consultative, smart-as-a-whip Junior Sales Executive for our client, a leading developer of Casual and Adver-games. This company develops gaming products and licenses them out to websites, brands, advertising agencies and more.
As the Junior Sales Executive, you will be a critical member of the sales team helping to drive growth and reporting to the VP of Business Development (a great guy who is a terrific manager and mentor).
Gun Profile:
Previous sales experience is not a must but digital media experience most definitely is. You’ve got to have the proactive, entrepreneurial mind-set to build your own prospect list, make the calls, pitch to prospects and close the deal. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions here; as a consultative seller you are responsible for coming up with fresh, tailored solutions for clients. If you’re an account manager at a digital agency or a junior online media sales/marketing person looking to leverage that experience in a sales role, this gig might be perfect for you!
Our client is seeking someone at a junior level, so you’re probably 2 to 3 years out of undergrad and have some online media experience, preferably as a sales manager in the online gaming and/or advertising industries. You’re a rising star with impeccable communication and organization skills and a drive to succeed. (Hint: your cover letter better rock!)
Strong multitasking skills and attention to detail are a must – this position will require simultaneous oversight of many leads/opportunities with individual quotas and deadlines (so be prepared to share examples of your ability to drive multiple efforts).
Nitty Gritty:
You need to have the confidence and gusto to manage the entire sales cycle from initial contact through final contract. You are a pro at managing the ongoing relationship with existing clients, keeping them happy, surfacing issues and managing expectations.
This company has a sweet office and offers an exciting work environment. But don’t let the perks lull you into complacency. This is an organization that puts pedal to the metal to get big things done. You must have the flexibility to be available outside core working hours on occasion to meet important deadlines, respond to project emergencies, or bridge the time zone gap between NYC and Eastern Europe.
Inside Skinny:
Gamers preferred! The folks at this company are passionate about what they do, and they are looking to bring on an enthusiastic and fun comrade-in-arms to grow the company systematically and strategically. So when you interview, come prepared to be challenged (they ask tough questions), but stay loose: they like a sense of humor.
Net-Net:
NYC’s gaming community is growing like gangbusters. Here’s your chance to be a part of it!
Role: Social Media Sensei (1853)
Client: New York Times Best-Selling Author
Location: Remote, but must be available for meetings in New York City
Type: Freelance
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a Social Media Strategy Expert (a Sensei if you will) to work on a total brand elevation project with our client, a New York Times best-selling author and CEO of a consulting practice devoted to helping individuals and organizations harness the science of high performance to access energy, engagement, focus and productivity. He’s got a new book coming out, which lays out a new way forward for individual workers who have long been forced to work “like machines, continuously, at high speeds, for long periods of time.” He’s out to show us how to unlock our own full potential and to teach companies how to better empower the innovative workers within their ranks. If you want to help him develop a forward-thinking Web 2.0 platform to improve the work-life balance of workers the world over, then this gig’s for you.
Gun Profile:
Followers? You know how to nab them. Friends? You run circles around them. Digg? Enough said. Whether it’s a special widget or an online game or a Youtube video series, you know how to devise successful and viral efforts around the brands you represent. We’re less concerned with how many years on the planet you have and more interested in finding a confident and commited social media sensei to guide our client to a higher Web 2.0 plane. This author is a content machine, so there won’t be a dearth of ideas or words. Be prepared to step us through your recent successes in the space. And don’t hold back.
Nitty Gritty:
You will work in tandem with the Online Marketing Director, devoting 100% of your time to figuring out how to elevate the author, his new book, his consulting business, his website and his upcoming online curriculum across the social web. Our client wants someone to pioneer a robust social media strategy that doesn’t just follow best practices but creates them. The basics need to be instituted (Twitter, Facebook etc.) but we also want to push out against convention to really get some buzz and traction.
Inside Skinny:
You need to be a conceptual leader in the social media revolution who has a few tricks up your sleeve and can help an imaginative author who will be a terrifically receptive partner. He’s got one viral idea brewing already that, if executed right, will catch on like wild fire all across the interwebs.
Role: Digital Marketing Consultant/strong direct (1852)
Client: New York Times Best-Selling Author
Location: Remote, but must be available for meetings in New York City
Type: Freelance, about six months
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a brilliant Digital Marketing Expert to work on a total brand elevation project with our client, a New York Times best-selling author and CEO of a consulting practice devoted to helping individuals and organizations harness the science of high performance to access energy, engagement, focus and productivity. He’s got a new book coming out, which lays out a new way forward for individual workers who have long been forced to work “like machines, continuously, at high speeds, for long periods of time.” He’s out to show us how to unlock our own full potential and to teach companies how to better empower the innovative workers within their ranks. If you want to help him develop a forward-thinking Web 2.0 platform to improve the work-life balance of workers the world over, then this gig’s for you.
Gun Profile:
You’re an online marketing savant. You’re creative and analytical, and there isn’t an audience you haven’t been able to convert through your brilliant strategies. In this role you’ll have two audiences you’ll be looking to build – business professionals the world over who will buy the books and online courses, and their bosses, who will buy the books and consulting services. The ideal gun knows a thing or two about how to create a big funnel while keeping cost-per-acquisition to a minimum. You understand the entire media mix from public relations, SEM/SEO, and lead gen to online events and live promotions. Your online direct marketing chops are off the charts – and you know how to lead people to water and make ‘em drink.
Nitty-Gritty:
We can see the headline now: “New York Times Best-Selling Author Does It Again!” Getting this author’s new book to the top of the charts is your very first mandate. It’s a brave new bookselling world since his last book came out nearly a decade ago, so we need you to have a POV about how to elevate him, the book, and most importantly, the ideas in it. Secondly, you will drive viewers to subscribe to the e-newsletter so that you can build a massive database of highly targeted consumers. Over the next year, the site will be transforming into a “freemium” site with free content and deeper content/curriculum available behind the paywall. Since the experience is being concepted as we write this, you will be instrumental in helping the management team understand the power of the “upsell.”
Reporting to the Director of Marketing, you will devise the overall online marketing strategy for the book and corresponding website/blog. Audience development is key. Yes, we want to sell books (and lots of them), but just as important is building a community around the ideas expressed in the book via this author’s new blog and online curriculum.
There will be a lot of heavy lifting in a little bit of time, so we need someone who can work intensively and impressively while keeping several balls in the air. Specifically, you will need to establish a CRM process including software evaluation, building subscriber file, contact strategy, and e-newsletter. You’ll manage the website and blog day-to-day, including handling the web agency, the content manager and various vendors and freelancers. You’ll oversee email marketing – establishing structure, selecting vendors, setting goals, and monitoring metrics. Social media marketing, SEM, and audience development will also fall within your tent, as you establish overarching strategy and work with internal players or outside consultants to execute. Bonus points if you can help devise the upsell plan for online curriculum.
Inside Skinny:
If you’ve got top online marketing chops at an e-commerce company or online education provider, we’ll be salivating.
Role: The Twitter Whisperer (1874)
Client: New York Times Best-Selling Author
Location: New York, NY
Type: Micro-engagement (2-5 hours)
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a Twitter Whisperer to be part of a total brand elevation project with our client, a New York Times best-selling author and CEO of a consulting practice devoted to helping individuals and organizations harness the science of high performance to access energy, engagement, focus and productivity. He’s got a new book coming out, which lays out a new way forward for individual workers who have long been forced to work “like machines, continuously, at high speeds, for long periods of time.” He’s out to show us how to unlock our own full potential and to teach companies how to better empower the innovative workers within their ranks. If you want to help him develop a forward-thinking Web 2.0 platform to improve the work-life balance of workers the world over, then this gig’s for you.
Gun Profile:
You know like no one else how to finesse the new haiku of 140 characters to elevate important ideas. Never mind the haters: you, my friend, are an evangelist for this unique medium. And your special super power is helping clients find their voice, increase their confidence and build their very own Tribes of followers (thank you @sethgodin). This is your moment.
Nitty Gritty:
In this role, you’ll sit down with our client, the author, and teach him to master the fine art of Twitter. He doesn’t want a ghost-tweeter … he wants onto the feed himself. He’s an acclaimed writer, spontaneous and irreverent, so he’ll be a natural. He just needs the right coach. If you do your job well, he’ll supersize his following rapidly, inspiring change among the working weary looking for ways to balance work and lifestyle.
You’ll also teach his content manager the rules of the road with respect to analyzing key metrics (@hootsuite, @twittercounter, retweetist) and managing followers (@Tweepi). You know the drill.
Title: Publicist (1871)
Client: New York Times Best-Selling Author
Location: Remote, but must be available for meetings in New York City
Type: Freelance
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a world-class Publicist to work on a total brand elevation project with our client, a New York Times best-selling author and CEO of a consulting practice devoted to helping individuals and organizations harness the science of high performance to access energy, engagement, focus and productivity. He’s got a new book coming out, which lays out a new way forward for individual workers who have long been forced to work “like machines, continuously, at high speeds, for long periods of time.” He’s out to show us how to unlock our own full potential and to teach companies how to better empower the innovative workers within their ranks. If you want to help him develop a forward-thinking Web 2.0 platform to improve the work-life balance of workers the world over, then this gig’s for you.
Gun Profile:
Your mission is to get press for this CEO/author. Not just any press, but the right press, so that he can speak to his newly forming “tribe” of workers who need to find a new way. You should have a healthy Rolodex chock-full of contacts in mass consumer press across television (the morning shows, Oprah, Jon Stewart, etc.), radio, print and digital. Specific to print, you’ve got great relationships with journos at titles like WSJ, Fortune, Forbes, the New York Times, and more.
You know a thing or two about managing top experts and big personalities. Most importantly, the press loves working with you because you’re reliable, consistent, and don’t waste their time. And you’ll love working with this idea-a-minute author, who has great on-camera charisma and an ability to find the story in any opportunity. This author wants to be your number-one client, and together you’ll break book-selling records.
Nitty Gritty:
Brace yourself: your first mandate is to get the book to the top of The New York Times bestseller list, week 1. Daunting, yes, but doable: the content is great, and the author is an amazing personality. His last book landed him a spot on Oprah, so you’ve got a high bar to clear, but it’s a sign of what this guy’s made of. He’s got a crack team of experts around him that are already helping him to move the needle, but we need you to quarterback all consumer and trade press, as well as score him speaking engagements at key events that pull thought leaders and innovators.
Role: Editorial Strategist (1872)
Client: New York Times Best-Selling Author
Location: Remote, but must be available for meetings in New York City
Type: Freelance
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking an experienced Editorial Strategist to work on a total brand elevation project with our client, a New York Times best-selling author and CEO of a consulting practice devoted to helping individuals and organizations harness the science of high performance to access energy, engagement, focus and productivity. He’s got a new book coming out, which lays out a new way forward for individual workers who have long been forced to work “like machines, continuously, at high speeds, for long periods of time.” He’s out to show us how to unlock our own full potential and to teach companies how to better empower the innovative workers within their ranks. If you want to help him develop a forward-thinking Web 2.0 platform to improve the work-life balance of workers the world over, then this gig’s for you.
Gun Profile:
You’re an editorial genius whose favorite pastime is building sites from scratch and then taking them to the next level. You understand digital content and know how to develop a unique voice and POV for a property, maintaining consistency throughout all forms of digital media from website to blogs, Twitter and other social media. You’ve established editorial guidelines so that others can follow your lead. And the ideal gun will also have experience integrating video – understanding the balance between words and the moving image online. It goes without saying that you totally get audience development – how to get organic search rocking and rolling, what kinds of features/tools will turn into bonanzas, and which partnerships will drive traffic. Analytics are your friend.
Nitty Gritty:
In short, your job will be to put process around content generation. This author is a content factory, but it’s not all online. You’ll help develop his online persona, establish the editorial POV of the site, and elevate his voice across all appropriate online mediums. You will lay out the editorial roadmap – thinking about size and tone of content across everything from the website, blog and e-newsletter to iPhone apps, widgets and Twitter. You will train the in-house content manager to produce and populate for the gamut of audience contact points. You will institute best practices for SEO (headlines) and social media/blog outreach to help goose traffic. And you’ll set up procedures for monitoring and measuring traffic.
Inside Skinny:
If you have experience developing curriculum or have helped to take content into an online classroom setting, you get serious bonus points.
Title: iTV Experience Team Lead (Producers and IAs please apply!) (1796)
Client: Ground-breaking Agency in the iTV space
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a digital wunderkind (who might be working now as an interactive producer, information architect, or the like) for our client, an award-winning agency that’s on the bleeding edge of the iTV space with measurable, results-driven interactive experiences that promise to send passive TV ads the way of Betamax and the eight-track. By offering an unprecedented level of consumer engagement, they are generating the kind of ROI that brands have never seen before.
Gun Profile:
For this unique role, we’re truly open to a wide variety of digitally forward-thinking folks. A great interactive producer, account manager or UX person could all thrive in this role – especially if they crave more creative expression and have an art director’s eye combined with an affinity for managing people and clients. You’ll need at least four years of experience working on interactive teams for agencies or brands, where you’ve risen quickly because of your good ideas and ability to charm all those around you. Digital direct response has been your forte, because you’re a bit of an analytics nerd (in only the best of ways). You are particularly adept at working closely with and presenting to clients. There isn’t a deadline you’ve ever missed, and you do especially well in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
Nitty Gritty:
You will wear many hats in this role: you’ll act as a strategist, lead a team of designers, project-manage campaign development and implementation, and oversee the campaigns post-launch. Here’s how the process will go:
You’ll have a series of brands assigned to you and will brainstorm with them and their agencies to dream up ways to achieve their marketing goals using iTV (product descriptions/demos, games, videos, and more). Then you’ll take the concepts back to your team of creatives and determine what is possible in the world of iTV (a challenging task, since you’ll have to understand the unique technological requirements and capabilities of multiple cable and satellite companies).
You and your team will develop a series of wireframes to demonstrate the flow of the interactive experience you’re recommending for the brand. Once the client signs off, you will then move to the development phase of the interactive campaign, managing the process to keep the client engaged and the trains running on time and on budget. You will present the final work product and then actually manage the campaign itelf, overseeing the analytics and reporting back on results.
This role reports to the EVP of Creative. You will be one of four experience team leads, each managing a team of interactive designers and handling a stable of brands. You are expected to be autonomous, yet know how to report back proactively to bosses and clients.
The client roster consists of big brands, primarily in CPG and food-and-beverage, so dial it up if you have experience in these categories.
Inside Skinny:
The client said to us, “We look for wicked smart people who have the digital chops to come in and hit the ground running. We do things differently, since we’re basically inventing the model.” Think of these guys as the Mr. Miyagi to your Karate Kid: you’ve got the talent and ingenuity, but they’ll show you new tricks and build you up to succeed in the iTV arena.
This company is very much wired like a start-up and seeks entrepreneurial talent. They invest in their space and their people. Their offices are pristine with expansive views of the city, great sunlight, and a hi-tech environment with all the amenities.
Salary range $60-65K. The company provides a competitive benefits package including health insurance.
Role: Integrated Designers with DreamWeaver experience (1870)
Client: Marketing Team of Financial Services Firm
Location: 100% Remote!
Type: Freelance, off-site
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking designers with solid integrated experience for a large financial services firm looking to build their bench of talent. Freelance and off-site, this is the perfect opportunity for Guns looking to expand their client roster.
Gun Profile:
Emails, brochures, ads, flyers – you’ve created every kind of financial marketing collateral and can’t wait to tackle more. A master at producing extremely well designed creative while respecting brand guidelines, you know how to make the most modest brochure engaging and effective.
It’s a given that your InDesign skills are top-notch, but what most people don’t know is that you’re secretly a disciple of DreamWeaver as well. While your skills in this area don’t have to be extensive, make no mistake – it’s a requirement the client isn’t willing to overlook. Include a few samples of things you’ve produced in DreamWeaver for bonus points.
Nitty Gritty:
It’s pretty darn straightforward: you’ll be producing any and all types of marketing collateral for a hugely respected financial giant. Freelance and offsite, this isn’t for Guns looking for the typical 9-to-5. Our client needs part-time designers on call to periodically step in and lighten their (increasingly heavy) workload.
Inside Skinny:
This is the perfect gig for a freelancer looking to add to their roster of clients. Bring your “A” game, and you can count on a steady stream of work.
How to Apply:
Please email your resume and cover letter, including a link to your online portfolio (mandatory) to designerwithdw@thehiredguns.com.
Join us at our upcoming San Francisco event to learn how to use listening, evaluate listening applications, develop a listening strategy, integrate it into your existing research program, create an action plan and apply its learnings. Get answers to your questions on listening and develop an action plan that specifically addresses your business needs during this interactive day. Speakers include: Keynote Speaker Jeremiah Owyang, digital media strategy superstar, blogger and Partner, Customer Strategy, Altimeter Group; and Steve Patrizi, Vice President, Advertising Sales & Operations at LinkedIn.
Details:
Date: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Time: 8 am to 6 pm
Location: Bently Reserve, 301 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA
Admission: ARF members $595, non-members $895
At this breakfast event, Abbey Klaassen, new editor of AdAge, plus 4 agency decision-makers – Andy Chapman of MindShare Interaction, Ben Kennedy of Joule, George Janson of Group M, and Rob Jayson of Zenith Media USA – discuss how they’re planning to spend client money on social, interactive & traditional media in 2010.
Details:
Date: Thursday February 4, 2010
Time: 7:45 to 9:30 a.m.
Location: The New York Hilton, 1335 Avenue of the Americas at 54th Street, New York, NY
Cost: Members $75, Guests $125, Tables of Ten $1,000
Title: Interactive Designer (1850)
Client: Leading News and Business Information Site
Location: New York, NY
Type: Full-Time Freelance (two openings, long-term, on-site)
Overview:
This Hired Guns client, a giant in the world of news and information, grew strongly in the midst of last year’s dismal economy, and they are charging into 2010 with a huge investment to further expand their business. A big part of this investment is in continuous improvement of their Web experience, so they are looking for two Interactive Designers with solid front-end development skills and a vision for finding the cleanest and clearest way to present piles of news and information on the Web.
Gun Profile:
You are a talented designer with an impressive portfolio of work on content-rich websites. You bring best-in-class Photoshop and Illustrator skills, a superb eye for good design and user experience, and a strong dose of design problem-solving ingenuity. You are as comfortable creating a design concept from a blank page as you are figuring out how to apply a new global page design to existing content.
While design is your forte, you have solid front-end development skills as well, including a good understanding of HTML/CSS, JavaScript, and XML/RSS. Knowledge of Flash and ActionScript will also come in handy.
Articulate and communicative, you’ll have no problem interacting within a multi-faceted, cross-functional group of product, marketing, editorial, design, and development team members.
Nitty Gritty:
As an Interactive Designer, you’ll be working on the company’s main website, adding new features and retooling existing pages. You will find novel, compelling ways to visualize information, whether it be a feed of the week’s hottest commodities news or a Flash interactive comparing major city home price indexes. You will collaborate closely with the product and editorial teams to accomplish your main objective of building and maintaining the site’s front-end experience (the pages, modules, stylesheets, scripts, and templates).
Inside Skinny:
If you are a design whiz with a background working on information-rich news or entertainment media sites, but are not sure your front-end development skills are quite up to snuff, show us your portfolio anyway. Because we need to fill two roles, we can potentially pair you with another designer who is stronger on the development side.
Net-Net:
This is a highly collaborative atmosphere where everyone wants the team to function at its collective best. If you like to teach and learn from your teammates, you’ll love this place.
Be sure to provide the address of your online portfolio in the application form.
Role: Concierge (1734)
Client: Prominent Plastic Surgeon
Location: New York area (this is a remote gig)
Type: Freelance, off-site
Overview:
One of our most unique (and uniquely gifted) Hired Guns clients is looking for a Concierge to turn his practice into the luxury experience his patients so richly deserve. So, if you’re a customer service superstar, a host/hostess with the most/mostest, and an organizational genius, get ready to put your best face forward!
Gun Profile:
A respected plastic surgeon is looking for a well-rounded Gun to become a new member of his team. Packing a lethal combination of focus, organization, and charm, you have the kind of experience in a reception, office management, and/or customer service capacity that will enable you to run a tight ship with effortless grace and a welcoming smile, no matter what kind of pressure you are under. As the first point of contact for new patients, you’ll set the tone for their entire experience. Your colleagues as well as guests will find you a pleasure to be around. As this position is remote, excellent phone and written communication skills are musts. Previous experience with the world of plastic surgery is a huge plus here, so demonstrate your familiarity with the terminology for added bonus points.
Nitty Gritty:
The good doctor believes that his patients should enjoy a thoroughly luxurious experience, and as his Concierge Extraordinaire, you’ll be largely responsible for delivering that. By fielding new patient calls and scheduling consultations, you’ll provide new patients with a glowing first impression. You’ll also be responsible for entering these consultations into the calendar, seamlessly keeping this busy doctor on track and exactly where he needs to be.
Net-Net:
You’re fantastic with people and love the opportunity to make someone’s day a little more pleasant. But underneath it all, you are an organizational genius. You’ve excelled in this kind of position before, so there’s little that can faze you.
Please join us to celebrate the launch of the Sustainable Design Entrepreneurs Certificate program at FIT. Network and nosh with like minded entrepreneurs and design professionals.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM: Designers Can Make A Difference! The Sustainable Design Entrepreneurs Certificate Program provides designers with the knowledge, tools and resources to operate sustainable businesses. A core curriculum with a choice of three tracks – Fashion Design, Graphic Design and Interior Design – will empower you to assist clients in meeting sustainability goals and supply chain requirements. For more information on the program, call 212 217-7250.
Details:
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Location: FIT, 27th Street & 8th Avenue, Building A Atrium, New York, NY
Admission: $15 – Proceeds will support a scholarship for young entrepreneurs.
Social media is the hottest topic in marketing – and for good reason. Armed with easy tools to post and share comments, images and videos, consumers are sharing a huge and fast-growing stream of real-time responses to nearly every product and service they encounter. Business that learn how to listen hold the key to gaining influence, fans – and yes, market share – in the years to come.
We have put together five focused breakfast meetings, each presented by an industry-leading expert on a particular aspect of the social channel. Expect to come away with the knowledge you need to improve your existing program or get one off the ground.
Details:
Dates: Tuesday mornings from January 12 through February 9
Time: 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.
Location: NYU Midtown Campus, 11 West 42nd Street, Room 1027, New York, NY
Cost: DMCNY members $35 per session, non-members $45 per session. Discount if attending all five sessions.
Brandhackers hosts Business Week’s Shirley Brady as moderator of “Keys to Developing Online Brand Community”. Ever ask yourself, * “What is the right and wrong way to grow a forum?” * “Who should moderate my forum?” * “What types of topics and content should be generated to keep my readers interested and coming back for more?” * “What type of feature sets could I include on my website to increase conversation and dialogue with my customers to generate sales?” * “What are some vendor tools and insights I should look into to get my online community fully engaged with the social media age?” You’ll learn answers to these questions and more.
Details:
Date: Monday February 15, 2010
Time: 6 to 9 p.m. (includes pre- and post-networking)
Location: RedSky, 47 East 29th Street, New York, NY
colorbars is a professional and social network established to support the advancement of all people of color working in media, entertainment and communication. These initiatives are achieved through networking events, panel discussions, informational lectures, and mentoring programs. colorbars hosts networking events in New York City every two months. The event is a platform for our members to build relationships, share information, strengthen their confidence, and increase their own professional network.
Details:
Date: Wednesday February 17, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 pm
Location: The Hill, 416 3rd Avenue between 29th & 30th, New York, NY
RSVP at www.colorbarsnetwork.com. (When you click “Networking Events,” you will be prompted to log in or become a member. You must be a member to attend events, but membership is free.)
Leap into the New Year for a lively discussion featuring the leaders of our business as they debate topical issues facing our industry. Our all-star panel representing all facets of the business will bring a full circle perspective on some of the hot issues for 2010. Just a few topics on the table for discussion: The Rights of Marketers … Data Ownership … Paid Content … Technology as the driving force for advertisers … Consumer Control.
Bring your questions and be prepared to engage with the panel.
Details:
Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Time: 6 to 8 pm
Location: Helen Mills Event Space, 137-139 West 26th Street, New York, NY
Admission: members $125, non-members $225, AD Club Young Professionals $75. (For advance registration; walk-ins will be charged an additional $50 at the door.)
POLL: The Hired Guns Academy: Tell us what you think about classes devoted to personal style!
Participate in our survey and be entered to win a free class
Last fall, our research revealed that “Dressing for Success” was a topic many Guns wanted us to cover at The Hired Guns Academy – in our special way, of course (i.e. not lame). Let’s face it, casual work attire makes it very difficult to create a look that differentiates you. Knowing what to wear for a job interview is even worse: the wrong choice between a suit or jeans will torpedo your chances. It’s complete chaos. Well dear Guns, we believe that in chaos, there lies great opportunity to stand out. And we can help you!
The personal style classes we’re striving to offer at The Academy are designed to help you establish a look that reinforces the brand image you’re trying to project. We searched high and low for a brilliant instructor by turning to the best darn place we know to find distinguished experts and superstars: The Hired Guns Network! And among you guns we found a marvelous style maven who is approachable, fun and and insanely knowledgable on helping individuals look the very best they can be: Jacqui Stafford, a fashion and style expert who is currently the Executive Style Director of Shape magazine, where she pens a popular monthly fashion advice column with over 7 million readers. Together we’ve dreamed up two personal style class ideas for The Academy’s Winter Session that will give you newfound confidence and improve your overall career mojo. Who doesn’t need that?
So, here’s where you come in … we need your help to refine our offering and make sure our classes meet your expectations. Please take our 3-minute survey and help us develop the best darn “finishing school” for Hired Guns we possibly can!
The Wow Factor: How to Look Like a Million Bucks (And Then Earn Two)
Your Instructor: Jacqui Stafford
This class is limited to sixteen attendees and is designed specifically for women. (Fear not, men: we will run a male-oriented personal style course in the coming months.)
You’ve got fierce competition out there to score the job or promotion of your dreams. And people can and will judge you on your appearance within SECONDS of meeting you. Like it or not, sometimes personal style can be as much of a make-or-break as experience when it comes to getting ahead.
This one-of-a-kind class, presented by personal style and body shape expert Jacqui Stafford, is designed to teach you what to wear to look great and feel confident in an interview and on the job. In one intensive evening, created specifically for busy professional women, you’ll learn tricks to transform yourself from Ho-Hum to Headturner by assembling a wardrobe that complements your body shape and conveys the image you most want to convey. Jacqui’s break-through insights prove that you don’t have to follow the latest trend, spend a ton of money or be a certain size on order to look great. Ultimately, a more confident you will lead to more job offers and promotions throughout your career.
So toss out every so-called “rule” of fashion, take this class and enjoy a lifetime of looking and feeling great.
Details:
Date: Thursday February 25, 2010
Time: 6 to 9 pm
Place: The Hired Guns Hive, 33 West 17th Street, New York, NY
Cost: $129
Instructor: Jacqui Stafford
Pre-requisites: A lot of chutzpah and pair of Spanx
Jacqui Stafford is the Executive Style Director of Shape magazine, where she pens a popular monthly fashion advice column with over 7 million readers. Jacqui is also available for one-on-one Personal Style Sessions. For more information please email eperkins@thehiredguns.com.
All Hired Guns get 25 percent discounted admission. Use the code SWM when purchasing tickets.
SMITH also has a new contest: “What’s your Six-Word Memoir about your life in New York?” From “Husband. Kids. Park Slope. You know,” “Girls from the Bronx are different,” “New Yorker: everything pisses me off,” and New York’s own Neil LaBute who says, in six words, “Writing is easy. Life is hard,” everyone has a New York story. And everyone loves a prize. We have a bunch of great ones.
SIX people will have their Six-Word Memoir turned into a song by Michael Hearst of One Ring Zero
SIX people will get free admission to the 92nd Street Y event and be invited on stage to read his or her memoir
SIX people will be picked, at random, to win a gift package of Harper books, including the newest Six-Word Memoir book, It All Changed in an Instant.
Submit your six on yourself/NYC in the comments area of the post on smithmag.net before 5 pm Eastern on January 18.
If you’re curious about starting a blog or you’re trying to boost your blog’s readership, then this class is for you. Topics include getting started, promoting your blog, and combating blogger’s block. We’ll also discuss copyright and safety considerations on the web. You don’t need to be a web wizard to start a blog, so all are welcome.
Details:
Date: Monday March 1, 2010
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
Location: Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Boston, MA
Cost: Members $50, non-members $60
The Shorty Awards honor the best people and organizations on Twitter. These unique awards are for the Twitter community, by the Twitter community. This year the Shorty Awards will be held at the The TimesCenter in The New York Times Tower, located in the Times Square area of Manhattan. All tickets include an open bar and hors d’oeuvres. Sign up now: early bird pricing ends February 14.
Details:
Date: Wednesday March 3, 2010
Time: 7 to 11 p.m.
Location: The TimesCenter, 242 West 41st Street, New York, NY
Role: Executive Editor (1855)
Client: Pop Culture Site Network for TV Fans
Location: Just about anywhere … NYC, LA, SF, Seattle, you name it! Our client will build their editorial team around you, wherever you are. They just want the best.
Type: Direct Hire (with excellent equity potential if you succeed!)
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking an Executive Editor to take the helm of a new network of pop culture sites devoted entirely to TV shows and their adoring fans. Sure, the networks do an okay job creating okay destinations for shows. But our client, a venture-backed technology firm that is leading the Publishing 2.0 transformation, knows they can create a much more robust experience for the passionate TV-viewing public. What they need is a modern editor who has entrepreneurial DNA, terrific editorial chops and, most importantly, the talent and determination to build a massive online audience from scratch. If this is you, let’s lock and load!
Gun Profile:
You’re a TV junkie: always have been, always will be. Your predictive ability is uncanny: you blogged ages ago that the star-crossed Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul would get back together again, and you forecasted that moving Jay Leno to the 10 pm hour would be an unmitigated disaster for NBC. And you call the action on Gossip Girl and Glee with the kind of speed and conviction usually found on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
You’ve got substantial experience as an editor and writer covering celebrities and entertainment. You know how to report on what they wear and who they’re sleeping with, and you’re ready to take that experience and dial it in around TV coverage. The network of sites you’ll be leading will be targeted at 18-34 women, digital natives who decompress to their favorite shows with their laptops flipped open and their smartphones engaged. This audience is always on: they tweet, they FB and you know how to reach them in all the places they live.
You have the editorial moxie to whip TV fans into a frenzy by leveraging everything that social technology has to offer. Your stories always break traffic records and generate pages and pages of comments because you know what your readers want to debate.
Nitty Gritty:
Be warned: only the strong will survive. As the Executive Editor, you will take the leading role in developing, launching, and managing the network’s editorial strategy. You’ll outline the editorial roadmap and establish a publishing velocity that will leave the competition gagging on your dust. You’ve sometimes been labeled an executive producer, because you know what tools and widgets will take off and you enjoy working closely with developers, designers and product engineers. You’re a member of the idea-a-minute club and can’t help but constantly innovate. You are the triple play: you know how to home-grow, aggregate and elevate content. You will go deep into the up-to-the-minute minutiae on the most popular TV shows for your demographic, including storylines, news, fashion, beauty, romance and gossip.
You will be the leader of the editorial team, which in some rare cases will mean taking the lead on writing, but more often you will manage a hand-selected team of staff and bloggers who will follow your editorial guidelines. You will oversee contributions from freelancers and other outside vendors, including photo agencies, copy editors and more. The network’s voice, tone, and style will be defined by your voice, tone, and style – that of the irreverent insider. You will train your people not only to report the news but also to create it, generating conversations as they go.
We’d also love you to have terrific inroads with bloggers who cover the TV, celeb and gossip scene, as well as other mission-critical sources who will give you scoops when you need them. (Especially if those sources are Hollywood insiders, like celeb publicists, managers, and agents).
An essential must-have to score this gig is proven experience building an online audience. You’re an editor who lives and dies by his/her analytics. You pay attention to what’s working and refine, refine, refine. You thoroughly understand SEO and its importance for traffic development (FYI – you’ll have a team of mathletes ensuring that every story you write is optimized to within an inch of its life). You know that smart editorial PR is essential for generating traffic. And you are excited to be the talking head who represents the brand as the lead spokesperson for the new venture (on-camera experience a major plus!).
Inside Skinny:
In our client’s own words, “We want an Editor who lives and breathes entertainment and pop culture. Bonus points for distinctive style and TV props, and jackpot if you have a reputation or following in the industry.” If you have all that, it’s practically a slam-dunk. The one other thing we ask you to dial up in your cover note is how and why you’re a traffic-generating savant.
Net-Net:
Maybe you’ve been contemplating starting your own webzine/blog. Perhaps you’re the managing editor at a company where you do all the work and get none of the credit. Either way you recognize that it’s time to grab the helm of your very own media property, one you can fashion in your own image without a bunch of bureacratic baloney. With big funding and board support at this company, you’ll get the backing and the opportunity you deserve to make a breakout move. If you’re ready, apply now!
In talks that are exactly five minutes long, Ignite NYC presenters share their personal and professional passions, using 20 slides that auto-advance every 15 seconds. Ignite NYC VIII goes global to join O’Reilly’s Global Ignite Week. From March 1-5, 2010, 50+ Ignites will take place in cities around the world. Upwards of 10,000 entrepreneurs, technologists, DIYers, creative professionals, and enthusiastic knowledge-seekers will gather in local pubs, theaters, and other convivial venues for an evening that is a unique blend of networking, information, and fun, encapsulated in the Ignite motto: “Enlighten us, but make it quick.”
Details:
Date: Thursday March 4, 2010
Time: 7 to 10 pm
Location: Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $10 suggested donation, $40 VIP tickets for guaranteed seating in front of the stage
Mark Claywell’s documentary American Jihadist, the Grand Jury Prize winner for Best Documentary at the 2010 Slamdance Film Festival, will be presented at the IFC Center Cinema on March 8th at 8pm. American Jihadist is the story of Isa Abdullah Ali, an African-American Muslim from the ghettos of Washington, DC, labeled a “known terrorist” by the U.S. Defense Department though he’s never been charged with any crime. Director Mark Claywell will be in attendance for a Q and A. Slamdance staff will also be in attendance.
Details:
Date: Monday March 8, 2010
Time: 8 to 10 pm
Location: IFC Center, 323 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
The International Conference on Media, Advertising, Television, Broadband, Social Media, Mobile, Cable & Satellite, Publishing & Radio, Magazines, News Media, Motion Pictures and Marketing.
Details:
Dates: March 10-11, 2010
Location: The McGraw-Hill Building, Avenue of the Americas at 49th Street, New York, NY
Title: Sales Manager (1856)
Client: Solutions Provider to the Online Ad Industry
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
The Hired Guns have an exciting client, an innovative, well-established provider of proprietary software solutions and managed services designed to serve the media and advertising industry. They continue to hold first place in the market in terms of technological innovation and top-notch client service, and 2010 promises to be a truly blockbuster year for them. To prepare for this growth, they’ve asked us to find their next sales manager to help manage and grow their mid-tier publisher accounts.
Gun Profile:
Without hesitation, you are a hunter, not a farmer – you’ve got the mentality and tenacity to handle quarterly and annual targets. We’re looking for 4 to 6 years in the digital advertising and/or enterprise software industry and a solid grasp of the business concerns of online publishers. You have a consultative, strategic approach to selling and experience in every facet of sales from prospecting, cold-calling and qualifying leads to presenting and closing deals. Because these are enterprise-level products, there is a fairly long sales cycle, so your sincere interest in technology and how it applies to the advertising industry will play a huge part in your ability to speak intelligently to clients and prospects. While you thrive as an independent producer and need little hand-holding, this does not mean you’re stubborn or inflexible. You absolutely value the camaraderie, support and energy of a cohesive and dedicated team.
Nitty-Gritty:
Your job is to generate and close sales of the company’s workflow and advertising management ASP solutions. You’ll be concentrating on mid-tier accounts, primarily in the publishing industry, and pitching at the VP level. You will be reporting to an energetic, experienced senior-level seller who has an excellent reputation in the industry, amazing contacts and a great sense of humor. As the company’s eyes in the field, you’ll feed business intelligence and unmet market needs back to the Marketing and Product Management teams to inform new releases. And you’ll raise your own profile and that of the company by actively participating in trade shows, industry events, and conferences.
Inside Skinny:
If you are already selling ad solutions software products to publishers and you’ve been hitting your numbers, our client wants to meet you immediately!
Net-Net:
This is a well-established company with a superior suite of products you will feel proud and passionate about selling. The company has a proven commitment to quality and service, and with a seasoned executive team at the helm, your contributions will feed into a well-oiled machine that’s already on its way to being a major market leader.
Are you ready to give your business the strategic edge? This year’s Small Business Summit promises to help you:
GROW your business in the New Economy
LEARN how to apply “big business strategies” without the huge budget
NETWORK with others interested in you and your product or service
CONNECT with respected vendors who will be displaying the latest in technology advances
BE INSPIRED by business leaders who understand your small business challenges
HAVE FUN and be refreshed, renewed and ready to apply your new knowledge immediately!
This year’s event features a fantastic lineup of speakers, including Seth Godin, bestselling author (Purple Cow, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?), entrepreneur (Yoyodyne) and agent of change (Squidoo).
Details:
Date: Tuesday March 16, 2010
Time: 8 am to 5 pm
Location: Digital Sandbox, 55 Broad Street, New York, NY
Part of FIT’s Sustainable Entrepreneurs’ Program, this course will provide in-depth knowledge of the history of sustainability and an introduction to the most current sustainability thinking (including the understanding that such knowledge is ever-evolving). Both practical and conceptual issues will be discussed with the goal of developing sustainable practices in our daily and professional lives. Absorb the vocabulary, bust the myths and learn how your design skills and creativity can contribute to a sustainable future. Whether you are looking to become more sustainable in your life or business, or you need to comply with government or supply chain requirements, this class will help lay the foundation in your sustainable education. This is a non-credit, professional education class that can be taken stand-alone or as part of a certificate program.
Details:
Dates: Tuesdays March 16 through April 13, 2010
Time: 6 to 9 pm
Location: The Enterprise Center at FIT, 7th Avenue at 27th Street, New York, NY
Part of FIT’s Sustainable Entrepreneurs’ Program. What environmental issues can be tackled by design? What are the success stories? What are the most pressing issues? Sustainable design holds the promise of changing the world from the site of human-wrought ecological calamity to the home of people living in harmony with nature – and it begins with you. Whether you are looking to become more sustainable in your design or design business, or you need to be able to advise your clients on sustainability issues, this class will help lay the foundation in your sustainable education. This course is open to and appropriate for all design disciplines, as well as interested non-designers. This is a non-credit, professional education class that can be taken stand-alone or as part of a certificate program.
Details:
Dates: Thursdays March 18 through April 15, 2010
Time: 6 to 9 pm
Location: The Enterprise Center at FIT, 7th Avenue at 27th Street, New York, NY
You can’t bore people into buying. So creativity matters, right? But how much do you focus on creativity and how much on metrics, analytics, optimization? Can you do both well at once? When marketers place total emphasis on efficiency, metrics and predictability, they risk losing huge gains that can come from creativity, visual excitement and genuine innovation. Hear from our super panel featuring Peter C. Horan, Chairman of Goodmail Systems, Chris Johnston, Director of Biz Dev at BrightCove (top video platform on the web), Ben Lerer, founder and CEO of Thrillist, David Daniels, founder of Relevancy Group (leading email industry analysts). There will be heavy coverage of emerging tools for video in email.
HIRED GUNS SPECIAL: Send an email to ex-Gun Peter Milburn at peter@redirectny.com, mention you’re a hired gun, and you can attend as his guest and pay the member price!
Details:
Date: Thursday March 18, 2010
Time: 12 to 2 pm
Location: Yale Club, 50 Vanderbilt Avenue (that tiny block between Grand Central and Madison) at 44th Street, New York, NY
Admission: Preregistered, $65 members and $85 non-members ($10 more at door). Don’t forget the Hired Guns special above!
Your resume in a single tweet. Because 140 characters matter.
Introducing the The Hired Guns Twesume Contest.
A short story is key to building buzz around you and your personal brand. The Hired Guns Twesume Contest is designed to get your resume wicked lean while increasing its impact – to help you think small so you can go BIG.
To enter, tweet us your Twesume before January 25. Here at Hired Guns HQ, we’ll select our top 10 favorites and then ask you, the guns, to select the winner.
The Rules:
You must have a Twitter account.
You must be following @TheHiredGuns during the contest so that we can direct-message you.
You can submit more than one Twesume – BUT each Twesume has to fit into a single tweet.
The Payoff:
Winner gets a one-on-one power coaching session with Top Gun Allison Hemming, on any topic from personal brand analysis and resume makeovers to interview strategies for landing your dream job! (Not to mention cred with your fellow guns…)
How to Enter:
Submit your entry (or entries) via Twitter to @TheHiredGuns no later than 5 p.m. Eastern time on Monday January 25, 2010.
Top 10 entries will be announced on January 27. The Winner, selected by a jury of his/her peers (er, Guns) will be announced on Monday, February 1, 2010.
We’ll leave you with a little inspiration. Here’s one of our favorites so far:
Creator of experiences, builder of brands & inventor of value. 15+ years leading teams creating immersive experiences.
- @philmang
Re:think is the seminal research forum of the year, where the entire industry gathers and the latest indispensable knowledge-driving advertising and marketing is discovered, explored and challenged. The Re:think Expo showcases the latest innovative market research services and products in one easy-to-navigate location. With high-level networking, free education and leading-edge industry knowledge resources, the expo is a must-attend show. The event draws top-tier global decision-makers and thought leaders from every sector of the industry – advertisers, agencies, media, research, interactive shops and academics – all under one roof.
Details:
Dates: March 22 through 24, 2010
Location: Marriott Marquis Hotel, Times Square, New York, NY
Established in 1964, the ANDY Awards honor creativity in advertising throughout the world, recognize the contributions of individuals and companies who create the work and encourage raising the standards of craftsmanship in the industry.
The deadline for entries has been extended to January 20. Visit the ANDY Awards site for further entry details and information.
The 2010 ANDY Awards show and party will take place in April. Stay tuned for more details.
Ever ask yourself what the ROI on your social media investments will be? Not sure what the term “Social CRM” means? Wondering which vendors to engage with to really leverage your Social CRM strategy? Wondering how you can leverage your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn connections for business value?
Join us on Mon, March 22th when Brandhackers hosts “How to Build a Social CRM Strategy for Your Business,” a panel of experts who know where Social Media is today and where it’s going to be tomorrow – focusing in on finding and delivering value to businesses from social media networking and the infamous Social Graph.
#Brandhackers is a monthly Manhattan Meetup and social network showcasing prominent and rising digital marketing opinion leaders and provides an environment bringing people, technology and brands together.
Details:
Date: Monday March 22, 2010
Time: 6 to 9 pm (includes pre- and post-networking)
Location: Red Sky, 47 E. 29th Street at Park Ave. South, New York City
Admission: $10
Are you looking for a job or switching careers? Are you worried about your age in this process? What are the pitfalls and unique opportunities for a successful job search when you are over 50? Join Stan Broitman, a career consultant, certified retirement coach and re-career coach, for a discussion of the challenges, questions and assessment process that affects people seeking employment in midlife and beyond. Get an overview of the ideas and concepts you need to embrace for a successful job search, including your mission, selecting and understanding your job or career targets, creating your brand and personal marketing campaign and your self-presentation.
Details:
Date: Tuesday March 23, 2010
Time: 12 noon – 1 pm
Location: 92YTribeca, 200 Hudson Street, New York, NY
Admission: $16.
Role: Senior Creative Director (1842)
Client: Global News and Information Company
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
This giant in the world of news and information has continued to grow despite the dismal economic climate, and they are preparing to make a huge investment to further propel the expansion of the business in 2010. To ensure they have the right talent to lead the way, they have established the new role of Senior Creative Director, charged with leading creative design and development for a multi-platform suite of products and envisioning online advertising solutions that integrate advertisers’ brands impactfully into the fabric of the content.
Gun Profile:
You are an experienced design professional with proven management chops. You have the uncanny ability to inspire greatness from your team and push their creativity to new levels. In addition, you have a strong business mind and understand how good design and user experience drive revenue. You have a distinctive design point of view and can clearly articulate it to colleagues all the way up to the C-Suite.
You’re accustomed to operating within the boundaries of a branding/identity style guide and enforcing design standards without sacrificing your creative flexibility. You’ve worked in big design/dev organizations, so you can create designs from wireframes and formal specs and design and build templates for large-scale sites. We’d love to find someone who has experience working for a large media property and is well versed in working with product and editorial teams. Ad agency experience is also highly desirable.
Technologically, you have a well-equipped tool kit, with a solid understanding of web and browser technologies and a strong grasp of usability best practices. You are expert in DHTML, Flash, Photoshop, and Illustrator. You’ve worked with ad-serving technologies like DoubleClick, have intermediate HTML/CSS capabilities, and are adept in both the Mac and PC desktop environments.
Nitty Gritty:
There are two very important aspects to this role. First, you will work with Product Management, Editorial and Technology to lead the design, development and execution of the web and mobile sites on a global level. You will solve complex design problems and ensure the implementation of best design practices across all platforms to increase traffic and retention.
Second, you will work with Sales, Marketing and Ad Operations to create and design fresh new advertising products and solutions that will attract advertisers by creating new ways to engage with the target audience, thereby driving increased revenue. You will take those ideas, communicate them to the design team, assign projects to individual designers (keeping some projects for yourself), and oversee build and delivery. You’ll excel at dreaming up ideas constantly and putting them into action at breakneck speed.
Inside Skinny:
If you want to really catch our attention, be prepared to talk about specific advertising design ideas that you’ve put into action with significant needle-moving results.
Net-Net:
Opportunities like this don’t come by very often, and the clock is ticking, so you definitely want to move quickly on this.
Title: Account Supervisor (1818)
Client: Leading Social Media Consultancy
Location: Manhattan
Type: Temp-to-Perm or Direct Hire
Overview:
This pioneering Social Media agency doesn’t just follow best practices – it creates them. At the forefront of the social media revolution, this client is making their mark in the interactive space, and they’re looking for a forward-thinking Account Supervisor who can help them take things to the next level.
Gun Profile:
With extensive social media strategy chops and a few years of agency experience under your belt, you’re an old pro at managing budgets, clients, and internal staff. You have been dabbling in the blogosphere for years, and you are well aware of the power of the social media. You have great ideas on how to harness the power of social media for your clients, and you’ve been the driving force for incorporating social media campaigns wherever possible.
You enjoy being the pioneer, but are ready to work with like-minded individuals in an environment where your innovative ideas are not only appreciated, but expected. Having worked wonders with social media in the past, you know exactly what drives numbers, retains audience, and keeps clients happy.
A true hybrid, you mix social media know-how with hardcore account management skills – namely knowing how to put out fires before they start. You’ll keep clients happy, team members motivated, and things generally running smoothly – all while consistently producing creative that not only moves the needle, but leaves a lasting impression.
Nitty Gritty:
As Account Supervisor, you will serve as the point person for your designated clients as they lean on you for help navigating this ever-changing world of social media. You will partner closely with them to understand their brands and their businesses. You will work in conjunction with your strategy group to develop recommendations on appropriate solutions to clients’ business needs. You will help sell in programs and manage their execution from soup to nuts. You will monitor progress and make the appropriate recommendations to help ensure the desired results. You will also dream up new solutions to help your clients fully participate in the social media conversation.
A true Account Supervisor, you’ll be responsible for building budgets, producing timelines, coordinating creative, writing SOWs, and more – duties you can handle in your sleep. The success or failure of every project will rest on your shoulders, so previous social media experience is a must.
Inside Skinny:
As you well know, the world of social media changes faster than best practices can be established. Being a part of the community and conversation is as important as having experience managing social media campaigns, so don’t miss this chance to tell us about where you hang out on the Web. Extra credit for you if you can demonstrate that you live social media and don’t just talk it.
Net-Net:
If you’re tired of being a cog in the machine and are ready to really help make a splash, send us your best case studies, and let’s get things rolling.
How to Apply:
Please email your resume and cover letter (which should include brief case studies/success stories) to socialmediasupe@thehiredguns.com.
What do bosses, business partners, and prospective employers look for in presentations, speeches and job interviews?
Strength.
A strong presentation conveys leadership, confidence, and competence, and gives you a definite advantage as you aim to impress your audience, advance your agenda, and sell your ideas. But strength is communicated far more by how you present than by what you present.
So how do you learn deliver a strong presentation? The good news is that great presenters aren’t born; they’re trained. The Hired Guns Academy now offers that training in a unique and intensive two-hour workshop run by Joel Schwartzberg. (Check out Allison Hemming’s Q&A with Joel.)
A top public-speaking instructor and former national champion public speaker, Joel teaches you how to excel in today’s competitive market by adopting techniques he honed over his fifteen years in public-speaking competition and university coaching and as a successful author and senior media executive for Nickelodeon, Time Inc., and PBS.
By the workshop’s end, you’ll learn:
How to strengthen your sentences
Strong posture and gestures
The power of pauses
Quick warm-up tricks
How to inject passion into your points
The best way to use PowerPoint and other visual aids
In an economy where every opportunity is golden, having an edge in your presentation skills is crucial to capturing every one you can.
Details:
Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 9 PM
Place: The Hired Guns Hive, 33 West 17th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY
Cost: $129
Instructor: Joel Schwartzberg
In 1990, Joel Schwartzberg won the collegiate National Championship in after-dinner speaking and the Massachusetts State Championship in persuasive speaking, and was ranked among the top ten public speakers overall in the United States. He went on to coach competitive public-speaking teams at the University of Pennsylvania, Seton Hall University, St. Joseph’s University, and Queens College. In 2002, Joel was inducted into the National Forensic Association Hall of Fame for his contributions to the practice of competitive public speaking and has been conducting both one-on-one and group public speaking workshops for the past five years.
Currently a new media executive for PBS, Joel Schwartzberg has also held senior executive roles at Time Inc. Interactive and Nickelodeon Online.
Joel is also an author, screenwriter, author publicity coach, and personal essayist whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Daily News, Newsweek, New Jersey Monthly, The New York Post, Babble.com, Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Huffington Post, and regional parenting magazines around the country. His “humoir” The 40-Year-Old Version was published in 2009. Follow Joel on Twitter
The special guest speaker for this networking evening will be Leslie Dantchik, nutritionist and trainer. Leslie will speak on “Living Well in NYC, a busy woman’s guide to navigating through common pitfalls when it comes to nutrition and exercise”.
Details:
Date: Monday, January 25, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Women’s Networking Group, 45 Park Avenue (corner of37th Street), 2nd Floor, New York, NY
Admission: $15
The 7th annual Vail Film Festival, April 1-4 in Vail and Beaver Creek, CO, will screen over 90 films, with nightly parties, receptions, a late night lounge, a hospitality lounge featuring an open bar, and musicians from L.A.’s Hotel Cafe, as well as 50% off ski tickets. Past award recipients include Kevin Smith, Michelle Monaghan, Luke Wilson, Adrian Grenier, Olivia Wilde, Jesse Eisenberg, Sophia Bush, Hayden Panettiere, Jeremy Davies, Tim Daly, and Harold Ramis. Named “One of the Top 10 Destination Film Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker magazine, the festival draws thousands of film fans and hundreds of filmmakers for four amazing days.
Details:
Date: April 1 – 4, 2010
Location: Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado
More Information: visit www.vailfilmfestival.org or call 970.476.1092.
The goal of the International ANDY Awards competition is to honor creativity in advertising throughout the world, recognize the contributions of individuals and companies who create the work and encourage raising the standards of craftsmanship in the industry.
The 2010 ANDY Awards Show and Party will be held on April 7, 2010 in New York City.
Details:
Date: Wednesday April 7, 2010
Time: 6 to 11 pm
Location: The Times Center, 242 West 41st Street (between 7th & 8th Aves.), New York, NY
Meet media headhunters, visit a “resume doctor” and network with top editors and journalists from all over the northeast at this two-day workshop sponsored by the Deadline Club, the New York City chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The program, on April 9-10 at CUNY’s Graduate School of Journalism, will tackle topics such as job hunting, multimedia and social media training, legal issues, shoe-leather reporting and much, much more. New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Barstow is our keynote speaker, and Allison Hemming of The Hired Guns will lead a “Layoff Survival Guide” panel. Registration inlcudes all programs, an opening night reception at the Midtown Executive Club, a buffet luncheon at The New Yorker Hotel and a tour of the Associated Press.
Details:
Date: Friday April 9 to Saturday April 10, 2010
Time: 1 to 5 pm
Location: CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, 219 West 40th Street, New York, NY
Attention MBAs working in or interested in digital media and technology … it’s time for the 2nd Annual Digital Media MBA Career Event! It’s a great opportunity to network with MBA students, execs from hiring companies, as well as other members of the local digital media community. You’ll hear a fantastic keynote speaker, TheLadders.com CEO Marc Cenedella, who has a great perspective on the current recruiting market for MBAs in the NYC digital media space.
Details:
Date: Monday April 12, 2010
Location: The Gansevoort Hotel rooftop, 18 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY
Schedule:
• 5:30 pm Doors open
• 6:00 pm Keynote speech by TheLadders.com CEO Marc Cenedella
• 7 to 9 pm Open Bar
Cash bar thereafter, so feel free to continue networking!
Admission: $20
A few questions from Allison Hemming for the instructor of the recent Academy course “Nail That Presentation!”
How does one get ranked as one of the top ten public speakers overall in the United States?
Way 1: You answer a Village Voice classified ad, pay 25 bucks, and wait for an official certificate on which “ten” is in quotes and “speaking” is misspelled.
Way 2: As a collegiate forensics competitor, you qualify for Nationals in several events, and do well enough in each of them to rank 10th or better overall. It’s like the “all-around” in gymnastics (though the similarities end there).
You won the collegiate National Championship in after-dinner speaking and the Massachusetts State Championship in persuasive speaking. Coming off the Winter Olympics, should we think of after-dinner speaking as the curling of public speaking?
I’m going to say it’s more like the half-pipe. After-dinner speaking involves conveying a serious point through humor, so – like snowboarders – we have to be showy, clever, and charismatic. And some of our neckties were wicked-cool. None of us had a nickname like “The Flying Tomato,” though it’s possible I’ve been called “The Rather Fast-Moving Potato Latke” behind my back.
You’ve coached competitive college public-speaking teams from Penn to Seton Hall and were inducted into the National Forensic Association Hall of Fame for your contributions to the practice of competitive public speaking. How does that translate to your being the best darn presentation coach The Hired Guns Academy has ever seen? (And, “forensics”? Does that have something to do with CSI?)
Most presentation coaches have acting or directing backgrounds. To them, public speaking is just another kind of performance. But I think your best bet is being yourself, and finding your inner confidence, not doing a Tony Robbins impression.
My approach and tactics come from the world of competition, in which you have seven minutes to conceive and deliver a five-point speech on a topic you only received seconds ago. While they didn’t improve my college dating life, those skills have worked wonders for my professional ascension, and I’ve been successful sharing that insight with my students. Basically, who would you rather have teach you how to tear up a half-pipe, Shaun White or some dude who wrote a book about snowboarding?
(Regarding the CSI kind of forensics, I don’t know my way around a dead body, but I can take my sunglasses on and off with panache should it become necessary to do so.)
So … I was a little nervous about adding this class to The Academy lineup. Not because people don’t need it (they do). But because I am quite confident that a huge number of Hired Guns in our creatively-focused network would rather drop trou and sing a duet with the Naked Cowboy in Times Square than give a speech to a room full of strangers. How do you get someone over their primal fear of public speaking?
The truth is, confidence cannot be taught, bought, or transferred. But it can be coaxed (even without the help of ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-al-cohol), and it can even be faked. For starters, knowing what the hell you’re talking about really helps. It also helps to realize that your audience wants you at the very least to simply save them from boredom. The more public speaking you do, the more comfortable it will become, and comfort conveys confidence, so you might as well start right away. I’ll also give extra credit to anyone who takes the course AND sings naked in Times Square.
Do you think that there is a “Dancing with the Stars” meets “Biggest Loser” reality show in your future? Roll with me … how would that competition go down exactly? What paces would you put people through?
It’d be more like “The Apprentice” meets “Shark Tank” meets “Survivor: Midtown”. We could call it “Speak Your Ass Off!” I want to be Simon. Or Ellen.
And if you get a show out of this, you know I’m your Ari Gold, right?
Not if you come down with mercury poisoning when I need you most.
Brass tacks here: after someone takes this class, it’s clear to see that they will give a much better keynote address or be a better participant on a panel. But how does that translate to improved interviewing skills?
An interviewer wants to see the same things a panel audience does: confidence, competence, and strength. Everything else is on your resume anyway. If you can speak before a large audience with power and conviction, you should be able to do the same for a job interview. The main differences are that, during an interview, you don’t need to project your voice, you need to listen as much as you speak, and the topic never changes. It’s always “Why I’m gonna rock your world.”
Closing thoughts … what are the last three things you always do before taking the stage?
Ingest caffeine … check my hair and nose … make sure I’m wearing pants.
Personal branding secret?
Connect with bloggers who write about the ideas you’re selling, and know that self-promotion is not a crime, so long as you don’t call attention to the fact that you’re calling attention to yourself.
Role: Director of Marketing (1841)
Client: Global Media Company
Location: New York, NY or Miami, FL
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a marketing pro with online direct marketing expertise and TV exposure to become the Director of Marketing for our client, an integrated media company with a portfolio of television, radio, and interactive offerings. They’re readying an amazing array of new digital products with the potential to springboard the company to the next level, and it will be your job to lead the marketing charge that will make it happen!
Gun Profile:
You are an e-tailing maven with amazing experience in both acquisition and retention marketing strategy. We need someone who can be a producer as well as a manager. The DNA required for this role is highly intra-preneurial, inventive and curious. You’re a natural diplomat, and you can sell your ideas up the chain of command as well as to the troops. Although you’re strategic, you’re first and foremost a doer who enjoys rolling up your sleeves and making it happen.
Experience with the Hispanic market and direct response marketing is important, Spanish language fluency ideal. And if you have solid DRTV experience, it’ll be a home run.
The ideal candidate will be a well-rounded marketing professional with 8+ years of related experience, including media, marketing, and Hispanic. An aggressive self-starter comfortable in a fast-paced, hard-working environment. A strong creative thinker and communicator; well-organized, disciplined, detail oriented. A strong background in digital media and online marketing is essential. Also important is the ability to be effective in a matrixed organization.
The Nitty Gritty:
This is truly a dream job for the right marketing gun who is both strategic and roll-up-your-sleeves tactical. No two days will be the same. Your job is to increase sales of the businesses assigned to you (including a prepaid payment card business and an e-tail store) by taking the “firehose” of millions of television viewers and moving them into the sales funnel so that the company can upsell them additional products and services. You will do that by developing acquisition and/or retention marketing strategies appropriate for each offering. You will set up infrastructure for e-newsletters, CRM, etc. You should know best practices for DRTV, SEO, lead generation, search engine marketing, affiliate marketing, and social media and have a strong understanding of PR as an online traffic driver.
You’re a ROI junkie who gets into campaign management and web analytics (i.e. Omniture). Successful collaboration with internal teams is mission critical – internal partners include media divisions (e.g. network TV, radio, interactive), advertising sales, legal and, of course, corporate marketing and corporate communications.
You will be charged with developing creative and marketing briefs to position each project appropriately to internal and external partners. You will work with producers, the art department, writers, editors, and external partners on creative process, production and execution.You will supervise marketing plan execution, including on-air spots and integrations (television, radio), interactive campaigns, and grassroots initiatives. You will rigorously manage/adjust direct response programs to deliver payout. Long-range marketing planning and day-to-day management and its responsibilities will fall on your shoulders.
Inside Skinny:
If you have a strong Direct Marketing background that includes DRTV and experience working in TV and e-commerce, you’ll get right to the top of the list!
Role: Regional Sales Director, Midwest (1836)
Client: Successful Start-up in Behavioral Targeting and Media Buying space
Location: Chicago, IL
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
One of our newest clients is an award-winning powerhouse start-up with an entirely new approach to behavioral targeting and media buying, and they’ve come to The Hired Guns to find them a Chicago-based Midwest Regional Sales Director. This company is already highly successful, run by seasoned online advertising veterans and financially backed by a who’s-who of prestigious venture capitalists. They’ve just closed another round of nearly $6 million in funding to finance huge anticipated growth. Want to be a part of that future?
Gun Profile:
The ideal candidate is an assertive, well-connected industry insider with experience selling online branded campaigns to A-list interactive agencies, preferably in the Midwest regional market. Not only do you have tight relationships with media buyers, you also have senior-level contacts at the top digital shops. When they hear you’ve got something new and amazing to show them in the realm of behavioral marketing, they will gladly give you the opportunity to pitch them, because they already know you and trust your judgment.
You have at least 5 years of experience in a mid- to senior-level role selling online behavioral products or related online technology solutions. You have current senior-level contacts at all the key interactive agencies in the Midwest and can hit the ground running, setting up meetings with key players upon arrival. You have management experience overseeing other sales managers while also being a stellar individual contributor.
Nitty Gritty:
This position reports to the EVP of Sales, a well-respected and experienced executive with a long track record in the industry. You will be charged with building the Midwest region: hunting for prospects, qualifying leads and filling your pipeline with meetings with media buying agencies. As Regional Director, you will be individually responsible for hitting aggressive numbers, then building and managing your Midwest regional sales team.
Inside Skinny:
Opportunities to grow a business and build your own team are few and far between, especially at a company like this one that’s still in entrepreneurial start-up mode, but well-established and on a very fast growth track. If you get in now, you will make an enormous impact – not just to their bottom line, but to your own.
Role: Account Executive with New York sales team (1835)
Client: Successful Start-up in Behavioral Targeting and Media Buying space
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
One of our newest clients is an award-winning powerhouse start-up with an entirely new approach to behavioral targeting and media buying, and they’ve come to The Hired Guns to find them a New York-based Account Executive. This company is already highly successful, run by seasoned online advertising veterans and financially backed by a who’s-who of prestigious venture capitalists. They’ve just closed another round of nearly $6 million in funding to finance huge anticipated growth. Want to be a part of that future?
Gun Profile:
The ideal candidate is an assertive, well-connected industry insider with experience selling online branded campaigns to A-list interactive agencies, preferably in the New York market. Not only do you have tight relationships with media buyers, you also have senior-level contacts at the top digital shops. When they hear you’ve got something new and amazing to show them in the realm of behavioral marketing, they will gladly give you the opportunity to pitch them, because they already know you and trust your judgment.
You have at least 2 years’ experience selling online branded campaigns and are passionate about online marketing and advertising. You have at least 1 year of experience selling behavioral targeting and/or online advertising technologies. You enjoy the energy of an entrepreneurial environment and love the hunt. You are a natural evangelist and a master closer.
Nitty Gritty:
This position reports to the EVP of Sales, a well-respected and experienced executive with a long track record in the industry. As an individual contributor, your days are spent hunting for prospects, qualifying leads and filling your pipeline with meetings with media buying agencies where you will pitch the online behavioral targeting products and related display, rich media and contextual sponsorships. Using your consultative selling approach and strong closing skills, you will directly help grow the business!
Inside Skinny:
This is an exciting position at a healthy start-up for an experienced online media sales manager who is seeking an opportunity with a solid base, an aggressive upside on commissions, no cap, additional bonuses and a full benefits package. If you see yourself as a being a key player in a fast-growing company, this job is for you!
Role: Product Manager (1837)
Client: Collaboration and Information-Sharing Site for College Students
Location: New York, NY
Type: Open to both Freelance and Fulltime. (Equity potential!)
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a visionary Product Manager (either freelance or fulltime) who can come into a well-funded start-up that may have an IPO in its near future. This tech-focused company is developing a game-changing online collaboration and information-sharing website targeted at college students. Studying, note-sharing and group projects will never be the same again.
Gun Profile:
You know how to build successful online ecosystems and absolutely adore bringing products to market and, more importantly, evolving them. You understand that analyzing the business, developing the product offering and getting to beta is only 2% of the equation – the other 98% of success comes in the execution, through the constant care and feeding of the online experience after the launch. All of this said, you know the ins and outs of what makes a terrific product manager and can scope product roadmaps and functional requirement docs with the best of ‘em. You personify grace under fire when it comes to managing development cycles and are fanatical about user experience and good design.
You’ve worked at media sites targeting 18-34 audiences and have a rock-solid understanding of how to build sticky ad-supported sites that keep users coming back day in and day out. Our client would go ga-ga for a product manager who has developed UGC-rich, high-traffic community sites. More brownie points for serious social media chops.
The Nitty-Gritty:
Our client has a great site already in beta, and they want to make it even better for launch. So they need a real product pro who can simplify current site processes, introduce best practices, and drive a production site out the door in your first few months on the job. Once that’s achieved, you’ll get to innovate new and exciting product features, roadmapping them as you go.
You will come on board at an exciting time. This company is already cranking, having relationships with over 120 universities covering tens of thousands of classes where students can meet and exchange information and feedback. The current business model is ad-supported, but they are working on many other potential revenue streams, including sponsored market research and job boards. As mentioned above, this company is viewed as a strong IPO candidate, so having equity in your package really means something!
The position is based in Manhattan, with some travel.
Inside Skinny:
The CEO of this company has an amazing track record, including the sale of a $100 million business, so you’re joining a team that knows how to hit home runs.
Net-Net:
If you’ve got the gumption to reinvent student collaboration on the Web, and you want a shot working at a pre-IPO company where you’ll get a potential payoff for all your ideas and hard work, this gig’s for you.
Role: Events/Meetings Coordinator (1839)
Client: Leading Investment Bank
Location: New York, NY
Type: Long-term Freelance
Overview:
The Hired Guns are working with one of the leading players in the Investment Banking arena to find a freelance events/meetings coordinator for its Institutional Marketing and Event Planning group. This is a great opportunity for a dynamic recent college grad or someone looking to gain entry into marketing and events within the Investment Banking sector.
Gun Profile:
You spearheaded the seventh grade school dance, and haven’t stopped since – you’ve got event planning in your blood. We’re looking for a highly professional multi-tasker who has excellent phone presence and tremendous attention to detail. You’ve got a Bachelors degree and the standard skillset (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access), but it’ll really come down to that shining personality of yours. We want to see that you’re the consummate professional: articulate and comfortable on the phone, dazzling in your organizational skills, a flawless attention to detail, all while maintaining a positive, outgoing demeanor and an ability to work with a wide range of people.
Nitty Gritty:
You will be learning the ins-and-outs of the business by providing general administrative and office support for a variety of marketing and event professionals. In addition, you’ll be expected to manage planning and calendar updates, organize vendor visits and vendor materials, and set up meetings and the like.
Inside Skinny:
This client is only interested in exceptional people, so be prepared to demonstrate what makes you just that. And it’s worth the added effort – landing this gig will set you up for any and every event and meeting planning opportunity you can imagine down the line.
Net-Net:
This is a tough world to break into – here’s a shot at getting your foot in a big, heavy, rarely-opened door!
Role: Creative Director (1743)
Client: Major Job Board
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a Creative Director for our client, a major job board. Your design style is elegant, sophisticated, efficient, with a distinct point of view. You have designed for large-scale sites and/or software. And you are a naturally talented inspirational leader who will motivate and inspire the design team and the company as a whole.
Gun Profile:
To be seriously considered for this gig, you must have an outstanding portfolio working on well-known brands and major content and/or commerce experiences. Your designs must lead users through transaction paths that work in an intuitive fashion. Your portfolio demonstrates a command of industry-standard design tools and a track record of creating clear and useable – yet still beautiful – site interfaces. You’ve got a modern, clean aesthetic. You’re a risk-taker, an opinion-maker and an innovator.
And you’re no pixel pusher! You’re a critical thinker who stands up for your ideas. You think about problems holistically, and yet still synthesize ideas quickly. Information Architecture experience and training are a must. Hard skills with Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks), Flash, Ajax, HTML5, and CSS are nice to have, but what’s more imporatnt is that you understand web development technologies – their power as well as their limitations. Your team won’t be required to code, but you should know how far the technologies can be pushed (and push you will!).
You’re an inspiring mentor and manager to junior designers and a key player in the client-facing team, so great communication skills and impressive leadership abilities are a must. You’re a terrific collaborator, confident in your own talents while cognizant of the key roles played by others on the team.
Nitty-Gritty:
The number one requirement for this job is that you be a designer who has built large and complex products in the past. They could be large-scale e-commerce or social networking sites or even software. Your super power is that you can visualize massive amounts of data into a digestable human scale. You are a designer who lives for “flow” – you absolutely know how to move a user elegantly through a process. The ideal candidate will have designed a site from scratch or handled a massive relaunch. Constant evolution is inherent in your style.
In this role, you will translate wireframes and other requirements documents into first-class user experience designs. You and your team will also design functional user interfaces for all online properties and products. You will enforce and evolve the style guide. About 20% of your time will be dedicated to concepting and executing creative for the marketing department, including online DM campaigns, e-newsletters, Flash banners, and offline collateral. You will be the design lead, but you are very much expected to get your hands dirty and do some design yourself. You will be reporting to the head of UX, so fantastic IA skills are a must.
This company is hard-driving, filled with the kids who were top of their class. That means we need a real design visionary with similar initiative and incredibly high standards. Moreover, we want a fresh eye and boundless energy – somebody who can sit down and actively brainstorm to improve the product and move the needle aesthetically with features and functions.
Inside Skinny:
From your future boss: “This industry is incredibly challenging – the depths and complexities are interesting. And great design will help job seekers navigate emotional nuances in an important way. At the company, you will find a real drive and energy to succeed. And there is still a lot of room to shine and be a star. We reward innovation, drive and initiative.”
Role: Director of Marketing (1826)
Client: Online Advertising Technology Provider
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns are seeking a Director of Marketing for our client, a company that is destined to revolutionize the way digital display advertising is bought and sold. They need your savvy, connections and intuition to market to their end clients – brands that are major buyers of display media. Our client’s product will give them exactly what they’re hankering for: major ROI. And they will get it through real-time access to large, highly targeted web audiences via this platform. This high-visibility role, reporting to the President of the company, offers a rare opportunity to be a key strategic player in an exciting and entrepreneurial advertising technology company.
Gun Profile:
You are high-energy, customer-focused, creative, and able to thrive in an entrepreneurial environment. You’ve got at least four years of experience doing product marketing for online advertising applications or platforms and have been exposed to the advertising and media industry for even longer than that. Your background has turned you into an expert on the entire online ecosystem: you have a profound understanding of the complex interconnections between online publishers, ad agencies, ad networks, and the brands. You’ve been known to brainstorm and debate online business models with a fascination verging on obsession. In short, you live and breathe this stuff.
But you’re way more than talk and blue-sky ideation. You have a track record of consistent success in achieving your individual and shared goals. You’re an excellent writer and communicator. You’re a charismatic leader and an effective cross-functional team player. You have played many different roles in your career and have a highly versatile skill set that includes project management, event management, copywriting, and editing. You have superb problem-solving and analytical skills. A bachelors degree is required, masters a plus.
Nitty Gritty:
Our client has developed a scalable enterprise-level ad technology solution that offers a truly differentiated way to buy display ads in real time. As their Director of Marketing, you’ll be responsible for marketing their products to end users, partners, and customers. That means you’ll be the strategic mind in charge of high-level marketing and communication plans, market sizing and segmentation, competitive analysis, product/service definition (in collaboration with sales and product management), positioning and messaging. But you’ll also be the tactical and executional hand on the tiller, carrying out the marketing plans and overseeing product launches, PR, advertising, website development and execution, conference/event and trade show management (including user groups and customer advisory boards), and the production of sales tools, collateral, product release notes, white papers, and more. This is a very hands-on role involving constant and intense collaboration with every functional area within the company.
Inside Skinny:
This is a next-generation technology company that has aggressive growth goals. And you’ll be jumping in at a time when being one of the first people in the company means something.
Net-Net:
You’ll be able to look back and say you helped steer the ship when the online ad business was reinvented.
Role: MarComms Expert (1831)
Client: Marketing Communications Consultancy to Financial Services Industry
Location: New York Area
Type: Freelance (part-time, long-term, off-site)
Overview:
A boutique consultancy providing marcomms expertise to the financial services industry is seeking a highly versatile and experienced marketing communications professional interested in a long-term, part-time freelance gig. You’ll be charged with running marcomms, soup-to-nuts, for a client in the hedge fund software space.
Gun Profile:
You’re a seasoned marketing pro who has experience across the whole marcomms mix. A track record of at least five years in marcomms for financial services companies is required (exposure to the hedge fund space is an added plus). You’re a fantastic writer and speaker with a great sense of “what sells”, in terms of product/company positioning and getting publicity. In addition, your skill in project management and your knowledge of production have enabled you to implement marketing plans without a huge amount of in-house support and infrastructure. You are highly tech-savvy, meaning that you know what tools are out there (think social media, search, analytics) and how companies in the financial space can benefit from them.
Nitty Gritty:
You will function as a “virtual CMO” for the hedge fund technology client, able to create marketing plans and strategies, write collateral, web copy, and press releases, handle advertising and publicity, craft presentations and speeches, and more. On top of that, you’ll need to implement everything you come up with, by working your existing network of vendors, developers, and press contacts, and knowing how to grow that network when needed. We’re looking for someone who can devote about ten hours a week to this client for about a year’s time (with potential for a longer-term relationship if all goes well).
Inside Skinny:
We’d love to hear how you have worked miracles in the past working solo (or close to it). Also, you’ll score big points if you can show us how you would help this client use social media effectively (emphasis on “effectively”).
Net-Net:
This is a great opportunity to show off the whole suite of skills you have developed throughout your impressive career, and a chance to jump back into the game or position yourself for a step up.
Role: Entrepreneurial Product Manager with Online Platform Experience (1821)
Client: Online Marketplace for Publishers and Content Creators
Location: New York, NY
Type: Open to people seeking either a full-time job or a freelance/contract gig
Overview:
The Hired Guns have been tapped for another “first-time-ever” for our client, a large, profitable and growing e-commerce company that is building an online marketplace connecting publishers with content creators. Our client already successfully serves the digital media content community, and now they are looking to develop and launch a new product that will further leverage these relationships. If you’re an inventive and entrepreneurial Product Manager, listen up!
It’s the perfect gig for the right gun. You’ll be given the business case. And you’ll build a product from scratch right out of your very own brain. It’s a brand-new site, brand-new strategy, brand-new development environment, brand-new everything! You’ll be reporting to the Director of Corporate Development and the CEO, which reflects how high-profile this effort is.
Gun Profile:
You’re an an up-and-coming, talented and hyper-entrepreneurial Product Manager who has matured product ideas from initial concept to launch, working directly with engineers and other business units to make it happen. You have a track record of building successful products from a business case roadmap, and your dream is to create something big that you can truly call your own.
We’re looking for someone in the digital content/web publishing, SEO/content optimization or crowd-sourced syndication space, preferably with e-commerce experience and – if possible – experience developing and managing online marketplaces. Experience working at or with companies like eLance, ODesk, LivePerson, Associated Content, or GLG would be terrific.
Nitty-Gritty:
In this role you will create an online marketplace for content services that brings buyers (publishers) and sellers (content creators) together. You will also build an accompanying workflow platform. The core marketplace will be supplemented by a community experience for the seller/content creator side of the market, so experience building a robust and active user base is key. The team will be small to start, so you need to be able to work independently and take initiative. Since this product doesn’t exist now, you must have excellent envisioning skills so as to create a very usable experience, either through your own efforts or by providing clear conceptual direction to an outside UX designer. If this product is successful (and we know it will be!), you’ll be given the reins to run a business with complete P/L around it.
Inside Skinny:
This role’s proximity to the top dogs at the company ensures that as you excel, you will get to carve out your own senior management role, driving a business that you built.
Net-Net:
If you’re hankering for autonomy and product ownership from start to finish, this is the place for you.
The U.S. media community is grappling with unprecedented complexity and change in the planning and research methods used to expedite marketers’ communications programs. To bring order to what sometimes seems like chaos, the ARF is holding its first 360 Measurement Day Workshop. The ARF Measurement Day Workshop will help the community better understand: The Marketer’s Perspective on Channel Planning … Touchpoints: Will This Work in the US? … Media & Agency Positions on Channel Planning … and much more.
Details:
Date: Friday, December 4, 2009
Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Location: The Time Warner Building, Screening Room, 1 Time Warner Center, New York, NY
Admission: FREE to ARF members, non-members $595
Wednesday evenings through the fall, the MFA Interaction Design Department welcomes visiting lectures in an intimate series to inspire conversation, pursue change, and incite creation. Each evening gives way to discussion with the lecturers and guests.
Brandhackers is a monthly Manhattan Meetup and social network showcasing prominent and rising digital marketing opinion leaders and providing an environment that brings people, technology and brands together.
On Monday, December 14th, Brandhackers hosts Joseph Jaffe, author of best-selling marketing books “Life After the 30-Second Spot” and “Join the Conversation”. With the continued fragmentation of the media and proliferation of media options, the balance of power has shifted from the marketer to the individual. In “Join the Conversation”, Jaffe discusses the changing role of the consumer and how marketers must adapt by joining the rich, deep and meaningful conversation already in progress. This book reveals what marketers must do to become a welcome and invited part of the dialogue, and how to leverage and integrate the resulting partnership in ways that provide win-win situations for businesses, brands and lives.
Details:
Date: Monday, December 14, 2009
Time: 5 pm to 8 pm
Location: Red Sky, 47 East 29th Street (between Park and Madison), New York, NY
Presentation and Pre- and Post-Networking
Admission: $10 with advance online registration. Space is limited.
The seventh annual Vail Film Festival (helmed by veteran Guns Sean Cross and Mike Liss) is accepting film submissions in all categories! Regular deadline was November 16; late deadline is December 14 … for information visit VFF’s submissions page. The festival will take place April 1 – 4, 2010 in beautiful Vail, Colorado. Visit www.vailfilmfestival.org for all the details.
What’s great about freelancing during the holidays? Going shopping or ice skating while everyone else is stuck in meetings. What’s even better? Being invited to an office party that doesn’t take place in an office, doesn’t require you to make small talk with a boss’s spouse, and carries no risk of doing something embarrassing in front of cubicle mates. Join fellow freelancers for some holiday cheer and share your plans for the new year. Space is limited, so RSVP as soon as possible.
Details:
Date: Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Inc Lounge at Time Hotel, 224 West 49th Street, New York, NY
Announcing the ITP Winter Show 2009, a two-day exhibition of recent interactive works by the students of ITP. Free and open to the public.
Details:
Dates and Times:
Sunday December 20 from 2 pm to 6 pm
Monday December 21 from 5 pm to 9 pm
Location: 721 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY
Free of charge, no need to RSVP
Our pals at SMITH Magazine have a new Six-Word Challenge and an especially cool prize.
The Challenge: Your Six-Word Resolutions. Reveal your plans, hopes, dreams, motivations, and mistakes you hope not to repeat in 2010 in just six words.
The Prize: Six people will win an advance copy of SMITH Mag’s upcoming book, It All Changed in an Instant: More Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure. The SMITH Mag people will also invite some of their favorite resolution writers to talk about their six words live on The Leonard Lopate Show on Tuesday December 29. Here’s one we love already, from Robin Slick of Philadelphia: “I promise to tolerate one hipster.”
Established in 1964, the ANDY Awards honor creativity in advertising throughout the world, recognize the contributions of individuals and companies who create the work and encourage raising the standards of craftsmanship in the industry.
Call for Entries:
Deadlines:
January 4, 2010 for work that has/will run between November 20, 2009 and February 3, 2010.
Student competition entry deadline January 8, 2010.
(The deadline for work that has run between February 3, 2009 and November 19, 2009 was November 20, 2009.)
Visit the ANDY Awards site for further entry details and information.
The only course series of its kind! The AD Club is proud to present this course series, presented Wednesday evenings throughout the fall and winter in Midtown Manhattan. (You can still register for individual sessions, which start up after the holidays on January 6, 2010.)
Advertising and Marketing 101 offers a thorough overview of the advertising and marketing process. Since 1929, the course has provided over 5,500 advertising professionals the opportunity to learn more about their industry from industry icons. The casual course setting, broad range of topics, and top talent leading the sessions all combine to make this a valuable experience for people just entering the field as well as seasoned professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve.
Role: Editor (1719)
Client: Publisher of City Guide Website Covering Multiple Asian Cities
Location: Hong Kong
Type: Freelance to Fulltime
Overview:
The Hired Guns have been tapped by our client, a major media publisher, to find a rock star Editor for a new city guide site, written in English, focused on Asia, and based in Hong Kong. We’re looking for someone who has experience with local, city, lifestyle, and/or travel content. A true passion for finding interesting things to do and cool places to go is essential. But most importantly, we are looking for an editorial leader who can create, cement, and communicate a distinctive voice that’s knowing, irreverent, and unexpected. The opportunity to do your thing in Hong Kong (or, if you’re already there, to do a big new thing!) is the icing on the cake.
(Alert Guns may notice this is familiar: it’s the same gig we posted a couple of months ago under the title “deputy editor.” The client is still looking and has decided to upgrade the title to “Editor”, with a corresponding bump up in the position’s stature.)
Gun Profile:
We’re looking for a modern editor here, meaning you can find, assign and edit great talent, but you haven’t lost the chops to be an effortless writer in your own right. You can churn out fast, funny, resourceful, must-read info in an Internet minute. You are a turbo-charged idea generator, able to spot a story in mainstream media, ricochet off of it, and turn it into the kernel of a “must-share” read that you can assign or write yourself. You need to come in with just the right kind of sensibility and infectious zeal that will give rise to the site’s voice and gene-splice it into the reportorial DNA of your entire staff. You’re fast, and you get your writers to be fast, too. You’ve worked in a tight deadline environment (online publishing obviously preferred) covering lifestyle, pop culture, news (local/city preferred), or entertainment. Experience living, working and traveling in Asia is a big plus. Got a blog of your own, or better yet acted as editor for a multi-contributor blog? More points to you! You must have experience working with CMS and a keen understanding of SEO. (If you don’t know what those acronyms mean, this gig isn’t for you, but study up for next time!)
Nitty Gritty:
You, dear Editor, will marshal your ideas from vision to execution, developing everything from new features to columns. The site is set up with an “umbrella” home page that takes the visitor to half a dozen city-specific subsites. A big part of your job will be to “own” the home page experience, highlighting the best material from all the city sites (and writing headlines that are catnip to the search engines) and setting the tone through the editorial voice you will establish. It is also up to you to influence and guide the city-site editors and all the writers to soak up that voice and propagate it all through the entire site experience.
On top of that, you will be charged with generating original story ideas that entertain and inspire users to such a degree that this site becomes their daily addiction. You will be a driving force in editorial meetings and the story creation process. You will develop, manage and expand a network of freelance contributors in the region. You will also be charged with writing multiple daily posts on top of your editorial duties.
Inside Skinny:
You have a unique voice and attitude as well as a passion for what’s hip, what’s new and what’s happening: prove it with your pitch letter to us. Demonstrate that you’re a top-tier editor who is adept at everything from traffic management to partnership development to SEO, and you’ll go to the top of the list!
Net-Net:
If you’re an irrepressible wellspring of ideas with the discipline and communication skills to encourage, provoke and guide a regional team of City Editors from various backgrounds, this gig’s for you!
Role: Director of Marketing (1794)
Client: Rich Mobile Media Advertising and Analytics Provider
Location: New York, NY
Type: Client is open to qualified Guns seeking either freelance/contract or fulltime
Overview:
Mobile is here …
This rich mobile media advertising and analytics company is a true innovator with a proven executive team that keeps ahead of the pack. They’ve come to The Hired Guns to find them a Director of Marketing who will be spectacularly successful at marketing the company’s products and services to publishers and evangelizing to agencies. This is a rare opportunity to be a vital player at an NYC-based start-up led by one of the best minds in the digital advertising industry. You will be reporting directly to the CEO and the SVP of Sales and Marketing.
Gun Profile:
The Gun for this gig will be an energetic self-starter with 5 to 7 years of hands-on marketing experience in rich media, ad-serving, and/or mobile at an interactive agency, interactive media company, or interactive technology company. You have worked at a senior level to implement channel marketing and digital marketing, establish positioning, guide marcomms, and arm the sales and business development folks with training, programs, and tools.
You bring superb writing skills, an impeccable eye for design, impressive speaking and presentation abilities, and an unstoppable drive to succeed.
Nitty Gritty:
As the leader of this company’s entire marketing effort, you will develop and execute internal and external marketing communication plans and tactics. Having a firm grasp of the industry, rich media and mobile in particular, will be crucial in helping to create the messages, positioning and tactics that will empower the sales team to target publishers and woo agencies. Specifically, you will be expected to develop and deliver product overviews, sales tools, white papers, case studies, industry press releases and thought leader outreach. You will lead the execution on new product launches, advertising campaigns, trade shows and conferences. You will also work with senior management on competitive analyses, product and service definitions and positioning.
Inside Skinny:
Along with all of your industry and functional knowledge, you’ve got to demonstrate an ability to “feel the pain” of the sales team and media buyer. Effective marketing for this company is directly tied to empathizing with online publishers, so thinking like a media buyer will really make you an expert resource.
Net-Net:
You are entering an entrepreneurial environment, with all the excitement, responsibility and risks that come with it. If you are a leader and a doer, not only will you love this job, you will have the chance to impress some of the biggest names in the industry and rise with them as they grow.
How to Apply:
Please email your resume (in Word format), three samples of or links to your work (e.g. one-sheeters. presentations, marketing collateral, whatever you think demonstrates your accomplishments) and a detailed cover letter explaining why you are our Gun for this role to mobilemediamktgdir@thehiredguns.com.
Role: Support/Training Analyst (1739)
Company: Global Financial Services Firm
Location: New York
Type: Freelance
Overview:
A leading investment bank is seeking a highly professional and technologically adept individual to provide support to clients needing assistance with their event and meeting registration site. This freelance gig is expected to last 6 months, with strong potential to be extended longer depending on fit and business needs.
Gun Profile:
You’ll be dealing with the firm’s highly valued clients, so a friendly, helpful attitude, professional phone manner and endless patience are essential.
You must be comfortable assisting clients over the phone in navigating the registration website, so prior experience as a technology product trainer, customer support or help desk representative or similar experience is necessary. A general knack with technology and stellar Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) skills are mandatory, as is some experience working with Microsoft Access. (You will be tested on your Office and Access skills.) Bachelors degree preferred.
We are looking for one to two years’ overall work experience in a corporate environment. This is an investment bank, where expectations are high and things move fast. So you need a can-do attitude, a confident communication style, and an ability to project a professional image.
Nitty Gritty:
The lion’s share of your job will be supporting clients on the registration site and process. In addition, you may be asked to perform reporting and administrative tasks as well. That’s where your general skill with technology and Microsoft Office and Access knowledge come in: the more things you’re good at, the more they’ll need you and want to extend your stay!
Inside Skinny:
To succeed here you’ll need to be able to handle whatever comes your way with courtesy, patience, and a winning attitude.
Role: Vice President of Marketing (1787)
Client: Key Player in File-sharing Space
Location: New York, NY
Type: Direct Hire
Overview:
The Hired Guns has landed an exciting new client, creators of a multi-award-winning file sharing product that continues to wow the tech press with innovative features that make sharing large images, video and audio files a snap. These folks are well on their way into the start-up stratosphere, becoming one of the top three players in their category only two years after launch and forging key strategic relationships with social media sites and email providers. They’ve come to us to help them find a brilliant and seasoned VP of Marketing to craft and implement B2B and B2C marketing strategies that will drive explosive growth (and a spectacular multiple on the company’s equity!)
Gun Profile:
Our dream Gun for this key role is an energetic, hands-on marketer who thrives in entrepreneurial situations and lives for the fast-paced, competitive and high-stakes environment of start-ups. You have always had an overwhelming desire to be number one in anything you do, and you have a track record of successful marketing programs for game-changing online or software products. You’ve got the necessary skills to lead all the marketing efforts for a dynamic start-up that needs to hone messaging, ensure consistency and target both business and consumer markets. That includes marketing strategy and tactics, public relations, lead generation, customer acquisition and retention, revenue generation, improving sales performance and executing effective digital marketing programs.
You are passionate about bringing emerging technologies to market and relish the “new”, but you also have the wisdom of experience (with both gold stars and battle scars to prove it). You can do the “vision thing” with the best of them, but at the same time, you are known as the implementer who can be counted on to deliver.
You have a bachelors degree and an MBA from top schools, where you got excellent grades. You have at least ten years of product and marketing experience, including a successful stint at a Web 2.0 company. Bonus points if you’re an entrepreneur in your own right (and/or an expert skier!)
Nitty Gritty:
Your job will be to deliver world-class B2B and B2C marketing strategies and then execute them across all appropriate channels. You’ll be responsible for defining positioning and managing product launches, including the launch plan, client and internal communication, and coordination of go-to-market activity with the business development and marketing teams. Marketing communications including collateral and presentations will also fall within your portfolio.
Inside Skinny:
Be warned – this client is obsessed with excellence. There is no room for second-placers. They truly want you to prove that whatever you put your mind to, you do it for keeps and better than anyone else in the room. Sorry if this sounds too hard-core; it’s where this client is at, and it’s who they want to see for this very senior, highly visible role. They will actually ask what your GPA was (and if things get serious, they’ll want proof).
Net-Net:
If you land this role, you will not only be compensated with a very competitive salary but with a juicy slice of equity. A slam dunk in this job will make you an industry darling (and possibly a millionaire). Hey, we told you this was hard-core!
Thousands of teens have flocked to SMITHTeens to share their life stories in six words. The result is a new book, “I Can’t Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure.” NYT’s columnist David Carr calls it “Fab … a must read!” Now, join us for a Reading and Open Slam at the New York Public Library on November 10 for a night of self-expression, storytelling, and secret sharing—all in just six words. Write a six-word memoir and read it up on stage! Check out this 90-second video preview.
Details:
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Time: 5 pm to 7 pm
Location: New York Public Library South Court Auditorium, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Fifth Avenue & 42nd Street, New York, NY
Admission is Free More Information
Role: The Foodie (Editorial/Product Visionary) (1759)
Client: Major News Portal
Location: New York, NY
Type: Long-term Freelance
Overview:
The Hired Guns have been tapped by a long-time client to find an editor/editorial strategist who loves and lives food, wine, and dining. They’re looking for someone to build a team and create a voice and strategy for a new site/blog that’s all about your greatest passion in all the world!
Gun Profile:
You’re the gourmand. When it comes to selecting restaurants or wine, all eyes turn to you. You write about it compulsively, but more importantly, you live it. And have a very distinct POV about what needs to be written and shared about it. In fact, you know where the white space is in a very crowded universe … that missing je ne sais quoi amid the cacophony of websites, blogs, magazines, TV shows, books, and all the other outlets covering all things food. Alas, perhaps you’re trapped inside a media machine that has big budgets but is terrified of trying new ideas, and you don’t have the bank to launch a new property by yourself. If this sounds like you – and you have the fervor and experience to run this baby like it’s your own dime on the line, then this gig most definitely could be for you!
Nitty-Gritty:
Food. It’s everywhere, and it’s become a celebrity in its own right. Our client wants someone with a fresh approach that will keep people coming back to the tasty web buffet only you know how to create. You have a recipe in mind for the ultimate gastronomic media experience – replete with a tone and voice that will capture the imagination (and eyeballs) of the world. You have a gut instinct for the right mix of ingredients that will bake up into a deliciously compelling brand, one capable of becoming nothing less than the dominant foodie destination for the next decade and beyond.
You’ll hand-pick and manage a team of knowledgeable blo
