gunsworthy

THG @SXSW: Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You

Jim Hopkinson on February 21, 2012

salary, salary negotiation, THG@SXSW Comment

In preparation for next month’s SXSW Interactive, we’re profiling the Hired Guns who will be presenting. Up for today is Jim Hopkinson, the Salary Tutor, who will cover something very near and dear to our heart — getting paid what you deserve.

Salary Tutor: Become a Salary Negotiation Rockstar
Saturday, March 10, 12:30
Presenter: Jim Hopkinson

Your Twesume
(your resume in 140 characters or less):
I’m an author, speaker, and teacher on the subjects of new media, branding, and career development. Runner, sports fan, geek, city-dweller.

Why did you want to speak at SXSW?
I’ve attended SXSW the last three years, and have thrived off of the energy, the people, and learning about “what’s next.” I wanted the chance to give back to others. Since I love to speak and had something to talk about this year, I applied and got accepted.

Why Modern Marketers Need to Do More Than Just “Love Data”

Tom Burg on February 21, 2012

data, data analysis, marketing Comment

As I wrote in a a post last year, we’ve entered the era of using data to tell stories. Natalie Zmuda’s article in last week’s Ad Age, “When CMOs Learn to Love Data, They’ll Be VIPs in the C-Suite,” did a good job of explaining the other side of the data coin –- using data to inform and power marketing programs. Marketers haven’t been lacking for data; instead, the issue has been about how to contextualize the information and how to separate the truly important from the irrelevant.

THG @SXSW: Revealing Design’s True Power

Jeff Gothelf on February 15, 2012

design, innovation, THG@SXSW Comment

We have a bumper crop of Hired Guns presenting their ideas at next month’s SXSW Interactive. Over the next few weeks we’ll be profiling them, so that you can get a taste of their ideas — whether or not you’ll be making it to Austin yourself. Today’s selection, Jeff Gothelf, will also be cochairing next week’s AgileUX New York City conference.

Demystifying Design:
Fewer Secrets, Greater Impact
Sunday, March 11, 5:00
Presenter: Jeff Gothelf

Your Twesume
(your resume in 140 characters or less):
Interaction designer, author of upcoming book on Lean UX (O’Reilly, June 2012), founding partner at Proof.

Why did you want to speak at SXSW?
SXSW offers an international audience of creatives and technologists with whom conversations about the web, design and technology are always interesting and diverse — plus it’s one hell of a party.

Bullet Points: The End of “More Is More”?

The Hired Guns on February 14, 2012

Agile, bullet points, Facebook Comment

Hired Guns blogger Jeff Gothelf is cochairing the AgileUX NYC conference, to be held Saturday, 25 February — a few tickets are still available….
The neighbors are a little unsure about the new house that Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, is building. (It’s 40% bigger than Zuckerberg’s, but the Wall Street Journal opines that by “billionaire standards, [her] mansion is nothing special”).
Speaking of Facebook, it’s using you. [NYT]
Stanford University’s online “Introduction to AI” course attracted 160,000 students from more than 190 countries, with a median age of around 30. And about 23,000 of them finished the course. [The Guardian]
Have we reached the end of more-is-more when it comes to online content? Felix Salmon writes that “If we have reached that point — and I hope that we have — it’s a function of the way that the world of the web is moving from search to social.”
Valentines for the curve-loving economic wonk in your life. [Freakonomics]

THG @SXSW: Using an “Army of Interns” to Kick Your Business into High Gear

Larry Smith on February 13, 2012

innovation, internships, leadership, SXSW, THG@SXSW, work politics Comment

Marshalling Your Army of Interns
Tuesday, March 13, 3:30
Presenter: Larry Smith

Your Twesume
(your resume in 140 characters or less):
Mine is just six words: “Tell your story, that’s my story.”

Why did you want to speak at SXSW?
I’ve learned so much in the years I’ve gone to SXSW, and I’m thrilled to offer any knowledge I can back. This year I’m leading a “Core Conversation.” It will be a nice change of pace: rather than doing a panel or fancy presentation where I’m the “expert,” I’ll be leading a discussion in a room of very smart people sharing tips and experiences together.

Freelancers: How Do You Make Sure You Get Paid?

Allison Hemming on February 9, 2012

Freelancer Payment Protection Act, Freelancer's Union, freelancers, freelancing Comment

Earlier this week we asked you to familiarize yourself with the Freelancer Payment Protection Act and the Freelancers Union’s petition in support of it.

We ended up getting some great comments about it, and also got a whole lotta Twitter love. It seemed as if just about all of you had a story about getting stiffed as a freelancer — unfortunately, it almost goes with the territory. On the plus side, you’ve also given us some great ideas about how to avoid ever getting stiffed again, from basics about knowing your client to more advanced methods involving loan documents and copyright law (more on those later).

We’re not done yet, though — we also want ideas from The Hired Guns community-at-large. After all, it’s a pretty sure bet that all of us are going to spend some time in the free agent seat if we haven’t already. So let us know in the comments below, or on Facebook or Twitter:

What tactics do you use to make sure you get paid for the work you do as a freelancer?

Please take a minute to post your best-kept secret for how to get paid by a client who’s holding back the Benjamins and keeping you from putting food on the table. We’ll review the results and post a story that features the very best ideas!

The Hired Guns Poll: Where’s the Job Market Headed?

The Hired Guns on February 9, 2012

job market, polls Comment

This past couple of weeks have brought some hopeful signs for the economy. Last month, the U.S. gained 243,000 jobs. The unemployment rate is now “only” 8.3% — the lowest it’s been in three years, and that doesn’t seem like a fluke — it’s the fifth straight month of decline. In fact, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s first-quarter Survey of Professional Forecasters predicts that the economy will add an average of 144,100 jobs a month in 2012.

We’ve been here before — in fact, in the first quarter of last year it seemed as if the economic wind was at our backs, but it didn’t pan out. We’re wondering whether or not you think this one’s different. It’s worth noting that the rate of “long-term unemployed” (those unemployed for over 27 weeks) did not change, and that the worse and worse economic news from Europe isn’t likely to encourage much hiring.

With all this uncertainly, we wanted to turn to you, to see what you think the job market will do in the next 6-9 months. Pull out your crystal ball…

Poll not showing up? You can take it here.

[Image: Pablo Alvarado/Flickr]

Bullet Points: “I am a lousy copywriter, but I am a good editor.”

The Hired Guns on February 8, 2012

bullet points, David Ogilvy, job hunting Comment

Letters of Note reprints a key letter from advertising legend David Ogilvy. “I am terrified of producing a lousy advertisement. This causes me to throw away the first 20 attempts.”
30 Tumblrs to Remembr [Time]
8 Outdated Gadgets You Must Toss [Inc.]
Money.com rounds up 25 companies that each have at least 700 openings and talks with their recruiters to find out what qualities they want to see in candidates.
In the rigorously bro culture of today’s Silicon Valley, patterned socks are a major fashion statement. [NYT]

What You Need to Know About the Freelancer Payment Protection Act

The Hired Guns on February 6, 2012

Freelancer Payment Protection Act, Freelancer's Union, freelancers, freelancing Comment

If you’re a freelancer and you don’t get paid, just about your only recourse (after the phone calls and emails and maybe even in-person visits) is small claims court — a time-consuming, frustrating place.

Our pals at the Freelancers Union hope to change that with the Freelancer Payment Protection Act, which would extend to independent contractors in New York State the protections and rights that those on salary already get from the Department of Labor.

The law, which passed New York assembly last June, still needs the state Senate’s approval and governor’s signature. If it passes, it will be the first such law in the U.S.

When to Bring the Funny — And When to Leave It at Home

Joel Schwartzberg on February 3, 2012

humor, presentation, speeches Comment

President Obama got panned last week for a very pan-worthy joke about spilled milk he made during his State of the Union address. Should he have gone there? Should you go there? I often get asked if people should use humor in their speeches and presentations.

Frankly, it’s like me asking my wife if I should whip up a soufflé for our next dinner — or like Mitt Romney asking if he should sing at his next campaign stop. The answer is simple: do it if you can; absolutely not if you cannot.

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gunsworthy

THG @SXSW: Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You

Why Modern Marketers Need to Do More Than Just “Love Data”

THG @SXSW: Revealing Design’s True Power

Bullet Points: The End of “More Is More”?

THG @SXSW: Using an “Army of Interns” to Kick Your Business into High Gear

Freelancers: How Do You Make Sure You Get Paid?

The Hired Guns Poll: Where’s the Job Market Headed?

Bullet Points: “I am a lousy copywriter, but I am a good editor.”

What You Need to Know About the Freelancer Payment Protection Act

When to Bring the Funny — And When to Leave It at Home

Gunsworthy

THG @SXSW: Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You
by Jim Hopkinson

Why Modern Marketers Need to Do More Than Just “Love Data”
by Tom Burg

THG @SXSW: Revealing Design’s True Power
by Jeff Gothelf

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