anne hubben, creative career coach         anne@rubycreatives.com 917.834.0354

in need of some extra cash?

Monday, May 24th, 2010
 
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If so, you’re in luck, because between now and Labor Day, Ruby Creatives is offering $250 to anyone who refers a new 3-month client to me for creative career coaching.  I’ve been very lucky to get so many referrals and the time has come to say “thank you” with something everyone can appreciate – money.   So give it some thought, share my info with your creative friends who might benefit from some career coaching and I’ll let you know when they’ve hired me.

And remember, there’s a free 45-minute session to anyone who would like to see what career coaching with me is like.  Just email me and we can schedule a time.

Posted in general ruby news, self promotion | No Comments »

googling yourself: not just for your ego anymore

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
 

I used to just google myself for the hell of it, after I’d exhausted old friends, ex-boyfriends, crushes, and oh yeah, all those professional things that you use google for like researching who you will be interviewing with.  But now it’s not just for your ego anymore.  It’s a very good idea to know what links come up under your name.  It’s even more important if you are in social networks or write online articles or blog posts.

First, do a search, check it out, then set up a Google Alert that can comb the internet for anything new.  For me, it’s mostly my name attached to Twitter from either my own feed or something I’ve said that has been retweeted.

But, once I did find an article that was attributed to me that I hadn’t written.  It was creepy. Especially since it was a political column and although it was pretty innocuous, I was struck by how easy it would be for anyone to write something with someone else’s name on it!   I had a few moments of panic as I blamed myself for putting myself out there like that. But, there are many people putting themselves way more out there than I am, so how could it happen to me?

Fortunately, I did some digging on the article and it turned out that it was a division of another company that I had written something for.  I wrote my contact at the organization and he very quickly took care of it.  It was an internal mix-up.  I was very relieved.

But, what I learned is that you really do have to stay on top of it.  If i hadn’t had the Google Alert set up, I never would have found that article. It also confirmed my belief that you can’t believe everything you read on the internet.

So, go ahead if you’d like, put yourself out there, make comments, write articles, blog, register for conferences, but google yourself from time to time.  This applies to you even if you’re not on Facebook or Twitter or even Linked In because if you’ve run a local race, or attended a benefit, your name is probably online.  The fact is that the line between our personal and professional lives gets more and more blurry, as we live more and more on the internet.  There’s not a whole lot we can do about it, but it doesn’t mean that we’re helpless.  It’s a matter of taking responsibility for your name,  your reputation and your “personal brand.”

Posted in be ready, communication, self promotion | 2 Comments »

the many fine lines of writing a cover letter

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
 

I’m working with a couple of people now on cover letters, and I get asked about them a lot, so I thought I’d write about them today.

The most common mistake that I see people make with cover letters is that they’re too stiff and formal, and the result is that it tells me nothing about the person which defeats the whole purpose.

Granted, in creative you can be a bit more casual, but that’s not even the point. Part of why a cover letter is requested is to see how you communicate, so here’s your chance to show this as a strength. When someone copies their letter out of a book on “how to write a cover letter” it’s obvious.

Also, there’s a fine line between being too casual and being yourself. There’s that same line between being professional and being too over-the-top ingratiating.

All these pointers can be paralyzing so what I often suggest to my clients is to write out a first draft of your cover letter as if you’re writing to a friend. Tell that friend clearly what your background is and what you want to do moving forward. Then, take a second pass at it and write as if you’re writing to someone that you want to date. You want to impress them but not sound too full of yourself. You tell them why they should go out with you. Again, it’s a fine line.

Then, if you’re writing to a specific company, you need to do your homework and add something about why you want to work there specifically. Nobody, not even large companies want to feel like they’re one of several people that are receiving the exact same cover letter. You also want to explain what you can offer them. Not in a cheesy “here’s what I’m going to do for you” way or “let’s make some money together” way (yes, I’ve received those letters). But more like “I bring experience in online recruiting in nontraditional ways such as yada, yada, yada”

Some things to watch out for:

1 — Using humor. Another fine line to navigate. Not everyone can pull this off, but in the creative industry, it can give you a leg up if you do it successfully. You’ll want to run this letter by someone you trust. My sister is someone that will tell me that I sound like a dork. She’s caught several of these moments on my blog, and I’m sure there are plenty more that she hasn’t caught in time.

2 — Writing too much. That doesn’t really need an explanation other than 2 or 3 paragraphs is probably enough depending on what you have to say (and the length of the paragraphs). If you’re explaining a career transition or a gap in your resume or you’re reaching higher than you’re qualified for, then you get an extra paragraph.

3 — Show rather than tell. Instead of saying “I’m an excellent communicator” just be one. Instead of saying “I’m a team player” point out a project that illustrates collaboration.

4 — Be genuine. Ask a friend who will tell you the truth if your cover letter sounds like you. If it doesn’t, ask for some direction as to why it doesn’t and then tweak.

What I often hear is that people hold off on applying for a job so that they can get their cover letter together. This is how we lose out on jobs, so it’s a good idea to have a basic one ready to go. One that you’ve shown someone else to screen for the above points or any others that you think of. Then when the perfect job presents itself, you just have to gear the cover letter more specifically for this job.

So take your Mom’s advice and be yourself, but be the best version of yourself.

Posted in communication, problem solving, self promotion, solutions | 2 Comments »

capacity building for creatives — free coaching session

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
 
I sent this offer out to my mailing list a few days ago and now i’d like to offer it to you. If you would like to be on my mailing list, please email me or comment below. If you’re already on it and received this info, then come back tomorrow for a new post.
I’m offering a Free 45 minute Coaching Session called:

Capacity Building for Creatives.
What does this mean?

It’s a chance for the creative person to take a look at where you are in your career right now and ask yourself whether you’re making the most of it. Do you have the information, the tools and/or the motivation to be your best at what you do? 

Here are some possible scenarios of people who could benefit from this call:
• You’re working at an agency that’s doing great work, better than you could have hoped for, but you’ve got a new boss who looks at you like you’ve got 3 heads. What do you do?
• You’ve been at the same design firm for 5 years, you’re grateful to have a job in this market, but you can’t help but wonder what the next 5 years could look like. Who can you discuss this with who doesn’t have their own agenda?
• You’ve been at this new digital magazine for 8 months and it’s starting to feel like it’s not what they said it would be. How could you make it better?
These are just a few examples of who might like to talk with me to get your wheels in motion. I will listen, ask questions, make observations, offer suggestions or resources if you’d like. At the end of our call, if you’re interested in hearing more about how coaching works, I’m happy to share it with you. Sometimes, one call is enough to get you going and figure things out on your own, or you might want to continue working with me on a regular basis. Either way works for me.

To schedule a call, please visit my online scheduling page. Or look over to the left and i’ve got a fancy new “Book Now” button.

Posted in self promotion | No Comments »

looking for a change? be specific

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
 

My last post about tweaking your job search made me think about something else that I think is important and that’s being specific about what you want to do next. My sister refers to this in her guest post about networking and I often talk about it with my clients.

It could also be relevant if you like where you work now, but feel that you’d like to make a change. The change could be taking on more responsibilities or even creating a whole new role. It’s important to be specific about what your vision is, rather than expecting someone else to fill in the blanks. Your employer or potential employer wants to know how you can help them, not how they can help you.

Yes, it’s important to be open to opportunities, but if you’re open in the “I don’t know what I want to do, I just know I need a change” way, then nobody is going to know what to do with that. It’s better to do your research and soul searching before meeting with anyone. Save the wondering and thinking out loud for your friends, family or better yet, your coach.

When I refer to research, it’s not just looking things up, but asking yourself questions like: what do I want to do? Who do I want to work with? What type of environment do I want to work in? Do I like buttoned up or casual? What are my strengths? What motivates me? Do I want to manage people?

By asking these questions, you eventually formulate a statement about or vision of what you’d like to do. It’s important that it’s concise and clear.

You could start with:

“I’d like to be in a role where I facilitate communication between the creative and technology departments.”

Then ask yourself why?

“Because the last 3 major projects missed their deadline and I’ve tracked the cause to miscommunication between these 2 departments.”

Why are you the right person to do this job?

“Because I started out as a designer but am now working in technology, I understand the challenges that both groups have and can communicate effectively with them as well.”

Now you put that together to get: “We need someone to facilitate communication between the creative and technology departments, since I’ve been both a designer and technologist, I’d like to take on this role.”

Then if this is an actual meeting, you could go on to list what you would do to create better communication. Show that you’ve given it some thought and you have a plan or a proposal.

If you’re looking for work, it might be something more like “With my background in design and technology, I’m looking for a role where I can bridge the gap between these two disciplines and facilitate better communication.”

Okay, so it’s a very simplistic example, but hopefully you get the idea and can apply it to your own situation. This could be called your Personal Brand Statement or Elevator Pitch or your Spiel. Run it by a few people that you trust to see if it comes across in the way that you’ve intended. Practice saying it so that it flows and you’re confident with it.

Once you’ve done this part, then by all means, be open to opportunities.

Posted in change, communication, goals, self promotion, state of mind | No Comments »

guest blogger: Deb Maltzman freelancing with Angela Denise

Monday, November 9th, 2009
 

I met Deb Maltzman when she was a much revered freelance ACD (copy) at Digitas. She also did the copy for my first website and did an amazing job capturing my voice immediately. I’ve always admired how in her career she seemed able to get consistent, steady work as a freelancer so that she could pursue things that she loved, like traveling. I’ve wanted to interview her for a while about how she pulls this off when I received this awesome promo piece that she did with her art director partner, Angela Denise. So I thought it would be interesting have Deb tell us how they do it. So here’s Deb:

I’ve been freelancing in NYC for 4 years.

About 2 years ago, I met Angela Denise (Art Director) while freelancing at Digitas. The first week she was there, we were thrown into the trenches on an insane pitch. Immediately, we clicked. We mostly liked the same stuff, and weren’t afraid to say when we didn’t. We were both quick decision makers, and could make stuff happen fast. And when one of us would lose our mind, the other one would become remarkably lucid.

And so, recently, we put together a self-promotion (debandangela.com) and decided to embark on a little freelancing adventure together.

How’s it going so far? After “launching” our site two weeks ago, we’ve already landed one gig. And hopefully, as you read this, we’ll be at one of the gigs we were approached about this week (fingers crossed).

Anne thought maybe we could give some advice to people thinking about becoming freelancers themselves. Here’s what we’ve learned:

You have to be seasoned. If you haven’t had a lot of experience working full-time in an agency, freelancing will be tough. That’s because you have to know how agencies tick. And the best way to learn that is working full-time.

You should be able to do work even if your desk is in the bathroom. I kid. But, seriously. Half the time when you’re freelancing, they have no computer and nowhere for you to sit. So if you need ideal conditions to get the job done, freelancing is probably not for you.

You have to be motivated to produce work on your own. Most times, freelancers don’t get the best assignments in the agency. And rarely do you get to produce anything. Do something to freshen up your portfolio – and enjoy the fact that there are no clients involved. (Check out this “spot” I shot while visiting my grandmother in Boca Raton).

You must never think you’re rich. Sure, as a freelancer, you get paid more. And sometimes it seems to pile up fast. But people tend to forget about those pesky things like taxes. And insurance. And two month dry spells.

You need be able to work with anyone and everyone. There are a lot of people out there who aren’t so great, and you’re going to be partnered up with them. Make it work. The luxury of switching partners (and complaining for that matter) doesn’t exist for freelancers.

You have to be able to live with the lull. Sometimes you’ll be so busy you’ll have to turn down jobs. And other times…crickets. On those days (or weeks) try not to drive yourself, and everyone around you, crazy. The work will come.

You must enjoy vacations and time off. Sounds like a joke, but it’s not. After all, one of the biggest benefits of freelancing is being able to take off for a month or two. The thing is, there’s no guarantee you’ll have work when you come back. If that thought freaks you out and ruins your vacation, there’s really no point in taking it.

You must visit debandangela.com. Be prepared to shamelessly promote yourself at all times. You never know where your next gig is going to come from.

Posted in advertising, collaborate, guest blogger, self promotion | No Comments »

how to convey your passion

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
 


Today I’m going to post an excellent article on how to convey your passion in your job search by a good friend of mine, and an exceptional recruiter and career coach, Carin Nardone. We became friends when we worked together at Organic and have stayed connected ever since as friends and supporting each other in our respective careers.

This week I happened to start working with 2 different companies on their hiring needs. When I work with a new company, I ask them not only for the ‘hard’ skills that they’re looking for, but also spend a good amount of time getting a feel for those intangible qualities that are about the heart of a company, or company ‘culture’. It just so happened that both companies said the most important quality they were looking for is Passion. It struck me that many job seekers may not know how to demonstrate their passion to land the job or progress in their careers. It is one thing to say that you’re passionate, and another thing to know how to convey it through examples in your work experiences (on your resume) and during an interview. This is a huge topic with many facets to it. For now, I’m going to talk about how to start the process of tapping into your passion to enhance your job search efforts.

Passion is clearly one those traits that will give you the edge in your job search and help you stand out in the eyes of employers. But what are employers really looking for when they say they want someone to be ‘passionate’? Here is what they tell me:

-They want someone who cares about doing good work

-They want someone who goes the extra mile and has a reputation for doing what it takes the get the job done

-They want someone who has an opinion and is a thought leader

-They want someone who cares about cultivating their career

When I see passion in job seekers and the professionals I work with, what I am seeing is the fire inside that naturally motivates them to stay on top of their game. Employers now more than ever want to see and feel this quality.

Here are some ways to infuse passion into your job search strategy or career:

-Continuing Education – PMP certifications, Graduate School, and leadership positions in industry specific associations are great ways to demonstrate your passion. Various industry associations like the American Management Association or Direct Marketing Association offer programs and courses that won’t break the bank, but will demonstrate that you’re committed and passionate about a particular subject area and about growing in your career.

-Writing and Speaking Opportunities –Just recently I was working on a high level Digital Media position. One of the first things this company wanted to see were examples of what the person had written and spoken about – they wanted to get a sense of their opinions and see that they were a thought leader. Blogs, writing articles and speaking opportunities are a great way to become known as a thought leader.

-Focus your Attention and Interests: I mention this because it is important to keep your passions focused. If you happen to be passionate about a variety of things, be sure to target your passions appropriately for a specific job opportunity.

-Interacting with Job Search “Influencers”: You have a great opportunity to convey your passion when you network with people who can influence your career. If you stay focused and clear, you can showcase your passion for the topics and subject matters that excite you.

-Interviewing: To me, passion doesn’t necessarily mean leaping out of your seat with excitement or being over the top. In fact many of my successful job seekers have a quiet enthusiasm, yet I can pick up on their passion when I interview them. When you care about what you do and are passionate, the answers to interview questions come easily because you have an opinion about things, you have examples to share that you’re proud of and are clear on where you were successful in your career and why.

Passionate people care about their work, they care about their clients, and they care about cultivating their career. And that is something I like to see – and what my clients like to see when I present resumes to them.

Career and Staffing Expert to the Marketing and Advertising Industry, Carin Nardone advises professionals who want to experience success in their job search and career. To learn how to jump-start your job search and experience greater career fulfillment, register for free ongoing articles at www.cnc-search.com

Posted in communication, interview skills, self promotion | No Comments »

the angst of self promotion

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
 

Recently a friend of mine who is an actor and stand-up comic, sheepishly handed me his card saying, “yeah, I finally have a card. It took a while, but I finally realized I need to have one.” And there you have it – most creative people hate to promote themselves. Normally, I might not have understood his reticence to make a business card, since personally, I’ve always loved having one – as if it confirmed that, yes, I exist. But being new at this blogging thing I have been experiencing some degree of discomfort at promoting myself so openly.

Giving my opinion on a blog is one degree of discomfort, and then getting people to read it is another. I imagine my friends on Facebook rolling their eyes at yet another status update to check out my blog. But then I get a few thumbs up, or a nice comment or a couple of friends in my neighborhood even said they enjoy reading my blog (!), and it seems worth the discomfort. The positive feedback balances out the angst. Also, like anything it gets easier with each post.

It was similar when I first joined any of the social networking sites. On Facebook, it felt weird posting my information, photos, etc. Then it became fun to connect with my friends and not such a big deal. Of course, anyone under the age of 35 is probably not relating to this post at all, but suffice it to say, posting your life online is not second nature for people over 40.

Then I discovered Twitter and since I already posted why i tweet, I’ll just say that in the beginning that also felt strange. I started by sharing a few quotes that I like, but gradually tired of that, and then someone tweeted to “quote tweeters” in general something like, “I’ve got a copy of Bartlett’s too, try saying something original.” Kind of judgmental, but he had a point.

So my courage grew as I realized that it’s impossible to read every single tweet that scrolls by so I might as well figure it out as I went along. It ended up being a nice warm up for the blog.

Once I got used to sharing in 140 characters, it didn’t seem so hard to blog. So back to my friend with the business card – I look at my blog as a business card of sorts. It offers people some resources if they need them, and if they’re considering working with me, they can get a sense of who I am and what my style is and selfishly, I like to write. I’ve found it to be a really good practice to have to come up with something 3 times a week (my personal goal).

My point in telling you all this is to say – yes, it can be hard promoting yourself, but guess what? If you don’t do it, nobody else will, except your Mom and that’s just embarrassing.

It’s a different world out there – you need to get the concept of promoting yourself, even if you don’t necessarily want to engage in it. It doesn’t have to only be online either. There’s the old fashioned way of attending events, requesting informational meetings with people – but have your elevator speech ready. Don’t work through your angst while talking to the Chief Creative Officer who you managed to get a lunch with.

Now I must admit, I’ve also met with my share of blowhard creative people, so if you’re reading this and thinking how great you are at selling yourself, just take a moment to do a little self examination. Maybe even reach out to someone who you trust and ask them how you come across. You want to be confident, not boastful. Proud, yet humble. Have an opinion or point of view, but not a closed mind.

But, back to the people who hate to sell themselves, just remember that to make a living, you have to do it. Some people do it better than others, and some people obviously have more fun at it than others, and some people are fun to watch as they figure it out. And it’s wonderful when someone is promoting something that you really enjoy to see, hear, read, taste, laugh at and hopefully admire and remember. That’s what it’s all about – getting it out there for the world to enjoy, and even better if you can make some money at it.

Posted in self promotion | No Comments »