I talked a few months ago about Will Johnson, who is an Internet Marketing Specialist at Uline, managing several major search campaigns. Dr Labrecque and I attended CADMEF's Okner Symposium at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater last Friday with our Internet and Marketing Technology classes and were delighted that Will was featured on the career panel for recent graduates.
Upon reflection, I think what distinguished Will in his job search was that he was focused and directed and that he explored all possibilities. Will did not just look online. He attended job fairs and networking events and contact targeted companies he thought would be a good fit.
Will delayed his graduation by a semester to take an internship at Zebra Technologies which led right to a job a Uline. Will knew that he wanted search as an initial career and at the end of his internship targeted companies that he thought would be a good fit. Will also remembered meeting Uline at a Meet the Firm night last year and, upon investigating further, saw there were some search jobs open. He was honest and said he had some experience at Zebra and then some experience from our Google Adwords Challenge last year but did not exaggerate. His focus, perseverance and integrity won out and Will is started on an excellent career. Not bad for someone who graduated two months ago. Congratulations, Will and stay in touch!
6 comments:
Attending all the different round-tables during the Okner Symposium really stressed the very idea that one cannot look just online for a job and be successful.
In particular, Chris Remington from Trivera really emphasized the importance of using all available information you have available when looking for a job. He mentioned that networking and calling companies that you are interested in was a great way to get started in searching for a job.
Listening later to Will Johnson talk about how he found a job, I was impressed when he mention he used many of the same techniques that Mr. Remington mentioned earlier during the round-tables.
It's interesting that much of the advice we received calls on us using methods such as networking and using more personal tactics that have little to do with many of the new technologies.
It was interesting that Will was willing to delay his graduation by a semester. It would seem like a huge step backwards for most college students in their 8th semester. However, Will really used this extra semester strategically in order to be better prepared for his entry into the working world.
This may be a topic that needs to be stressed more-particularly for those students not going on the get a Masters right away.
Students tend to be focused on finishing in 4 years, cramming in summer courses and taking 18 credit-hour semesters in order be done as soon as possible; when really they should possibly be thinking more about gaining valuable experience through internships.
The Okner Symposium was a great time. As a group, we enjoyed the round-table discussions that allowed us to interact with real-world interactive marketers to learn more about how IM is being used.
Similarly, the information from Will during his session was invaluable. We especially found value in his discussion about finding a job that fits you, not just going with a company that offers you a position. Yes, having a job is important, but a personal decision must be made as to whether you are willing to commit a few years of your life to a company even if you aren't fully on board.
Overall, the Okner Symposium was a wonderful experience and we were happy to have been given the chance to attend.
The Okner Symposium was a very informational and enjoyable experience. Our team, who are all current AMA members, have actually attended a Regional Conference that took place at UW-Whitewater too. However, the roundtable sessions at Okner were the best part, which weren't at the Regional Conference.
It was also encouraging to hear Will Johnson share his own personal experiences as a recent graduate. It proves yet again that the NIU Interactive Marketing program brings students great opportunities.
WHat was so valuable about the okner was not only the vast amount of knowledge be given to us by these various companies, but also the advice that each of these people where giving us on how to start our careers. Whether it be the career panel or will johnson talking about his success, they all gave us information that will be valuable while looking for a job in the future.
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