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Archive for March, 2009
Microsoft Finally Wins a Battle
The new Microsoft ad shows a young, redhead driving around in her cool VW, (I am partial b/c I too drive a VW) searching for a laptop under a $1,000. She first stops at an Apple Store and quickly comes out empty-handed. Delivering the line, “I’m just not cool enough to be a Mac person.” She would have had to more than double her budget to afford the laptop she wanted.
Ever since this ad started running last week Mac users everywhere have been going crazy. The first arguments I heard were, “Lauren” wasn’t even a real girl, as portrayed in the commercial, she was an actress. And the scene where she goes into the Apple store was staged. Well, duh, weak arguments. That doesn’t change the fact that their computers are CRAZY expensive.
Macs are cool. They really do have the flare that everyone wants from a computer. Most of us learned how to use a computer on an Apple. When the time came for me to buy a laptop a few years ago, I just didn’t have the money to buy a Mac laptop.
So, congratulations Windows, you finally got a good “one-two punch” on Mac. I doubt it will last long though.
The Simple Things in Life
I have had the same email address with Yahoo! since 8th grade. I have never been someone who opens new email accounts every year. But two years ago, I got a Gmail account. It changed my life. With all of the technology in the world, my email account is one of the top 3 most important. Many choose to be addicted to Facebook, I choose my email.
Gmail allows me to stay in contact with my closest friends much better than Facebook. As many people face at work, we are not allowed to IM. My last company did not have the most sophisticated IT department, but they were very serious about not downloading any instant messaging programs. Gmail allowed me to chat within the same window without downloading any special programs. Two years and never got caught. I guess when you are chatting with other co-workers you can assume you won’t be the only one getting in trouble.
The folks at Google are constantly finding ways to improve Gmail. I hope I am not the only crazy person who checks the Gmail Blog religiously.
It is the one thing that you take for granted until you don’t have it. One of my small obsessions, I guess.
March Madness
I see why they call it “Madness”. It truly takes over your entire life. Once you fill out the bracket, you are committed. I do not follow each team’s season, or ANY team’s season for that matter. But once I pick my team, I upgrade my normal competitiveness factor by 100.
I decided to stick next to my boyfriend and pick Louisville as the Champion. I don’t usually choose a team just because he does, but it is nice to have someone to cheer with. Last night, we “watched” (or followed I should say) the entire 2nd half of the Texas/Duke game from my cell phone. We were refreshing my phone browser every 15 seconds, dying for Texas to pull it through. We are both from Texas, but he is a TRUE Texas boy (Houston).
I grew up in Austin, but was never that attached to Texas, which for most is unheard of. Texans are very proud. I think the disconnect may be because my parents nor aunts and uncles were from Texas. I also feel like because we grew up in the suburbs of Austin, we were never around the cool parts. People are IN LOVE with Austin. When you say you are from Austin you win big points with folks, but I just never had that same connection with the place. Also, it is a much different city when you are 16 compared to 25. If I went back to Austin today for a week vacation and did all the cool Austin stuff, I think I would fully understand the obsession.
Even with the disconnect to my hometown, I still wanted Texas to win their game and am sad they didn’t.
Go Louisville!
Twitter Explosion
Am I the only person who has received an increasing amount of new followers on Twitter in a short period of time? I have not been the best at keeping up my Twitter status since joining last year. I went several months without receiving any new followers and in the last 3 days I have received several, some friends, family and old colleagues and some completely random people and small businesses trying to market themselves. Maybe it is just because I am trying to become more active on Twitter, or maybe it is blowing up.
The Social on CNET is reporting that Twitter grew more than 1,300 PERCENT in ONE YEAR. Nielsen credits a large
(Credit:Nielsen)
part of Twitter’s success to its mobile accessibility. Twitter has received an insane amount of press in the last few months. The ladies on The View discuss “tweeting” every day on their show. Twitter has taken over the world.
Feel free to follow me (@Keosha). I will do my best to update more than every 3 months.
To Tweet or NOT to Tweet
When not to Tweet. Some people just don’t know when to keep their opinions to themselves.
Excited about his job prospect, he Tweeted:
Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.
Of course, because he is not the only person on Twitter, an executive from the company responded:
Who is the hiring manager. I’m sure they would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the web.
Genius!
Job Search: Part Deux
No one really wants to hear anymore about how impossible it is to find a job in this market. Anyone looking for a job is obviously well aware of the difficulty involved in finding a job and what compromises are necessary to simply get a paycheck. There are thousands of books on Amazon.com giving advice on how to make your resume stand out on the hiring manager’s desk. These days, you would be lucky if someone took the time out to print off your resume. Now, you simply get one click and scroll of the mouse. You have to convince that person to just open your email.
New Media has definitely changed the game for finding a job in 2009, especially if you are looking for a job within the Communications/Marketing/PR industry. You are expected to be on the forefront of the social/new media. There are a few essentials to revamping your “first impression”.
LinkedIn, the professional networking site, is an absolute necessity to making the best first impression. I think it is a certainty that the employer will search for your profile. Because most communications professionals are present on the site, I believe it would make a weird impression to not have a profile. As everything you do, there shouldn’t be any major misspellings or errors, but I don’t believe you NEED a robust profile. You just need to have A profile.
Carbonmade is a digital portfolio website. You are lucky if you get the interview in order to show your portfolio to the hiring manager. So, uploading your writing samples, graphic design pieces and press clipping to the website and add your personalized link to your resume. Giving everyone a chance to get to know your work style and experience before meeting you. And, like most other services, it is FREE. See mine here, Digital Portfolio.
VisualCV, is a really impressive website. It gives you the opportunity to have a flashy resume, complete with your portfolio, videos and any other fireworks you want. My sister, who just completed her Master’s studies soon, sent this to me. She has been in school her entire life, but doesn’t have much “real world” experience. So, her VisualCV gives her the opportunity to show off her skills and portfolio in an amazing fashion to make up for her lack of work experience. See the IMPRESSIVE samples here. One of my favorites.
I am sure there are many more that I do not know about. Please send comments on other sites that can help with job search “First Impressions”.
Ciao!
Favorite Things
Lenny Kravitz, my love...
Today is essentially my birthday. Well, it is February 29, Leap Year, so if this was a leap year it would be today, the day after February 28. So, happy birthday to me from my favorite person…LennyK
I will never forget that day, during my sophomore year of high school, when I got to meet you. We went backstage before the concert and as soon as we walked in the room you put your arm around my shoulders. As we walked to the wall where we would take the picture, I said to you, “I like your glasses!” WHAT?!? WHY?!? Why couldn’t I think of something better to say!!!!!!!!! I will forever cringe at those words.
Oh memories!
