Thanks for your rejection. Seriously.

Over the past two years I’ve had interviews with some amazing companies who all have something in common. They all told me no. Whether they actually followed up and said “Thanks for your time, but the position has been filled.” or left me hanging with no follow-up, they all said no. After two years of interviews and applications, and living in two major cities, I was never able to get a full time job.

Even STARBUCKS didn’t get back to me. Starbucks! And I’m a former employee. (I don’t understand it, either.)

I’ve heard it’s easier to get a job when you have a job. And from the look of it, and seeing my employed colleagues move onto new jobs, I can believe that.

To date, I have 164 emails in my “Job Applications” email folder. This contains both application notices and rejection emails.

This is not a pity post, or a plea for empathy. I honestly feel that I’m the closest I’ve been in a long time to doing what I’ve been created to do. And I wouldn’t be here (literally) if, say, Porter Novelli said “Yes.”

Just for fun, I’ve complied a list of everyone I can remember interviewing with and applying for. These are in no particular order:

Interviewed with:
Southwest Airlines Head Quarters
Nordstrom Head Quarters
Samaritan’s Purse Head Quarters
The National Partnership for Women and Families
Porter Novelli
Bates Creative Group
INM United
American Forest Foundation
Edelman/StrategyOne
World Hope, International
Relevant Magazine
Vineyard Vines Head Quarters
Crosspoint Community Church
Asurion Head Quarters

Applied to:
Warner Music Group
Jibe
Emma
Starbucks
Cirque du Soliel (how cool would THIS have been?)
TPAC
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
MTV
CMT
Thomas Nelson
Sony Music Group
Gaylord Entertainment
Dave Ramsey
HealthSpring
The Home Depot Head Quarters
DC Water & Sewer Authority
Twitter Head Quarters
Facebook Head Quarters
GAC
American University
RedPeg Marketing
Show Hope
Disney Imagineering (Social Media & Video Communications)
American Progress
ISEP
Living Social
Living Social Adventures
Nissan North America
Global Impact
Huge, Inc.
Halogen TV
American Public Health Association
Perkins Eastman
Jason Communications
NBC Universal
The Ellen Show
Maximum Impact Churches
Blackboard
Ketchum Washington
APCO Worldwide
CoStar Group
Paladin
MDB Communications
Forest Hill Church
CIRCA
Jaleo Crystal City
B-Reel
Creative Circle
AKQA
DDB Talent Management Group
Aquent
National Wildlife Federation
Doorways for Women and Families
Project Hope
Atlantic Media Company
Central Intelligence Agency (yes, even the CIA! – But I couldn’t tell anyone in case I actually got an interview)
USA Today
Intelsat
MarketArt
District of Columbia Public Schools
Home Builders Institute
The People’s Church, Spring Hill Campus
Discovery Channel

Wow… now there’s a list! And to everyone above I want to say thank you! Thank you for not hiring me. I feel more than ever that I’m closer to where I need to be in order to do what I’ve been created to do.

I’m producing two films first quarter, I’m screenwriting, I’m having a blast. Granted, I’m also waiting tables and dealing with some pretty crazy customers, but I’m the happiest I’ve been in two years! And it’s not about the money (clearly.) It’s about doing what I’m supposed to be doing. The money will follow. (I pray, dear God, that the money will follow.)

Some would look at a list this size and feel like a failure. I look at all those doors that didn’t open and then look at the ones that did and I’m encouraged.

Now, that’s not to say that I’m content to remain under-employed. I’m not. There’s a difference between being HAPPY and being CONTENT. I believe that happiness is a choice, and contentment is a catalyst. Am I content with where I am financially and professionally? Heavens no. Not at all. But am I happy? Yeah, sure. My discontentment drives me to create change and keep chasing certain lions.

Someone once said to me, “You’re like my husband. Never happy with what you’re doing.” And to that I say, “I’m VERY happy with what I’m doing. I’m the happiest I’ve been in two years. TWO YEARS! But I’m not content to stay this way.” That’s the difference.

So again. To everyone who told me “No” over the past few years, Thank you. For the ones who are going to say “Yes!” in the coming months, I say “Let’s do this.”

the #hiretoby campaign

It’s no surprise that I’ve been trying to get a full time job for the past two years. Why it hasn’t happened yet is beyond me, but I continue to trust that God knows what He’s doing.

For the past year, I’ve been working as Communications Director for Inside|Out Global (much more on this later…) but since we don’t have any funding, I’m needing to find something “officially” full time (salary & benefits). It’s time. I’ve been on my own for the past three years operating my own design company and it’s time I get paid twice a month every month.

That I want a job that uses is social media is the reason I’ve decided to use it to get a job. Enter the #hiretoby campaign. What better way to show I have a good grasp of social media than to actually USE it.

I’ve created a website aptly called http://hiretoby.com that houses a general cover letter and includes my resume. My social media links are listed there as well as my references. It’s a place free of distractions, ads, and other people. It’s all about me, my abilities and experiences.

On twitter I write tweets as if they were coming from a personals ad in the paper: “ENFP seeks employer with benefits. http://hiretoby.com #hiretoby” and so on. I include the hashtag #hiretoby so I can search who’s talking about it and track the response.

Feedback for #hiretoby:

“…I love your [#hiretoby] campaign! Smart use of SM!” – @BevJack – Marketing & Social Media engagement for the GRAMMYs

“@tobysturgill love your use of twitter for seeking employment. Perfect example of what I was teaching career transition group, thanks! – @barnettwebsites – web designer, graphic design

“…[#hiretoby] is brilliant!” – @EmoryColvin – actress, production geek, founder of @dramaticncountr

So check it out, RT my #hiretoby tweets and get me a job! :-)

Augmented Reality… beyond the QR Code

I first started talking about QR Codes a year ago this month. That print is now interactive with them was my main statement and to my disappointment, none of my clients at the time wanted to utilize this new technology. “We want to see other people do them successfully before we jump in.” (Not something you say to an early adopter.) Since then, I’ve seen campaign after campaign successfully using Quick Response Codes. I’ve seen them on business cards (they’ll be on mine), on billboards, and catalogs. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve entered the Early Majority crowd. Come on in, the water’s fine!

As with everything these days, this concept has already evolved into Augmented Reality (AR): “in which a view of reality is modified (possibly even diminished rather than augmented) by a computer. As a result, the technology functions by enhancing one’s current perception of reality.” – Wikipedia.

I’m not concerned with how they do it. I’m more interested in how we use it. Marketers and advertisers are constantly having to break through the clutter and noise to get our attention. And since our smartphones and iPads seem to have a lot of that attention, it only makes sense for said groups to figure out how to use them. Enter QR Codes and AR Codes.

Here’s a great practical way to use AR Codes thanks to USPS:

And a brand becomes interactive in London with the same technology:

How can your business or product utilize this technology? The sky’s the limit. Hop on the bandwagon, there’s still room.

an interview with samaritan’s purse

Those of you that run in Christian circles probably have heard of Samaritan’s Purse. They’re a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. And I have an interview with them on Friday!

The position I’m interviewing for is their Social Media/Marketing Specialist/Communications opening. What’s even cooler is they contacted ME. They saw one of my shamless #hiretoby tweets on Facebook and wanted to set up a phone conversation. That led to a few more phone calls which led to a face-to-face meeting at their International Headquarters in Boone, NC tomorrow.

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making a career change

This past weekend I found a homemade cassette tape from 1987. My mom and I were playing “school” and while I was the only physical child in the classroom (our kitchen table), I insisted that she call on my imaginary classmates Johnny and Susie before I was called on with the right answer. The tape ends with me singing songs from The Sound of Music, a film that would become the bedrock of my childhood.

purchased from iStock Photo

Upon the foundation of inventiveness, music and imagination, a love for the arts and filmmaking was built. I could recite any song by Rogers & Hammerstein and I knew the script to Newsies backwards and forwards. I wanted so much to be part of these great films. I was fascinated by the behind-the-scenes segments and the how’d-they-do-that shows on TV. Any chance I got, I wanted to see what was going on behind the camera.

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Facebook vs Twitter

There’s nothing like a good info graphic, huh? Here’s one for Facebook and Twitter side by side.

How do you use Facebook and Twitter?

the most powerful colors in the world

Here’s a look at the colors of the brands from the top 100 sites in the world.

The web landscape is dominated by a large number of blue brands… but Red occupies a large amount of space as well. What’s driving this? You might want to say that carefully organized branding research and market tests were done to choose the perfect colors to make you spend your money, but a lot of the brands that have grown to be global web powerhouses, started as small web startups… and while large corporate giants with branding departments spend quite a lot on market research, user testing, branding, etc. Continue Reading

The next two weeks…

I have a great opportunity to work at The Park at 14th for the next two weeks. I’ve applied and am interviewing for a full time position there as their Project Manager. These next two weeks will be a trial period to see if it’s a good fit. I sure hope it is.

This was the ad I responded to: Would you consider yourself creative, artistic, and inventive? Are you organized, structured, and prepared? Would others say you’re hard-working, meticulous, and detailed? If you answered yes to all these questions, we want you! We are looking for a project manager to take lead in a busy, fast paced, demanding, yet entertaining atmosphere. Must have strong familiarity in graphic design and style! Excellent verbal communication and writing expertise is mandatory!

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how to promote your SM presence offline

Not sure how to tell customers at your brick-and-mortar stores that you’re also on Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare? Take a look at these examples at the Flickr group, Signs of Social Media, a gallery of signs that point customers online.

This is a screenshot of the back cover from the latest Crate and Barrel catalog. Note the two signs of social media in the bottom right-hand corner.

It’s amazing how social media is now a part of normal, everyday life. Marketing folks call this “online/offline integration.”

It looks a bit flashy, but it’s TGIFridays in Time Square so they’re on brand.

Greeting folks as they enter Dillard’s in Cincinnati (Glenway/Western Hills)

at Coffee Emporium in downtown Cincinnati

Interesting to see how Oreo pushes people to their Facebook page to engage with the brand. Note it says TELL US vs. FOLLOW US. Subtle but important.

HT: PR Daily

print is now interactive with QR Codes

ScanLife is a great app that’s making the Print medium more interactive. “Interactive Print” does sound a bit like an oxy-moron, but this just seems to be the next step in the Evolution.

ScanLife produces a 2D QR Code (boxcode) that can be programed to do a multitude of tasks. One code may take your smart phone to the ad’s website, or if the article or ad is about an artists’ debut album, the code might take you to iTunes to download an exclusive single. Or maybe the code is on your business card. Once someone takes a picture of it with their camera phone through the ScanLife app, all of your contact information can be automatically inserted into their contact/address book. That, is cool.

The way it works is simple. Download the ScanLife app from the App Store, “scan” (take a picture) of the boxcode/barcode within the app and let it take you to where you need to be. That’s it!

Now print ads can offer you more information about the product they’re talking about. Stores can now offer exclusive incentives to those with the app. Artists and musicians  can now sell tracks right from a print ad. Who knew?

Below are examples of how business are using ScanLife:

Esquire Magazine is using ScanLife as part of their  “Esquire Collection” which details the essential wardrobe that every guy should have.  25 codes are connected to each individual item throughout the layout which gives readers a menu of options in one-click.

Morgans Hotel Group celebrates their 25th anniversary with a code that links to video and offers.

Scan this code to see blooper videos of a Fanta commercial in Scandinavia.

This code links to the book’s Amazon.com page for easy on-the-go online purchase.

Scan this code to get animated desktop wallpaper from NIKE.

How can you and/or your business use ScanLife?