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.

look around you – maths

“Maths” is another installment of the Look Around You series that teaches us to look around us and see our world in a new light. Maths is all around us. Watch the video to learn more about this amazing phenomenon.

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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epic movie trailer proposal

Wow. A lot of work went into this project to pull it off without a hitch. Good work, sir!

And thanks for raising the bar that much higher for the rest of us.

instagram, my new favorite app

The older I get, the more I seem to enjoy older things. Not things intended for older people, mind you. Rather, things that were once new, but are now old and considered “old fashioned.” Antiques without the stuffiness. If its hay day was between 1920 and 1960 I’m all about it these days. That’s why I LOVE taking photos with this new app: Instagram.

Instagram allows you to transform everyday photos taken with your iPhone into works of art. Most often giving them that “old timey” look and feel. The app is 100% free and comes with heaps of custom filters, borders and depth-of-field options to make your photos as unique as you.

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step-saving kitchen demonstration from 1949

I’m always so fascinated with stuff from the first half of the 20th century. This video demonstrates the step-saving “U” kitchen design, a revolution in farm kitchen design. It’s small, but not cramped and has zero wasted space. It’s a great example of where form and function meet. I really like how much research and thought went into this design. Update the hardware and I’ll take it.

stan walker | black box

I love when I’m introduced to new music. This one comes from Stan Walker, Australian-born winner of 2009′s Australia Idol. Enjoy!

Stan Walker – Black Box by jinzo

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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drop it like it’s hot

Over the next few weeks I’ll be on a street team for the new Sun Drop campaign. Those of us from the South know that this isn’t anything new; that Tennessee is “Sun Drop Country.” But people here (Metro DC area) have never heard of such a thing.

So I’m helping get the word out by handing out free cans of Sun Drop to college and music festivals. It’s actually a pretty cool gig. Plus, who does like free stuff?