23.

“Oh, life”

When my good friend Jenny and I let this phrase escape our lips, we know what one another is saying:
“I’m completely overwhelmed with the direction of my life.”

Today is my 23rd birthday! Well, it’s my sister’s birthday too, we’re twins. She’ll be quick to point out that she is older by three minutes, but looks at least a year younger than me. When I celebrate my mature appearance, she doesn’t let me forget that, “when we’re 50, I’ll look years younger than you!” Humph.

I distinctly remember my 22nd birthday. I was freaking out about graduating and if you were to tell me that I’d be loving my job as a Social Media strategist for the Army’s official homepage, ARMY.MIL, I’d probably laugh in your face. It’s not that I can’t imagine working for the military (I’m a proud product of a military family) or that I wouldn’t want a job in social media (what could be better?). It’s just that, a year ago I would have never let a position like this enter my radar. I thought I knew what I wanted.

Graduating and transitioning into “the real world” is hard. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sitting here being a whiny, narcissistic millennial who’s asking to be coddled and doesn’t understand the value of a hard days work. Having a student loan, a car payment, and opting to live at home until I pay those off has certainly provided me with a VERY clear understanding of the value of a dollar. Despite these “debts” and “sacrifices,” I still consider myself very fortunate and well off compared to many of my peers.

Whats hardest is the glaring reality that nothing at this age is stable, though we are told we can have it all. We’re somewhat fresh out of college, wide-eyed and ready to take on the world, but trusted companies are failing before our very eyes, people our parents age are getting laid off, people our age are getting laid off, and our brothers and sisters are fighting a war halfway around the world.

…but despite it all, us millennials are excited about the future.

I’m so excited about the future, I’m overwhelmed.  The lives we are living, and are set to live are very different than any generation before us. My friends and I are not experiencing or following in the footsteps of traditional, “boomer-esq” post-college behavior. Unlike generations before us, we won’t have the same job forever. My friends are scattered all over the world, pursuing their passions, giving back and I can assure you, they’re not doing it for the money (that they’re not getting). The millennial’s and I are out searching for our passions, not our careers.

As exciting and empowering as all that sounds, it’s quite daunting and overwhelming too. It might even bring you to say, “Oh, life.”
How can I pursue my passions, pay off my student loan, move out on my own, contribute to my community, and cherish those around me?
That’s a pretty tall order, but I’m learning to force myself to step outside of this vision and remind myself:

I’m young! Despite the fact that 23 sounds old (I know, I know), I am so blessed to remain excited about the future, even if I cannot have the future I want at this very instant.

Yesterday I had coffee with a friend who’s in a very similar situation. We’re both military brats, living in the same town we went to high school in, living with our parents post graduation and we’re both completely restless.

“We’re gunna be alright…we’re going to be better than alright,” she concluded our conversation with.

I’m confident that she’s on to something.

This year, my birthday present to myself is a pledge of perspective. I can have it all (or at least a good chunk of it), but it doesn’t have to happen overnight.

If you’re more seasoned than I am in this game of life, please feel free to leave me some birthday wisdom.
What was 23 like for you? What surprised you? What didn’t? Any advice?

Want a Job? Don’t say this in your next interview

“I don’t even know why I was called about this position”

Recently, I had the opportunity to co-interview a candidate for a position my company was looking to fill.

The candidate showed up 15 minutes early, was well dress and seemed personable. I wish I could say that it was the start of a very great interview, but I can’t. All twenty minutes of the interview were horribly awkward and disastrous.

A few “high-lights” include:

-Her cell phone rang
-She fiddled with her purse on the conference table throughout the interview
-Direct quote: “I don’t even know why I was called about this position”
-She never mentioned how she would actually do the prospective job or why she would be good at it.
-The Web site’s URL listed on her resume was her name, but redirected to something equally as childish as “www.snuggly-carebear.com”
-She generally failed to show any enthusiasm about the position.

Needless to say, she didn’t get the job.

It felt very “full-circle” getting to be on the other side of the table. Having just been hired in late October, my mind was pretty fresh on the “do’s and don’ts” of an interview: dress well, be prepared, know about the company, be excited, show off your skills, etc. I can’t say I’m an expert on how to get a job or how to ace an interview, but I ended up snagging a job in this turbulent economy when more than one person was up for my position.

My biggest strategy was to be over prepared. Before I went in, I made sure that I knew the company’s mission, understood the job description, and more importantly, I was prepared to show off my skills and how they would help the company achieve its goals.

In my interview, I brought my portfolio, showed the team my blog, and described how my work on previous projects had prepared me to take on the position I was interviewing for. I brought crisp resumes and an “about me” page that included a brief description about myself and  links to my blog, twitter, and LinkedIn profile.

For those of you entering your final semester of college I would recommend you start putting together a portfolio of your past and current work. You’ll be surprised to see how much you’ve done and how it actually relates to jobs you might want to pursue.

Don’t confine yourself and only highlight conventional skills, think out of the box. My portfolio includes writing samples, power point presentations, short bio’s about my extracurricular involvement, and  screen shots of the Shop Boysz MySpace Page (Yes, Party Like a Rockstar) and Amy Winehouse’s Facebook Page (Rehab, yes, no, yes, no…yes) that I managed while interning at Universal Music Group. Before I put anything in my portfolio, I made sure I had a clear purpose for it and could describe succinctly how it reflected one of my skills.

I can’t say these are the end all, be all steps one should take, but I know they helped me. If you know yourself and know your skills, you’re ahead of more people than you think.

What tips would you include? Do you value conventional skills more than transferable skills?

Keeping our Passions in Perspective

As I wait tables and figure out my life, I manage a band. They’re called Earthtone and they’re some of the most passionate individuals I know. Honestly, these guys live and breathe for the opportunity to share their music with others.

A huge thing I love about them is their ability to dream big. To them, the sky is the limit and no idea is impossible. Personally, I look at life quite realistically- I think about all the “if’s,” “ands,” or “buts,” and evaluate the pros and cons before actually pursuing an idea. Now, this doesn’t mean I won’t pursue something if it seems “hard” or “impossible,” but I definitely consider and weigh the options before doing so; I want to know what I’m up against.

About two months ago when I became their manager, Earthtone decided that they wanted to perform at Howard University’s annual Homecoming concert, Yardfest. It didn’t matter that the deadline to register to perform had passed, these guys had it set that they would perform at HU’s Yardfest. They did their research, contacted the head of the steering committee, got an extension, and had their application and demo in his hands the following week.

Two weeks later, we got a personal call from the head of the steering committee saying Earthtone had been selected to perform and that they were among the top picks for the show. Yardfest is nothing short of a big deal: legends such as Jay-Z, Kanye West and Diddy (P.Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Jean, Sean Combs…tomato tomato) have graced the Yard. Needless to say, it was an honor for the boys to be selected and invited to perform.

This past Friday was Yardfest. I was up at 8am preparing and getting ready to face the traffic that would inevitability invade DC for the event. As we checked in and prepared to head backstage, the staff told us they were already big fans of Earthtone and were excited to see them perform. Shortly after checking in, Earthtone was called to stand on deck, they were going on next.

As the host introduced the group as, “a fresh sound out of Richmond, Virginia” the boys jumped up on stage and really got the crowd going. Up until the boys went on, the crowd had been quite unresponsive; Earthtone changed that. People were cheering, dancing, clapping, singing along (mind you, the song was new to the crowd).

While all of this was going on, I stood on the back of the stage with tears in my eyes. What I was witnessing was so beautiful: people boldly pursuing their passion. I felt so blessed to be able to help them do it.

With the state of the economy and lack of job security these days, it’s easy to loose sight of our dreams, and settle for security. Being a band manager is stressful, there really is no specific blue print as to how to go about it, and really, its not easy. But moments like standing on stage watching people I care about fully pursue their passion, reminds me why I decided to become their manager.

A few days ago I was organizing files on my external hard drive and I came across my application for admission to the Music Industry program that I completed in college. One part of the application required us to outline our “professional goals.”

As I read it, I realized that I was on track to achieving my goals in the music industry, it just it took the help of people doing what they love to remind me.

“I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve.
But I was outside Bagdad Theatre in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for 15 minutes, and he never opened his eyes.

After that I liked jazz music.

Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself.
It is as if they are showing you the way.”
-Don Miller, Blue Like Jazz

Earthtone and their Manager at Howard University’s Yardfest, October 17th, 2008

Spreading the “Good News” and Building the Church of Social Media

My good friend Emma was recently working at the AUSA (Association of the United States Army) annual meeting where she promoted the Army.mil site and shared with attendees how they are using social media to disseminate their message. In a recent conversation, she told me that the phrase “We’re just helping spread the good news about Twitter’s impact” kept coming out of her mouth; she had even managed to sign some attendees up for Twitter on the spot so that they could follow the Army’s updates (@USArmy).

Spreading the good news. If you’re familiar with Christianity, the Bible commonly refers to “Good News” as the message of Jesus Christ. Followers were and are still instructed to share with others this Good News because it is important for life.

We can relate this idea to spreading the “good news” of Social Media. I’m a huge advocate for Twitter, blogging, and social media in general. I tell my friends to join Twitter all the time, especially those on the verge of graduation and those in the professional world. I was “converted” last spring by my friend Carla (and Twitter guru @carlastephanie ) of Life Before Noon. Since then, I’ve worked dutifully as a disciple to win over new converts (go with me on this analogy…).

Why is it so important that other people use Twitter, blog, and engage in social media? Personally, I believe it legitimizes those of us who actively engage in these activities. For example, if you come across a new band that you really like, you typically tell others about them in the hopes that they’ll tell other people and eventually, this band will be selling records and climbing the charts. They are only successful if people know about them and engage in their music.

Similarly, Twitter and social media becomes very important once people realize its necessity. Having been a skeptic before, I know that people out there think it is an unnecessary waste of time (I know I did at one point), but once I “saw the light” (so to speak), I wanted to tell everyone about it and how it can improve their lives or professions.

I was having coffee with my friend who is a graphic designer/photographer (check out his Flickr site) last week and I mentioned Twitter and my blog. He asked me why they were so important, why I was so into social media. I explained to him how social media has helped me begin to develop my personal brand, make valuable contacts, and has given me an outlet to learn new things.

A week later…he’s started a blog and is on Twitter (@DannyJackson). Send him some messages and congratulate him on joining the community of Social Media.

Do you think it is necessary to spread the “good news” of social media? Why?

Charting the Detour

Since my last post about deciding what sort of job to get after ending my internship with Live Nation, and completely freaking out because I don’t have a salary, benefits, or a 401k (are those even important anymore?), I found a job as a server at, Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Cafe.

Now, those who know me best, know that there are somethings I wasn’t born to do. When contemplating what my next move ought to be after ending my internship, I mentioned becoming a nanny. My dear friend Emma flat out told me it was a bad idea. She just kind shook her head and said, “That’s not you.” And she was right, I don’t think I’m very good w/kids or have the patience required for such a feat (thankfully, I still have lots of time before having to have my own!).

So, I got a job at a Rio Grande, where they only hire one in thirty people who come in for an application. Having never been a server, I was surprised I made it through the interviews, but apparently, my “ability to communicate” was the deciding factor that got me the job. Much like the nannying proposition, serving wasn’t really me. I’m clumsy, kinda quirky, and more useful collaborating on a team about marketing proposals than making sure your enchiladas come with green sauce instead of beef sauce.

Regardless, I decided to accept the offer and attend a two week training session that was anything but a walk in the park (only two of the four new hires made it through training). We endured three written menu memorization tests, uniform inspections, and late hours learning to roll silverware and learning table numbers.

I’m not going to lie- becoming a server was h-a-r-d. Physically, it is tiring, mentally it is overwhelming, and emotionally, its draining, because subconsciously, I feel as though I’ve failed- A college graduate working as a waitress. Whenever I drove to the restaurant, I would become overwhelmed and pray that I’d get cut early- I was acting as though this was the hardest thing I had ever faced (not true)!

Feeling this way put a lot of doubt, and surprisingly, arrogance in my demeanor. I began to position myself as someone who thought they were “too good” to be working in a restaurant, and the reality is- I am lucky to have been hired and to have an income in these rough economic times.

Today’s shift started out like all the others, I was nervous and less than thrilled to be there. But then I thought about it…how was I going to get better and feel more comfortable if I continued to allow my disappointment and unease of not being in a permanent position continue to keep me down. So, I decided to “be there, 100%”.

The night started out really slow. I had three tables in two hours, and the first two tables were each single individuals dining alone. While I wasn’t attending to my guests, I forced myself out of my comfort zone and assisted other servers, helped the kitchen manager prepare accompaniments for the entrees, and took it upon myself to get out onto the floor and check-up on tables that didn’t even belong to me.

Towards the end of the night, things were pretty steady and I had a consistent flow of three tables. I was ringing in orders, processing checks, serving food and providing my best hospitality. At one point I was carrying a tray back with two big fajita platters and some side dishes, when I hear a voice behind me say, “Great work girl, keep it up!” I peak back and its a fellow server, who knew I had not started the night out in best of moods. As I approached the kitchen, I pass my floor manager and he also responds with a “good work, girl!”

I felt like I was approaching the end of a marathon and had a nice support team cheering me on. And while, yes, I really hope to be out of this job soon and on to something more permanent, in that moment, I felt contentment for the first time.

Yesterday, Carla of Life Before Noon wrote about how she isn’t supposed to be in grad school, that it wasn’t a part of her life plan. I wholeheartedly agree in her sentiments- I’ve always had a deliberate “life plan” and as I mentioned in my last post- this plan is WAY off track. Carla ends her post with some very simple, but very important reminders. She says:

Life is not a plan.

You make your own opportunities.

Do what you want to do.

Under one rule: Live with passion.

While waiting tables wasn’t on the initial life plan, it’s where life is right now I’m going to be there 100% as I continue to navigate this journey to the next big thig.

If someone asks me what I’m doing with my life again…

My life is 100% unlike what I thought it would be a year ago and I’m still working on deciding if I’m OK with this. 

I spent the summer of 2007 in New York City interning with Universal Music Group. Besides having a fabulous internship and learing about an industry that I absolutely love, I was living “on my own” in the city. By living on my own, of course, I mean I was housed at Columbia University with about 400 interns from all over the country (clearly, a recipe for an amazing summer).

At the end of that summer and throughout my senior year in college, I was determined to move back to the city. New York City embodied a mix of the diverse cultures I had experienced throughout my childhood while living and traveling overseas and throughout America. New York offered a geographic location that was indpendent of my family, but still only four hours away. New York, as they say, offered coutless opprotunities. Come spring semester of my senior year, my resume and cover letters were polished, I was ready to get a job in New York.

 

….and then I realized how “hard” it was, and that I really didn’t know what I wanted to do.

 

I love the music and entertainment industry. Throughtout my life, I’ve graced the stage numerous times, in various capacities. When on stage, you experience an amazing feeling that cannot be described and my ideal job would consist of helping people obtain that feeling…but where do I start?

Do I return to a record label, despite the ups and downs happening in the industry now?
Do I get a job at a PR firm, hoping to be given an account that deals with entertainment?

After graduation in May, I ended up getting a summer internship with Live Nation, the worlds largest concert promoter. This was definitely a great opprotunity to learn about the concert production aspect of the music industry. I had hoped that I would work there for the summer, live at home and save up enough money to afford to move to New York by the end of August.  

That plan seemed so realistic in my head, but when I began to break it down, things weren’t so clear:

While this internship was paid, I wasn’t being paid enough.
Yes, I was living at home, but I didn’t do a good job budgeting my non-income.
Anyone who looks at my resume will tell me “You have great experience!” but most PR agencies or record labels will start a fresh grad in an “assistant” position, with a salary that is reasonable for any place other than NYC.

So, here we are now. Labor Day has come and gone, and even if the calendar doesn’t agree, summer is over and I have some choices to make.

A common factor in any decision I make, is that it will revolve around the Washington D.C. area. I am going to join the 77% of my fellow 2008 grads and live at home. Though I have very limited expenses, I have learned that saving money and being financially responsible is at the top of my priorities. If I live at home, I can put away a big chunk of money and be prepared for when I do make “the big move” somewhere. 

Now, do I spend this year “starting my career” (whatever that means) or do I work a “fun/random/exciting job” to make money? I’m kind of torn between the two, but I’m leaning towards “fun/random/exciting job.” I recently took a weekend trip to Los Angeles, and I was really debating if it was worth the money to do it, but my parents persuaded me to go, saying, “You’re young, you’ll never be this free again.”

 

“…you’ll never be this free again.”

 

I think this is the part where I attempt to bring everything full circle, and make a grand decision about what the next step in my post-undergrad life will be. Honestly, the truth is, I have absolutely no idea what I will do next. My internship ends on Friday, and after that, who knows. Waitress, substitute teacher, barista, professional dog walker, personal assistant….or public relations associate, marketing assistant, entry-level [fill in the blank here].

 

The only certainty: an adventure is sure to follow.

Information Overload

“Today, ideas and discussions are broadcast not at a prescribed time on a specific channel via a single medium, but all the time, on millions of forums, discussion groups, blogs and social networks. And they occupy a growing piece of our consciousness, thanks to RSS feeds, Twitter messages, mailing list and newsletter subscriptions, instant messaging, e-mail and Web surfing. “  Information Overload: Is it Time for a Data Diet? Computer World August 25, 2008

As a recent college graduate with a PR degree and some savvy experience in the Music Industry under my belt, I strive to stay informed of what’s taking place in my fields of interest, and in the world around me.

Like most, I have a daily routine in which I gather this information:

• Wake up and eat breakfast while watching NBC’s The Today Show
• Check Gmail if time permits before heading to work
• During the dive to work, listen to morning radio shows (local news, celbrity gossip, random info)
• Check work e-mail via Outlook (read daily e-mail about company news)
• Log on to AIM (used for office communication)
• Check Gmail
• Read The New York Times (digital edition)
• Check Google Reader
• Check Twitter
• Scan PerezHilton.com (a perk of being in the entertainment industry, fun reads!)
• Scan Gawker.com (again, a perk!)
• Scan CNN.com

Aside from those constants, there are unplanned distarctions which pervade my daily life. Gchats, IM’s (not work related), Text Messages, Facebook, MySpace and the general plethora of information that is sitting in cyber space, waiting to be found. While checking Twitter or my Google Reader, I am constantly drawn to outside pages via links on the Tweets or Blogs that I am reading. This is obviously the purpose, but my biggest problem is not managing my time as I do this.

In her Computer World article, Mary Brandel provides some insight into navigating and cutting down on our information intake. Her article includes info on how to use technology to cut down and also some tips on how to instill tried-and-true personal self-discipline when eliminating your excess information-intake.

In my current position, I am not always busy with work, so I find myself meandering along in the world of cyber space. When I do have a particular task that I hope to accomplish, like this blog entry for example, I find myself distracted with outside information (as I type this blog, I am browsing a Facebook page, just checked an e-mail, and I’m engaging in a Gchat converstaion).

One of the helpful hits mentioned in the article suggested only checking certain things at certain times.
So, I’ll check Perez and Gawker during my lunch break and at the end of the day when things start to wind down, but not every hour.

Do you suffer from Information Overload? What strategies do you use to manage it?

Held Hostage by Gen Y

Having navigated myself through an internship at the worlds largest record label and currently one with the worlds largest live events promoter, I’ve come to learn the ins-and-outs of how interact with music industry Exec’s. 
Some will kill you if you even look at them.
…well, not really. But you certainly learn quick who to avoid eye contact with, and who to ask for a recommendation, etc. 

I’ve noticed a funny dynamic between my generation and the older generation that primarily comprises many executive positions in the industry. Older exec’s often have to rely on us Gen Y’ers because of our savvy technology skills. 

Right now, I’m the VP’s assistant’s intern and I often fill in for my boss and play assistant  every so often when she’s out. The VP is definitely one of those guys you avoid eye contact with, don’t really talk to until he’s ready to talk to you, and make sure you don’t let his phone ring more than 3 times. He’s definitely intimidating, but nice. Above all however, he is very busy.

A few weeks ago I was being his assistant when I heard a frantic call from his office asking me to come look at his computer screen.

 

“My tool bar is broken!”

 

What?

“It’s stuck! I don’t want to lose anything important!”

I stood there staring at his screen for a few seconds trying really hard
to figure out what was so dire. Then it caught my eye…

 

His taskbar had been moved to the right side of his screen and he couldn’t figure out how to move it back to its original position (see figure A).

Wow.

“Oh, you just need to drag it back in place.”

He takes the mouse and fails miserably. I think he is so overcome with visions of the “blue screen of death” that he is really incapable of understanding how simple, “drag it back in place” really is.

I ask if I can use the mouse and show him. 

“Just like this”

…and I proceed to simply drag the taksbar back in place.
 

[cue brief and awkward silence]

 

“Oh…thanks.” he responds.

I think we’re both a little embarrassed for him. 

“Yep, sure thing,” I respond as I scurry out of his office, praying I can prevent any snickers from escaping my lips. 

 

Whew, all in a days work for this music industry intern.