Category Archives: Uncategorized

Personal Domains

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I sure hope you have all purchased your own domain name like
craigashleyrussell.com. They will be the most valuable piece of real
estate you own in the near future. For a couple of bucks, what’s
stopping you?

Ask me if you need help getting yours.

An open response to a comment

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Craig Ashley Russell: Me in the SMH – 11th Paragraph.

Hi Tom,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I wish there was a magic button to getting a job, I really do. I wish there weren't a thousand clichés and tips.

There's a book written in the 70's by Richard Nelson Bolles called 'What Colour is Your Parachute?' and has just been updated for for the current economic crisis. It's a practical manual for job hunters. It is an interesting read if no other reason Bolles explains the way job seekers go about getting a job and the way employees go about filling vacancies – in short, the they are completely opposite. The job seeker thinks a CV is the best way, the reality is a employer will use a CV as the last way to fill a position. Firstly they will promote from within, second using proof of experience, third by referral, fourth via a head-hunter (ahhhhhh – but that's another story) fifth using an add and sixth from a pile of CVs they have received.

My interpretation of this is to get a foot in the door and work your way up. Use a portfolio of past work if you have.

I think where all these books and websites and tips fall down is in their generality. I don't know what industry you're trying to get into so maybe a portfolio is not relevant. I would suggest you keep blogging, use LinkedIn and check out this blog.

Apart from that all I can do is wish you all the best in your search and remember these three things (which may make me sound arrogant but wtf):

1) NEVER, EVER GIVE UP!

2) BE YOURSELF, PRETENDING FOR TOO LONG IS TOO HARD.

3) STAY FOCUSSED ON YOUR GOALS AND YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. And if you need help with goal setting (I sure did) read Goals by Brian Tracey available from audible.com as a talking book via download right to your iPod.

The Boss – For Twitter C.E.O., Well-Orchestrated Accidents – NYTimes.com

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The Boss – For Twitter C.E.O., Well-Orchestrated Accidents – NYTimes.com.
Nice little bio from the sort-of-founder of twitter, Evan Williams.
I particularly like the para, “My life has been a series of well-orchestrated accidents; I’ve always suffered from hallucinogenic optimism. I was broke for more than 10 years. I remember staying up all night one night at my first company and looking in couch cushions the next morning for some change to buy coffee.” I feel your pain, brother.

Consumers are not dumber than marketeers

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Whisper campaigns exposed: pay per lie on YouTube – BizTech – Technology.

This seems to be happening more and more often. As this story outlines a blobger was paid to promote a TV show. Last month a blogger was paid to promote a menswear line. But where’s the story? that bloggers are being paid to be the voice of marketeers or that people are finding out.

As I’ve mention many times now it’s only the first 10 or so pages of the news paper that’s news, the rest is courtesy of public and media relations. And it’s the stuff you don’t get to read about that should worry you most, thanx to the craft of spinning – professionals or manage to kill stories before they get to the paper editor. I’m using newspapers here but the same is true for all news media.

From a PR point of view this is all upside, or as Leo Laporte would say, ‘They failed up’. This article has got a big mention for the producers, a big mention of the show (with pic and star’s name). One can wonder who outed the blogger; his 3rd party associate perhaps. Or can wonder about important things in life.

Marketing makes the world go round. Convincing you to buy product ‘New and improved’ over ‘Old and trusted’ or believe in candidate ‘It’s time for a change’  instead of ‘stick to who you know’ is one of the biggest industries on the planet. 

The days of simple press ads with a TV offer just don’t work anymore. We’re in a fascinating time where consumers are becoming wiser and far more technologically than those producing ads.

There’s a great line in the 2nd ep of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip when the new president of NBS states; ‘ I don’t believe that the people who watch television are dumber than the people who make television.’ It’s a thought that marketeers and advertisers should take on board.