Welcome to Marketing Yourself

 

Why should someone invest in you?

I often struggle with the concept of "marketing myself". It can take many forms. This blog for example is a platform that I use to put myself onto the Internet. It has it's positives and negatives.

After all, does everyone need to know about my transition from college to the American work force? Probably not and if I didn't link this blog to my Facebook, I doubt I'd get any readers at all. There are tons of people just like me with the same idea and going through the same transition. So why should some random person read about my transition?

And that's an important question. Why should people who have no idea who I am care? What makes me special? 

In my opinion there is no right or wrong answer to this question. People who know me think I'm special (or at least amusing enough to pay attention to), but the Internet is full of people who don't know me. They don't care to know me. 

Well that's also not necessarily true. If YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter have taught our society anything, it's that anyone can become famous in this day in age. Anyone can have a photo, blog post, video, etc go viral (many times with the help of Tumblr and 4Chan). 

What separates these stars from the general Internet populations? Do they bribe Google?  Are they just so amazing that by virtue of existing people want to take notice?*

Any one have an answer? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Well I think at lot of it has to do with two things. Number 1 is obviously Networking. Without Networking you have no one to go to for advice, no one to advocate for you, and no one to point other people in your direction. Networking is a vital part of going viral, becoming a person of importance, and especially getting a job.

But networking only works if you have the other chief component: marketing. 

We are in an age where marketing is vital. Companies large and small use marketing all the time. They get people to connect with a product and choose to invest in it. Authors do it for their books. Hollywood for their movies. Farmers for their produce. 

Disney did it with a mouse

Not only is marketing important for companies, it's also important for people to market themselves to potential employers. After all why should someone hire a person? Sure person number one can do the job and do the job well, but so can person number 2, number 3, ..., to the Nth person.**

How does someone market themselves to get the attention they need to get that job, book contract or Internet fame? It can come in several forms depending on the end goal.

A person looking for a general run of the mill job might clean up their social media accounts (make sure those crazy college pictures are well hidden), get a public LinkedIn page, and have an email account that looks professional. If someone were to put your name in a search engine, you want to make sure what pops up looks professional.

Unless you don't want to be found, but that defeats the purpose of this (very long) post.

Now someone searching for a book deal or to launch a video game they've just developed would want to do same things as the job searcher and go a few steps beyond. Blogs, Twitter accounts, and a Youtube page are all fine and dandy and great resources to build a personal brand, but it's not quite enough. Commenting, following, and creating a presence that shouts "hey I'm here and I have something to say!" are just as important marketing strategies.

Because it's all fine and dandy if you just want put stuff out on to the web. People might not find it, but it's there. If an impact is to be made a brand  must be built, an emotional connection formed, and a strategy to get the message out there created.

Even if it's a pain in the butt.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Until next week 

 *Please note this seems to happen at an overwhelming rate to people who don't want the Internet fame and yet somehow it falls into their lap. An example would be that poor guy from Target whose picture was shared several million times. 
** The mathematician in me need to write this out as an equation. For those who don't like math, substitute the letter "N" for some really big number. Like 594580234573248907048578. Yeah, that's a big number.

Welcome to a New Chapter

When I started this blog roughly two and a half years ago, I made it my goal to document my transition from college student to independent adult. Though I've skipped a few weeks here and there (last week for example for a quick trip down to Disney World), I've somehow managed to keep up with my weekly posts. Some weeks were tougher than others.

Wish I was still here instead of under 21 inches of snow.

Tomorrow is a big day for me. Not because I have to dig my car out of a huge snow drift (though that will require a lot of strength). No, tomorrow, is the my first day at my new job.

Its another big change after a very long list of changes that have happened in this past year. Then again, what is life if not a series of changes? I made the transition from college to the work force. I survived moving from Maryland to New Jersey by myself. I've learned to live with a roommate again. All changes that I have faced.

Thinking about tomorrow (because I'm always over thinking), I am very much reminded of my feelings leading up to my first day at my first job out of college. I remember wondering if my new coworkers would like me. If I was ready for this position. Or if I had imagined the whole thing and I hadn't actually been hired. (This is just the short list).

I've already committed myself to this change. I just have to remember to calm down a breath. Am I scared? Sort of. I'm more anxious than scared. If there's one thing I know about myself, it's that I like the familiar. Starting a new job at a new company, moving from one state to another, making friends are examples of things that aren't familiar. I just need to square my shoulders, walk with confidence, and be prepared to learn.

I might not be the best at handling change, but I can act like I can. A few deep breaths and a calm mind will get me ready for anything. A great outfit helps too.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Here's a picture from Harry Potter World.

I'm going to Hogwarts!

Apparently Jurassic Park is near Hogwarts!

Until next week.

Welcome To A Year Of Change

If 2014 was my year of travel, then 2015 was my year of change. There were a lot of changes for me in 2015. Most of these changes were good, or at least I like to think of them as good. Some of the changes weren't what I had wanted, but I learned to make the best of them and some turned out to be very good for me. Other changes I haven't seen the outcome of yet.

I think the biggest change in 2015 for me was moving to New Jersey. In doing so, I left most of my friends and family behind, but I also gained a great roommate and found a really cool place to live. I still miss Maryland and Virginia, though.

I will admit, I am not fond of change. Unless I plan it all out and have plenty of time to accept it, change tends to drag me kicking and screaming into my next stage in life. If change didn't force me into new situations, I bet I'd find myself doing the same thing day in and day out.

A friend of mine told me that change is good. I don't disagree necessarily, but I don't think change is good or bad. It just is. How someone responds to change is what makes the outcome positive and negative. It's always a learning opportunity. It nearly always requires imagination and a whole lot of courage.

Change is a lot of things. It's new. It's exciting. It can be scary. It can be everything a person could ever want. It can be difficult. It is never boring. Change brings new experiences and challenges. I can't learn without change.

Now that it's 2016, I hope things are ready to settle down. Maybe I'll finally have time to finish rewriting that novel (lots of baby steps are required for that one). I don't know what the future has in store for me, but I'm ready.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Until next week...

Welcome to the Child Effect

The Child Effect: when older adults in your life still treat you as though you are 12 years old instead of the 20 something you actually are.

When does this happen? Oddly enough, it hasn't happened all that often to me. Most of the people whom I gre up around and are adults treat me as an adult. When it does happen, my response is usually along the lines of: wait, why am I being talked to like I'm not capable of making informed decisions on this subject?

As I have gained more experience, I have come to the realization that some people will only see me as an irrisopnsible 7 year old, or a not it all 14 year old, etc.. Depending on the situation it can be incredibly insulting. There are also the times it can be hilarious (such as being mistaken for a 12 year old at Disney World, but I digress).

What can someone do in these situations?

Well I usually have to start by reminding myself that I am in fact an adult. This is important because I  have questioned my ability to be an adult. It also prevents any off the handle responses that might negate any arguements I will attempt to make.

In the perfect world, my next step is to remind the other person of this fact. Hopefully with more tact and not in a defensive tone.

If communication is an issue, I try to leave the situation to calm down. Calm feelings help to create a more rational argument. I try not to fly off the handle (though it's been known to happen).

If the person I am having a problem with still does not understand my point of view, I try to be as mature as possible. I say "I'm sorry you feel this way, but I do not like how I am being treated." I then leave.

If the message is still not getting through (which if the person knows you it should have by this point) and the older person starts getting nasty, it's still not worth it to fall for their antics. Being polite is important.

Yeah I know, it sucks and at this point I'm pretty angry. The trick is to figure out how to leave the situation as gracefully as possible. Even still, it can be painful and a friendship might be lost. It's probably for the best.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you like hearing from me.

Welcome To Quiet Time

Christmas and New Years are big loud holidays with lots of people and lots of activities. It can be hard for the introvert or overwhelmed extrovert to find a moment to sit down and relax. Sometimes the best thing is to go to a quiet spot where no one will bother you. If that doesn't work, get in the car and drive off. If that still isn't an option and running off to join a convent is starting to look better and better, I suggest taking a long walk.

I love the holidays, I really do. I love being around my family after not seeing them for a long time. I enjoy all the food (when don't I enjoy food). I especially love seeing all the decorations. Sometimes, though, it does get a bit much.

If I'm in a situation during the holidays where I might find myself becoming overwhelmed, I have a few strategic plans to find that calm, quiet place.

1) Get up early or stay up really late - my sleep cycle sometimes suffers a little, but if I really need the quiet time, I can usually find a time (like 3am) where I am the only person awake.

2) Have a set of car keys handy - it's the easiest escape route. If I don't have my own car, I try to have an alternative.

3) No car keys, no problem, I take a walk - at least I'm off on my own.

4) It's okay to say no - sometimes the best way to find peace and quiet during the holidays is to say no to big parties. Instead find a different time to visit close family and friends when there are less people around.

5) I have a quiet spot set up in advance to hide out in - the only downside is that people need to respect this spot. If they don't, then the quiet spot won't stay quiet for long.

Also note, that although I know I need the quiet time, other people don't know or understand. People can get upset if someone doesn't feel up to being social. Don't compromise your mental well being during the holidays because someone else is upset.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to a Full House

This week, my roommate's family came in from Brazil. They are going to stay through to the new year. It has been a few years since my roommate has seen their family and it's their niece and nephew's first time in near New York City. They aren't used to the cold like we are.

I have a really big extended family and having everyone in one place was always fun as a kid. I loved seeing all my cousins, aunts, and uncles. There was a lot of laughter and sharing of embarrassing stories. Though there never seemed to be anywhere quiet to hide.

Our apartment isn't the biggest. It's not bad for two or three people and my room is my place of zen whenever we have a lot of people over (probably because it's so messy and no one wants to see that). It can be tough having a lot of people here. I have to be really quiet while making breakfast, which can be hard with our squeaky floorboards. Also timing when to get in the shower can be a challenge.

It's worth it having people visit. Especially when they come from really far away. My roommate doesn't get to see their family very often and this visit is even more special since it's Christmas. My family also now lives far away and it's wonderful when they come to stay with us. There's tons of food, which is always a plus.

There is a small language barrier. My roommate's mom only speaks Portuguese, but their niece and nephew understand a lot of English. I only speak a little Portuguese (according to my app I'm 5% fluent). Between English, Portuguese, and a little Spanish (my roommate's mom understands some Spanish) we can have full conversations. That doesn't stop some misunderstandings from happening.

I do tend to follow a few basic steps when there are a lot of people staying with me.

• Offer to help with anything (especially if it's not your family visiting) - it can be as simple as making someone a cup of tea
• Have a quiet place - if you are someone who needs down time, having a safe and quiet spot to go to is key. It could even be a short walk around the neighborhood or sitting in the car for ten minutes.
• Ask what people are doing - it doesn't pay to be caught off guard
• Above all else - enjoy the moment. The apartment/house won't be full for long, so it's important to enjoy it while it lasts. The memories will last a life time.

Having an apartment full of people can be a challenge, but it's a challenge worth taking. I wouldn't trade my apartment full of friends and family for a short period of time for anything.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Until next week.

Welcome To Christmas Lights

In about a week it will officially be winter, in less than two weeks it'll be Christmas and it feels like it's the middle of spring. I was able to walk around outside in a short sleeved shirt today. I wouldn't have known it was almost the holidays if there weren't so many decorations out.

Everywhere I look there are evergreens, Christmas lights, train displays, and bright red ribbons. Much like Halloween, people seem to go all out for Christmas and Hanukkah. The towns are all lit up and have trees decorated. There's a long line to visit Santa at the malls.

The Christmas Lights were up in New York in November. When I was there the tree in Rockefeller Center wasn't lit yet, but the tree at Radio City Music Hall was. I saw people lined up around the block to get into the Rocket's Holiday Show. I remember going when I was 7 and it was really cool.

My roommate and I put up two trees. We both had one. It was fun to put on Christmas music and set up the trees. Unfortunately they aren't real trees, but I guess that means we have less clean up. Still glitter got everywhere and we had to vacuum a few times to get it all up.

The Big Tree

My tiny tree and yes that is a spider web as the tree topper.

I remember when I was a little kid, putting up the Christmas lights was exciting (except when I had to put the lights on the holly bush, then it hurt). We had two trees, one in the front of the house and one in the back. I would get to decorate one and my sister would decorate the other one (with our mom and dad's help of course). It was usually cold and we'd hope for a light snow fall.

It was magical then and it still is now.

If you enjoyed this post (or it pissed you off), please like, share or leave a comment. I enjoy hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Until next week.