I’ve been a member of MENG Marketing Executives Network Group for about six years www.mengonline.com and served as the local Chapter Chair for three of those years.  Although I’ve passed the torch to another Chapter Chair, I’m staying very involved with the organization and will also be a guest blogger for the newly launched http://blog.mengonline.com/ 

Here’s a bit about the blog – hope you take the time to take a look: 

The Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), a nearly 2000 member, not-for-profit organization of senior-level marketing professionals, today officially launched its blog, the MENG Blend. The blog is coauthored by 18 marketing professionals, including some of the most well known names in the marketing industry, such as Drew McLellan, Joe Pulizzi, Randall Beard, Matt Gill, Sarah Miller Caldicott and others. To view the complete list of MENG bloggers, visit http://blog.mengonline.com/meng-bloggers.

MENG Blend includes timely insight, relevant advice, shared best practices and innovative thought leadership surrounding a myriad of marketing disciplines.

A personal job search is just as volatile as the stock market.  You get some good news, maybe positive feedback from a phone interview and the hiring manager wants to schedule a face-to-face--the market is up.  Five minutes later another opportunity gets back in touch with you and it’s the end of the line--the market is down. Now it may not be Ben Bernanke calling you but there are so many touch points that can be positive or negative that it’s like riding an emotional pogo stick. 

It’s  impossible to keep a straight line on how you’re feeling during a rigorous job search.  A key tactic to managing the highs and lows is to find at least one “Coach”.  My advice is to find someone other than your significant other.  Your partner is the one you can vent to and say things you would never say to anyone else.  They allow you to burn off steam and can console you.  Your Coach, on the other hand, needs to be like a mentor or a highly respected peer, someone who knows you well enough to have a confidential and personal conversation, but can also kick you in the butt if you need it. 

I also think that asking someone to be your coach is important.  Let them know what your objectives are and ask if you can call them for advice before an interview and to debrief afterwards. It makes sense to have a couple of Coaches, that way you don’t burn anyone out. Other folks in job search mode can be great Coaches, and that way you can reciprocate. The thing is, at some  point in the job search everyone thinks they can do it on their own.  Job search is a full time job.  Isn’t it easier to get the job done with a team rather than flying solo?

Matt Gill

Senior Vice President

Pile and Company

I just read the story in AdWeek about the Pay-to-Play pitches in the UK and India.  

Funny how here in the US, agencies are worried about consultants that require them to pay an annual fee to be considered for their agency review, while in other countries it is clients requiring the payment.  

I have to take sides with the agencies here.  Imagine if other categories or industries used the same approach:  A lawyer would pay the client to handle their business or doctors would pay patients to treat them.  Now that would solve our healthcare crisis.

What I find particularly amusing is the notion that the client wants the payment as a sign of a good-faith commitment to winning an account they’re pitching.  It would seem to me that the amount the agency is putting into the pitch is commitment enough.  Maybe they are not asking them to do spec assignments, but even so, the cost of pitching business is significant and should be enough of a demonstration of commitment.

Interesting that even though there was a great deal of talk within the industry, there were still agencies that participated.  Seems to me, all the agencies should have said no.

Well one thing this article shows – new business in the US isn’t as bad as it can get.

  A couple weeks ago we held a very successful networking event here at Pile and Company featuring Paul Bailo, author of The Official Phone Interview Handbook and CEO of Phone Interview Pro:  www.phoneinterviewpro.com Paul captured the audience with a  presentation on conducting a world class phone interview.  Everyone left with real action items to improve their phone interviewing skills. 

Here are the “Cliff Notes” from his presentation:      

Be Yourself – “At Your Best”

Prepare-Prepare-Prepare    

Listen-Think-Speak    

Confident – Professional – Assertive    

Be Brief – Be Bold – Be Done     

Speak Less ; Listen More    

Questions are more important than responses    

Things to do that seem incorrect…but they work!

Pick up the phone on the 2^nd or 3^rd ring    

Dress-up for a phone interview    

Take a photo of someone to look at when you are talking to the person on the phone.    

Write out your questions, things you want to say, answers to possible questions (no one will be able to see this piece of paper…use it)    

Don’t ask for an e-mail address    

Use Pauses (no longer then 15 seconds)    

If you are interested in the position let the interviewer know. “I am very interested in this position and the opportunity to work at Acme Paper”. 

Things  to do that seem correct…and are!    

Make sure you speak to someone else in the morning before the call and/or meeting--this will wake you up.    

Make sure you have done a lot of research about the company, the job and the industry.

If you are speaking to the hiring manager, then know about him/her as well.     

Make sure you are polite and remember to say thank you!    

Use vivid words (be graceful; be clear)    

Take notes    

Listen Carefully!!

It takes at least 22 touch points to get a job. Some come from us and some come from you.