Media without Borders – Smart or Self-Destructive?

We live in a global world. The worldwide economic crash proved that beyond a doubt. But as people cultivate a more international mindset, is it time for news organizations to do the same?

It’s no secret that the traditional news organizations, especially those still rooted in print, are struggling. Actually, struggling is an understatement. Some have hemorrhaged money until they finally had to give up the good fight and shutter their doors.

Mainstream news organizations are breaking geographic boundaries to reach new readers (mostly digital subscribers), and, importantly, revenue-generating advertisers.

According to Simon Houpt, in Media Navigating a World of Dwindling Profit, Beckoning Markets, news organizations are tapping international audiences in hopes of boosting business. Media organizations like the UK’s The Guardian, which scooped the recent U.S. government surveillance scandal, and the Wall Street Journal, which has created a centralized site for Canadian-related content, are examples of an emerging trend.

Mainstream news organizations are breaking geographic boundaries to reach new readers (mostly digital subscribers), and, importantly, revenue-generating advertisers.

But, will this do more harm than good? Will a UK-based readership really care about U.S. government surveillance scandals? Will covering news from other countries in detail drive away the local subscriber base? Probably not.

“We’re dealing with an audience of people who have an international perspective. Wherever they are in the world, their interests are in line, they want to know what’s happening in China, they want to know what’s happening in Brazil, they want to hear about the financial and economic story globally,” Rob Grimshaw, Manager of FT.com, was quoted as saying in Houpt’s article.

It may be too early to see how media without borders will affect the limping news industry. But more subscribers, no matter where they live, certainly can’t hurt.

Digital Strategist: Job Description

FreshGigs.ca Team

Image of designer hand working and smart phone from Shutterstock.

According to quora.com, a Digital Strategist works within an organization to identify unmet needs, goals, opportunities and challenges of all departments and aspects of the business. Then they create and oversee the execution of a plan through specific initiatives to meet the objectives of the strategy. The Digital Marketing Specialist will also help cross-functional teams develop and evolve ideas to bring together brand goals, retailer objectives and consumer needs.

In an interview with Marketing magazine, Brett McDonald, a digital strategist for Zulu Alpha Kilo in Toronto thinks that the definition of role “could change depending on whom you ask Continue reading →

New Look And Feel & Jobs Go Mobile

FreshGigs.ca Team

The new FreshGigs.ca is here.

You’ve likely noticed FreshGigs.ca has a new design. And the changes we’ve made to the site aren’t only cosmetic.

Whether you’re on your desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile – the new FreshGigs.ca site was developed with responsive design to fit your device of choice.

It’s now easier than ever to check the latest job postings on the go.

You’ll also notice that the FreshGigs.ca blog has been updated. So say goodbye to unpleasant finger gestures, pinches and pulls on your mobile. Every article is now easier to read and will fit any size screen.

It doesn’t end there. We have several upcoming improvements in the works at FreshGigs.ca. So stay tuned.

In the meantime, we welcome your feedback, and if you happen to find any issues, we’d love to hear from you. Just shoot us an email here.

Keep it fresh.

The FreshGigs.ca Team

4 Mistakes People Make When Dressing for a Job Interview

FreshGigs.ca Team

When I was 11 I wore a white tuxedo and a red bow tie to a family event and felt like I could strike up a conversation with anyone, but wearing bold colours isn’t always the way to stand out. In fact, it’s one of the biggest mistakes people make when dressing for a job interview.

According to Michael Nguyen, owner of Garrison Bespoke, when dressing for a face-to-face job interview with a potential boss, there are four things you should avoid. Don’t fall prey to these common wardrobe mistakes:

1) Dressing too boldly. Vibrant patterns and colours that reflect your personality can define your style and become your signature look (we recently made an incredible Gatsby-style pink dinner jacket for a client) but an interview is not the setting for it. Avoid distracting patterns and bright colours and stick with a charcoal grey or navy suit and a tie that’s easy on the eyes. You want the interviewer to be focused on what you’re saying, not what you’re wearing.

2) Showing excessive cleavage. Yes, this applies to men as much as women. Button up!

3) Wearing a monochromatic outfit. A dark shirt with a dark suit is too evening specific. You want to look crisp and professional, not like you’re dressed for a wedding reception. The contrast between a light-coloured shirt and a darker suit is a classic look and a good choice for an interview.

4) Wearing jeans. Regardless of your industry, jeans are too casual for an interview. If you land the job and the office culture is to wear denim on Fridays, great. But let that be a conversation for after you’ve signed on the dotted line.

photo credit: Mike Paul

Junior Graphic Designer: Job Description

FreshGigs.ca Team

Junior Graphic Designers are often young students fresh out of college or who are finishing up their degree and are employed through an internship. Junior designers usually require mentorship through a majority of their duties.

Designers in this position will often be considered “junior” for up to two years or longer to begin to build a portfolio.

A Junior Graphic Designer will lay out pages, draw logos, redraw logos, rework text, perform color corrections and overall take on the basic duties that help them get to know the ins and outs of graphic design. A junior designer will often work on multiple aspects of one project but will take on only one or two tasks at a time.

In general, Junior Graphic Designers have a degree in graphic design and have zero to two years’ experience. Designers in this position will often be considered “junior” for up to two years or longer to begin to build a portfolio. However, designers don’t necessarily need to move on from this position during their career.

Ready to hire a Graphic Designer? Post a job with Canada’s top marketing and creative job board now.

Looking for a job in design? Check out our listings.

New Canadian Marketing & Creative Jobs this Week: June 28th, 2013

Sam Zipursky

Internet Marketing Specialist with Graphically Speaking
Vancouver, BC

Graphic Designer/ Marketing Coordinator with Real Estate Firm
Calgary, AB

Retention Marketing Manager with Indochino
Vancouver, BC

Digital Marketing Coordinator with Indochino
Vancouver, BC

Web Designer with Confidential Company
Markham, ON

Manager, Direct Response with CAMH Foundation
Toronto, ON

Senior Advisor with Ontario Public Service
Toronto, ON

Director, Marketing with Indochino
Vancouver, BC

Marketing & Listings Coordinator with Sotheby’s International Realty Canada
Toronto, ON

Marketing Database Coordinator with Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada
Concord, ON

SEO Manager with Day Translations, Inc.
Anywhere in Canada (Freelance)

Communications Specialist: Job Description

FreshGigs.ca Team

A note to readers: This post was totally revamped for relevancy on March 10th, 2017.

An intro from Mark Evans, Author of Storytelling for Startups; Startup Marketing Consultant at markevans.ca

A Communication Specialist is an integral part of creating and delivering information, both inside and outside of a company. In a fast-moving marketing landscape, a communication specialist needs to be agile, flexible, strategic and tactical. In my experience, they need to have a strong grasp of strategic goals, as well

Mark Evans, author and consultant at markevans.ca

as the ability to tactically execute. In other words, they need to look at the big picture while taking care of day-to-day operations. A Communications Specialist also needs to be open to learning skills to stay effective and relevant. They need to be looking for new tools, services and ways to be more productive and efficient.

Recommended Skills

The following are skills and past experience to look for in a Communications Specialist, dependent on the role the person will play in your company. You’ll want to taper the list to provide a concise description of the position.

As a job seeker, aim to use these phrases as keywords when describing your previous roles and experience, and use the following list as a starting point to round out your skills.

Editing
Public Relations
Corporate Communications
Marketing Communications
Social Media Marketing
Copywriting
Project Management
Technical Writing
Research
SEO
Web design
Graphics design
Advertising

Portfolios are especially important in Communications roles: ask to see writing samples in different mediums (press releases, blog content, announcements, emails, etc.) to get an idea of the person’s style, affect, and flexibility.

An Entry-level employee (Coordinator) will typically have 1-2 years’ experience in a similar role, whereas a Mid-level employee will have 2-5 years’ experience, and a Senior generally 5+ years. Executives and Upper-level Management roles (Communications Directors) will likely have 10+ years’ experience, dependent on the size of the company and what their role will involve.

Education

Communications professionals generally have a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, or a related field. They also may also have a Marketing background, specializing in communications through their career choices.

As a job seeker, utilize MOOCs and online courses from sites like lynda.com, kahnacademy.com and coursera.org to add to your education and enhance your career opportunities.

Payscale

The median salary for a Communications Specialist in Canada is $53,533 as of 2017, according to Payscale.com. This varies from $40,533 – $71,605 dependent on experience level and skill set.

Questions to Ask When Hiring for a Communications Specialist

What do you see as your strengths?
What do you see as the position’s responsibilities?
How will you establish strategic and tactical priorities?
How do you determine the success of your work?

Ready to hire a Communications Specialist? Post a job with Canada’s top marketing and creative job board now.

Looking for a job in Communications? Check out our listings.

4 Tips for Dressing for (Job Interview) Success

FreshGigs.ca Team

The clothes don’t make the man (or the woman), but they definitely play a role in his or her success. Michael Nguyen, owner of Garrison Bespoke, shares four rules to live by when dressing for an interview:

1) Wear a suit. It’s the most flattering garment a person can wear.

2) Wear clothes that fit you. Nothing makes you look more put together than clothing that complements your body shape. This is as true for women as it is for men – good tailoring is not a male-only art. It’s amazing what happens to your posture and confidence when your clothing is perfectly tailored.

3) Polish your shoes. Poorly kept shoes make an otherwise professional outfit appear sloppy.

4) Iron your garments. A freshly-ironed shirt is a must for men, but steamed or ironed garments are equally as important for women. You may be very well-prepared for the actual interview, but a wrinkled wardrobe will suggest otherwise.

Michael Nguyen is the owner of Garrison Bespoke, a luxury menswear boutique in Toronto’s Financial District that creates custom garments to help clients make their mark. For more information, visit www.garrisonbespoke.com.

photo credit: Mike Paul

Intermediate Graphic Designer: Job Description

FreshGigs.ca Team

Intermediate Graphic Designers fall between the junior and senior designers and usually already have a professional portfolio. As an intermediate designer, a person will be an integral part of larger campaigns and will often take on smaller projects independently.

Graphic Designers are responsible for the design through production of marketing materials, branding campaigns, websites and so on.

This position generally has the freedom to take on design briefs and implement them, from concept to completion, but will still be overseen creatively by a Senior Graphic Designer. Intermediate Graphic Designers are responsible for the design through production of marketing materials, branding campaigns, websites and so on. In addition, they will be introduced to limited interaction with clients under the supervision of senior staff.

In general, an Intermediate Graphic Designer will have a degree in graphic design and two-plus years of related experience.

Ready to hire a Graphic Designer? Post a job with Canada’s top marketing and creative job board now.

Looking for a job in design? Check out our listings.

Media Planning and Buying in Canada: Interview with OMD Canada’s Deanna Dickie

Jacqueline Parker

Media planning and buying is a critical component for any successful ad campaign, as Deanna Dickie, Assistant Strategist at OMD Canada knows.

OMD Canada is one of North America’s leading media agencies and has won ‘Agency of the Year’ 8 times in the past 10 years. Deanna Dickie shares her thoughts on what it’s like to be at the hub of a great campaign and what a ‘day in the life’ looks like in the world of media.