Networking and Clammy Palms

Tomorrow night the group will be venturing out into the networking world and crashing the Young Advertising Professional's (YAP) Happy Hour Party. This is the second outside networking event that we have attended as a group, as we try to make it to a least one outside event a month. Why do we travel in groups to these events? Well there are a few obvious reasons for this: 1. To promote the IUS Ad club and not-so-well-known IUS advertising department to local advertising agencies and other companies 2. Networking is a huge fear for college students and participating in a group helps relieve some of that apprehension.

Although the idea of networking with a group of people you are familiar with can greatly cut down on anxiety, there are a few other tips and tricks that will hopefully at least keep your palms from sweating profusely as you approach a networking event.

1. Dress Comfortably – Most networking events (especially those that occur after typical work hours) harbor a more relaxed atmosphere than an office setting or business meeting. I am not recommending sweatpants or hats, but if you are more comfortable in flats or not wearing a tie don't be afraid to show up to the event that way.
   
2. Have a Business Card – Even if you are still a student or employed in a position that doesn't require you to have a business card – make your own! It might seem nerdy at first to make a "networking-business" card with only your personal contact information (and the IUS Ad club Logo – winner to be announced this Friday!); but business cards are a great way for people to remember your name after meeting you.
   
3. Drink a glass of Wine - To minimize possible criticism let me specify that only students above the age of 21 should consider using this tip. Legalities aside, a simple glass of wine is usually enough to lower a person's inhibitions so that they are more comfortable with talking to complete strangers. This can also work in reverse effect, where too many glasses of wine can turn you into a spectacular. Just know your tolerance and limit.
   
4. BE YOURSELF!! – If you want to be remembered, be genuine. People don't recall cookie-cutter, rehearsed conversations. Instead use humor, wittiness, and original conversation.
   

Now that your palms are hopefully less clammy, who's looking forward to the next event?!

(Please feel free to comment on additional tips or tricks you've learned from your own networking experiences.)

Facebook: Jobseekers Beware!

Last month a few of the ad club members attended a Social Media Club of Louisville meeting that touched on the issue of keeping your Facebook profile professional and clean. Believe it or not, a few days following this meeting, a Facebook friend of mine posted some "explicit" pictures of his ex-girlfriend whom he recently found out had cheated on him. As embarrassing as this might have been for the ex in question, my immediate thought was "why would he post something like that on HIS profile?"

The point is this, your Facebook profile is public, regardless of your privacy settings. Everything you post online is logged and archived in one manner or another. The single best rule to use when posting material online is "don't post anything you wouldn't want your mother or grandmother to see". Now I realize that some of us have "cooler" or more modern parents and grandparents than others do, but for this rule let's assume that your mother or grandmother wouldn't find nudity, beer bonging, or anything other "exciting college adventures" acceptable or entertaining. Truth is none of your future employees will view those types of pictures or comments as favorable – and there are cases where a single Facebook picture, wall post, or status update has caused applicants to not be hired for a job.

Here are a few simple reminders to consider when you are "Facebook-ing":

1. NEVER tell your Facebook friends how bad you hate your job, your boss, or the company for which you work. What does this say to your future employees? That one day they too can be bashed on your profile.
   
2. A picture DOES say a thousand words – and that picture of you doing the keg stand last spring break does not say "hire me because I am professional".
   
3. "Dude, we totally blacked out last night – have you found your car yet?" – This might seem like a humorous wall post between friends, but again all of your profile is public in one way or another and employers will not positively respond to this post.
   
4. Use Facebook as another personal branding medium. List your goals and strengths in the information section of your profile; make your status updates worth reading (i.e. not what you had for lunch or how hung-over you are from the night before); and monitor what your friends post on your wall. There is a delete button for everything that is posted to your profile and you have the absolute right to delete anything that doesn't show you in a positive, employable light.
   

Employers are checking Facebook, LinkedIn, and other Social Networking sites as they screen for potential employees. Don't let your profile be the reason that you don't get hired for your dream job.

September Newsletter

Greetings!

Well, we have officially met. This afternoon's Advertising Club Meet and Greet was attended by several folks who are enthusiastic about the club's upcoming events and activities. The four officers of the club were introduced along with a brief description of the Advertising Club's objectives. Thanks so much to those who attended. We hope to see you at our next event.

Speaking of which . . . next Tuesday, September 15, we will be attending a networking event hosted by the Social Media Club Louisville from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Louisville Visual Art Association at the Water Tower. More information is available on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=127307863565&ref=nf. If you plan on attending please contact a club officer and we can meet up before the event.

We need a club logo. In order to come up with the best possible logo for our club and to give everyone a chance to gain experience, we are going to make it a contest. The contest deadline is two weeks from today, Tuesday, September 22. At that time a winner will be announced and a prize will be awarded. Lets all try and come up with something that we can be proud of.

Now that the semester has started, the Advertising Club will be busier than ever coming up with innovative ways to stock our portfolios with fantastic work and to improve our networking skills. These are essential to our future careers!

Until next time . . .

Emily, Erin, Jala and Shannon

August Newsletter

Hello again,

Hope that everyone is ready to head back to class! However, before you do that stop by the IUS Ad Club booth at the Student Involvement Fair on Friday, August 21st. We will be there from 11:30 to 1:15 handing out flyers and talking about the Ad Club with all of its upcoming fun.

We would like to acknowledge Jala and all of the hard work that she has put into promoting her NA 1 Night Stand which takes place Saturday, August 28th at 3pm. Jala has been working hard to attract attention to the work being done to revitalize downtown New Albany. It is a good example of the kind of projects that IUS ad students can become involved in before graduation. However, this particular community event is for the 21 and older crowd.

Finally, there will be a meet and greet early next month for the ad club members. Since this is a new start for the club we will be learning as we go. The meet and greet is on Tuesday, September 8th at 1:30 in UC122. We will provide refreshements, introduce ourselves and the planned activities and will also collect a $10 semester fee. Announcements will be made in classes and on Facebook. We hope that everyone can make the event and are as excited as we are about the upcoming semester.

See you then,
Emily, Erin, Jala, and Shannon

July Newsletter

Hello All,

The Ad Club is offically up and running! We have been busy making plans for the fall. Future projects include a promotional booth at the IU Southeast Student Involvement Fair on August, 21st and possibly participating in an advertising campaign competition. But more on that in the future. We also welcomed our newest member, Erin. She is already actively involved in promoting the Club developing the flyer that will soon be seen around campus.

This month we will be attending the SMC Louisville July Block Party hosted by the Social Media Club of Louisville. It is on July 21st from 6 - 8 p.m. at Block 5. The address is 720 W Main St. Louisville, KY. Its downtown near the Louisville Science Center. This is another networking event which gives us the chance to perfect our networking skills and to possibly meet important connections. We hope to see you there!

Next month there is a Student Involvement Fair on campus. The fair is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Anyone wanting to volunteer to man the booth, help design the booth, or just stop by you are more than welcome. This is an opportunity to not only promote the Ad Club, but the Advertising Department in general.

Finally, there will be a meet and greet to introduce the Ad Club and allow all members to get to know one another. This event will take place in August. There will be more information in next month's newsletter. Info will also be posted around campus and through Campus Life.

Until then . . .

Emily, Erin, Jala, and Shannon

June Newsletter

Hello, this is a brand new start for the IUS Ad Club. It is our goal to learn as much as possible about the real world of advertising and all that it entails while still in school. Our focus will be on advertising, public relations, social media marketing and traditional marketing. The Ad Club is also a place for students to make connections that they can take with them beyond graduation.



We have big plans for the club. Every month we will be either attending a meeting of one of the many professional organizations in the Louisville area or hosting a guest speaker. This month Jala attended the Social Media Club Louisville June meeting. She reported back with many good strategic ways to make Linkedin work harder for you and your career. We hope that July's meeting will draw even more members.



This blog will be updated monthly with information on planned events for the Ad Club as well as comments on previous meetings and announcements.



For now, thank you for checking out our new blog. Let's work together to make the IUS Ad Club bigger and more productive than ever.



-Emily, Jala, and Shannon