IMC Hawks Blog

Tag: Communication

  • Ready or Not, Here We Come!

    Well, it wasn’t ready. The Affordable Care Act website, that is. Commonly known as Obamacare by critics, the program officially launched October 1, 2013 and attempts to allow each American the opportunity to have affordable health care. The program was signed into law in 2010, but only just now became part of daily American life. The website experienced technical errors last week, and again this past Tuesday. However, this was unrelated to the government shutdown. Instead, the system experienced a major overload due to mass traffic to the site, claimed those who run it. An estimated 8 million visitors forced the site to send a response of “Please Wait and Be Patient,” CNBC reports. Run by the Department of Health and Human Services, the process to acquire a health care quote is actually quite simple. I myself did it and, just shy of giving my contact information, I was inches from an affordable quote in less than two minutes.

    Page that loads with technical issues, courtesy of MSNBC
    Page that loads with technical issues, courtesy of MSNBC

    Fox News said that the 93 million dollar website was the victim of poor Java Script coding, to the point where, simply put, the site freezes up. It doesn’t know where to go or in which direction to proceed. Yet MSNBC follows the path of the HHS, saying it was simply a matter of visitor overload to the site. MSNBC did not report, as of posting, that there were Java Script coding issues.

    So. Which to believe? It is common knowledge that news stations lean differently towards their side, whether it be right or left. Even CNN, a major world news outlet, leans toward one side. This post is neither liberal nor conservative, and it neither promotes nor discourages the Affordable Care Act. However, it does encourage that American citizens not rely solely on one news outlet for information. Rather, gather your news from a multitude of sources. Otherwise a viewer faces the possibility of being a victim of “Spiral of Silence.” The Spiral of Silence is an instance where an individual, with one opinion differing from that of the majority, is unable to voice said opinion for fear of judgment. For instance, if I believe Theory X, but my neighborhood only watches one news channel that reports solely on Theory Y, the neighborhood will only be educated on Theory Y. If the entirety of the neighborhood, apart from myself, believes in Theory Y, I would be uncomfortable in expressing my opinions and differences. I am lost in the Spiral of Silence. If you support a cause that one news station does not, you are only educated on their belief. In the land of the free, is our free speech being suppressed by the media?

    -Hilary Hall

  • The Transparency Angle

    What’s even real these days? It may or may not be a question that’s crossed your mind recently, but it is causing a stir in companies and ad agencies.  Transparency and authenticity are in, and flashy propaganda is on its way out.  It’s no surprise that businesses continue to refine the concept of authenticity for the purpose of marketing strategy.  What could be more lucrative than to convince consumers that a product can bridge the disconnect between modern civilization and reality, especially in a society constantly seeking meaning?

    Chick-fil-A is one company that is now taking the advertising approach of transparency, inviting customers for behind-the-counter tours at all of their locations.  This blazes the path for their upcoming menu improvements, such as salads with more nutrient-rich ingredients focused on harnessing the concept of authenticity in their food offerings.

    However, restaurant chains aren’t the only ones using this strategy.  Dove, a brand owned by Unilever, started the “real beauty” campaign in 2004 in the hopes of expanding the definition of beauty and promoting self-esteem in women of all shapes and sizes.  This week the company released a video to tell women “you’re more beautiful than you think” by comparing how women view their own beauty with how strangers view them.  This type of advertising goes beyond showing the consumer how authentic a product is; it makes the audience consider the authenticity behind their own self-image.

    The Authenticity Hoax, a book by Andrew Potter, takes apart the ideal of the “authenticity” that we’re all striving for.  He looks at the areas of our lives where we feel connected to experiences, the world, and nature, and how society has lost the true meaning of authenticity in the process of seeking it out.  In his conclusion he says, “we are trying to find at least one sliver of the world, one fragment of experience, that is innocent, spontaneous, genuine, and creative, and not tainted by commercialization, calculation, and self-interest.”

    The minute authenticity became a brand in and of itself, people wanted to have it, and companies are more than happy to sell it.  Dove may highlight the reality of the average woman versus the size zero models in many other ads, but that doesn’t mean they’re not capitalizing on some other ideal.  Authenticity is the new thing to have.  The problem is, just as Potter points out, authenticity is pretty much a false goal.  Chick-fil-A can show its customers where they make the food, but that doesn’t mean anyone’s life is more real because they ate a chicken sandwich that wasn’t frozen.

    – Ally Walton

  • Travelling Abroad and Confidence!

    Do you have any advice for traveling abroad?

    Jessie – When traveling try to blend in and make sure to research the culture you are going to be visiting.

    Kati – Do a lot of research and have a plan, but also be flexible! Your expectations can easily be misguided. Don’t be so caught in your plan that you can’t roll with the punches.

    Do employers look at travel abroad experience positively?

    Jessie – Absolutely, I work in the department I do now because I have the experience abroad.

    Closing notes:

    The COM Core Skill – Confidence – has gotten a lot of attention today!! Let yourself shine!

  • Job Advice and Why COM Rocks!!

    How to stay positive in the job search after graduation?

    Leland – Take the steps you need to take to get to where you want to be, and it is never a straight line, so be flexible!

    Brenzy – Take the experience you have the opportunity to. Learning what you don’t like is just as important as learning what you do want.

    Matt – You don’t really know what your dream job is until you get out there. Things like your boss, and business culture are important.

    Kati – Keep an open mind, always be looking. If you aren’t really liking something, figure out what direction you would rather be moving in. Don’t wait for the breaking point before you start looking for a new path.

    Is there one communication skill that you can think of that will make you stand out to an employer?

    Consensus – CONFIDENCE

    Matt – Be prepared for any kind of interview.

    Jessie – Be honest. Don’t say you have skills you don’t.

    Is there one specific advantage that being a COM Major gave you?

    Jessie – I think the versatility really sets you apart because it makes you a flexible employee.

    Leland – It develops people skills, you have to know how to adapt to people and situations.

    Kati – It provides such a broad foundation and you can dabble in a lot of different areas. Mediation was something that really came in handy, and I wasn’t sure it would be useful but it has proven very helpful even in the last six months. It’s such a risk to say I just want to do accounting for the rest of my life. COM gives you the opportunity to change careers if you want to.

    Matt – I wouldn’t have gotten hired for my first job if I hadn’t taken the PR classes. Having those diverse classes sets you apart because you can do a little bit of everything.

    Do you think employers would rather see a lot of experience or longevity with a company?

    Leland – Longevity is definitely important because they want to see that you were loyal to a company before. It shows you can be committed to a job.

    Kati – I think there is a balance because you don’t want it to seem like you can only do one thing.

    Jessie – Because I have such a diverse array of experience, and positive references, I got the job I have now. Whether I was there for a month or a year, I had great references to call upon.

    Matt – I don’t think longevity means anything.

  • Software Advice

    What kind of role does Adobe InDesign play?

    Jessie: I use it to manage our websites, to create headers, to add creative elements to make things more visually appealing. I also used it for Warrior Dash, definitely for advertising and marketing.

    Matt: The more software you know how to use, the more indispensable you are. The more often your boss is coming to you to ask you to do something, the better. Even if you don’t learn it in class, it is something you should learn how to do.

    Kati – You can always get someone else to produce whatever you need done, but you don’t want your project to be held up especially when working with clients. The more you can handle yourself the better!

  • Social Media Advice

    Kati – Start blogging because it gives you something to talk about, interact with other people who blog about similar things. Figure out what platforms you want to use and how you can build UNIQUE content that is relevant to what you want to do. I actually had a reporter contact me because I shared my blog on twitter. It was an awesome experience and it gave me additional exposure.

    Matt – Figure out what your personal brand is, and focus on building that personal brand. If you are on Facebook in a personal way, be sure to have your privacy settings in place. Employers are smart. Everyone at the very least, if you are in college and you want to get a job, you HAVE to have a LinkedIn profile. I’ve had people head hunt me because of things I’ve done online.

    Brenzy – If you don’t have an online profile, that’s weird. I want to see something. Have a picture on your LinkedIn, have a resume on there.

    Jessie – Facebook has been a huge tool for my photography business. I think it is important to share a content that is engaging.

    Leland – Everything you do and put out there, give it your all. There is no such thing as bad experience, ever at all.

  • Internships, Owning a Business, and Important Classes… oh my!

    What were you doing when you started your internship in news ?

    Leland – I would shadow, and learn the techniques of shooting video. I’m a one man band, I shoot, edit, write all of my own stuff. Just getting to be an observer really helped me out. Being a good intern is what lead to me hiring them. You work for free, but it pays you back later. I don’t think I would have a job without my internship.

    What is the hardest thing about starting your own business? Advice?

    Matt – For me, giving up the salary was hard but I had support. Makes sure you have enough income to cover your bills, and have a business plan in place. Networking is important, and by that I mean making contacts and maintain relationships.

    Are there any classes you thought were useless but have proven to be beneficial?

    Matt – Capstone! If you know how to interview well and you have your portfolio with you, you will be a strong candidate. I’m really grateful that I took that class.

    Brenzy – Especially what I learned with resumes, I hire now and I don’t look at resumes

    Leland – I would say research methods, I have to track people down and make them talk to me. Every now and then I have to crack open a book, and I’m glad I have that background. The things I learned in that classroom I use everyday. Broadcast Journalism and TV Aesthetics was extremely helpful. What really brings a story to life are the pictures you associate with it. There’s a format to it, and not knowing that will hurt you.

    Kati – Being in social media, I think it really important how to find someone online. Your online contacts can lead to interviews. Every interview is good practice. Never turn down an interview. When Jennifer Chin is being nitty gritty and dissecting your grammar, PAY ATTENTION TO IT! I find myself doing it all the time. Solidify your writing skills. As much as most COM Studies Majors dislike it, math is important! So is excel!

    Jessie – As much as I hated Research Methods, it came in handy when I was applying to my grant in Europe. I also took a class that gave me an intro to the adobe suite and that has really proven useful.

    All of you taking COM 200 right now, it is important stuff!!