Marketable Myself Through Social Media

Tomorrow I am attending the Brand Camp Personal Branding 2.0 Conference at Lawrence Technological University.

I first heard about the conference from Karen Evans, a professor at Lawrence Technological University. She asked me if I would be interested in attending. When Evans told me that the conference consisted on how to use social media in the job industry (business, job seeking, resume, etc) I was definitely interested in going.

There are four main reasons for why I am going to the conference (in no specific order):

1. To learn more ways to make myself more marketable
2. To hopefully find an internship
3. Networking
4. To learn which social websites are vital to the job industry today (so that I can start using them and gain knowledge)

By now, I am sure everyone has noticed that the economic times have had a big negative impact on the job industry. Thousands of people are losing their jobs and more people are competing for one position. The supply and demand of job positions are not balanced whatsoever.

The career I chose is Media Communication. Before the economic crisis, my career was a competitive field. So you can just imagine how difficult it has been to find an internship (I must add that a “paid” internship is rare). Therefore, I have been finding ways to make myself more marketable. To start with, I am bilingual (my native language is Spanish). Being bilingual has definitely helped me find jobs. However, now I need jobs or internships that will eventually lead to a full-time job in my field. Another way I made myself more marketable is by learning website design. I have officially made my first website (deltatausigma.ltu.edu).

But being bilingual and knowing website design is not enough. I have noticed that social media has increased in use tremendously throughout the years. I am almost tempted to put in my resume, under skills, “Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Blogging.” I am especially interested in advertisement (the creative department); and I feel that if a person does not know how to use the social mediums I mentioned, he or she will not be able to bring the company forward.

I am asking myself:

“What types of social media should I know?”

“How should I use social media?”

“Should I put the Facebook, Blogging, etc in my resume?”

“What can make me more marketable?”

These are the questions I hope to have answered tomorrow.

The Brand Camp website has listed reason for why a student and job seeker, such as myself, should go to the conference:

“At Brand Camp, we’ll discuss how students can avoid common social media mistakes and use the technology to project a brand that is irresistible to companies… social media has changed the way companies seek out and research new talent. At Brand Camp, individuals about to enter or re-enter the workforce will learn how to properly leverage the tools of the Social Web and discover new ways to stand out from the crowd.” (p.1)

I also recommend other students, especially Medica Communication students, to come to the Brand Camp personal branding 2.0 conference. Though if they do not come, I will have an advantage over them haha : ) .

The Brand Camp personal branding 2.0 conference will allow me to meet very important people. Networking is very important. I hope that by networking I will increase my knowledge of the use of social media as well as my chances at finding an internship.

Overall, I am really excited for tomorrow and will update you all on the outcome.

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Brand Camp Universtiy. Brand Camp 09 Personal Branding 2.0 Conference. Brand Camp University. Retrieved October 9, 2009, from: http://www.brandcampu.com/

Miss Michigan Pageant Experience

My week at Muskegon for the Miss Michigan Scholarship Pageant was a memorable week (June 2009). I was so inspired by all the contestants, their stories, and love for their platform. It was definitely a tough competition and I am sure glad I was not a judge!

We had an amazing hospitality team that made sure each contestant had what she needed. The hospitality team provided us with endless amounts of food, water, and best of all- they always had a gift waiting for us on our beds at the end of each night; that would always put a smile on my face.

Though most of the week was filled with fun activities, meeting new people, and gifts, there was also a lot of hard work involved. For the first time in my life I had to learn four dances in one day! My talent is singing, not dancing- not to mention that I have always had a bad memory. That was my challenge throughout the week, but it was nice to know that I wasn’t the only girl who had forgotten the dances the next day.

I was thankful that through my involvement at Lawrence Tech I have developed good time management skills that came in very handy the week of Miss Michigan. The girls were expected to follow the schedule filled with activities and be on time. We were also expected to wake up early each day. Thankfully, since I work at a High School waking up early wasn’t too bad of a challenge; it did get harder as the week went by since we slept around midnight and the nerves and excitement wouldn’t let me sleep sometimes.

Overall, I had an amazing week filled with great experiences and memorable events. Though I did not win, I am happy with the results; and if you attended the competition you know that my performance during the week very well represented Lawrence Tech. I had the dream to represent Michigan, but God had a different plan for me this year. Sometimes you wonder why things happen the way they do, but at the end it is for the best. For example, since I did not win Miss Michigan I was able to visit my family in Ecuador that I had not seen in over two years. To add to that, my eyes had been rejecting different pairs of contacts since the beginning of the year and I had no choice but to wear glasses or get the eye Lasik surgery. I was able to get the Lasik surgery done in Ecuador for less than a quarter of the cost here in the US thanks to my dad’s cousin. In retrospective, visiting my family and getting my eyes fixed were events that were important and had to happen.

I look back on the Miss Michigan week and still believe and will always believe that I could have won and represented this state; but the reality is that it was not my time.

A great thanks to Leslie Wilson, my parents, my sisters, and friends who helped me prepare for the Miss Michigan week and sent me encouraging letters.

I’m going to continue my year as Miss Lawrence Tech advocating my platform, High School Drop-out Prevention, and I know that the next titleholder will be lucky to have the Miss Michigan experience with her for the rest of her life.

Andrea Freile
Miss Lawrence Tech ‘09

You can view this article on the ltu news (and see pictures) at: http://technews.ltu.edu/?p=498

Blogging begins again!

It has been a while since I have updated my blog!

I apologize.

Let me just mention that I had a summer filled with new experiences (that I will blog about) and at the moment I am blogging on ning.com through my Writing for Social Media class (and this blog is set on private- class policy).

With that said, let the blogging begin once more!

Graduation Surprise

My sister, Diana, graduated from UofM Ann Arbor on Saturday (May 2nd).

It was a very emotional moment for my parents since their first born was graduated and now she is heading to California for Medical school.

We've had this day in mind for a long time. Trying to figure out what to give Diana as a present. Finally the idea came to mind- why not put my editing skills to use?

We decided to ask my whole family from Ecuador to video tape themselves saying congratulations to my sister. While I waited for their videos to come I worked on the first part of the project/surprise- I edited pictures from her birth till now with music from our childhood in the background.

It turned out so good!

I have attached the first part of the project (the picture portion), since the videos are all in Spanish. I'm in many of the pictures- don't make fun of me :P

[still working on getting the video here]

I didn't finish it till the day of her graduation since I wanted the video to end with a picture of her with her cap and gown.

Sooo...I ended up editing that night till late- the worst part is the Diana was at my house so my dad and I tried miracles to get her to not see what we were up to. 

My dad was printing a CD cover that came out really nice.

Anyway...we had a big celebration with my family on Sunday.

That's when we showed her the video.

We got everyone around the TV. Then I handed her the DVD- she looked at it and was already surprised by seeing the "CD" cover on it with a picture of her in her cap and gown (it said Congratulations Diana!). She slid the DVD in and sat down to watch it.

It didn't take long for tears to roll down her face. Once she realized that it was my dad singing she was really touched (it was extra personalized).

Then she REALLY started crying from happiness when the video part started.

She was shocked to see that the family had taken the time to send her congratulation videos.

Everyone who watched it was very touched by the surprise and I got many compliments for my editing skills (go me! :) )

After endless hours of working on this project, I got it done, and the best part of all- it was a success!

Diana said it was the best present that anyone could have given her and she felt really loved.

What else can I say? I feel really proud.

Finals are getting to me

Today has been quite a day!

I stayed up till around 2am, had to get up at 7:30am to work at 9am, was so tired that I was falling asleep at work, left work early, tried to take a nap but my phone get going off, got up on time to print my paper and go to school.

However, when I went to print my 4-page paper, the last page printed, the third one printed, the second one printed, and then the printer ran out of ink. I just needed the first page!

I got irritated of course, it was almost 1pm and my class is at 2pm (I live 40 minutes away). I thought the process of changing a cartridge was easy, but then my printer wasn't communicating, and I ended up spending 30 minutes trying to print one page!

It was 1:30pm, I was definitely late to class. I decided to send my paper to my professor so he wouldn't think I was late because of the paper (and later on found out I didn't attach the paper!)

I ended up leaving my house in tears all frustrated. 

Side note: It is probably best not to drive when you are this upset- I'll leave it at that.

Anyway, I got to class about 15 minutes late, and printed out the first page finally and turned it in.

I am just really stressed with finals at the moment. 

I hope that my awesome Adv. Writing for TV professor moves our final deadline to next week :D because I have my sisters graduation on Saturday and my aunt from Ecuador is coming that day and we are having a great celebration on Sunday. I have so much to do and hope to be able to relax with the family and enjoy their company.

At the moment, because my day keeps getting better, I realized that I forgot my charger for my laptop. I hope the help desk with lend me one, since I can't borrow anyone elses because they have PC's.

I just need finals to be over with!

I'm VP of DTS

On Monday my sorority had our last meeting of the year, and as we normally do on the last meeting, we had elections.

I came to the realization that now Megan Motta and I are the oldest members of Delta Tau Sigma!

How did that happen? It seems like it was yesterday when I pledged DTS (Fall 2006).

The girls were so nice, fun, and most of all loved the sorority. I wanted to be part of this great group of girls.

I am so glad I joined. It has been a memorable experience.

However, when I was a new member, I was just learning more and more about the sorority and its traditions. I always had an older member to look up to and ask questions.

Now our only two older members left are graduating, making me and Megan the oldest members. This seriously makes me want to cry! 

I love the new girls and always will, but it is so different being the "go-to-person."

I have never ran for an E-board position before...and I can't figure out why. 

I guess I always knew someone above me that was great for President, or Vice President.

This year I felt I was ready to have more of a leadership position and continue to help the sorority grow. I am so thankful to have been elected as Vice President.

Though it is going to be a different experience, I am going to make the best out of it next year being the "big dog". I have learned so much from the previous members and am happy to be able to share it with the current and future Delta Tau's.

Greek Day Results

I promised to blog about the results of Song and Skit & Greek Day...so here it is:

Delta Tau Sigma won Song & Skit!! I was really happy, specially since I put a lot of time into it.

As far as Greek Day goes...

So who won the cup? Let's put it this way- no one.

Everything was fine until the afternoon events.

After the morning events, DTS was tied with Chi Omega Rho- then we had lunch- and then started the afternoon events.

We got through two out of the five afternoon events until the storm hit. (DTS was down by two)

Everyone had to run in for shelter- the weather was really bad! 

I ran in to the architecture building with no phone or car keys (because the person who had then was no where to be found)- then I saw the ambulance in the Tech parking lot.

What happened? I don't know all the details, but a girl (who is a Deepher) go her wrist ran over by someone riding a motorcycle. One of my sorority alumnae called the ambulance.

The storm didn't even last an hour- and everyone was ready to continue the events, until we heard what had happened. Out of respect, DTS decided to not continue with Greek Day since many of the Deephers had left and were not competing anymore. We couldn't be proud of a trophy knowing that the Deephers were not competing and that one of them got hurt...

So like I said, no one got the trophy. We are still trying to figure out if there will be a make-up Greek Day so we can see who the winner is.