How I Got My Job: Social Media Generosity
July 31, 2009 – 4:18 pm | by Daryl TayIt feels good to be able to share opportunities with people today. Opportunities are great things. — C.C. Chapman (via Twitter)
As of Monday, I’ll be the new business analyst at Blue Interactive: The measurable marketing company (also newly awarded Agency of the Year by Marketing Interactive). There are plenty of reasons why I wanted to work for Blue, but that’s not where the story is. The story is in how I got the job:
Just over a month ago, Jasmine (from school) dropped me a Facebook message asking if I had heard of any job openings. I passed her an ad I saw from Vocanic (provided by Ingrid). In a couple of weeks, Jasmine became the new business development executive at Vocanic (and is having the time of her life, I might add).
Awhile later, she dropped me another Facebook message with a job opening at Interuptive (named “Next Big Thing” at the Marketing Interactive awards), where I then met Kevin, the founder. I really liked Kevin as well as what Interuptive was doing, but unfortunately Kevin was looking for someone a little more senior. Despite that, he gave me a list of digital agencies to check out (without knowing if they were hiring) and Blue was on the list.
The rest, as they say, is history.
And that’s the beauty of it isn’t it? I didn’t give Jasmine the link with hopes she’ll reciprocate. Neither did she do it out of an obligation to reciprocate, and Kevin certainly had no compelling reason to refer me to a competitor. But they did anyway and I could not be happier to start my career at Blue. I blogged about this more than a year ago, and it still stands true today:
There is something about people engaged in this space. A natural desire for community and exchange and sharing, even if the person giving doesn’t get anything out of it.
There really is something about the space that attracts a certain type of people, and I genuinely believe that if we keep doing this and looking out for our own, we’ll weed out the trash and truly pave the way forward.
Tags: blue interactive, business analyst, cc chapman, facebook, interuptive, measurable marketing company, share opportunities, twitter, vocanic
15 Responses to “How I Got My Job: Social Media Generosity”
By Winnie Lim on Jul 31, 2009 | Reply
Congratulations on your new job!
I think social media has amplified people dynamics – it is like the old saying ‘whatever that goes around will come around’ on steroids.
I am thankful for this space that allows open communication and sharing of information.
Have lots of fun at Blue.
By Kelvin on Jul 31, 2009 | Reply
Congrats on your new employment!
By John Kerr on Jul 31, 2009 | Reply
Congrats mate – however you do realize that you’ll have to do some work there, as opposed to swanning around on social media all day…
Seriously, I remember your post from a year ago, still a spot on read today. Enjoy!
By Daryl Tay on Jul 31, 2009 | Reply
@Winnie Lim: Thanks a lot! It really has brought such a great dynamic to how we connect and behave as people. Great time to exist.
@Kelvin: Thanks!
@John Kerr: Thanks, John. Ahh real work! Such an alien concept
By Jonathan Wong on Aug 1, 2009 | Reply
Congratulations, Daryl!
If I’m not mistaken, I think Microsoft uses BLUE quite a fair bit.
Who knows, I may see you around soon!
By Isman Tanuri on Aug 1, 2009 | Reply
Hi Daryl, congrats on the new job, sounds like a great, fun job. Being social digitally is increasingly becoming a tactical tool to get that dream job. I had just tweeted this post by David Meerman Scott yesterday (http://bit.ly/vWoem) on the same theme and here’s a post from you that shows it really works! Kismet
By Daryl Tay on Aug 1, 2009 | Reply
@Jonathan Wong: That would be great!
@Isman Tanuri: Thanks for that comment and yes it really works! Thanks for connecting with me on Twitter too.
By Jo Jordan on Aug 1, 2009 | Reply
4 degrees of freedom – Jasmine, Kevin, first contact in company, hiring manager?
Also what is important is that you approached them?
And the hit rate? 1 out of…. this number is also important. People catastrophise 0/1.
Any thoughts on these finer details? Or would you regard them as off the point?
By Office Humorist on Aug 2, 2009 | Reply
There was also a recent study that showed most people get jobs through their “weak connections” than their very close friends.
Great example two nice people just helping each other out.
By Daryl Tay on Aug 6, 2009 | Reply
@Jo Jordan: Yes I believe it would be four.
I don’t quite I get you about the approach and hit rate? Illuminate me?
@Office Humourist: That’s right I think I did remember reading up on the loose links as opposed to the strong chain. Thanks for bringing that up!
By Jo Jordan on Aug 7, 2009 | Reply
Four degrees of separation -that’s cool.
I was trying to ‘flesh out the case study’. How many people did you speak to in all (hit rate) and what was the ratio of people you approached, how many job adverts you responded to and how many people approached you. It is hard to persuade students to do the approaching – so the case study is important to encourage others to be proactive/trust the network.
By zhirong on Aug 7, 2009 | Reply
hey daryl, heartiest congrats! i’m very happy for you
By Daryl Tay on Aug 11, 2009 | Reply
@Jo Jordan: Ahhh. I approached easily over 10 organisations and went for as many interviews. I had maybe three or four people who actively referred me an opportunity without asking. Does that help?
@Zhirong: Thanks, Zee!
By Sharalyn Hartwel on Aug 19, 2009 | Reply
Truly inspiring. I always hear it can happen, but it’s discouraging to keep trying. I love knowing it really works this way for people. I guess in many ways it isn’t any different than it was for our parents. Just for us, we use our connections online, rather than in person.
Thanks! Great post. I linked it to a column I did for the online newspaper the Examiner.com. Thanks!
By Daryl Tay on Aug 19, 2009 | Reply
@Sharalyn: Thanks for the link and you’re absolutely right. It’s still tapping on networks, still being generous, just that it’s so much easier these days being globally connected!