Kema Christian-Taylor, Author at Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog

Job Responsibilities: APMM at Google

What are some examples of things you worked on at Google?

It’s worth noting that every APMM has a different job. Each of my positions was on the Consumer Marketing side, meaning that I worked on things that regular users (like you and me) would see.

Over two years, I worked on more than 20 videos (examples 1, 2, 3) and 12 microsites (a microsite is a website that is typically for a one-time event or something specific that won’t need much maintenance.) For my year in India, my job was often to think of moments in time in which we could surprise and delight users… sometimes that meant we’d team up with another company (like the Oscars — which was a fun project to work on!), and other times, my role was to keep Google relevant during holidays, such as with April Fool’s. Fun fact: I was the Google Nose model for April Fool’s 2013!

What’s cool about being an APMM is that they trust you with projects that you may not have experience working on. For example, my second month on the job, I was sent to a commercial shoot completely alone, despite that I had never produced a commercial before. But while there, I was able to direct them with how to incorporate product in the right way, which was one thing I knew well (just by being an avid Google user).

Source: Liz worked at Google for two years as an Associate Product Marketing Manager (APMM), then got promoted to Product Marketing Manager (PMM). Her first year was on the Google Search App, then the Brand and Partnerships team in Mountain View, and her second year was leading Brand in India.

Standing Out as a CBS Intern

How do you stand out as an intern at CBS?

Being totally down for doing absolutely anything necessary, whatever anyone asks of you, and having to learn how to do new things all the time. In my particular field, I wouldn’t necessarily be able to predict how a day would go. Sometimes you get weird assignments and you have to figure stuff out. It’s just a matter of thinking on your feet, being useful and at the ready always, and constantly trying to help out. You have to make yourself indispensable, whether it’s by learning some complicated thing that nobody else wants to figure out how to do, or by just being pleasant to be around. Being easygoing can go a long way.

Source: Intern who worked for CBS on the set of The Young and the Restless for 5 months.

Getting an Internship at CBS

How do you get an internship at CBS? How should you prepare for your interview?

Know what you want to do. If this interview is for an internship or an entry-level position, they know your dream isn’t to be a receptionist or to show The Price is Right audience where the bathrooms are. But knowing exactly what you want to do and being confident of your ability to work hard and get there is an appealing and memorable quality. Also, have stock answers at the ready for all those typical interview questions, like “What’s your biggest weakness?” and “Have you ever left a job before?” or whatever. Don’t be cliched, but don’t be too brutally honest either if you know that’s not what they want to hear.

Source: Intern who worked for CBS on the set of The Young and the Restless for 5 months.

Work Culture at CBS

WayUp sat down with an intern who has been working for CBS on the set of The Young and the Restless for 5 months. Here’s what she has to say.

What is the work culture at CBS like?

At first, overwhelming, realizing you’re in a big old famous corporation. But then you realize you’re just another teeny tiny little cog in the machine and that actually, surprisingly, it’s easier to get away with things when it’s such a big company. It is cool that it comes with such name value–“I work at CBS” is just fun to tell people to show off, even if half the time they think you said “CVS” and they’re wondering why you seem so arrogant about working at a twenty-four hour drugstore.It’s rewarding to be lucky enough to work in the industry that you’ve been dreaming of since you were a dumb teenager.

Startup V. Corporate: What to Wear to Your Interview

We once witnessed a job seeker come into an interview in a cocktail dress. While that was enough to get us started on writing this article, admittedly, we could all use a little help when it comes to dressing for different types of interviews.

When you’re dressing for an interview, you always want to err on the side of “nicer than normal.” While that can mean a lot of different things to many different people, there are few no-exceptions rules to keep in mind: no wrinkles, nothing sheer or see-through, nothing tattered or stained and definitely nothing too short or low-cut. Sounds simple enough until you consider the culture of dress at startups versus corporate offices.The way you dress will be an indicator to your interviewer of how well you’ll fit into the company’s culture.

We put together a quick dress kit to help you decide what to wear to your interview.

Startups

Startups tend to be all about casual or business casual attire – a nebulous term, we know. Here’s what we’ve dubbed to be in the “safe zone” for interviews at a startup: a nice button-down and casual slacks work well for both men and women (or a blouse and slacks for women). A casual blazer isn’t necessary, but it’s always a nice touch, as is a nice casual, yet appropriate dress with a blazer.
Try to steer clear of jeans: You want to make sure you don’t look too casual walking into your interview. You can, however, show off your personality with some colored pants (shown below). In terms of shoes, the safest way to go is close-toed–that means no sandals or flip-flops. However, we’ll give a green light for flats, loafers and small, close-toed heels.

Corporate

For your interview with the JPMorgan Chase’s of the world, your attire will have all your friends saying, “I see you!”

For men, this usually means wearing a two-piece suit, tie and shined shoes. Try to steer clear of bright colors, since some corporate offices are more conservative when it comes to anything besides navy, gray, white or black, and you’re better off being safe. Note: If you’ve ever watched the show “Suits,” that’s a great reference point for how to dress for a corporate interview.

For women, there are more options available (which makes it all the more confusing!). You can wear anything from a nice blouse and skirt or slacks to a professional dress. The same rule applies when it comes to that pop of color – try to dress in more muted tones for your interview.

If you choose to wear a dress or a skirt, a good rule of thumb is to make sure you’re not wearing anything too short; the hem should be relatively close to your knees. If you’re still unsure about length, take it back to the middle school uniform regulation days: Let your arms hang to your sides – then see if your hem is longer than the tip of your middle finger. For shoes, it’s usually a good idea to wear small, close toed heels, but if you’re uncomfortable wearing them, then a nice pair of flats works perfectly. It’s more important for you to feel your best when you’re heading off to your interview!

For corporations like Google or Red Bull, you probably shouldn’t dress as formally as you would when walking into an interview at a bank or a law firm. Business casual attire is definitely safest for these interviews.

Remember that every company is different, so even with this guide, it’s always a good idea to do a quick Google image search of the company’s employees – chances are, the team has been featured recently in a press article or on their own company blog, so you’ll be able to get some sense of what expectations are when it comes to attire.

Good luck on your next interview – we know you’ll be dressed to impress!

5 Reasons Why It’s Awesome to Hire Interns

I feel the need to warn you that I am biased on this topic. I love interns. So much that I was (an extra) in the movie about interns, and later built a business around them. Now please enjoy my post :)

Generally, hiring an intern is a win-win situation. At its most basic, a company derives the benefit of an extra set of hands to help out while the intern gets valuable experience, training and contacts for the future, but beyond providing additional power to your workforce, I’ve found that investing in an intern can have a positive and powerful effect on your company culture. Here’s five reasons why.

1) Interns Will Energize Your Company

As a new team member excited to learn, interns often come into the company armed with positivity, gratitude and enthusiasm to spare. Since this is an opportunity for them to gain valuable experience in a short period of time, their willingness to take on tasks and responsibilities and to help out often provides a positive influence on the rest of the team. What’s more, good interns can shake up the status quo. The best employees are adaptable and quick on their feet—a new intern will bring fresh ideas to the table and ask questions that will keep existing employees on their toes in the best possible way.

2) They’re Tech-Savvy

By and large, most new interns are young—either fresh out of college or still in school. As such, they’re often in touch with social and technological innovations, which can often prove useful to the company. Don’t be surprised if they introduce apps, processes or software that help your company increase efficiency and productivity.

If your company is on social media (which it should be!), your intern could be the best source of feedback on how your social endeavors are doing.

3) They Bring a New Social Dynamic

There’s nothing worse than getting stuck in a rut. In my experience, a new intern provides an interesting challenge to existing teams and routines, as employees will have to reorganize their schedules and projects in order to train, accommodate and incorporate a new hire. This is especially true for small to mid-sized companies, where the addition of one extra team member will be strongly felt. The resulting new social and organizational dynamic encourages existing employees to be flexible and accommodating while also teaching your workforce how to collaborate dynamically.

4) Interns Act as Brand Ambassadors

As enthusiastic company insiders, interns have the capacity to be powerful brand ambassadors for the services or products you offer, and while positive public exposure is always a plus, interns can also be powerful brand representatives within the company. Being exposed to anything long enough can cause it to become commonplace, and an intern’s fresh insights and excitement regarding your offerings might just help existing employees see your products in a fresh new light. Furthermore, I’ve found that asking an outgoing intern for honest feedback at the end of their stint is a great way to get some insight into what’s working and what’s not.

5) They Promote Learning

While you’re expected to educate your intern about your company and industry, you’re just as likely to learn a thing or two from them. It’s simple: Interns coming to you straight out of school will have the most up-to-date education. You’d be surprised how much the things being taught in school change from year to year. An internship can be an excellent opportunity for your company and your intern to learn reciprocally from each other, giving you both a leg up on the competition.

So if you’re on the fence about hiring an intern, remember that the potential benefits go far beyond the tangible. In fact, sometimes an intern is just what your company could use, as long as they’re qualified to do the job. Oh – and did I mention? You can go to WayUp.com to find qualified students for your team today!

P.S. Yes, I’m aware that hiring an intern is a lot of work, but at the end of the day, I very rarely hear that the investment in the intern isn’t worth it in the long-run… for both the employer and the intern!

Pension Lawyer

Ever wondered what it’s like to work in the oil industry – or in law? WayUp sat down with a corporate lawyer who has worked at Shell for over 10 years! Here’s what she had to say.

What’s it like to work at Shell Oil Company?

While ostensibly a relaxed workplace that allows for casual dress and flexible work hours, Shell prides itself on employing intelligent, hardworking, highly motivated individuals who work well in team settings and who communicate well.

What skills are absolutely necessary to succeed in your role and at the company?

Managing communications and expectations well are important. You must be able to understand what is required when tasks are assigned to you, how to establish and meet deadlines, how to prioritize, and how to report on your successes and failures. Keep in mind that Shell (like many other multinational corporations) has stakeholders who speak different languages and who may have varying interpretations of the key deliverables of a project.

What’s the most rewarding and the most challenging part about your job?

The most challenging part of the job is a project that requires you to use your skills to tackle a problem you, as well as others on your team, have never faced before. The most rewarding part comes in the form of self-satisfaction, words of appreciation, and more challenging projects.

How should you prepare for an interview with Shell?

You should read what the company says about itself in the press and what others say about it, know something about the oil and gas industry, in general, and the division where you hope to work, in particular. Then, keeping in mind that you are interviewing the company while the interviewer is interviewing you, ask about what is important to you, e.g., types of assignments, personalities and work ethic of team leader and members, workload, work hours, who previously occupied the job and why he or she left, what the long term prospects are for the position, what a reasonable progression would be from one summer to the next.

What should you wear to a Shell interview?

In some parts of Shell, especially on Fridays, workers wear casual clothes. At other times, when senior officials are visiting, people will dress more formally. When you schedule your interview, ask how your interviewer will dress. If you don’t have a chance to talk to your interviewer, err on the side of dressing up. That signifies that you are taking the interview seriously.

The Perfect Voicemail to Make You Employable

As a college student, you know that only the people who are in your inner circle call you (actually, let’s be real, everyone texts you except for your mom). Because of this, you don’t necessarily think about tailoring your voicemail to people outside of your select group, like employers. However, when you’re applying for jobs, there’s a very high likelihood that an employer who wants to follow up on your application will call you and – in the event that you don’t pick up – leave a voicemail.

Here at WayUp HQ, we’ve been conducting thousands of interviews and interacting with students on one-on-one calls. We can attest to the fact that there are a few student voicemails out there that need a little updating. We’ve gotten everything from, “Hey, it’s the Princess, leave a message!” to toddlers screaming into the recording. Trust us, we love a little personality, but if you’re not careful, you could end up unintentionally turning away opportunities because you aren’t presenting yourself clearly or professionally.

Here are a few simple tips for the right type of voicemail greeting:

Make sure it’s your voice on the other line. Yes, it’s adorable if your little sister stole the phone from you and left a greeting — but she’s not the one on the job search. Make sure you clearly present yourself on the other line and open by stating your name. That way, you’ll avoid confusion, and the employer will know that he or she has dialed the right number.

Limit the amount of background noise. We’re all busy people, but no one wants to hear Chipotle orders in the making as you conduct your voicemail greeting. Take the time to find a quiet space on campus, and leave a greeting that won’t leave anyone saying, “Wait, what?”

Encourage the caller to leave his or her contact info, and state a clear follow-up time. Employers love when you’re proactive, so encourage the caller to leave his or her name and number so that you can follow up. For an added bonus, tell the caller when you plan on following up, e.g. “Please leave your name and number, and I will return your call within 24 hours.”

Again, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add a little personality or flair to your greeting – employers have a sense of humor too! Just make sure you’re keeping professional calls in mind when you record your greeting, and present yourself the way you would in an interview. A little attention to this kind of detail goes a long way!

The 10 Best Action Words for Your Resume

Employers are looking for self-motivated candidates who are passionate and driven and can contribute to a company’s growth. The secret to helping potential employers recognize that you are that candidate lies in communicating your abilities effectively–especially when it comes to your resume.

Lucky for you, we’ve made it easy. Check out the best action words to make your resume set you apart from the competition.

1. Launched

Did you start something? Launch a new professional project? Establish an office book club? Employers want to know. Someone with drive, creativity and motivation to get projects off the ground is guaranteed to be an asset to any company.

2. Increased

Whether you increased profits, followers or efficiency, this powerhouse resume keyword is bound to get you noticed. An ability to take existing things and make them bigger, better and stronger is a highly sought-after skill that potential employers love.

3. Resolved

Communication, leadership and problem-solving skills summed up in one word. From coming up with a solution to a day-to-day administrative task to working out a complex project setback, examples of initiative and problem-solving acumen will set you apart from the competition.

4. Improved

The bottom line? Employers are looking for potential employees who are going to bring value to their organization. Demonstrate your ability to do this by pointing out how you contributed to improving conditions, work processes or outcomes in a past role. Use specific examples and before-and-after comparisons to really spark the attention of hiring managers.

5. Coordinated

Coordination—whether applied to projects and teams or event or administration tasks—requires a high level of organization, effective leadership and the ability to work as part of a team. It also means you were entrusted with a superior level of responsibility and authority. Employers will always gravitate towards candidates who have proven themselves capable of organizational leadership roles.

6. Collaborated

Unless you’re self-employed (and even then), working with others is an undeniable reality of professional life. Outline instances where you worked as part of a team and communicated effectively to demonstrate your ability to collaborate successfully.

7. Researched

No matter our field or industry, we learn from the experiences and work of others, and experience with research implies a capacity for finding, analyzing, summarizing and drawing conclusions from various sources—an asset in any role.

8. Created

Another characteristic employers across industries keep an eye out for? Creativity. No matter how analytical you think the position you’re applying for is, creating—whether it’s a new protocol or a whole new division within a company—implies an ability to come up with solutions, spot opportunities and see them through.

9. Presented

Presentation skills are resume gold, as they mean a potential candidate is comfortable organizing data and communicating it to others. Whether pitching to a client or transmitting information internally, organizations benefit from having eloquent employees who will represent their company effectively.

10. Adapted

As important as being able to start or improve things, the ability to adapt illustrates an attractive level of flexibility, creativity and savviness. If you can take incompatible things and make them work, employers will want to know—it’s a rare skill!

Sometimes setting yourself apart from the pack is as easy as expressing your professional background succinctly and compellingly. Make your experience work for you by revisiting your resume and incorporating these powerful action words today. The best part? It’s win-win for both you and your potential employer.

Top photo credit: kaboompics

What Do Google Employees Typically Complain About?

Liz worked at Google for two years as an Associate Product Marketing Manager (APMM), then got promoted to Product Marketing Manager (PMM). Her first year was on the Google Search App, then the Brand and Partnerships team in Mountain View, and her second year was leading Brand in India.

Sometimes, Googlers like to make fun of themselves for how picky they are about the already incredible food options available, at least at Headquarters (I can’t speak for all offices throughout the country)… If you’ve ever heard of the hashtag #firstworldproblems, then you know what I mean. I’ve heard Googlers complain about everything from a specific type of apple not being offered, to not enough assortments of sushi being offered at the Japanese restaurant. Keep in mind, all food at Google is free… so it’s a bit crazy to think about people forgetting to be grateful, and instead complaining about diversity of sushi.

On a more serious note: I also heard people (especially in Marketing) complain about there being too many levels of approvals to get something shipped and out the door. When your company has an audience of billions of people, it makes sense that Senior Management would want to get many eyeballs reviewing content to ensure it’s great, but it also can lead to delays in launches, and “too many cooks” cooking in the kitchen.