j.simms internship

so far this summer, I've had the amazing opportunity to be working in San Diego at a PR/advertising agency. I've been working closely with the City of Imperial Beach, who hosts the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition every year. The largest sandcastle competition in the U.S., this event attracts over 325,000 people over a three-day weekend, and is probably going to be bigger than I realize even now. I've been working with the local San Diego television and news stations, gaining local and national press attention for the event.

I also was asked to design two advertisements that were approved, and ran in two different publications. I'm pretty excited about them! Like my experience with Vida, seeing something you've designed printed in a magazine is a completely different experience than creating an invitation, or poster. I may or may not be addicted.

time to update your resume

everyone knows the current economy makes it tough, if not virtually impossible
to find a job upon graduation.

I've heard from more than a few recent graduates that they are struggling to get hired, and
are unsure what to do about it.

during the P.R. trip to New York this March, I asked one of the hiring directors at MKG Productions what they looked for in new hires, and in hiring interns.

He said, "Be creative with your resume."

Be honest everyone--how many of you think that by taking the time to create a resume and cover letter in a Microsoft Word document template is going to get you hired?

I know we've all been guilty of this, and most of us still are. But in an economy that is making it less than comfortable to graduate, you need to be doing more.

"A template resume can be spotted a million miles away," said Bonnie Vieira, Director of Client Services at j. simms agency. "You may as well tell them you don't care, and aren't creative."

Harsh. But true.

Especially in the fields of advertising or public relations, your competitive counterparts that are looking to get hired are doing more than you. Although it may not seem like much, the content of a resume is just as important, if not more so, than its design.

Elizabeth Jenkins, fellow P.R. grad from BYU, recently updated her personal blog (which you should all have) with a link to her "professional portfolio" blog.

She has taken it upon herself to upload her working portfolio to a blog she keeps online.

Generally speaking, all resumes should be kept to one page. Especially if you are recently graduated, there is no reason to have a lengthy resume.
(no matter how talented you think you are)

The resume should present all of your information clearly, concisely, and in a way that makes your experience relevant to the position you're applying for.
(this goes for cover letters too. do NOT use templates, and tailor the letter to the company you're applying to.)

All resumes should include:

• Contact Information: Full name, address, phone, (a Twitter account is always a good idea, especially for PR)
  
• Education (start with your highest education first, gpa is optional)
  
• Skills (include all skills that are job-related, try to use action verbs)
  
• Experience (always list most recent experience first, and make sure the verbs are correct in their past/present tense)
  
• Activities (campus activities, memberships)
  
• Personal (honors/awards, certificates, etc.)

And most of all, be creative, and appropriate to your job field.
These resumes would not work for someone applying for an accountant position.

I'm definitely not the bees-knees here, but I did update mine awhile ago following the advice from Peter St. John at MKG. Now we'll see if I get hired.

make-a-wish

so I mean, it's not that big of a deal...

but it is.

I wrote a press release last week for a j. simms client, the City of Imperial Beach, who was partnering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant a five-year-old boy from Nebraska's very special wish.


Braden Van Eperen was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in December of 2007. Duchenne's is a progressive and life-threatening disease, characterized by a decrease in muscle mass, and loss of muscle function in male children.

Although Braden is still able to walk, he will be confined to a wheelchair most likely before the age of 12, and may not make it past his teen years.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation asked Braden what his wishes were, and he replied:

1. Go the beach.
2. Go to Saturn.

He learned about the beach in his kindergarten class, and wanted to build a sandcastle.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation flew him, his sister, parents and grandpa to San Diego, the sandcastle capital of the world.


Braden arrived in style Friday morning, chauffeured by a limo to the beach. This was his first time to California, first time to the beach, and first time building a sandcastle.

Volunteers from teams that compete in the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition were already there to help make sure everything went smoothly, and to help build any kind of castle Braden might want to during his time at the beach.

While here, the family attended Seaworld, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, Legoland and Disneyland.

This was such a neat opportunity for me, and a little bit outside of the clients I'll continue to be working with this summer. I arrived at the beach on Friday morning, ready to direct media where they needed to be and to make sure they knew who to talk to.

The story was picked up by the San Diego Union Tribune, and featured on the 6p.m. and 11p.m. news on Channels 6 and 9 in San Diego as well as here.


I was able to talk to Braden's mom, who has tried to stay optimistic about future treatments for Braden, and does not take moments like the ones we shared Friday for granted.


How often we all get caught up in our everyday, and forget things like being grateful for normal days. I've been living in San Diego for a month now, and have already forgotten how beautiful I thought everything was, or just stopping to take the time to feel warm sand between my toes.

Coming from a five-year-old who may only live 1/8 of his life normally, going to the beach is a simple wish.

Tomorrow, I may have to do just that.

hire me

I am now officially published. NBD.

And Mom, just because I'm designing for tequila doesn't mean I'm drinking it.



Lisa Barlow, owner of Vida Tequila hired me to do some freelance design for her last month, and it just happened to turn up in this month's issue of Aspen Magazine. Maybe this is the beginning of the end of working for free. It is just another 2k10 miracle.

just a little kitty in the big city

last Sunday, I moved to San Diego. all by myself.
I drove 11 hours, by myself, which was okay, because my Dad said he would pray for me.
Thanks Dad.

and just like he said I would be, I was fine. I detached myself from my mother's apron strings, got myself some 32oz Diet Cokes along the way, some peanut m&m's, Megan's mixed CD she made just for me, and I was on my way.

I'm living in San Diego with my darling friend Brittany Pierce's family until she gets here in June, and then we will be roomies.

I'm interning at a public relations/advertising agency called j. simms agency in downtown--about a 25 minute commute.

This is my view. I LOVE it.I will only be working part-time, so I also have applied at my favorites.

J. Crizzle, Anthropologie, and Pottery Barn. I will let you know how it goes, mainly for the discount I'll be helping you out with.

just since being here, I've already settled into a little bebis routine.
I love routines.

I located the closest 7-11's to work and to home-- check.
mapped out 4 and 5 mile run routes from the house -- check.
grocery shopped for my favorite things

• diet cokes
• kashi cereal
• lean wraps
• bananas
• and peanut butter)

and settled into bed by 10:30 watching all good things on hulu.

parenthood, modern family, friday night lights, the marriage ref, LOST--
it's going to be a very busy summer.

so who is going to come visit?

(Mike- I don't care what you say I am a sophisticated kitty who happens to like bunny food. but I will try a fish burrito if it makes you happy. only because kitties are supposed to like fish.)