Greater Milwaukee Jobs

As new college graduate Ricshaud Williams looks for a broadcasting job, he has one major criteria: "I want it to be fun and not feel like work. I want it to be something I do with pas- sion." Williams, 21, heads out into the working world with a bachelor's degree in mass communications from Florida Memorial Univer- sity in Miami Gardens, Fla., eager to pay off his student loans but having the same expectations of his first job as most of the class of 2016: meaningful work, a team environment and a fun workplace cul- ture. Whether the work- place meets these expecta- tions will be potentially game-changing as tradi- tional businesses become more dependent on young workers to take their busi- nesses into the digital age. "I think we're going to make a big difference in a positive way," Williams says. For the estimated 1.9 mil- lion 2016 graduates, the United States is in the hottest job market since 2009, according to Nation- al Association of Colleges and Employers. Optimistic graduates are researching future employers online, using apps, and reading employee reviews on web- sites to find jobs with the right cultural fit. They aren't necessarily seeking a Google-like workplace where ping-pong and pizza parties abound (although that's a draw). They want a workplace where people like what they do and create a positive social atmosphere, and they are willing to relo- cate or take a lower salary for that type of environ- ment, according to a new study of 2,018 college grad- uates by Accenture Strate- gy, a global strategy con- sulting firm. "They don't just want to have fun at work, they expect to have fun," says Katherine LaVelle, a Wash- ington, D.C.-based manag- ing director of Accenture Strategy. "To them, that's much more important than salary." Accenture also found 2016 graduates want flexi- bility and a job that doesn't feel like grunt work. They prefer small to mid-size companies where they Great expectations: New grads enter the world of work By Cindy Krischer Goodman Miami Herald (TNS) ed reaching out to beauty bloggers in what was then called "word of mouth mar- keting" – sending products directly to writers – rather than just communicating with editors at traditional publica- tions. Today, that kind of out- reach is called social media marketing. "I think for any larger brand, there's a lot of fear that went into social media," she said. "We're put- ting our product in the hands of consumers, and they get to talk about it. I think it was just a cultural shift in the way people were viewing PR and marketing." A turning point: In 2009, Johnson moved to LA to work as a social media and market- ing consultant for Citysearch, an online guide to local busi- nesses. But three months later, she was let go. Johnson was devastated – her entire net- work was back in New York, and she wasn't sure what she would do next. After speaking with colleagues, she realized that all the advertising, mar- keting and social media agen- cies in LA were focused on entertainment, leaving a space for her to capture the fashion and lifestyle markets. "Lucki- ly, people were very receptive to it," she said. Starting her business: That idea grew into No Subject, a digital marketing and events agency that has worked with clients such as Microsoft Corp., Westfield Corp. and L'Oreal. It got its start in a downtown LA shared office space that Johnson dubbed "No Subject." The name of the space, which was also used to host events and art installations, was soon associ- ated with her agency. "No Subject was supposed to mean, 'Anything could happen, anything goes,'" she said. "And I think it translated very well into the agency." Drawing from life: The idea for Create & Cultivate was born out of Johnson's experi- ence starting No Subject. With just a few years under her belt in a corporate business envi- ronment and few online resources she could relate to, she said she often felt isolated. In 2010, Levi Strauss & Co. approached her about setting up an event to bring creative freelancers together in Palm Springs, Calif., to talk about business strategies and to net- work. The 50-person event was basically a mini-version of today's Create & Cultivate conference. "People literally were like, 'When's the next one? When's the next one?'" Johnson said. "You're so busy building something else that when something is literally hitting you in the face, you can't see it." LA event: In May, Create & Cultivate hosted its fourth large-scale conference, this time in LA. The event was attended by 600 people, with a waiting list of more than 3,000. Keynote speakers included Chelsea Handler, Jessica Alba and Rachel Zoe. In addition to workshops and panels such as Start-Up 101, which gave women advice on how to build their businesses, the event also featured mixers and mentoring sessions. The company hosts these events three times a year. "It's all about that new wave, coming up with those ideas on our 2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • June 9, 2016 entrepreneur ... from p. 1 see ENTREPRENEUR . . . page 6 How to sell a growing company on investing in itself & A Q A. Do a solid business case while bringing to life the impact that your systems shortcomings are having. To some extent, this is a data story. There are some obvious pieces you need: number of staff, equipment they need (computer, phone, Internet and printer access, etc.), and the dollar value of investments you've made to date.You can then calculate a meas- ure of investment per person. But staying at this level comes with risks. If you've already done this, you've probably shown that, in order to have all new people well equipped, you need to make an eye- brow-raising investment. So, by all means validate the numbers, and project them based on your expect- ed growth. And then move on to the next level of persuasion. Tie your analysis to your company's core vision and your products and services.What are the essential tools your team members need? If you run a construction company, people need tools with sufficient power that won't break down in mid- task. It's the same story with your information tools. Create task-based descriptions of the equipment that is needed. Does everyone need the highest-power computer? No, but you better be sure that your data crunchers or graphics artists have them. Keeping your needs assess- ment task-based will allow you to demonstrate the strength of your budget assumptions. Then consider the expectations of people you want to attract to your company. Expectations for quality tools, including connectivity, are high. And in a world of remote workers and online connectivity, having stable systems is worth paying for. Clients have high expectations, as well, and if you scrimp too much on infrastruc- ture, your employees will struggle to meet their needs. Now, the storytelling. First consider your audience.What will move your CEO? Your CFO? Understand the most important points you need to make, and create narratives that sup- port them. For example, you might talk about an employee whose com- puter timed out while running finan- cial reports.You might not be able to quantify frustration – but you know both the employee and the report user will be experiencing it! And you can quantify the cost of reduced pro- ductivity and give it a human face. In contrast, you may have a success story of someone on a sales call who can access internal systems to pro- vide real-time pricing information. The sale gets made, the customer's needs are met, and your company shows up in a positive light. As you grow, remember that you control the pace. If you can't afford to do it right, pace yourself so that you can make the investments needed as you go. You'll keep your best people, attract good new talent, and have the systems in place to meet your customers' needs.This is the path to sustained growth. Q. The small company I work for is on its way to becoming medium-sized, but our systems and infrastructure haven't kept up. It's hard to bring on new people and keep people connected. I think we need to make some investments but I haven't been able to get the owner and other senior leaders on board. What should I do? By Liz Reyer Tribune News Service (TNS) Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at lizdeliverchange.com. A publication of Conley Media Call Center Director: Cindy Shaske 262-306-5016 cshaske@conleynet.com Account Executive: Julie Sears 262-306-5008 jsears@conleynet.com Story Coordinator: Dan Muckelbauer 262-513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262-513-2690 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS Volume 18 • Number 38 June 9, 2016 To place an ad: Call us at 262-306-5008 or fax us at 262-338-5271 deadline: Noon on Wednesdays Distributed by: Conley Distribution 262-513-2646 ©2016 by Conley Media, LLC Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. It is the advertiser's responsibility to be aware of the laws pertaining to employment advertising. Call 262-306-5008 for information. see NEW GRADS . . . page 6 Balancing Act:

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