The whirlwinds of Wellington

Good afternoon, faithful readers - I'd have preferred to follow up with you sooner, but the better weather has been seeing me out & about for longer periods of time, leaving me feeling somewhat depleted in my off-hours. That being said, I am pleased to report that Stalking the Job has, in recent days, made forays all across the city. All last week I found myself making many connections in-person, both on the street and in the foyers of a number of offices and studios.


A flying start

The week got off to a good start, keeping an appointment with Malcolm Jusamani of The Creative Group. I'd worked for Perennial, Inc. through TCG a number of years back, and Malcolm and I seemed to hit it off quite well. Of course, my goal remains to find myself full-time, gainful employment (as opposed to part-time, short-term or contractual situations), but I'm only too happy to have someone like Malcolm working on my behalf.

Increasingly, it's becoming apparent to me that my (very real) need for a revenue stream threatens to derail my QR code initiative, and there may soon come a day when I will indeed have to forego this strategy in order to take on work that might be far-removed from my own field of expertise. By signing on with TCG, I'm hoping to avoid putting too many eggs in one basket - even if it does mean working part-time, short-term or contractually. Besides, should Malcolm manage to line something up, I would at least stand a chance of impressing upon his clients my indispensability... which could lead them to picking me up for good. Hey, it's a long shot - but it's hardly as though I'm a stranger to long shots, now is it?

Whirling winds on Wellington Street

I spent a fair amount of time walking up and down Wellington Street just west of Spadina last week, and I'd like to think it was to good effect, even if the high winds occasionally blew my sandwich board up and into my face. More than once I found myself wishing that, rather than canvassing, I could instead be in  a park flying a kite - which is something I used to love doing. But as I said, my time was spent to good effect, as I found myself interacting with quite a number of people working in related fields, all of whom wished me every success in my bid to re-enter the workforce. Now, if only I could move past the well-wishing and onto something well-and-truly-wonderful...!

In fact, Sheila Jacklin, whom I encountered outside of Bensimon Byrne, gave quite a boost to my spirits late in the week when she (rather thoughtfully) engaged me in conversation about the working world and life in general. In talking with Sheila, I came to realize that what I value - what gives me satisfaction - is not simply to work, nor to simply earn a paycheque. What I most wholeheartedly want is to be a part of something bigger than myself. To find myself once again in the fast-paced (and dare I say it, "synergistic") environment that only a studio-type environment can afford. To once again be a member of a team, and by hard work and dedication, to prove to the members of that team that I am a valuable resource - that I possess insights, talents and highly-developed skills which frankly need to be tapped.

More hoops

As previously mentioned in these pages, while I've been mounting this campaign I've also continued to use more traditional means to pursue opportunities - mostly through applying for positions posted online. I tend to think of this as "jumping through the standard hoops", and yes... I jumped through a whole series of hoops last week, applying for seven or eight jobs, mostly via Media Job Search Canada and LinkedIn. One position in particular seemed quite ideal, and a small technical issue with the company's website led me to speak directly with one of the members of their HR department - I'll choose not repeat the name of that company at this time, however (as I'm just superstitious enough to not want to jinx my chances).

In fact, on Wednesday morning - after having dispatched two new applications online - I'd headed out to canvass the area just north of my neighbourhood, only to find that I'd not stocked sufficient numbers of business cards (I'd had cause to hand out more than a dozen in a very short period of time). On returning home to pick up another small stack, I found that another promising opportunity had just been posted on MJSC, so I took some added time to jump that extra hoop!


Inspiration from the unlikeliest of places

Friday was a real stand-out, as far as I'm concerned. Perfect weather saw people out en masse wherever a patio was to be found, and if there's one thing I've learned it's that people love to scan QR codes once they've had a pint or two. Seriously, though - the good weather seems to prompt people's innate curiousity - and what's more curious than a man out walking around with a giant QR code hanging off his shoulders?

Taken by Gene Sasso on Queen St. West, April 5th

But I wanted to say a word or two about inspiration, specifically how I've been inspired by one man I've encountered any number of times in my journeys on the streets of Toronto. He's the man you see on the left of this photo - and he goes by the name of "Irish". Irish is, by his own admission, what some might call a "bad risk"... living his life on the streets, a habitual drinker, he's nowhere near to being anybody's poster-child. But for his faults, he is nonetheless a perfectly honest man (if occasionally brutal in his honesty), particularly where his own life is concerned.

He does not assign blame to anyone or anything for his circumstances; he takes full ownership of - and responsibility for - his life. Mind you, his responsibilities are comparatively few; it's really more a question of him setting the bar fairly low for himself, but nonetheless, he acquits himself quite well given the low standards he chooses to apply. Would that he could confront and wrestle his personal demons to the ground, I've no doubt at all that he could go relatively far in life. Further, he is of a generous disposition. In spite of being on the lowest rung in society, he does not let the people in his orbit go wanting for a bite to eat, a place to sleep or simply someone to talk to.

A towering figure, with eyes cocked so wide as to make it near-impossible to ascertain where exactly he's looking at any given time, many would no doubt find Irish to be an imposing man - just the sort of man that we as a society tend to try not to notice to as great an extent as possible. But, in all truth, it's a very rare thing indeed to meet someone who is as honest and as forthright as the man called Irish. Sláinte!


Another evening-time experiment

Perhaps it's due to all the walking around I've been doing, but I've found recently that my stamina has increased dramatically in the last little while. I was able to walk from Ubisoft's offices (out at Lansdowne & Bloor) down to the Entertainment District without the need for a break, and still had sufficient energy to canvas from University to Portland, between Wellington and Queen several times over. As the sun was still shining quite warmly at dinner time, I decided to extend my walkabout and headed south to the Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays were due to take to the field at 7 PM that evening.

Wishing to remain firmly on the right side of the law, I made a point of approaching a security guard and an on-duty member of Toronto Police Services standing adjacent to Gate 1, just a short distance from the suspension bridge linking the Rogers Centre to Front Street West. I wanted to know the specifics as to where I could reasonably go about my business without rankling anybody unduly - but I was somewhat put-off by the frankly hostile reception I received from the TPS officer, who clearly did not take any of what I was saying at face-value. Indeed, he seemed to want to ticket me (for panhandling, of all things faithful readers). I was sternly advised to restrict my movements to the suspension bridge - some thirty feet away from Gate 1 - and ironically, this is where ticket-scalpers loudly, openly hawk their (illegal) wares... within earshot of the police. Props to the security guard however, who wasn't behaving at all like the TPS officer, and who did wish me the best in my endeavours.

Not the droids I was looking for.

As for the crowd? Well... now, after experiencing them first hand, I think I can report truthfully that for the most part, they're not the droids I'm looking for. After all, it's not necessarily the quantity of hits that I'm concerned with so much as it's the quality of the hits that I am getting. No, the people I was hoping to intersect with weren't turning out in great numbers for the ball game - which did surprise me somewhat, as many guys who I've worked with in the Entertainment District over the years have been fairly rabid sports nuts! But as tough as I might've had it, the well-dressed men trying to flog photocopied "Black History Month" pamphlets were the ones fighting the steepest uphill battle that evening. I had to admire their thick skins, as some of the Blue Jays fans were behaving in a downright belligerent manner towards them. Still - all in all, a worthwhile experiment... and one that I may choose to repeat should I find events somewhat better-suited for my campaign to target.


Have you seen that QR Code Guy?

Taken by Nadia Beja (of Zoom Media) on Berkeley Street April 5th

I mentioned that Friday was an exceptional day, and I wasn't lying...! Indeed, Friday saw quite a few people taking photos - which I will endeavour to feature here on the blog in the days and weeks to come. The photo above is slightly back-dated,  however: On a chance encounter on Berkeley Street, near to where I live in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, Nadia Beja of Zoom Media was kind enough to ask if she could take a picture to upload via Instagram. Not missing a beat, I asked Nadia for her permission to reproduce her photo here - and so here it is, folks. And remember, if you've taken a photo of That QR Code Guy in his journeys around Toronto, I want to hear from you.

Once again, this is John Currie for Stalking the Job, signing off. It's been a wonderful weekend, folks - and don't forget to keep your eyes peeled, because I'll be seeing you...

The Good Friday roundup

Salutations to you all on this very good Good Friday, faithful readers. Today I'll try catching up on some of the places I've been, the people I've connected with, the mentions made online and the real-world opportunities I'm pursuing here in the Big Smoke. Just as in the natural world, the month of April is proving to be a time of change and growth... and as such, I feel it's incumbent upon Stalking the Job to make the most of it.

Say "wat?"

Late Wednesday evening, after publishing the last post appearing on these pages, I decided to try combing Google for recent photos people may have taken, using various search strings. This is something I'll do from time to time in order to shore up content to include in the recurring StJ feature, "Have you seen That QR Code Guy?". To date, it's netted me quite the burgeoning collection of photos (thought they've mostly been taken from behind - darn our Canadian tendency to be as unobtrusive as humanly possible!). Anyway, on the second or third search attempt, I came across the following  photo:

Taken by Jason Last, March 29.

For the most part, when I find photos they're usually included in online photo-galleries with a minimum of tags to identify them. What set this particular image apart from others I've included as part of the "Have you seen That QR Code Guy?" feature on Stalking the Job is that the photographer (Jason Last, strategic planner at john st.) had included the photo as part of a post on his ongoing blog, "wat?". I must say it felt somewhat rather odd to learn that I'd made enough of an impression on a stranger that they'd felt moved to write about it - especially insofar as we didn't actually interact!

I contacted him that same evening to provide some context for the scene he ran across (the young painter to my left, a fellow by the name of Adam, had unfortunately just learned of a death in his family), and found him to be a most engaging personality. And to my delight, I learned that Jason is on the periphery of my own social and/or professional circles - proving yet again how much smaller a world it is than we might otherwise believe it to be.

Having discussed the matter (and having received Jason's blessing - thank you, Jason), I will now reproduce his thoughts and ruminations on that day's near-encounter on Queen Street West here for your edification, faithful readers. Oh, and I should add that after establishing contact between us Jason saw fit to provide his readers with an update to his original entry. So without further ado, here's the "Interesting People" article re-posted from Jason's own blog:

I was taking a little stroll around the block the other day when I came across the guy pictured below…

…and for one of the first times in my life I became interested in scanning a QR code.

What was it about this otherwise non-descript man that made me interested in taking the effort to scan him? Why did I want to learn more about whatever it was that he was hoping to communicate rather than all the other messages that were (and are) constantly competing for my attention?

It was a combination of two things, I think.

1) People are inherently more interesting than brands. Advertisers have known this for a long time, which is why hiring the right spokesperson to represent a brand has traditionally been one of the best ways to change or improve its perception. We care about other human beings – even ones we don’t know. We want to know their stories. We wonder what they’re thinking, feeling, doing. People provide us with ideas and perspectives that are important assets in a world where social interactions are fundamental to survival and success.

With the sheer amount of brands in the marketplace today, it can be very difficult for us to differentiate one from another – if for no other reason than we simply don’t care enough to make such categorizations. Gareth Kay spoke to this fact during his presentation on “Radicalism” in Toronto last week, noting recent studies that suggest brands in 4 out of 5 categories are seen as “increasingly homogenous” and that regular folk think that less than 1 in 10 ads today are different from one another (to see Gareth’s full presentation, go here…it is excellent). But it’s very easy for us to differentiate people from one another, to notice when a person does something unique or out of the ordinary. And it’s all the more powerful when we can experience that uniqueness rather than simply watching, reading, or hearing about it. This is a nice little feather in the cap of experiential marketing that puts people, and not just things, at its core.

2) He didn’t care whether I scanned him or not. He wasn’t pushy. In fact, he acted like nothing was out of the ordinary, as if he weren’t walking around wearing a big QR code on his front and back, asking everyone to scan it.

It’s natural for us to be more interested in things that aren’t overtly interested in us. This is why “hard-to-get” is a game we often play with one another during courtship, and why we become almost immediately turned off by someone who seems too interested. Surely, we think, anyone who is that interested must be desperate; it must not be worth it to spend time on them.

Yet, most marketers ignore this basic human truth. So often we lay it on thick with people in a desperate attempt to get their attention and to try to make them care about us, when the truth is that this strategy is, more of than not, entirely counter-productive. If we want to create relationships between brands and people, we’d all do well to acknowledge the manner in which people create relationships with one another.

Pinterest is a good recent example of a brand tapping into our psychology of attraction. By making us wait days to receive an invitation to join their social networking site, they appear confident, in demand, and powerful. It says, “we don’t need you, so just wait a couple of days and we’ll see if it’s worth it for us to let you in on our world.” And because of the laws of attraction, we wait and feel excited when we’re accepted.

Two good questions come to mind, then, in evaluating a new communication idea:

1) Can we make this idea stronger by using people as a vehicle through which to deliver the brand’s message?

2) Are we behaving discreetly enough to actually attract people? Could we make this idea more interesting by leveraging the laws of attraction?

 Hoops and shout-outs

Never let it be said that I am passive in my pursuits - in fact, passivity is anathema to the goals I've set for this jobsearch initiative. While I do try to spend a fairly considerable amount of time out in the public eye, I still make every effort to seek out and apply for positions online (or as I tend to think of it, "to jump through the usual hoops"). This week saw me sending a number of cover letters and CVs to prospective employers who'd posted available positions through Media Job Search Canada and LinkedIn.

I've been a fan of LinkedIn for several years, now - I've always seen value in their network, and my profile there has been complete for quite some time - so I found it terribly kind for social media strategist & consultant Anita Windisman to have taken the time from her busy schedule Thursday morning to both evaluate and to suggest improvements I could make to my existing LI profile.Thank you once again, Anita. I've effected all the changes you'd recommended. First order of business: using a photo where I'm not wearing sunglasses!

Finally, I'd like to mention a few of the folks I have had the pleasure of meeting in recent days:

• Vergel Evans, Certified Usabilty Analyst and Information Architect
• Chris Spavins, Senior Marketing Representative at Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishing Group
• Nadia Beja, Intern at Zoom Media
• Paul Bennett of 3M Canada


Happy chocolate rabbit day

Before I go, let me wish a Happy Easter to all my Christian friends, with apologies to Mr. Christ: while I might not be a member of your many fan-clubs, I can't help but recognize that you were a really very thoughtful and kind fellow who wanted a better world for all... and for that, sir you have my appreciation.

Also (as mentioned to me a few minutes ago by my Sister-in-Law, Joanne) a very happy Passover to my Jewish friends. So, whether you're enjoying chocolate rabbits or attending a Seder with friends and family, have a great weekend - whatever your personal belief system may proscribe! For Stalking the Job, this is John Currie signing off. And as ever folks, I'll be seeing you...!

Sticking out like a sore thumb at the National Job Fair

A very happy Wednesday evening to you, my faithful readers. Today saw Stalking the Job attending the National Job Fair at Toronto's Metro Convention Centre, where it seemed I made quite an impression, what with the sandwich board and all. Truth be told I kinda stuck out like a proverbial sore thumb, but - after all, one of the pillars of my QR code campaign is visibility. In real terms, the employment pickings there were somewhat rather slim... although I can honestly report that there are some terrific opportunities for engineers, chemists and skilled tradespeople of all sorts out in Saskatchewan at the moment! That being said, in the days to come I do plan on following up with the people & organizations that I did interact with.

Of particular interest (to me, anyway) was the booth being run by McKenzie College - as they're currently on the lookout for people with expertise in the field of digital media. My interest stems from the positive experiences I've had mentoring and/or tutoring others in motion-graphic design (and yes, I fully recognize that I have a great many insights to offer to up-and-coming graphic artists). Having made the rounds more than once at the Convention Centre, I decided to take some lunch across the street at Ooh-La-La inside the CBC building... but before I made my way across Front Street, I had a wonderful encounter with Bob Chandler of the Labour Education Centre here in Toronto. It seems they're in a bit of a bind at the moment with regards to their current logo, so having heard what Bob had to say I handed him a business card with a very reasonable quote written on the back. I hope to hear back from the LEC in the very near future!

The National Job Fair & Training Expo Runs April 4th to 5th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Dance This Mess Around

I feel a little silly for having failed to mention this before now, but last Saturday night saw me cutting the rug at my old friend Martin Amdur's springtime Dance Party! Not only was it a chance to meet some new people, I was able to catch up & re-connect with friends I haven't seen in several months. I think part of the reason it had slipped my mind was that after Martin had approached me to design an "event"-style poster for the party, I'd made a point of not posting it anywhere online (lest it somehow wind its' way elsewhere, with the end result being a house mobbed with a thousand uninvited revellers). Here's a web-friendly version of the poster:

As Martin is a former Deadhead and a dedicated vinyl enthusiast, the content was a bit of a no-brainer. I must admit, I was a little perplexed when I first arrived (at or about 9 PM), as the house was completely dark - with no music playing. It seems I'd forgotten all about Earth Hour... mostly because on any given night at our house we practically live solely by the light of our monitors, but - to his credit, Martin was dutifully observing the occasion by delaying the start of his shindig. But once the music started up, a great time was had by all... and according to Tim Svirklys of Artheart, I was quite possibly the "most limber person" out on the dance floor that evening! I credit my energy (not to mention the strength in my legs) to the rigours of my ongoing marketing campaign.

Another ghost along King

Tuesday evening found me canvassing King Street West - and I should mention that, up 'til this point I've kept my initiative mostly relegated to the daylight hours (if only because my feet are usually killing me by 5 o'clock or so) - but a shocking discovery prompted me to text my good friend Todd Ivey, of Wabunganung Films. One of Todd's favourite lunchtime eateries, the Swiss Chalet across from Roy Thomson Hall, has shuttered its' windows and removed all signage. No longer will he be able to enjoy a quarter-chicken dinner with fries and extra gravy (or whatever that hot gloopy stuff is that they serve on the side)... I couldn't see any signs of what sort of establishment will be moving into the empty site, but Todd is of the (somewhat cynical) opinion that it will most likely be some overpriced cavern-like environment that's long on cocktails and short on the menu. Time will tell... but truly, it's an ignominious end to one of Todd's long-standing gastronomic relationships.

Have you seen that QR Code Guy?

Taken by Vince Vaitekunas, February 2012.

Thanks again to my friend Vince Vaitekunas for this lovely shot taken along Queen Street West a while back. Now I know there's a few more people out there who've snapped a photo or two, so: if you've taken a photo of That QR Code Guy in his journeys around Toronto, Stalking the Job wants to hear from you.

This is John Currie for Stalking the Job, signing off - have a wonderful Wednesday evening, folks - and remember, I'll be seeing you...!

Stalking the Job presents: Behind the 8-Ball with That QR Code Guy

Springtime: fresh-cut flowers and fresh perspectives

Good afternoon faithful readers, and welcome back to Stalking the Job. Now that April is upon us, and with the landscape newly bursting with burgeoning greenery, the time has come for me to begin stepping up my campaign. Tomorrow morning will see the publication of the 8th installment of my webcomic, "The Adventures of That QR Code Guy" (and I know that at least a few of you out there have been looking forward to that, so fear not). Today, however I have something completely different in store for you all. As we've now moved past the client approval stage, here's a copy of the video I recently completed on behalf of Shouldice Media:

 

Having made hundreds of these sorts of presentations, I can say with sincerity that I rather like this video. It's simple, concise and doesn't sidestep into needlessly complex territory. Were I an aviator, I might just be interested in this app - because it's true, where learning is concerned we're not able to retain an excess of information. Personally, the only surefire way I've found to really take in and retain valuable information is to make use of what I've learned, thereby reinforcing it until it becomes second nature.This is precisely the same way that I've been able to make the most of my preferred forms of graphics software.

Working with Craig Shouldice is and always has been a pleasure. He has a solid grasp of what can reasonably be expected for a presentation on a budget, provides the needed materials in a timely manner, and provides ample time for any and all necessary revisions. Best of all, I can't think of a single occasion where I've had to chase after him for payment...!

Daffodiligence

While out walking around town on Friday afternoon, a very lovely thing happened. I was making my way west along King Street when a girl (well, a young woman I should say) clutching an armful of fresh-cut daffodils walked right up to me, smiled, and without saying a word inserted one behind the printed panel of my sandwich board. There it remained until I returned home Friday evening, whereupon I diligently put it in a vase with some water - and to my surprise, it kept firm for the rest of the weekend... many thank-yous, mystery flower woman! I think later on this spring I'll have to make a point of wearing a flower on my board. Not only does it add a dash of colour, it livens things up a wee bit - and I think it gave a slightly greater impetus for some people to try scanning the QR code.

Now that I've been at the campaign for awhile (and have amassed sufficient data for Google analytics to make sense of it all), I've made a somewhat shocking discovery: Only 15% of those people who watch my show reel from mobile devices are women! Why that should be the case is a bit of an open question for me, although I certainly have noticed that, on the whole, women seem much less likely than their male counterparts to give it a try. Oddly enough, a bare majority of the women I encounter on the streets of Toronto are actively using their mobile devices for one thing or another (texting, mostly - and to a lesser extent, chatting on the phone or taking photos of their friends)... so perhaps I could find some means whereby I could have greater appeal to the female demographic. If you're reading this and think you have an answer to this quandry, then by all means send it in! Fresh perspectives lead to new strategies, and new strategies are  always welcome where this initiative is concerned.

Have you seen that QR Code Guy?

taken by Vince Vaitekunas, February 2012.

Is this not the face of a trustworthy guy? An interesting guy? A guy with a giant QR code hanging off his shoulders? Well, sure it is. But I'm so much more than that. Just ask sometime and see!

Remember folks - if you've taken a photo of That QR Code Guy in his journeys around Toronto (even if it's a shot from behind), Stalking the Job wants to hear from you!