As a media professional, you’re no newbie to the art of the eye-catching resume. You don’t fall prey to rookie traps like boring fonts or bulky text blocks. In fact, you’re convinced your CV is a masterpiece worthy of the Met. There’s just one problem—you’re not booking interviews. How can you set yourself apart from the competition and help your resume fall into the right hands at the right time? Read on.

1. Be Strategic

Nowadays, with a wealth of new job titles cropping up in the media industry, you may be qualified for a variety of positions based on your experience. But rapid-firing your resume to every job that seems to fit may backfire. The key is to strategize first: Write down your objective, salary and geographical requirements, company size, and any other criteria that matter to you.

2. Tap Your Network

Rather than cold-calling agencies you’ve never spoken to, reach out to friends, coworkers and former colleagues via LinkedIn, Facebook or email, and let them know you’re in the market for a new job. If you don’t have a wealth of professional contacts to choose from, hit up a conference with copies of your resume and employment objectives in hand.

3. Be Direct

Then when applying online through a job board, do a little research to find the department head and direct your resume to that person as well as to HR. Going straight to your future boss will help set you apart, which is especially helpful if the company is outside your professional network.

4. Stay Focussed

Targeting your resume to just a few key contacts may seem like it will reduce your odds of catching an employer’s eye, but the opposite may be true. Employers want to know that you are interested in joining their team, so if you have put a lot of effort into making sure your resume speaks to the position the company has advertised, they will give you a second look.

5. Get Some Help

Are there some years-old duties that could use some weeding, or is there a more dynamic way to state what you two jobs ago? If so, perhaps it’s your resume itself that’s the problem.

If you’d like your resume to stand out even more, consider getting the help of a pro. Mediabistro’s Career Services offer everything from a quick resume edit to several sessions of career counseling to tackle your CV, networking skills, career transition, and more.

The top talent is out there. But the vast majority may be clicking on your job links, scanning your job descriptions—and then moving on to the next posting. And it’s a shame because your company has competitive pay, excellent benefits and an amazing culture. What gives? Maybe you need to take a good honest look at your job descriptions and ask yourself if you’re properly conveying your message to qualified candidates.

Here’s what you can do to up your recruiting game via that job description:

1. Identify Your Ideal Candidate

Approach the talent search like a marketer would, by treating the ideal candidate as the target customer. Jerome Ternynck, founder and CEO of SmartRecruiters, suggests developing a persona for your candidate.

Who are they? What are they looking for in a job? What are similar companies offering these top candidates?

Once you have this information, you’ll be better able to understand who exactly your job description should be targeting and what to highlight.

2. Optimize the Job

Think about how candidates search for a job. Peter Weddle, author and CEO of TaTech.org and WEDDLE’s Media Group, LLC says, “[Job-seekers] race through job listings at warp speed, so the title is your one chance to catch their eye and pique their curiosity.”

To do that, Weddle suggests listing location, skill and sizzle in a job title. For example: NYC—Social media manager for a highly collaborative team.

But, what exactly is sizzle? It could be any number of things that attracts talent. In one situation, Weddle recalls a Minnesota company that learned their employees enjoy fishing and monetary perks. So, they split the sizzle into “annual bonus pool” and “great fishing”.

3. Optimize the Opener

If the candidate clicks through to your job description, your messaging should back up your job title. Weddle says, “Job titles should create an expectation about the job, via the sizzle, which then comes true in the body of the ad through the content that’s provided.” Consider this as an opening sentence:

As both our company and client pipeline expands, we find ourselves in need of an innovative, highly collaborative social media manager to join our team of—as Inc. magazine describes us—“leaders in digital marketing.”

By starting off with a sentence like the one above, you’re able to entice the candidate, while also creating an exciting narrative and explanation of why you’re in need of—and worthy of—top talent.

4. Be Specific about Job Requirements

The requirements section is a great place to “intimidate in the right areas,” says Gregory Ciotti, lead content strategist at HelpScout. Rather than just listing the required hard and soft skills, consider writing more detailed narratives in order to give candidates a snapshot of their day to day:

• You love collaborating on a team, launching campaigns and fostering an online community
• You’re passionate about finding new ways to share a client’s story via social media
• You’re no stranger to handling negative user feedback in a digital space
• You’re a HootSuite ninja, a WordPress warrior and you even know a little HTML

An under-qualified candidate who sees the generic “social media experience” in a job listing might be more apt to apply than one who sees the detailed listing above. And a qualified candidate will appreciate the fact that the hiring manager understands the position requires a certain level of skill.

5. Emphasize the Perks, Pay and Office Culture

Top talent want to work for companies that offer a better-than-average work environment. That’s why you want to pull out all the stops. If pay is more than competitive, be sure to mention this. Unlimited vacation time? This better be in the description!

And don’t forget the nonmonetary perks. “Job seekers want professional develop[ment] programs,” says Sydney Holmquist, PR assistant at Vantage PR. Flexible benefits and a team that is encouraging. They want a culture that will engage them on a daily basis.”

Are you proud of your company’s strong and clear leadership? Are departments mission-focused? Do you welcome new ideas from all team members? Do you strive to have minimal meetings? Are you on a “Top 50 Best Companies to Work For” list? Advertise those things that make your office culture truly special and that make your employees better off by being a part of it.

You might even stand to benefit from testimonials from longtime employees. Imagine if you were searching for a position and saw this in the description:

“I’ve learned more during my three years here than at any other job. I’m challenged daily and rewarded often. I can’t think of a better place to work.” –John Smith, digital strategist at XYZ Creative.

Finding talent via your job posting can be done. It’s all about taking the time to fully understand who you’re looking for, what they’re looking for, and then developing clear messaging about how candidates can benefit from being a part of your organization. Now go forth and reel in exceptional talent!

Once you’ve crafted your perfect job description, find your perfect hire on the Mediabistro Job Board.

Whether you’ve taken another position or are saying goodbye to a job involuntarily, you want to go out on a positive note — even if you’re not feeling so peachy about the company. So if you choose to send a goodbye email, what exactly should you say? Who should the recipients be? When should you send it?

Many people want to know the norms for this sort of thing. And while the answers vary, there’s much more advice out there nowadays on the topic. That’s probably because we get to see the farewells from industry leaders leaked on the Internet.

In Campbell Brown’s case, it was eloquent and honest. At the offices of media giants who gave staff members quick warning that it was their last day, well, those messages were not too positive. Regardless of your reason for leaving, here are a few tips to make sure that if you do send a message, you can walk out with your head up.

DO: Decide whether to send a message
First of all, do you have to send a farewell message? That all depends how you ask. While many people believe in sending out some sort of communication to others, others nix the idea because it could have negative repercussions.

“Don’t write emails to your remaining colleagues. It’s too risky,” says Scott Love, a recruiting trainer and speaker from North Carolina. He says a group email could be used to poke fun, or could be misinterpreted. “It could be circulated round and round the office as a mockery to your departure.”

Elizabeth Lions, coach and author of Recession Proof Yourself, says there is another drawback to sending a farewell email: it could interrupt things in the office. “It is unlikely that your coworkers are your friends, and instead of being a friendly gesture, it could be a disruption to your organization,” she notes. Lyons said it is okay to say farewell to colleagues that you consider friends, but that should not be done via email.

“Your job when you leave is to manage the transition on your departure,” Lions says. “Keep friends as friends and coworkers as what they are—coworkers.”

DO: Write a professional message
Sometimes saying nothing can leave just as sour of an image. Carrie Stack, a certified life coach and founder of the Say Yes Institute in Massachusetts, says she has found that too many people disappear—regardless of why they leave. “It leaves a negative impression, even if there was a positive relationship. Termination can be difficult, and people don’t know how to do it, so they basically run for it.”

Instead, Stack says saying goodbye and acknowledging your departure is imperative, as is doing so with class and grace. “Send a goodbye email to recognize you are leaving, and appreciate the experience you had there, and the relationships you built. People will remember that, and you never know who you will cross paths with again,” Stack says. “Taking the high road always pays off.”

DON’T: Go into details David D. Menzies, president of Menzies Consulting, Inc., North Carolina, agrees and says that being open about your departure can put you more in control over what people say when you leave. He explains that in the case of an unscrupulous employer, they may take it upon themselves to explain why you’re no longer there. Without going into detail or saying anything negative about the employer, just send a note saying you have chosen to move on and thank everyone for their support. That way, even if your message is “leaked” to parties it was not sent to, it still paints you in a positive light. In doing this, “you are proactively engaging in reputation management, which will benefit you down the road,” Menzies adds.

Most people know what constitutes a professional message. In addition to being friendly, you do not want to include details on the reason you are leaving. Unless it is due to moving, which Donna Flagg, workplace expert and the founder of The Krysalis Group, an HR and management consulting firm in New York City and author of Surviving Dreaded Conversations, says is harmless. Otherwise, just leave it alone, she says.

“You don’t want to leave a bad impression, especially one that is permanent and spreadable in infinite ways in these days of Internet prevalence,” adds Flagg.

DO: Gather contacts for future networking
Some people agree that friends are the only ones you need to stay in touch with, but there can be another advantage to the farewell email: future career prospects. For that reason alone, Milan P. Yager, president and CEO of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations in Virginia, said farewell emails should include recipients that are not just friends, but professional associates that may serve you in the future.

“Separate close professional relationships that you have nurtured from everything else and provide your forwarding information only to those in your professional relationship circle,” he says. This is, of course, after you give your resignation and talk with your supervisor. “When telling your closest professional friends why you are leaving, focus on the opportunities ahead,” says Yager. “What’s behind doesn’t matter any longer. Stay positive and begin the branding of your new professional career.”

DO: Send the message at the right time
Do you blast out your message five minutes before you walk out the door, or give your colleagues time to organize a tasteful sendoff complete with a sheet cake? Before you even draft your farewell email, submit a resignation letter to your employer, says Cynthia E. Kazalia, a placement specialist at the New Directions Career Center in Ohio.

“If you’re the type who likes a clean, quick exit, send the email on your last day,” says Douglas Hardy, general manager and editor of Monster Careers. “If you want some handshakes, and some hugs, send the email a few days before you leave.” Hardy says that a good rule of thumb is not to let a weekend pass between the notice and your departure.

DON’T: Violate your company’s email policy
Many times, it’s not the fact that you do or don’t send a message—it is more so all about the way you state things. Following your organization’s rules about emailing within the office, for example, is key. Sandra E. Lamb, author of How to Write It, Personal Notes and Write the Right Words, says farewell emails should go to the recipient’s personal email account. This will also help to ease any tension with the company because many organizations have strict email rules that can sometimes bite back.

Melissa Lafsky Wall has quite the resume, with past stints that include practicing law, writing for the New York Times, and running branded content for startups. With all of these varying experiences under her belt, Lafksy Wall and co-founder Meghan Graham started Brick Wall Media in 2013 to help brands customize their content strategy. Here she shares some of the wisdom she’s gained in the wide world of content, and lays out where she sees the industry heading.

Position: Co-Founder and President, Brick Wall Media

Past jobs: Director of content at HowAboutWe.com; Newsweek editor; branded content consultant; editor in chief of Infrastructurist.com; deputy web editor at Discover Magazine; editor of the Freakonomics Blog on NYTimes.com; associate editor at The Huffington Post; lawyer

Hometown: Washington, DC

Education: BA in English from Dartmouth; JD from University of Virginia School of Law

Why did you decide to get into branded content?

I had experience as a digital editor/editorial director and I’d launched digital products like Newsweek’s iPad edition. So I was always very interested in launching new media products and experimenting in digital. In 2013 it became clear that new opportunities were opening in branded content, and enough dollars were being spent on it to launch really cool things and produce some exciting content.

How did you navigate the move to branded content?

Newsweek went under (and was eventually resurrected, but by then it was a totally different publication) so I was looking for my next move. I started out working with startups on their content strategies, creating and training their editorial teams and helping them understand what role content could play in their marketing/businesses. Then I  launched Brick Wall Media and took on a full roster of clients, from mid-stage startups to Fortune 100 brands.

How does writing branded content differ from the work of a reporter?

It totally depends on the brand, and the type of content they create. Some of the branded content Brick Wall creates will involve original reporting, so we work with veteran reporters who do a fantastic job. Plenty of articles don’t take those kinds of skills—just as they don’t in mainstream media.

Do you think that the two worlds will find more overlap in the future?

Media and content marketing are at the beginning of an arranged marriage. Given that it wasn’t totally voluntary on both sides, it’s an understandably rocky relationship right now. But all signs point to it stabilizing in the future, and even becoming amicable, perhaps even happy.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to get into branded content writing?

You need all the core skills of any other writing job—very strong writing, reporting, and analysis abilities, impeccable attention to detail, and a lot of talent and appetite for the business.

Be willing to learn skills outside your comfort zone as well. The reality of the industry is such that it’s very, very difficult to make a living as just a writer—and if you don’t have additional skills, be they editing or branding or project management, the list goes on, then you’re in a tight spot when it comes to differentiating yourself from the crowd.

Can you share something you’ve done in your writing career to get ahead?

I would always, always find a great editor to offer edits on every piece I’d written before it ever went live. Having an inexperienced editor, or no editor at all, is a detriment to anyone with a byline.

What’s a major lesson you learned as you were starting your own business?

If you don’t have the desire to face your biggest fears and insecurities on a daily basis, and do a million things every week that you’ve never done before and never thought you could do, then I absolutely do not recommend starting your own business.

What challenges might someone encounter when trying to transition from traditional journalism to branded content?

The biggest trap we see both brands and writers fall into is that neither one truly understands the other. Brand journalism is not the same environment as straight journalism—you’re now an employee in the marketing division of a company that does not produce content as its core business. So it’s going to be your job to educate your employer on how content is produced, managed and distributed. Where we come in is in supporting many content managers or brand editors in teaching their teams or bosses these lessons, and building support for content as an investment.

What can writers and editors do to get hired by a brand? Do you think most brands look to hire in-house?

We work with all our clients so they only hire for what they need, when they need it. But in general, a very common mistake we see brands make is to just “hire someone to take care of content” with no understanding that editorial director, managing editor, writer, project manager, content strategist and marketing manager are all separate jobs and skillsets. You can’t simply hire someone with editorial experience and expect them to know all of these things.

Writers looking to get hired by a brand are better off staying freelance if writing is all they want to do. Going in-house means taking on a host of other responsibilities, just as it does at a typical editorial publication.

Looking  to get your foot in the door and launch your career in content strategy? Mediabistro’s class, Digital Content Strategy, covers all the fundamentals, from identifying strategic goals to tracking analytics and key metrics to measure your success.

1. A Good Fit with the Culture

“You might be smart as heck or have great design skills, but if you are a poor fit with the agency’s culture, you’ll be miserable and so will your employer. When applying, candidates should do their research by checking the agency’s website and social media profiles, and read reviews on sites like GlassDoor. Agency hiring managers, on the other hand, should use behavioral interviewing questions to determine whether there is cultural fit. At my agency, we’ve developed a Culture Code and posted it to SlideShare. We also have it embedded on our careers page. I expect that anyone I’m interviewing will have reviewed it prior to meeting with me.” —Kathleen S. Booth, Owner and CEO, Quintain Marketing

2. Curiosity

“If you’re not curious about learning new things, it’s really hard, and you’ll have a lot of long nights and stressful times. But if you feel like each project is an opportunity you can grow from, you’ll be able to get through those times and find a lot of job satisfaction.” —Chris Graham, VP of Product and Advertising, HYFN

3. A Great Work Ethic

“The most important attribute for a new hire is work ethic. With no on-air experience, I wanted to be an on-air traffic reporter. I landed a traffic reporter gig at the number-one rated Armitron station in the country, reporting traffic from 3 AM to 11 AM on weekends. I left my home in Philadelphia at midnight on Friday night, drove three hours to DC and was on air at 3 AM. I did that gig for six months before landing a spokesperson gig on QVC for a gardening company. Show me a new hire who is on time and works till the job is completed, no matter what, and I will show you someone who I can’t wait to give a raise or promote so I can keep them.” —Marilyn Heywood Paige, VP of Marketing, Fig Advertising
If you’re looking to break into advertising, consider increasing your chances by taking a class. Mediabistro’s Online Social Media Courses teach you how to do everything from building brand stories to creating effective online ads.

In 2010, the e-commerce wunderkind Birchbox upended the beauty and cosmetics industry. Its affordable online subscription service that has garnered the young company exponential rates of growth, and subscribers have doubled to more than 800,000 since 2014 alone. The company is now in the UK, France and Spain, and there’s a brick and mortar store in New York City.

But Birchbox’s success is not solely based on the thrill its personalized, delightfully packaged mix of beauty and grooming samples and lifestyle products brings to people; Birchbox has won over its customers simply because the brand knows how to talk to them.

The woman behind the Birchbox voice is Mollie Chen, the former travel editor who sparked founders Hayley Barna and Katia Beauchamp’s idea for a business that merges the expertise and familiarity of a beauty insider buddy with the ease of receiving a cosmetics counter on one’s doorstep.

Chen explained that the founding team’s divergent beauty routines inspired the voice she crafted as the editorial director: “We approached it really simply: What would we, as women, want to read? Hayley is still pretty minimalist in her beauty routine. She loves learning about things, but is going to spend all day reading about beauty. Katia loves beauty products and has always been more on the side of an expert. And I fall somewhere in the middle, but I’m kind of a geek when it comes to skin care.”

Chen oversees and shapes content that make shopping with the brand a captivatingly immersive experience. Customers can turn to the Birchbox Magazine and blog, various social channels and YouTube videos for content as wide-ranging as interviews with beauty industry insiders, lifestyle hacks, makeup and workout tutorials and news-of-the-day pieces—all presented with equal parts verve and insight. And of course the shop is always there for those inclined to purchase the box or full-size products.

Here, Chen shares the content creation strategies that keep Birchbox’s nearly 500 brand partners satisfied and has its customers coming back.

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Name: Mollie Chen
Position: Editorial Director, Birchbox
Resume: Mollie joined Birchbox in July 2010, prior to the company’s launch in September 2010. Before Birchbox, Mollie spent five years as an editor at Condé Nast Traveler.
Birthdate: February 27, 1983
Education: Bachelor’s degree in social studies from Harvard University
Marital status: Single
Media mentor: “I was lucky to work with incredibly smart editors at Traveler, including Alison Humes and Dana Dickey.”
Career advice: “I’ve heard this from a few people, but you should always be learning in your job. If you’re not learning, it’s time to move on.”
Guilty pleasure: Eating popcorn for dinner
Last book read: The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Twitter: @molliechen

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Describe your role as Birchbox’s editorial director.

Editorial at Birchbox is actually content. And I use the word content instead of editorial because it’s everything we say or do. It’s our brand and product pages in our shop. It’s all our marketing emails. I oversee our social media team alongside our chief marketing officer.

And obviously part of that are the articles and videos—everything works together. The voice and the content are really evident throughout every part of our business. I work with amazing editors, and I oversee our international, Birchbox Man and Birchbox Women businesses.

You were on a SXSW 2014 panel, and you said, “People should think of their brand as a person to enforce messaging and brand voice guidelines.” So who is Birchbox?

There are two things: who’s Birchbox and who’s the Birchbox customer. And by customer [we mean] if she was our friend what would we name her, what would she look like and what would her personality be. So there’s the person on the end of what you’re creating and there’s your brand.

The Birchbox brand is the savvy, approachable friend you have who always seems to know a little bit more than you and is always willing to share—this goes for both men and women. With men, we think of it as your cool uncle who gave you your first iPhone or showed you how to shave.

We want to make it clear that we’re always on board with you. We’re your buddy. We’re smart, we’re funny, we are out to have a good time and we’re self-aware. The brand itself is aspirational, but we’re never too cool for you.

How does the content team work with all the other teams at Birchbox?

Everything at Birchbox is very collaborative. There’s no such thing as a project that touches any one team, and I think that’s what I love about it. My team isn’t just a team of editors. They’re strategic thinkers who understand marketing and who think about the overall business goals.

They have a good sense of creative because they work super closely with our creative team. They think about distribution of their content because they work with the social team. Everything we do is cross-functional.

I guess a good way to think about how content works with other teams is that everyone here is after the win-win-win. So we think about it as a win for the customer: ‘I found the best product. It’s amazing and, not only did I find it through Birchbox, they taught me how to use it.’

That’s a great experience for the customer. For the brand, we want to have the right brand to meet the right customer and put that brand’s products in the right framework and context so the customers can understand them. And then for Birchbox, if those two things are working properly—if we’re connecting the right customers to the right brands, to the right content—we are winning.

[For example,] we just onboarded this new beauty company. No one knows who they are, but they are using the most amazing ingredients. Maybe we need to go talk to their founder and do a deep dive into those ingredients. And then we work extremely closely with marketing to think about the action we want the customer to take and the story we’re going to tell. [We think about] the value [we’re giving] to the customer, whether it’s an offer we’re sending them or a subscribe link.

We’re always thinking about how we can get them to click through and do what we want them to do.

What goes into creating content that, as you said, considers all three stakeholders: customer, brand partners and Birchbox?

We think about these things on a monthly basis, but also things are definitely on a daily basis. [We think] how are we going to bring [this month’s] theme to life? We start building our video and story lineup. And then on a day-to-day basis we keep a lookout for news, such as Lorde collaborating with MAC on a makeup line—is that something that our customers would love to know about?

What’s the Birchbox spin on that? Or we see that a customer tweeted a question about wearing sunscreen in the winter, and we whip up a blog post to answer them. So there’s the lineup that takes a longer view, and then there [are] the day-to-day reactions.

Birchbox has a very vocal and engaged community. How else do you use customers to shape content?

We are so lucky to have such an engaged community, and we really respect our customers. We [rely on] user-generated content—their pictures and what they’re saying about these products, and [create] an amazing gallery on our site.

What we like about this is it shows products and our boxes in the context of people’s homes and their lives. You can shop those if you want or you can just scroll through and consume.

We’re also constantly listening to [customers] in comments on videos and articles, and in emails we get. So we might just respond to them in a one-off way or we might take their comments and their questions and build out a story.

And we have a group of members called Birchbloggers who are our bloggers, but we’re not paying them anything. We sometimes send them products, but most of the time we’re just asking their opinions or reposting some of their content, using their reviews and trying to give them a bigger audience and help them succeed at their own initiatives. We want those real voices on our site.

What do you envision happening with content marketing for Birchbox and other brands, in general?

Something I’m excited about is mobile. We see that a huge percentage of our readers, our customers, are accessing Birchbox from their mobile device or they’re accessing it through our app. So that brings up questions of how do you tailor your content for an audience who’s reading on a smartphone or a tablet?

We’re thinking about not just how we want to tailor the messaging, but are there different types of content that we want to be putting on mobile? Are there different ways that people want to both shop and read if they’re not sitting at a desk?

In general, with content marketing, I think what is so cool—and I hope we’re working towards it—is what if we looked at Birchbox.com and there weren’t separate areas for the shop and for the magazine? What if it all just flowed together? That’s what I think is fascinating.

How have you grown as a storyteller, writer and editor through working in this role?

So much.

When you work at a place that’s transparent about business goals—how we’re going to get there and how everything is doing, not just how much we’re selling, but how this email’s performing, how the tech team is tweaking the site so people can find things quicker—you start thinking bigger than your own job.

I think that has likely made me a much stronger content strategist—just knowing what the goals are and being a part of setting them. So I now know a lot about marketing and brand relations, and I’ve worked really closely with our creative team.

Nothing I do is in a silo. Everything I do is attached to all these different teams at our company, and I think that’s helped me create something that’s ultimately stronger.

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Aside from the same title, CMOs today have a job that barely resembles the one they did ten, even five years ago. In fact, for CMOs at cutting-edge brands, marketing is only one of a wide range of responsibilities.
With more data at their disposal, businesses have grown more customer-centric than ever before. Among other things, this means that the rest of the C-suite is often looking for guidance from the CMO—the person in the organization who knows the most about listening and responding to customers. So how, exactly, do today’s best CMOs keep their businesses thriving in the digital age?
Let’s take a look at the top 10 qualities that great digital CMOs have in common:

10. Passion about Collaboration

Today’s business world might be referred to as “the digital era,” but it could also be called “the integration era.” As companies adopt an integrated technology approach and strive for great customer experiences, the CMO can no longer afford to work independently of the rest of the C-suite. Close working relationships and constant collaboration with other executives is often the difference between a good and a great CMO.

9. Love of Measurement

Even in the digital age, ROI can sometimes be an imperfect science. Customer journeys are unpredictable and complex attribution models always retain an element of subjectivity. Great digital CMOs don’t deny any of this, but they don’t use it as an excuse either. The more they can measure, the better positioned they are to make smart decisions.

8. Ability to See Fragmentation as Opportunity

Consumers today are spread out across more channels than ever before. And just to make things as tricky as possible for marketers, consumers now jump from device to device throughout the day. But rather than bang their heads against the wall, leading digital CMOs recognize that mobile is an incredible opportunity to build more intimate relationships with consumers and to engage them closer to the point of sale.

7. No Fear of Technology

Not all of today’s top CMOs are tech geeks. But they all tend to recognize that the right marketing technology will make them better at what they do and make their companies more efficient. Steep learning curves are never fun, but savvy CMOs take the time to master the tools they need.

6. No Embrace of Technology for Its Own Sake

Today’s top CMOs can’t afford to shy away from new tech, but they also can’t afford to be fooled into adopting expensive technologies for the sake of keeping up with the crowd. The best digital CMOs appreciate that new technology isn’t an end unto itself, and do their homework before implementing new solutions.

5. Willingness to Experiment

Data provides a CMO with information but not necessarily with answers. Savvy digital CMOs use data to listen to consumers and form hypotheses, but they never stop there. Rather, they test their hypotheses over and over to determine how customers actually behave.

4. Willingness to Bring Data Together

The C-suite needs to cooperate more than ever in the digital age—that’s because data integration is more important than ever. Today’s CMOs prioritize solutions that let them bring different data sets together on one marketing platform so that they can glean insights rapidly and understand how one channel influences the next.

3. Championing the Customer

The role of the CMO has evolved and expanded for one primary reason: CMOs understand the customer better than anyone in the organization. The best digital CMOs strive to make the rest of the team embrace the same customer-centric focus that has always been at the heart of great marketing.

2. Cooperation with the CIO

The best CMOs interact with leaders across the organization, but the most important relationship is generally the one that’s formed with the CIO. When the CMO and CIO are working in tandem, it becomes much easier to align goals, work more effectively and deliver better customer experiences.

1. Creation of a Culture of Adaptation

Digital never stops evolving, and the best CMOs recognize that they can’t predict the future. What they can do is create a culture of innovation that prioritizes rapid adaptation as consumer habits evolve and new technologies arise. The best digital CMOs will be ready for the very different job they’re likely to be doing in 2020.

Businesses typically have images attached to them—the suit-and-tie and 100-hour weeks of corporate finance; the lipstick and Louboutin of the fashion mag world; the hoodies and bromances of Silicon Valley. But what do you do if you love the job you do, but not the place where you’re doing it? If you know your place in the world is crafting clever copy or planning ad campaigns but want to do your thing in an all-hands-on-deck, innovation-focused environment, we’ve got some options for you.

Refinery29

“We want to build a brand that’s as iconic as MTV or ESPN for a new generation,” Refinery29 co-founder Philippe von Borries told Re/code this year. Those aspirations have been bolstered by astounding numbers for the lifestyle site targeting millennial women and headquartered in New York. The company’s 546 percent growth over the last three years, $51.3 million in revenue for 2014, and $50 million dollar investment from WPP and Scripps has allowed it to create a new video department primed for experimental production. Staff perks include a kitchen stocked with goodies and iced coffee on tap, weekly yoga classes and a dog-friendly office.

Chandelier Creative

Sometimes no matter how comfortable, fun and exciting office life may be, you need a place to get away from it all. New York-based ad agency Chandelier Creative has even that covered. When founder Richard Christiansen started building getaway spaces for staff to work and play in places like Montauk, he noticed that outdoor activities, fresh air and the comradery also elicited better work from his employees. Chandelier Ranch is the most recent, a four-bedroom house conceived and designed by Chandelier staff, where employees come to canoe, paint and plan out their latest projects.

Upworthy

Although headquartered in New York, Upworthy appeals to independent, self-motivated workers who want to have control over their hours. Almost all of Upworthy’s staff work remotely. Founders Peter Koechley and Eli Pariser don’t care where or when you do your work, or how many hours you spend on task, just as long as you get it done. And not only does Upworthy offer unlimited vacation time, the employer wants you to take time off, and will give you $1,000 toward your vacation if you do.

Centro

The darling of more than one publication’s best-places-to-work list, this Chi-Town-based media tech company’s CEO leads the charge on creating an environment that prizes talent over status and strives to make work life anxiety-free. There are bi-weekly yoga classes to help with that, as well as Ferris Bueller Days. These are offered on top of vacation days, for those mornings when you’d rather crash a parade than go to work, no questions asked.

Red Door Interactive

Open office? Check. Doorless, glass-walled or no-walled rooms for execs? Check. Encouraging a spirit of collaboration? Of course. Flexible schedule? Yep. San Francisco-based digital marketing agency Red Door Interactive likes to do things a bit differently, including holding most client presentations in its main space so that anyone and everyone can observe and give their input.

You were clearheaded when you decided to go pursue this whole writing thing. You knew you weren’t going into it for the money. But there’s a difference between not being able to afford a night of overpriced cocktails at a rooftop bar and having to decide which utility to avoid paying this month.

Whether your freelance journalism gigs aren’t covering your expenses or you’re looking to pad that work with a financial cushion, you may have to supplement the work you love with work that pays better. The good thing is, you practitioner of a low-paying craft of love, you can do it and still find yourself writing.

Pair your writing skills with some subject-specific knowledge you either already possess or are willing to develop to pick up some of these higher paying jobs.

PR Communications

Public relations is a natural sidestep for writers looking for additional work. After all, as a journalist you likely already have an inbox filled with the vCards of publicists and communications managers with whom you’ve established good working relationships. And you’re no doubt familiar with the standard styles for press releases and other industry communications. When pitching your talents to agencies or independent publicists, be sure to stress your social media fluency, as well as your knack for meeting tight deadlines, and packaging stories.

Technical Writing

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, technical writing is an industry that is growing at a faster than average rate. The projects available in this field vary and include writing instruction and how-to manuals and FAQs. The ability to take complex ideas and jargon and break it down into clear and understandable prose is already a key part of the journalist’s toolbox, making your skills a good sell in this field. When looking for jobs, play up any technical expertise you may have, especially in engineering, computer science and general science. Social media and web design experience are also key, as the world of how-to continues to migrate from in-the-box manuals to digital spaces.

Copywriting

The opportunities in this advertising and marketing field are vast. And different types of skills will be suitable for different types of copywriting work. Knowledge of a specialty subject (say fashion or beauty or home design) can be your way into some media companies, while short pithy, Twitter-length writing skills can help you land jobs like writing banner ads and product descriptions.

Business Writing

Here’s another large catchall category. Business writing can include everything from short marketing brochures and corporate speeches to white papers. The recurring theme of this article applies here as well: your ability to craft tight copy is what will get you work, and if you can demonstrate experience in the specific industry you’re targeting, all the better.

Grant Writing

From exercising legit research chops to engaging in different types of writing all tied to one proposal, there is a lot about this type of work that will feel very familiar and comfortable. Grant writing may hold extra appeal for narrative journalists. Since a key component of grant proposals involves crafting a persuasive, compelling story about the work an organization is doing, standard storytelling elements like descriptive language and character development are part of the package.

Greeting Card Writing

Offbeat, yes, but also high on the creativity scale. No days spent in research or hours spent composing required. If you have a gift for quickly spinning off a few catchy, memorable lines of birthday greetings, congratulatory offerings or condolences, it may be worth your time to send off some submissions and see what comes of it.

In 2001, Gabriel Shaoolian set up shop in his New York City apartment with nothing but a laptop computer and a passion for web design. In 2005, he ran a small digital agency consisting of 17 employees.

And since incorporating his business in 2007, Blue Fountain Media has grown to over 200 employees, and generated over $2 billion in revenue by building e-commerce websites for clients like Procter & Gamble, Harper Collins, AOL, AT&T and the NFL.

Though Shaoolian is exceptionally diligent and multitalented, he maintains no illusions about the freelance life. “There is no shortcut, there is no wizard,” he says. “No one is going to come into your company and do better than you can. Growing a company organically is a lot of sacrifice.”

What were you doing before you made your entrepreneurial leap?

I was a web designer, and I really enjoyed what I did. On my own, I started learning other things like video editing, development and dabbling in everything digital. I went off to become a freelancer and it just grew into a company. I never expected it to become what it is today.

Describe the early days of your freelance life.

Well, let me tell you, and I’ll tell anyone out there. It’s crazy.

You know, doing this without funding, you lose a lot of sleep, and you lose your life, really. The company becomes your life. It’s not easy. It’s not for someone who wants weekends and who wants vacations.

I tell people that you go on vacation and you are still thinking about work every second of every day.

I had no idea what I was in for.

I just wanted to build something small. But I realized that I can’t do everything on my own. If I want to do good work, I need team members that are specialized. As Blue Fountain Media grew, I started working on an infrastructure for the company. Guidelines and rules. I started working on titles for every role.

This might seem un-hip or un-cool, but let me tell you, when you have dozens of people in your organization, you need to have structure.

Which aspects of your early work were your favorite — and what was the most challenging? 

I loved designing sites. It was incredible. I was like an adult with crayons. I also loved that you could go talk to a client about an idea and a few months later, it’s a tangible interactive site. How cool is that?

You talk about an idea you have, and a few months later, we’re sitting down and there you are, clicking through it.

One thing that was challenging was the sales aspect: getting clients’ attention. Every company struggles with sales. It felt great to win a new client. But that was challenging.

Getting out there and doing sales is not for everybody. I worked in an electronics shop when I was in college; I also DJ’d, so I had a small amount of sales [experience]. But you really figure it out as you go along.

Did you have a moment when you realized your business was really taking off?

One morning I woke up and I realized that I had 17 people that were full time with me. And I had no salesperson. And I had heart palpitations.

At that point I realized that it was no longer going to be that small vision that I had, but it was growing into something on its own. So, it was exciting.

At the same time it was very nerve-wracking, because any CEO/founder will tell you, you feel responsible for your employees. They’re not just people that you hire and fire. They have families; they count on you [for] their paychecks.

You feel very accountable, and even if the team itself isn’t bringing in the cash, I’ve never had the heart to tell someone, “I’m not paying you; you’ve had a bad month.” I’ve never pulled that.

How does your work differ now from what you did in the very beginning?

[In the beginning] I was more hands-on, more creative. And now I feel that it’s more about logistics. I did wear many hats, and I’ve held every position in the company.

I’ve done sales, I’ve done management, I did some design work, I did some of the coding.

Today, I am more like a problem solver. People say CEOs are meant to be entrepreneurs, but very little of our time goes to being entrepreneurs. Most of our time goes towards problem solving.

Every company has problems. Apple, Facebook, Google — all companies have problems. The job of an executive is to realize those problems and work to fix them.

You say the site you planned and designed for AT&T does about $100,000 per second. And the site you did for the Green Bay Packers did $200 million in four days. When you started your company, having no idea how successful it would become, did you have any doubts?

There was a point when I was starting out when my friend was doing really well in real estate, and I was struggling to meet my month-to-month expenses. I told him, “Maybe I should do what you do.” He goes, “Well, if you want to come over, we could use someone, but, I see you love what you do. Stick with it.”

It was great advice. Do what you love, stick with it. Be patient. I think patience is what’s lacking amongst young people today. Things take time. That’s the best advice that I’ve got. [My company] didn’t happen overnight.

People have to understand, when you’re going into business, you have a budget, and you don’t need to eat, you don’t need to go out, you don’t need to have a life.

If you don’t know how to budget your business, you’re doomed for failure. I get emails from LinkedIn all the time from guys that are trying to start businesses or that have started businesses 10 years ago, and they need to grow. And they’re asking me, how did you do it? What advice do you have for me?

I tell them: I constantly invested. I reinvested back into BFM. I led a very humble life for many, many years. And I tell them, look, just do great work. Do good work for your clients.

Gabriel Shaoolian’s tips for freelancers and entrepreneurs:

1. If you are looking to expand, hire great people and take care of them before you take care of yourself. Pay them before you pay yourself.

2. Do great work. When I worked with my first few clients, I didn’t care how much I charged them; I just did great work. I also communicated and set up proper expectations with my clients.

3. Don’t be afraid to fail. I started a dating site, and it failed. I fail much more than I succeed. So what if you didn’t make the next Facebook. Just don’t make the same stupid mistakes — learn from your failure.