HUGE , Carrot Creative neighbor (we have a view of their window) and recent Digital DUMBO host, organized an Internet Week event today at the DUMBO Arts Center.

A Job Grows In Brooklyn: Brooklyn-based interactive agency HUGE challenge you to steal their jobs.Think you’re good? Take it to the next level by learning from HUGE’s celebrated senior team. Find out what they’re looking for in the next big talent. Now that you’re a major player, how do you move higher? Where are the jobs in digital going? Developers, visual designers, project managers and interaction designers will learn to become more confident, more marketable and who knows, maybe land an interview with HUGE. We’ll share on-the-job insights and take you through examples of applicants that did (and didn’t) make the cut.

While there was no fighting or throw downs to removing the HUGE staff members from their current positions, the speakers each provided a great overview of their individual disciplines, what HUGE is looking for and what people looking to get a job (or new job) in the digital age should be thinking about.

Some key points for those who could not attend:

• The space is still growing. Digital is growing. Digital agencies are hiring for things that will be super relevant over the next 3-4 years. (Carrot Creative is too!)
• When asked who will be working in digital in 2015, most of the room raised their hand. One thing to learn: Your skill sets are changing.
• Working in digital is like working in dog years. If you’ve been in this space for a few years, it feels like 7 of your life because of how much has changed. (I really liked this quote by Nantini Rauch, Head of Recruiting for HUGE)
• When interviewing at digital agencies, show off your successes and show off your failures.
• Be willing to collaborate. If you can’t, good luck finding a job in the digital age.
  

Joe Stewart, Creative Director at HUGE was definitely the highlight (for me at least) with some tips to Designers:

1. Be terrified every day.
2. Never stop designing.
3. Embrace Arial.
4. Becoming a great designer has nothing to do with Photoshop.
5. CEOs don’t give a s*** about your kerning.
6. Don’t go back to school if you have a job.

In short: Do what you love to do. I’m glad that message came out of the panel as it should be the one thing everyone is thinking about these days. Work in a place that makes you happy, keeps you excited and encourages you to learn. If that’s not the current state, move on. You have to be happy and you can be.

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Photo Credit: Kelly Samardak, Just an Online Minute

Last night was the 4th Digital DUMBO Drinks hosted by our good friends at HUGE. An extremely successful and SOLD OUT event at the DUMBO Arts Center, we’re already excited for the next one. The lofty space hosted over 150 of the DUMBO digital elite gathering around the keg filled with the finest beer around-Brooklyn “We Go Hard” Lager  or filling up a glass with the delicious punch. Kegs and punch? Now THAT is how you throw a party.

After some mingling and networking,  HUGE Partner, Creative Director David Skokna addressed the crowd with “Blood, Sweat and Fear: Doing Business in DUMBO” presentation.  Main themes from his speech:

• DUMBO is awesome.
• If you don’t like what you’re doing at your job, quit.
• If you do like what you’re doing, figure out what that is and hold on to it.
• There is a guy that sunbathes in a Speedo out in DUMBO when it gets warm out. Lucky us.

The speech went well with the nature of Digital DUMBO and it’s growing spirit. Only 4 months in, we’ve had an overwhelming response of interest for the event, companies eager to present and show off their talented work and a community willing to participate and learn about what their neighbors are up to. It’s really exciting.

Keep an eye out for the invite to the May edition if you  haven’t been to a Digital DUMBO yet. It’s sure to blow you away.There’s a Twitter account to follow too.

Check out a great recap of the event on MediaPost’s Just An Online Minute, photos from Nick McGlynn’s Random Night Out and an official post from the sponsors themselves, HUGE.

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So, when I came upon an op-ed today from Greg Galant, fellow DUMBO-ite talking about how Twitter “saved” public relations from PR—I was interested. (First off—PR didn’t need to be saved from itself, it needed time to adjust to the changes like everything else.) Greg goes on about how major brands have used Twitter to be the face and respond almost instantly to complaint, comments on questions using Twitter. He also focuses on how executives have delegated all communications tactics to PR people limiting their interaction. Fine. But he also notes that we should move away from PR interaction when it comes to social media communication (especially on Twitter) because “the voice of many corporations has lost its humanity.”

Don’t get me wrong—not ALL communication should be done via PR pro, but there is still an opportunity and need for this to be done in a right way. I still think you need SOMEONE to discuss a communications strategy when taking a first step into unknown territory. Otherwise, it could lack focus, direction…or mishaps. (Yes, Whole Foods I’m talking to you) While Twitter has worked for JetBlue, Comcast, Zappos—these executives were pretty tech savvy from the start. And, I’d be surprised if a comms person wasn’t brought into at least one of the earlier conversations. If not, props to them but it’s not the normal case. What about the executive that has never used Facebook, YouTube or Twitter but realizes that there is a need to be involved? Are you going to just say “Go have fun!” NO. You’re not.

Social media tools, while definitely a place that needs to be tried by the person can be a scary place to jump into. If you’re not sure of what is needed, bringing on the PR/comms team to help for the initial discussions can be extremely helpful. They’re the ones that have been watching this space for awhile and realize the importance of two way conversation, thus making it easier to walk through the step by step process. After a few months, the executive should be comfortable enough and under the realization of how to do it themselves. But, unless they’re ready to represent an entire organizations messaging via Twitter—hold off and work with someone.

You won’t be looked down upon. You’ll be looked at as someone who wants to get it right.

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We are always looking to meet with people interested in what we do and talk about the changing world of social media, what they’re seeing and just have a kick ass conversation.

So, what’s easier than telling you all where WE are going to be! See the run down below and hope to see you all soon!

Digital DUMBO Drinks #3:

An event co-hosted by Carrot Creative, Digital DUMBO brings together the digital community under the bridge for drinks and socializing at ReBar. Tonight’s event includes a live demo of drop.io with some interactive components to participate. Start time is 6:30pm and be sure to RSVP here: http://digitaldumbodrinks.eventbrite.com/

Social Media 4 Social Change:

Gathering social media professionals, technologists, friends and family and otherwise talented people, Social Media for Social Change was born of the idea that the social media community, these “agents of change” can get together for one night, to support one cause: City Harvest.  The event is next Friday, April 3rd at 7pm.  RSVP here: http://sm4scnyc.eventbrite.com/

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Photo courtesy of Kelly Samardak and Just an Online Minute.

Last night Carrot Creative co-hosted the second drinks gathering for Digital DUMBO. This was another hugely successful event with not only local DUMBO companies represented by HUGE, The Jar Group and Free Association but our friends from across the bridge. Tim Nolan, an extremely talented flash artist displayed his work on the flat screens kicking off a new trend of featuring an artist or display from the DUMBO scene.

As I said last night and in a previous post, this is the Digital District of New York. DUMBO is the place where the magic happens from the digital minds. These are events are the perfect place for us to come together once a month.

We also announced the next phase of Digital DUMBO as this is not just a place for us to come together for cocktails. Don’t get me wrong—we’ve been having a good time but there’s an opportunity for more. The new site, digitaldistrictnyc.com will be the hub for all things Digital DUMBO. From brown bag lunches for us to discuss the latest and greatest to news announcements that keep each other informed about what’s going on in our community. This will be the place to host everything.

Kelly Samardak from Just an Online Minute posted a great recap of the event here along with a set of photos.

We’re encouraging others to get involved in Digital DUMBO and look forward to hearing as much feedback as possible. Feel free to leave comments below and we look forward to seeing you at the next one!

Digital DUMBO Facebook

Digital DUMBO on Twitter

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Photo courtesy of Nick McGlynn

Carrot Creative co-hosted the first Digital DUMBO Drinks event here last night at ReBar where the digital elite of our quaint little neighborhood mixed and mingled under the bridge, talked Java scripting and new media strategies in addition to enjoying some cocktails and Outside.in cupcakes.

I’ve been saying this for awhile that this is the “Digital District” in DUMBO. So many digital companies are here with talent but we never get together. We’ll walk by someone in Peas & Pickles (the local food joint) and they could be the next Flash Developer we need to help with a new project or someone we want to chat tech over coffee. We knew there was a need to change the lack of interaction and bring this community together. Digital DUMBO once a month is perfect for that and we were happy to help kick it off.

Companies in attendance included reps from HUGE, Animation Collective, Gothamist, Objective Subject, drop.io and Special Ops Media in addition to our co-hosts Outside.in and The Jar Group. We even had some of our our friendly DUMBO supporters from Manhattan crash the party as well including Path 101 CEO Charlie O’Donnell, Gillian Reagan from The New York Observer and the New York Yelp office (Brooklyn Community Manager Peter DeNat we look forward to seeing you around here more often!) came to show support for the community. And of course we can’t leave out Nick McGlynn who was present to take some great photos.

For those who missed it, Digital DUMBO will be a monthly event on the last Thursday of every month with some new twists added to keep the community connected. There is already a Facebook page and Twitter account created to keep everyone up to speed on the next happenings. (Come on you had to expect this from this group!)

Some fun “Overheard at Digital DUMBO” chats include:
-”Why haven’t we done one of these before?”
-”Is there really a dog here? COOL.”
-”Awesome companies are here. Who knew they worked in DUMBO?”
-”I just went to the bathroom and people started asking where I worked. So I came in!”

This article is copyright © 2010