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David Spinks

Long Beach, NY

Chief Juggling Officer aka Community Manager aka Project Manager, Scribnia.com

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The Spinks Blog

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David Spinks THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: The Ultimate Showdown: Grad School vs Professional Experience. Please bring your minds, but leave any weapons or blunt objects at home.

106 weeks ago from u30pro

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: If you are looking to succeed via the traditional route in your career then grad school is a must. Many Director level and higher positions ...MoreIf you are looking to succeed via the traditional route in your career then grad school is a must. Many Director level and higher positions require a gradate degree to even be considered. Furthermore, Grad school gives people who aren't social butterflies a means to make great connections with other professionals.

On the other hand, with Web 2.0 becoming the standard instead of the "new thing", it is certainly possible to forge your own career path and forgo the grad degree.
106 weeks ago

Jeannie Chan: Actually, Seth just repeated a fairly commonly held POV. It's generally agreed that unless you go to a top school (some defines that as top 4, ...MoreActually, Seth just repeated a fairly commonly held POV. It's generally agreed that unless you go to a top school (some defines that as top 4, some top 5, some top 10, some top 30. I don't think anyone defines it outside top 30), it's a waste of money. Waste of money in term not only tuition, but also opportunity cost in term of lost income. But, if you get financial assistance, that also helps the equation. (Some field requires an MBA to advance...)
106 weeks ago

David Spinks Should job searchers focus on creativity? What is the most creative way you've seen someone apply for a job that worked?

68 weeks ago from Citi

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Nicolò Wojewoda: From what I can tell, based on this conversation, the more the job you're applying for requires and values creativity, the better your chances are ...MoreFrom what I can tell, based on this conversation, the more the job you're applying for requires and values creativity, the better your chances are if you get creative in your application. Otherwise, it can at most help you get your foot through the door, but nothing beyond that.
67 weeks ago

Stanley Lee: I saw quite a few interesting video interviews.
67 weeks ago

David Spinks became a fan of Citi

68 weeks ago

David Spinks If you guys are subscribed to the digest, you already know about this. If you're not, then here you go. We're partnering with Brazen to do a special online networking event before this week's chat. Sign up here: http://www.brazencareerist.com/network-roulette-u30pro

72 weeks ago from u30pro

Ryan Healy recommended this

Will Marlow Someone just asked me if they could buy advertising on my blog. I never intended to sell ads on my blog (although I'm grateful for the opportunity!), but before I agree, I wanted to know what people think about this: (1) would you sell ads on your blog? (2) if so, who would you NOT sell ads to? (3) is there a downside? For reference, you can check out my blog here: www.willmarlow.com.

77 weeks ago from Gen-Y Professional Bloggers, Social Media and Social Media Marketers 1 more

Elysa Rice recommended this

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Chris Parker: I would again like everyone else said, it the add was relevant to the readers of my blog. MoreI would again like everyone else said, it the add was relevant to the readers of my blog. http://employmentworld-chris.blogspot.com/
Or if it was health related I probably would, but if the ad was not reputable or the company was not then NO. But would love the money if someone did.
77 weeks ago

David Spinks: Nope. I started my blog for a lot of reasons, none of them are to make money.

If I start commercializing my blog, it changes the whole vibe of ...MoreNope. I started my blog for a lot of reasons, none of them are to make money.

If I start commercializing my blog, it changes the whole vibe of the site. It affects my ability to achieve the goals that I originally set for it.

I've received a bunch of offers. Maybe if I got an amazing offer that made sense at the time, I'd consider it. My default response is no though.
77 weeks ago

David Spinks @addy_dren @carleemallard what are you guys making? A linkedin group? #brazen

73 weeks ago from

David Spinks When should you quit your first job?

75 weeks ago from u30pro

Sadya Siddiqui recommended this

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Eleanor Newman: I think it depends to a large degree on what type of company you're working for. If you're limited to a very narrow set of job functions and ...MoreI think it depends to a large degree on what type of company you're working for. If you're limited to a very narrow set of job functions and managers don't reward creativity, direct your energies elsewhere. But jobs at startups could potentially turn into something awesome. I started working for a startup publication 3 months ago and have gone from filling in spreadsheets to pitching and writing my own stories, learning about layout, and even (gasp) getting to tour a thermoelectric power plant!
75 weeks ago

Travis Power: I can't help but think of the quote by JFK, "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country". Do businesses exist ...MoreI can't help but think of the quote by JFK, "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country". Do businesses exist for personal growth or for the growth of society? Is it selfish to view it as simply a means for personal growth, rather than an opportunity to add something valuable to society? Is it possible to move up the corporate ladder with an all about me view of business?
74 weeks ago

David Spinks I disconnect pretty much altogether on vacation. My last vacation was a cruise so that made sure that I couldn't check email. True, small businesses and entrepreneurs need to be accessible a lot of the time. You should work to create a system where if you leave for a week or so, the company won't crumble to the ground. Assign tasks for the week and have faith in your employees.

75 weeks ago from Email Etiquette

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Ryan Paugh: Amen to that! At some point we all just need to have faith that everything is going to be okay and that we should just unplug. Although I did ...MoreAmen to that! At some point we all just need to have faith that everything is going to be okay and that we should just unplug. Although I did check my email once a day during last week's vacation I still shut down work mode after my daily check ins. More than anything I think that it's important for us all to take breaks to avoid burnout.

From one Community Manager to another, one thing that really seems to help is the ability to timestamp newsletters, tweets and blog posts so while I am gone people are still receiving updates. Timestamping is such a gift for people in our profession.
75 weeks ago

Marie Kazalia: This is a good topic/discussion. This time of year many are traveling and so there is some general expectation that emails may not receive rapid ...MoreThis is a good topic/discussion. This time of year many are traveling and so there is some general expectation that emails may not receive rapid response due to vacations and such.
This morning:
Email from a rather large site admin "check your spam filter, I have reached out to you several times". That is so infuriating--bad email etiquette. Seriously bad! If someone has failed to email me, than I'd rather have them admit that rather than blame it on my spam filter.
75 weeks ago

David Spinks Where do you draw the line in being "professional" vs being friendly and cool in emails? It changes for me based on who I'm talking to. I always think about it. If I'm too formal, will it make me look like a stiff? If I'm too casual, will that come across as disrespectful? What's your take?

75 weeks ago from Email Etiquette

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Aiden Schade: If I'm discussing business in the email, then I keep it professional. If I'm discussing something more personal, then cool and friendly ...MoreIf I'm discussing business in the email, then I keep it professional. If I'm discussing something more personal, then cool and friendly works.

Then again, when I think of a professional email, I think proper sentence structure and punctuation use. You don't need to fall into the trap of using big fancy words and going on forever to be professional. Address your recipient, say what needs saying, then be done with it.
75 weeks ago

Leena Chugh: Typically what I do is start off on a profesional note and if the other person seems very welcoming and friendly then I start toning down a little ...MoreTypically what I do is start off on a profesional note and if the other person seems very welcoming and friendly then I start toning down a little bit over time so I can add a personal touch here and there. Constant communication with that person helps me understand more about their expectaions.
75 weeks ago

Danielle Bullen Writing about how women dealt with quarterlife crises and looking for peope to interview. Message me if you want to be included.

76 weeks ago from Young Professional Women (YPW) and u30pro

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David Spinks: I can put on a wig and help. (=
76 weeks ago

Olga Garcia: @Danielle: Just sent you an email to your Brazen account. Look forward to chatting. :)
76 weeks ago

David Spinks Ever have trouble discussing something with your boss or coworkers? Maybe it's about a raise. Maybe you think someone in your office is slacking and it's affecting the rest of the team? Tonight we're going to discuss "Communicating within your office". Have you ever had a hard time communicating with your boss or coworkers?

76 weeks ago from u30pro

Ryan Paugh Thanks to everybody who rallied together last night for our first-ever Crowdsource Your Career event. We had an awesome time here in Madison and I hope you all had fun in your cities as well. This is only the beginning and I'm hoping that we can organize another worldwide event as early as next month. With that said I'd love to hear your feedback. What went well and what didn't go so well? Share your thoughts with me so next time we can make these events even better.

77 weeks ago from Brazen Community Feedback

Ryan Healy, Rebecca Thorman and Elysa Rice recommended this

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Nicole Rogers: Hi all, I liked that we got people from different backgrounds and industries. I would definitely like to do a meetup again.
77 weeks ago

David Spinks: Considering the NYC meetup was on such short notice, it went really well. It was very personal and I think most people got to meet each other. ...MoreConsidering the NYC meetup was on such short notice, it went really well. It was very personal and I think most people got to meet each other. More NYC events are definitely going down.
76 weeks ago

Nick Tsamis For all you brand new entrepreneurs (or the entrepreneurs in training!), what are you doing to make it possible to one day start your own business? What are some steps you can/should take to make the possible become a plausible and successful option? Any related advice?

77 weeks ago from Freelancing and Gen-Y Professional Bloggers

Fleire Castro recommended this

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Eric Sforza: @Fleire you can always find mentors online. Join interest groups on LinkedIn and post that question in both the groups and on LinkedIn Answers
77 weeks ago

Fleire Castro: Good idea. I'll start doing that but kind of more interested to find one here at Brazen. :) Thanks Eric.
77 weeks ago

Tyler Durbin I'm curious to hear your experiences with blogger outreach. Do brands reach out to your frequently for reviewing products, posting articles, advertising,etc? As my blog grows, it happens more and more and I'm starting to notice that there is no real etiquette for blogger outreach. What has been your experience?

77 weeks ago from Gen-Y Professional Bloggers

Rebecca Thorman: I think 99% of the pitches I get are junk. I get really frustrated. Because I pitch as part of my job, however, I'm always learning what not to ...MoreI think 99% of the pitches I get are junk. I get really frustrated. Because I pitch as part of my job, however, I'm always learning what not to do, and then when a few shining examples come through, I also learn what's good to do. Just yesterday, I got a pitch from a PR firm (of which I had already asked to be taken off their list repeatedly) that was meant for parents and addressed me as a "Tamara." It's spam, plain and simple.
77 weeks ago

David Spinks: I get a lot of crap. On occasion I'll get a targeted one. It's very rare that I get a pitch that actually makes me want to write about whatever ...MoreI get a lot of crap. On occasion I'll get a targeted one. It's very rare that I get a pitch that actually makes me want to write about whatever it is they're pitching. In fact, I don't think I've ever written about something that was pitched...and that's not because I'm not open to it.

We're (scribnia) building a tool that will hopefully help solve this problem. I think part of it is PR pros are lazy and part of it is that blogger's expectations aren't clearly laid out.
77 weeks ago

David Spinks Hey guys! Guess what? Today marks u30pro's One Year Anniversary since the very first chat. Time flies when you're having fun on twitter (= In honor of the big milestone, we're bringing back an awesome topic that we haven't discussed since the early days of the chat, NETWORKING! Join us tonight at 8pm est to discuss tips, obstacles, ideas, and anything else around the topic of networking. Also, check out the blog post: http://davidspinks.com/2010/08/19/u30pro_one_year_anniversary/

77 weeks ago from u30pro

David Spinks Just arrived at #brazen #u30pro meetup. Were in ye ol penthouse. (@ Roger Smith Hotel w/ 5 others) http://4sq.com/DRef

77 weeks ago from

Ryan Paugh Heading over to Genna's for our #Brazen Meetup. Stop by for a beer.

77 weeks ago from

David Spinks recommended this

David Spinks @PaughGinney damn awesome. (= #nyc #brazen #u30pro

77 weeks ago from

David Spinks RT @PaughGinney: Holy crap! The #NYC #Brazen #u30pro meetup just became the largest one happening. Anywhere. Even #Brazen HQ in Madison :)

77 weeks ago from

Emily Jasper I just finished "Eat Pray Love" because everyone's talking about the movie. I have to say, after all the hype out there, the book wasn't what I expected. I guess it's because I was thrown by the Julia Roberts casting: she's 43 playing a 34 year old. The problems Liz has are ones I'd deal with (young successful woman, trying to deal with how she feels about marriage and kids, plus feeling like a failure by 30). I almost wish I read the book before knowing about the movie. Thoughts?

79 weeks ago from Book Shelf

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Amber Garner: I definitely see how the Julia Roberts casting would throw you for a loop if you hadn't read the book yet. I was already half-way through the book ...MoreI definitely see how the Julia Roberts casting would throw you for a loop if you hadn't read the book yet. I was already half-way through the book when the movie/casting was announced so it didn't bother me that much, but it does seem like it adds a different facet to the plot because I do see Julia Roberts as older so her characters will be too. Most of the time now I have to view the movie as totally separate from the book anyway, because they almost never do the books justice. (Completely different, but take Harry Potter for example. I have to think of them not as one based on another, but completely separate or I get angry at how the movies have failed the writing.)
78 weeks ago

Jenn Pedde: @Steve - I 100% Completely agree!! Worst Adaptation of a Book to Movie I've ever, ever seen. I have no idea how that adaptation won awards. ...More@Steve - I 100% Completely agree!! Worst Adaptation of a Book to Movie I've ever, ever seen. I have no idea how that adaptation won awards. completely stumped.
78 weeks ago

Jenn Pedde Hey all - I just wanted to let you know that you should mark something in your calendars. Wednesday Sept 8 we will be hosting the first Community Manager Twitter Chat under the hashtag #cmgr. It will take place from 2-3pm every week. First topic will be Time Management as a CM. More details as it develops.

79 weeks ago from Community Managers

Elysa Rice recommended this

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Elysa Rice: question - 2-3pm what time zone?
78 weeks ago

Jenn Pedde: Ah can't believe I left that out. EST. Thanks! :)
78 weeks ago

David Spinks For the chat tonight, I got an Email from the CEO of a company offering some advice. When choosing a job, he said to ask: "Does the business/company etc place workers on the Asset or the Cost side of the balance sheet. If they say cost or if you observe cost, they will not invest in you, and most likely will be trying their best to minimize their pay to you while maximizing what they get from you. That is a very bad situation. They will also treat clients poorly."

79 weeks ago from u30pro

William Bryan recommended this

William Bryan: Wow!! That is really cool to think about David. Thanks for sharing that with the community. Never really thought about it like that. But he is ...MoreWow!! That is really cool to think about David. Thanks for sharing that with the community. Never really thought about it like that. But he is absolutely right. When the company invests in the employees and make them better at there job the company grows. Awesome man.
79 weeks ago

Juha Liikala Why do YOU blog? What is the goal you had in mind when first started? A) Just for fun B) Sharing your knowledge and building authority C) Promoting your business D) Something else or combination of many reasons (can you name a few?)

83 weeks ago from Blogging Ideas, Brazen Bloggers, Wordpress Bloggers and Gen-Y Professional Bloggers 2 more

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Sophie Carter: @Andre, I feel much the same way. I love to be able to have a space to get ideas out of my head. Hopefully if I can stick at it long enough, I ...More@Andre, I feel much the same way. I love to be able to have a space to get ideas out of my head. Hopefully if I can stick at it long enough, I will be able to make the same progression that you've made, which I think is natural. Penelope makes some great suggestions in her posts about how to start a blog, I read them all before I began and seeing as I've already passed the 1 month mark, I've breathed a sigh of survival - I'm now looking forward to passing the 1/4 year mark!
81 weeks ago

Annabel Candy: Sophie and Andre, it is therapeutic and fun! Loved to read your comments here. Well done and keep up the great blogging.
81 weeks ago

David Spinks For lack of motivation and time, my blog has really taken a back seat over the past few months. It's been the biggest slump I've had since starting. Having you guys ever faced a slump like this one? How did you get past it?

81 weeks ago from Gen-Y Professional Bloggers

William Bryan recommended this

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William Bryan: Hey David, I am having troubles with this too man. I have had my blog for about a month now and really find it hard to write it seems like good ...MoreHey David, I am having troubles with this too man. I have had my blog for about a month now and really find it hard to write it seems like good stuff that people will comment on. But hey I am not giving up because I know my opinion means something to everyone out there. I am sure you opinion means something to all of us. Dont give in to this slump. You will find the spark again. You have that internal drive man. I know it. What is your blog url man I would love to read it.
81 weeks ago

Annabel Candy: Bryon and William, I think you're both right. Have a break - a week, a fortnight, even three months but then come back to it. Blogging offers so ...MoreBryon and William, I think you're both right. Have a break - a week, a fortnight, even three months but then come back to it. Blogging offers so many opportunities and it's a great way to grow, learn, meet people:)
81 weeks ago

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