DECA Direct | January-February 2017 by DECA Inc.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE

www.decadirect.org

DECA DIRECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH ADVOCACY?

5 ONLINE RESOURCES FOR COMPETITION

THE BEST PLACES TO FIND A SUMMER INTERNSHIP

EDITORIAL

Publisher Paul A. Wardinski Managing Editor Janelle Arrighi Editorial Committee Jeff Collins, Sarah Williams, Christopher Young Advertising Cindy Allen, Nick Edwards Design Frank Peterson, Shawna Hession

3 SET YOUR SIGHTS ON ANAHEIM

DECA EXECUTIVE OFFICERS President Donald LeCompte North Atlantic Region Vice President Emily Fraser Central Region Vice President Brandon Allen Southern Region Vice President Victoria Meng Western Region Vice President Rohan Ghiya

COLLEGIATE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS President Alyssa Duncan Vice President Cameron Brown Vice President Mike Rich Vice President Felix Albl Vice President Terrius Harris

WHAT DO DRONES, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND DECA HAVE IN COMMON?

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE DEMISE OF THE APPLICATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE DECA Direct Magazine 1908 Association Drive Reston, Virginia 20191-1594 communications@deca.org

THE TRUTH ABOUT HAVING A CAREER IN SOCIAL MEDIA

CHAPTER BUZZ

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

President Kevin Reisenauer President-Elect Mary Peres Secretary Pam O’Brien Treasurer Ev Vaughan Members Jeff Back, Ginger Hill, Olga Plagianakos, Jackie Schiller NAB Chair Stephanie Wissink Ex-Officio Members Tammie Brewer, Paul A. Wardinski

DECA Direct (ISSN 1080-0476) is published four times each year—September/ October, November/December, January/ February and March/April. Copyright ©2017 by the Distributive Education Clubs of America, Inc., 1908 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191-1594. All rights reserved. Annual non-member subscription rate is $5.00. Periodicals postage paid at Herndon, Virginia and additional mailing offices. $1.00 of membership fee goes toward subscription to DECA Direct, a publication of DECA, (USPS 566-200), Volume 5, Number 3. Postmaster—Send form 3579 for change of address to: DECA Direct, 1908 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191-1594.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH ADVOCACY? HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT

@deca_donald

JAN FEB 9

Virtual Business Challenge Round 2 begins

Student scholarship applications due online

School-based Enterprise certification documents due

Outstanding New DECA Chapter Advisor Award recipients due Outstanding DECA Chapter Advisor Award recipients due

25-29

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Conference Orlando, FL

DECA Idea Challenge global winners announced

DECA Emerging Leader Honor Award applications deadline

CTE MONTH

Virtual Business Challenge Round 2 ends

Piper Jaffray Taking Stock with Teens Spring Survey begins

We eat, breathe and sleep DECA. Finishing projects, developing presentations and preparing for chapter meetings are the kinds of things that keep DECA members like us up at night. We understand how important DECA is in developing the next generation of emerging leaders and entrepreneurs, but do people in your community know what DECA is? Do your school administrators, public policymakers and local business owners understand what DECA is and why you are so passionate about this organization? February is Career and Technical Education Month (#CTEMonth) and is the perfect time for you to promote DECA in your community by showcasing your chapter’s accomplishments. DECA is a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO), and CTSOs rely on funding and support from community and government leaders. Advocating is how we garner that support, and there is no advocate more powerful for DECA and CTE than you! This February, go into your community and share your DECA story with as many people as you can. Be sure to mention the ways DECA has impacted you, and share stories about how your chapter has given back to the community. Not only can you help DECA and CTE by advocating during the month of February, but you can also get some cool rewards for your chapter by completing DECA’s Advocacy Campaign! Check out deca.org to see the campaign requirements, and come up with a list of activities your chapter can do in February to get this recognition. A couple of ideas to get you started include having your mayor sign a proclamation declaring February as CTE Month or joining forces with another CTSO to host an event. However your chapter plans on celebrating CTE Month, be sure to share it on social media with @DECAInc and #CTEMonth. We can’t wait to see the creative and innovative ways you bring awareness to CTE and CTSOs in your community, and you may even inspire another chapter or CTSO to get out and advocate as well!

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

DONALD LECOMPTE

Make this February one to remember by showing your active support for DECA and CTE. Don’t forget, all your advocating experiences are just another way you’re helping to #OwnYourFuture! 3

SET YOUR SIGHTS ON ANAHEIM COLLEGIATE DECA EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT

@decapresalyssa

JAN FEB 13

Student scholarship applications due online

DECA Idea Challenge Global winners announced

26-29

Collegiate Advisory Council Meeting, Reston, VA

CTE MONTH

Intent to Run for Executive Office Form due

Membership Campaign Goal—membership increase Collegiate DECA membership submission and dues deadline for International CDC event competitors.

The 2017 Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Anaheim, Calif., is right around the corner! Setting your sights on a successful #CDECAICDC experience starts with practicing and preparing for your competitive event early. Start by setting a goal on what you want to accomplish at ICDC. Is it to build your confidence, network with at least 25 other members, or shoot for first place on that international stage? See what motivates you and then decide how you want to accomplish these goals. Being at #CDECAICDC is an unforgettable experience to begin with, and achieving even your smallest goal while there can make your experience even more life changing. Practicing and preparing with your chapter now will set you up for success in the next few months. Be sure to practice by taking DECA exams or conducting a role-play, so you will feel more comfortable and confident when ICDC rolls around. On DECA.org, you’ll find sample exams and role-plays your chapter can utilize throughout the spring to properly prepare your members. We suggest having weekly meetings with your DECA chapter to practice, spend time with your DECA family, and see how you all can grow together. Spending time together, setting goals and celebrating incredible accomplishments in Anaheim will motivate your chapter for years to come! If you plan to #OwnYourFuture this year, the time to prepare is now! You’ve come so far this year, so don’t let your momentum fade as you get even closer to your big moment. Be sure to utilize all the resources available to you on DECA.org and on the 2016-2017 Collegiate DECA Executive Officers Facebook page!

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

ALYSSA DUNCAN

TRENDING

REGIONAL CONFERENCE EDITION

Want to be featured in the next issue of DECA Direct? Share your best photos on Instagram with #OwnYourFuture.

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HOW TO ROCK YOUR ROLE-PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION

UNDERSTANDING THE DECA EXAM

bit.ly/roleplay_champ

bit.ly/deca_exam

HOW AN INTERNSHIP CAN BOOST YOUR RÉSUMÉ bit.ly/resumeboost

DECADirect.org

3 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR COLLEGIATE DECA CHAPTER’S SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE bit.ly/coll_socialmedia

COLLEGE ADMISSION & APPLICATION TIPS bit.ly/collegetips_tricks

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR COMPETITION Even though the New Year has just begun, it’s never too early to start preparing for association conferences and the 2017 DECA International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, Calif.! From forming a study group to organizing competition prep workshops within your chapter, there are so many ways to work towards your spot on stage. Yet, sometimes the most effective study resources are overlooked. Let’s take a look at some lesser known online competition resources that can really take your testing, role-play and written event skills to the next level!

2. Ad Age and Adweek These two online news sources offer a wide variety of articles in the fields of marketing, advertising, branding and technology. Visit these sites to learn more about new and growing trends and how marketing applies to very specific industries. Whether you’re practicing a role-play or writing a written project, there is endless inspiration online for advertisements or promotions.

3. Competition University This website features a variety of test prep materials for role-play and written events. Resources include practice tests, tutorial videos and resources for written events like the advertising campaign. While the resources are not free, signing up with your entire chapter can qualify you for a group discount. Uniquely, this website also offers materials specific to advisors to facilitate training and networking. 4. Hubspot.com In addition to a frequently updated blog about marketing trends, Hubspot offers a variety of free online certification courses that anyone can take. Covering topics like inbound marketing, content marketing and email marketing, these courses can really help you get the competitive edge by exposing you to real world marketing concepts and scenarios. In just a few hours, you can be far ahead of your peers with expertise in some of the most cutting edge trends in marketing.

5. DECA Resources Get competition prep advice from the source! DECA.org offers video examples of each event and competitive guidelines that detail everything that you need to know about your event’s performance indicators. DECADirect.org also offers member-written articles that can give applicable advice about preparing for role-plays and what you can expect at conferences. Finally, DECA Images offers a variety of practice tests, role-plays and competition prep materials at shopdeca.org. Many items are available immediately by selecting the digital download delivery method. Technology is currently revolutionizing the way that marketers think, and the same trend applies towards you as a DECA member. Take advantage of these online resources to #OwnYourFuture in your competitive event series!

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

1. Quizlet Even though this online resource has been around for a while, it has some new game changing features for memorizing DECA vocabulary. Games like “Match” and “Gravity” can add some fun into your preparation routine, while Quizlet’s options to add pictures or to read out individual terms can add visual and audio aids to your studying. There are hundreds of flashcard sets that have already been made for virtually every career cluster and event. With the “Copy” and “Combine” functions, you can combine existing sets, or combine them with your original terms.

VICTORIA MENG

Southern Region Vice President

ORDER YOURS TODAY

The deadline for ordering the official competition blazer is Saturday, April 1, 2017 to ensure delivery to your school by Monday, April 17, 2017. Another option is to prepay for your blazers and pick them up at ICDC. All payments must be received at DECA Images by close of business April 1, 2017. If you are unable to purchase a blazer by the deadline you can purchase one onsite in Anaheim. Only students participating in front of a judge or appearing on stage will need an official blazer. DECA Images can NOT guarantee size availability, so please order before April 1 to ensure you get the correct size!

BLAZER ONSITE SALES ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER ROOM 207 Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

April 25 April 26 April 27 April 28

12:00 PM - 9:00 PM 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM

ONSITE SALES TAX DUE:

If you wait to purchase your blazers in Anaheim please be aware that we are required by California state law to collect sales tax on all items sold within the state. The tax rate is 8% (as of 10/01/2016).

BLAZER DEADLINE

APRIL 1

RETURNS & EXCHANGES:

Proof of purchase will be required for all returns and exchanges. Blazers purchased through mail order that are in new, unworn condition and have their original tags in place may be returned or exchanged within 30 days of purchase. Blazers purchased onsite at conference may only be exchanged and a cash register receipt will be required. The Official DECA Blazer will not be sold at the Collegiate International Career Development Conference. DECA_Images 10

DECA Images

The Best Places to Find

a Summer Internship

As the New Year kicks off and most students find themselves still adjusting to a new semester, it may seem ridiculous to already be thinking about summertime. However, the next few months will fly by faster than you can imagine, and if you’re not careful, you may find yourself packing up your dorm room and heading home with no summer internship plans on the horizon. While the appeal of a summer spent lounging by the pool or hanging out with friends is strong, the importance of having a summer internship to add to your résumé is undeniable these days.

2. You will develop real-world skills, which will look amazing on your résumé. 3. Your network will increase and your opportunities will expand. Now that you know some of the top reasons why to pursue an internship, how do you get one? Here are some of the best places to start looking for a summer internship: 1. LinkedIn It shouldn’t surprise you that LinkedIn is a great place to start your internship search. Being the center of the professional networking world, LinkedIn is one of the top places to connect with industry leaders, get noticed and find the internship you want. You can search for opportunities in your area or based on your professional interest. You should also join the DECA Inc. LinkedIn Group http://linkd.in/decainc to see which DECA National Advisory Board partners are hiring!

2. Internship.com Owned by Chegg, Internship.com has close to 150,000 internships posted. This site also lets you see which Facebook friends you have in common with a potential employer who could help connect you to the company, offer résumé or interview help, or just give you a better idea of the hiring process. 3. The Old-Fashion Approach Sometimes you might have a specific company in mind that you would like to intern with. Why beat around the bush and go through website after website to see if they have an opening? Get in contact with a human resource representative or hiring manager, and see if they have any internship opportunities available. If not, you can also ask about shadowing experiences or just a meeting to learn more about what they are looking for in future candidates to strengthen your connection for the future.

4. Your Career Service Center Your school has hundreds of resources to help students find internships and jobs, and career services is just one of them! This is usually a free service, so take advantage! Go in, make an appointment, or just email them to see how the process works and what they can do for you. I bet they will find a great opportunity for you, or possibly connect you with alumni who could help as well. Now that you have some resources to find an internship, there’s no reason why you should put this important task on the back-burner. Take your pick, send an application, rock that interview, and get the internship you’ve always dreamed of! Be sure to share your success stories with Collegiate DECA by tagging @CollegiateDECA on Twitter.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

Why is having an internship so important? Consider these three reasons: 1. An internship enables you to take your career plans for a test drive.

FELIX ALBL

Collegiate DECA Vice President

WHAT DO

DRONES, ENTREPRENE AND DECA HAVE IN CO

ot much, except for one budding venture in the Midwest that is changing the way kids spend their summer vacations forever.

Drone Camp was founded in early 2016 by Matt King and Daniel Majestic, who met in college and realized their shared passion for technology and entrepreneurship was more than just a coincidence. “I paid for a majority of my college by shooting commercials for local businesses with a camera I rented from the library,” King shared. “I would always get these phone calls about doing aerial work from car dealerships or real estate agents asking if I had a drone. It was a very new field that I really didn’t know too much about.” King explained that initially, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had pretty strict rules when it came to flying drones, including the need to have a pilot’s license. However, in 2016, the FAA came out with a statement declaring that the need for a pilot’s license was no longer a requirement in order to fly a drone, and instead you just had to be 16 years of age and pass a test.

These rules opened a whole new world of possibilities when it came to who could operate a drone, and got King thinking. He decided to share his crazy idea with Majestic, who had his own entrepreneurial experience from running his own car detailing company in high school. “I remember telling Daniel this is a new field where we could train students and kids to fly drones. By the time they graduate high school, they could actually go out and do their own drone work,” King said. King’s “drone camp” idea had legs, but Majestic worried if parents would actually sign their kids up. The idea came to Matt in May of 2016, and summer break was only a few short weeks away. How were they going to get kids to attend their camp if parents had already planned out their summer break activities and vacations? “As we did more market research in our area, we found that most parents had already planned for week-long vacations or camps, so we decided to build our business on a two-day camp model. This worked out tremendously well for us because we found that parents had a much easier time

weaving a two-day camp around their packed schedules, rather than finding a whole week that was open,” Majestic said. Besides the tight timetable, the other problem facing the two was the fact that they didn’t own a single drone. “The single most expensive part of our expense report was the technology,” King said. “A single drone can range from $800 to $1,500, and we needed more than one of them.” So King, who had a background in technology, built a website for Drone Camp and decided that if they could get enough kids to register to cover the cost of the drones, they would take that as a “green light” to go through with the idea. If not, they would refund those who registered and move on. Turns out their intuition was right and they received enough registration money to cover the costs of the drones needed for their very first camp. So why teach kids how to fly drones? The answer is pretty simple to King and Majestic.

EURSHIP OMMON?

“It’s eye opening to hear parents say that they hate when summertime comes around, because their child cannot participate in many summer camps because he or she has a disability or is in a wheelchair, and the best part about Drone Camp is that it is open to everyone,” Majestic added. “We have so many kids that come through our camp who have ADHD or are in a wheelchair, and it’s so great to see them be able to interact with the other kids and the technology in the exact same way as everyone else.” Throughout the building of their business, King and Majestic had to overcome numerous obstacles to get their venture up and running. The biggest lesson they learned from their

entrepreneurship experience was the importance of building strong ties in the community. “We knew we needed a lot of land to hold our camp on, so we reached out to 100 businesses in our community asking if we could use their land, and 99 of them said no,” Kind said. “The one that finally did say yes was a local church. We were so grateful for them believing in us and our idea, so we made sure to give 10% of all our earnings from that first camp back to the church.” The duo also used sponsorships and in-kind donations from local businesses to help offset some of their other operational costs, such as free pizza from a local restaurant to feed the campers at lunch time. “At the end of each camp, our campers receive their “Drone Camp Wings” sort of like pilot wings, and a Drone Camp t-shirt, which lists all our sponsors on it, so it’s a great way to connect the community back to our campers and their experience,” said Majestic.

Another important lesson the duo learned through their first Drone Camp experience was to hustle. While the team has experienced success with getting attention from local news stations, as well as the Today Show and Shark Tank, the notoriety didn’t come easy. “The news stations didn’t just call us,” Matt explained. “We sent out press releases to everyone, including a USA Today affiliate, the Indy Star newspaper, and they sent someone out to do an article on us. After that got picked up, then USA Today covered our story, and then we got calls from the Today Show and Shark Tank. We were able to reach all those bigger networks because of our hard work and being proactive in reaching out to lots of different channels.”

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

“Daniel was only 15 when he was detailing cars, and I was only 14 when shooting commercials, and it was hard for many people to trust us [because of our age], so we just really wanted to go back to our roots and give these kids a shot, like so many people gave us,” King shared.

It's no surprise that King and Majestic are used to hard work and hustle as both participated in Career and 13

feet,” Majestic shared. “My first year competition was with my car detailing business plan, and the judges asked me really hard questions that I didn’t know the answers. When I went back the next year to compete at the state level, I was so much more prepared and ready to tackle their questions.” If you ask King and Majestic what the future of Drone Camp is, they can tell you pretty easily. They are looking forward to expanding to more locations so they can offer even more camps to reach hundreds of more kids. However, the future of drones in general is harder to predict. To King, the future of drones revolves around big data.

Technical Student Organizations in high school. Majestic was a DECA member at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind., his sophomore through senior years. “DECA really is what taught me how to answer hard questions on my

“[Drones] are the eyes and ears of the internet now,” King stated. “[With drones] we can map things and take photos and collect data in the real world and apply it to something with technology.” Majestic on the other hand has a different take on the future of drones, seeing them as the next household item. “[I see] families buying drones for

Christmas, and taking them on vacation or to climb a mountain. The prices are becoming more affordable and the size is becoming smaller, so I would guess in the next two to three years we’ll see household or lifestyle drones.” “Drones have also made marketing tactics much more invasive and intrusive,” King added. “When you fly a plane, you cannot go above 500 feet of the highest obstacle. When you fly drones, however, you cannot go more than 400 feet.” King elaborated with the example of planes flying advertisements or banners up and down the beach in the summertime. Well with drones, that banner or ad is going to be much, much closer to you on the beach than it was up in the air. “Plus, drones can only fly for about 28 to 30 minutes,” King added, “So marketing will be more expensive and you’ll need to think much more carefully about where to market your message, as well as how to get your message across in a shorter amount of time.”

to prepare the next generation as avid drone experts, it’s safe to say the future is looking bright down here on Earth, and way up in the sky. You can learn more about Drone Camp, as well as Matt King and Daniel Majestic, at dronecamp.org.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

It’s no surprise that the world of technology, entrepreneurship and marketing is rapidly changing, and the impact drones will have on these industries and the world is unpredictable. However, thanks to the work that King and Majestic are doing

DECA + DRONES Interested in a DECA competitive event involving drones? DECA’s 2016-2017 Professional Selling Event challenges high school members to assume the role of a sales representative of a drone technologies firm. A local real estate agent has scheduled a meeting with you because he/she has a desire to utilize drones to help his/ her real estate business and wants to learn how your firm’s products and services can be beneficial to his/her business.

Social Media & the Demise of the Application ALAN KATZMAN Founder & CEO, Social Assurity

ost of us readily accept the truthfulness of this mantra based on what we see in our daily lives.

Technology has changed the way we communicate, the way we shop, the way we learn, the way we work, the way we play, the way we share, the way we research and the way we travel. Yet, when people argue that technology is changing the way colleges and employers find and assess their candidates, we are told, “not so fast!” The people who raise the caution flag in these contexts are most often consultants in their ivied towers protecting a multi-billion-dollar industry built on maintaining the sanctity of SAT/ACT prep, professional résumé and essay writing, and the “old boy network” style of recruitment. For students, social media has become the essay, résumé and cover letter they didn’t realize they were sending. Social media has quickly evolved from a peer-to-peer platform to a public showcase of an individual’s talents, skills, interests, activities and accomplishments. Social media now plays a role in the due diligence

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

“

Whether students realize it or not, their social media has become their résumé, cover letter, personal statement and letter of recommendation all rolled into one.” – Alan Katzman

validation for college admissions, athletic and academic scholarships, employment and other highly selective processes where scrutiny of a person’s character and credentials come into serious consideration. It is important to remember that job and college applications, as well as the résumé, were conceived as an easy and necessary way for applicants to deliver key demographic and experiential information to an employer or college. There is nothing magical nor remarkable about these superficial conduits of information. People have always been much more than a list of facts and dates. This is precisely where social media shines and why technology obviates the need for traditional documentation of one’s life. Much in the way the smartphone has made the landline telephone obsolete, social media has made the traditional résumé and college application obsolete.

“

Along these lines, applicants to Cornell’s M.B.A. programs can now pre-fill parts of their applications — such as their employment history and educational background — with information from their LinkedIn profiles. Cornell officials said the university is the first higher education institution to incorporate LinkedIn into its application. Realizing the treasure trove of actionable data stored by social networks, colleges and job recruiters are increasingly using the search capabilities of Google, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to identify, assess and recruit targeted talent. This is known as “social recruiting” and “the extent to which individuals have established a strong and compelling online presence is having an impact on who gets admitted and on who gets the interview and job.” At the heart of this movement is the perceived ability to judge a candidate’s

If someone sends us a link of any kind, it doesn’t have to be from some company or some organization, if it seems relevant to making the best possible case for that person’s admission, we will certainly take a look at it.” – William R. Fitzsimmons, Harvard Dean of Admissions

integrity, credibility and character by way of social media. Accelerated by real-time social media conversations, candidates can stand out and impress decision-makers simply by packaging their experiences in smart and deliberate ways. With social media recruitment and vetting rapidly growing in importance, an easy-tofind and reflective social media presence is mandatory in today’s digital age. Wise students, realizing colleges and recruiters are active on social media, take it one step further. They use networks such as Twitter and LinkedIn to actively engage with companies, communities, influencers, college groups and organizations. This increases their overall network reach and their chances of being found. They make sure their Twitter profile sends the right message and provides a link to their personal website or LinkedIn page. This way, people who click on their Twitter handle will be able to easily navigate

through their online presence and make important decisions about them along the way. With close to 1.9 billion active monthly users, Facebook is the go-to network for social recruitment as well as for social media character vetting. Students should set their Facebook profile page to public and make it searchable. Students should be completing all aspects of their “About” section to permit Facebook’s search engine

to index the information for potential searches. Facebook should also be used to post relevant experiences using photos, videos and words. Have these stories reflect your personal attributes so anyone viewing your Facebook page will get a true sense of the person you are. Whether you are or will be applying to college, graduate school or a job, you will need to impress more than just the admissions office or human resources

department. There are alumni, professors, current employees, managers and interviewers who will have a say in the final decision. These people will want to know more about you than what may be provided on your résumé, essay or application. These people will Google you. When they do, will your virtual narrative work in your favor?

Alan Katzman is a recognized authority on the importance of teaching students the effective and productive use of social media at all educational levels. Alan founded Social Assurity in 2013 to help students harness social media to curate digital portraits that reflect their true character and potential. Social Assurity offers a suite of interactive eCourses that teaches students how to use social media to effectively engage with colleges, communities and businesses while also building a rich and discoverable digital presence that accurately reflects their skills, interests and accomplishments. Learn more about Social Assurity at socialassurity.com.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

“

The idea of curating your digital footprint is right on target because it gets to the heart of the matter, which is that this is a new aspect of our reputation that we have to work at.” – Professor Nancy Rothbard, The Wharton School

JOIN

THE DECA INC. LINKEDIN GROUP http://linkd.in/decainc

the truth about having a career in social media 20

JANELLE ARRIGHI Communications Manager, DECA Inc.

My name is Janelle Arrighi and I am DECA’s communications manager. Aside from running DECADirect.org, producing DECA Direct, the magazine, and managing DECA’s Social Media Correspondent Program, I am also responsible for all of DECA and Collegiate DECA’s social media activities. Yes, all of them. Since joining DECA in January of 2013, I have sent over 20,000 tweets, shared over 1,500 Instagram photos, generated over one million Snapchat geofilters views and have gained over 16,500 new Twitter followers.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

You probably don’t know me, but most of you have read my tweets, shared my photos, liked my posts and watched my Snapchat stories.

However, there is so much more to being a social media or community manager than just tweeting all day! Think you want a job in social media one day? Here are my top four tips to keep in mind: 21

1. Writing is key, 2. You’ve got to even if it’s just 140 fight for your characters. right to tweet. Most of my job is reading and writing, all day long. Whether it’s a DECA Direct Online article or an Instagram caption, writing is writing no matter what form or medium. Sometimes the easiest writing task can actually be the most challenging too. For example, I’m usually given announcements from DECA’s corporate partners to be shared on our social media pages. Seems simple enough, right? The truth is, turning multiple sentences or even an entire paragraph into a catchy, 140-character tweet, while also including a link, photo or GIF, isn’t as easy as it seems. I truly believe creating informative and entertaining posts (that drive clicks!) is an art form, and a very valuable skill in today’s world. The ability to catch a reader’s eye as they’re mindlessy scrolling through their feed is a huge accomplishment, and is one that you should certainly gloat about on your résumé or during an interview. When I was in college, I double majored in corporate communications and public relations, and never once considered I would have a career in social media one day. However, the courses I took where I wrote countless press releases, relied on my AP Stylebook like there was no tomorrow and learned how to proofread like a pro are truly what have helped me the most in my current role. If you find yourself dreading English class, avoiding your written assignments or ignoring common grammar rules, you may want to reconsider a career in social media. Although the digital world is constantly evolving, the English language is not. It’s truly important to have strong writing skills for any social media job, even if you’ll be using emojis half of the time.

A job in social media certainly involves less math than other careers, but you do need to have a small knack for numbers and analytics if you want to really succeed. The truth is, social media is still not considered a “necessity” by 100% of companies. That means that most social media managers have to fight for a place in their organization, and the best way to do that is by showing your value in quantitative data. I look at DECA’s analytics almost daily, from how well our tweets are performing and how many people clicked on a corporate partner’s article, to how many views our latest Snapchat geofilter received and the response rates to our latest email campaign. Not only do I need to know these numbers, but understand them as well, because it’s my job to explain to DECA’s directors the difference between impressions and engagements. So if you want a career in tweeting and Snapchat-ing, just be ready to also report back on how your awesome tweets and snaps made a positive impact on your organization and be able to back it up with factual data.

3. It’s not your typical, 9-5 job. If you’re looking for a job that doesn’t follow you home at night, on weekends or even on vacation, then maybe social media isn’t for you. Think about it – does your social media feed stop at 6 p.m. and start back up at 8 a.m.? No! That’s because countless social media managers around the world work very hard to ensure their brand has a consistent presence online during working and non-working hours. I have published many tweets, Instagram photos, Facebook posts and more for DECA during my time at home, on vacation with my family and even on holidays. While the ability to schedule posts for most platforms continues to improve, there is something about live, in-the-moment posts that you cannot replicate with automation.

While this may seem like a huge negative, the truth is that I don’t really mind having to post or tweet from my couch at night. These “off” times are actually when I see our followers being the most active in sharing or liking our posts, so I feel much more connected to DECA’s users when I can post something and watch the likes grow right in front of my eyes, rather than letting a computer do it all for me.

It seems that no matter how “new” something is when it comes to social media, people in my office turn to me for my expert explanation about what it is and how it works. That means I always need to be reading and learning about the latest updates when it comes to technology, apps and social media. We have taken great strides at DECA to be on the cutting-edge of social media technology, but in order to stay at the top, you need to constantly be refreshing your strategy. That’s why I’m always searching for the newest way to keep DECA in stride with the rest of the digital world. The key to being able to adapt to new technology is being knowledgeable about the new technology. You must be willing to be constantly clueless and simultaneously the smartest person in the room if you really want a job in social media. By this I mean you have to accept that you know nothing about the latest app, but you’re willing to Google it all day long so that you can talk about it in a meeting like you created the app yourself. The key to a job in social media is a desire to always be learning, trying and exploring. From Google Glass and live Instagram feeds, to Snapchat geofilters and mannequin challenges, DECA has tried it all. Sometimes it’s successful, and sometimes it’s a flop, but social media is all about diving in head first and figuring it out as you go! I truly believe I have the coolest job in the world. I go to work everyday and get to connect directly with DECA’s biggest fans – its members. Every retweet, favorite, like, view and share DECA receives is a reminder of why I love working so hard to create the perfect tweet or find the best GIF. A job in social media can certainly be tough, but every challenge has a truly rewarding outcome. If you’re interested in a career in social media and are looking for some advice or tips, be sure to check out DECADirect.org or contact me directly at janelle_arrighi@deca.org!

Janelle’s 5 Favorite

Websites & Apps 1. ADWEEK

Adweek is a great place to find the latest news and announcements on business, marketing, advertising and social media. n adweek.com

2. LEVO LEAGUE

Levo League is an awesome site for any female professional and has great resources on everything from finding an internship and preparing for an interview, to asking for a raise and what to look for in a mentor. n levoleague.com

3. MASHABLE

Mashable is the best website for the latest business, technology, social media and entertainment news. n mashable.com

4. GIPHY

GIPHY is my favorite place to find and create GIFs for DECA! Plus, you can get GIFs sent right to you to use on Instagram. n giphy.com

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

4. Even if something is brand new, you must know everything about it.

5. INSTAGRAM

Instagram is my favorite social media platform! Just by following my own favorite brands, I am able to learn so many interesting tips, tricks and ideas to use for DECA. n instagram.com

CHAPTER BUZZ ▼ MCDOWELL DECA | NORTH CAROLINA

Members of the McDowell DECA chapter were ready to win some medallions at districts!

▶ DOUGLAS COUNTY DECA GEORGIA ▲ COPPERAS COVE DECA | TEXAS

Copperas Cove DECA member Adrian Alejose assisted in laying wreaths for fallen heroes at the Central Texas Veterans Cemetery in honor of Veterans Day.

The Douglas County DECA chapter celebrated the first day of DECA Month on November 1 with doughnuts!

◀ SOUTHSIDE DECA | ARKANSAS

Southside DECA members passed out Thanksgiving groceries to hundreds of families in need at a local park on the weekend before Thanksgiving.

▲ THE WOODLANDS DECA | TEXAS

The Woodlands DECA chapter worked hard this fall to complete the DECA Chapter Campaigns!

◀ NORTH ANDOVER DECA | MASSACHUSETTS North Andover DECA members in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the 2016 Ultimate DECA Power Trip in Washington, D.C.

▲ PLANTATION DECA | FLORIDA

Plantation DECA members ended their #DECAPowerTrip experience with a tour of the United States Capitol building.

▲ PITTSBURG DECA | TEXAS

Pittsburg DECA members celebrated Professional Dress Day with the mayor after he signed the DECA Month proclamation for Pittsburg.

▶ LINCOLN SOUTHEAST DECA | NEBRASKA

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

These Lincoln Southeast DECA members had a great time visiting Lucas Oil Stadium during their trip to Indianapolis, Ind., for the 2016 Central Region Leadership Conference!

CHAPTER BUZZ ▼ COLUMBIA RIVER DECA | WASHINGTON Columbia River chapter officers were all smiles at the 2016 Western Region Leadership Conference this past November.

▲ BRYANT UNIVERSITY COLLEGIATE DECA RHODE ISLAND

Bryant University Collegiate DECA members showed off their best business professional dress for the closing ceremony at the 2016 Collegiate Leadership Academy in New York City.

▲ CRATER DECA | OREGON

These Crater DECA members stopped by the Microsoft headquarters in Seattle, Wash., to get ready for #WRLC2016!

▲ APPLETON EAST DECA | WISCONSIN

Chapter members stopped to pose for a picture during Appleton East DECA’s annual Fall Yard Rake. Chapter members helped elderly neighbors throughout their community by cleaning up their yards.

▲ NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY COLLEGIATE DECA | MICHIGAN

Chapter members Joey Walsh and Amanda Schmidt accepted their prize from Northwood University for participating in the DECA Idea Challenge 2016. Northwood University offered a prize this year to participants to boost engagement, excitement and competition.

▲ MILLARD NORTH DECA | NEBRASKA

Millard North DECA members had a blast at #DECACRLC in Indianapolis, Ind. this past November.

◀ SPANISH RIVER DECA | FLORIDA

Spanish River DECA took a new spin on a normal car wash and hosted a DECA Dog Wash to raise money for a local, no-kill animal shelter and raised awareness of pet euthanization in the community.

▲ BROOKFIELD CENTRAL DECA WISCONSIN

Brookfield Central DECA attended the Make a Wish Wisconsin kick off event at Macy's to provide support and excitement for the Believe Campaign.

◀ SUNNYSIDE DECA | ARIZONA

JANUARY-FEBRUARY | 2017

Every year, Sunnyside DECA hosts a holiday party for special needs children at Mission Manner Elementary School in Tucson, Ariz., complete with presents for every child in attendance. Thank you to Sunnyside DECA advisor, Terri Bible, for helping this year’s party be possible!

CHAPTER BUZZ ◀ NORTH CAROLINA DECA NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina DECA association officers enjoyed the D.C. Night Tour at the 2016 Ultimate DECA Power Trip!

▲ AUBURN MOUNTAINVIEW DECA WASHINGTON

Auburn Mountainview DECA members had an awesome time exploring downtown Seattle, Wash., at the 2016 Western Region Leadership Conference in November.

◀ MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY MISSISSIPPI

Chapter members Lynette Cockrell, Anthony McOlgan, Steven Miller and Michael Costa all received first place for their competitive events at the Mississippi Association of Collegiate DECA Conference. Also pictured is advisor Natasha Randle.

▼ ALMA DECA | ARKANSAS

Alma DECA provided the entire Alma High School senior class with DormCo gift cards as an early graduation gift right before Thanksgiving break. The chapter called the day “DECA & DormCo.” DormCo is a DECA National Advisory Board partner that provides DECA chapters with great fundraising resources. Pictured are a few Alma DECA members with their DormCo gift cards.

▲ EDMOND MEMORIAL DECA OKLAHOMA 28

Edmond Memorial DECA members posed on front of Federal Hall during the Financial Tour of the 2016 New York Experience Conference in New York City.