Fun Times With The Digital Divas!

The excitement of Social Media Week in New York continues! This time yours truly found himself in the loving embrace of the Digital Divas. Was the night a success? Or did the snow force folks to tweet from home?

The Hotel on Rivington was home to some interesting sights as folks from all walks of life and industries came to schmooze and network at The Digital Divas social media event. Braving the cold and the oncoming snow, plenty had their business cards in hand and brilliant ideas in mind. While I navigated the crowd I realized a few things as a new student to the nuisances of the web.

Nervousness Is Not An Option:

Approaching folks to discuss what you have to offer is not a foreign concept. In fact, while standing by the bar, I was approached by people who were first-timers in the digital space. They were coming because they had lost their job to the computers. It’s a terrifying and exciting time for all of us as we are trying to get our footing in this shifting industry. There were publicists, fashionistas, writers, entrepreneurs, and folks who just came to see how many “divas” they could leave with. All in all, the ones who lost out in the end, were the “too cool for school” folks who stood around staring at everyone else. In this new game, there’s no time to play the wall-flower.

The Internet Is Fast… You Should Be Too:

Becoming antsy I stepped outside. This was minutes before the snow began to worsen here in New York. Looking at my BlackBerry, a woman eventually joined me outside. Snoopy should’ve been her middle name as she observed me looking at this very website while I was jotting notes for this piece. Mobile phones have adapted to the web like a fish to water and she dug the design and struck up a conversation inquiring more about the site. With key word being “social” for Social Media Week, we spoke, but a word from the wise — if you are going to be discussing the web, make sure you know what you are talking about. Don’t be a know-it-all either, but things change at such a rapid pace that if you’re not on the person/place/thing/gadget that’s dropping in the next six months, then what can you offer anyone right now.

Competition Is Fierce:

The recession is real and folks are definitely joining the ranks of the unemployed. If anything this week is a chance for stars to be discovered, sites to be bookmarked, and connections to be made. Personal bias aside — even I stood outside of myself to join the rat race. For those reading this piece who are amongst the ones searching for an opportunity and have tried the job websites and aren’t finding much success, my word of advice is to hit the ground running. Head out to the events that will showcase you in a positive light, create connections outside of your Facebook friends and Twitter followers, and in the end — have fun. This coming from a certified pessimist, if you’re not loving what you do no matter the weather, then there’s no point in coming outside. And right now, competition is no joke. Last night I came away with fifteen business cards and all I had to give was an URL address… not cool, but luckily I got a chance to have fun with The Digital Divas.

Social Media Week and I are getting along fine. The next stop is ‘The Future of Journalism’ tonight at 92Y. Don’t be afraid to say hello if you’re out!