CIMA's Marketing Director - Dan Prescott

"Don't over stress yourself by looking at all of the job boards everyday. I personally have found Linkedin has far more qualified leads on open roles and is easier to get intel on the next position so I don't stray too much into other bulk posting locations. Don't burn yourself out sitting looking for positions constantly. Try to get four resumes submitted per day or three and take time for yourself. Explore companies and roles you would not normally look at as this is a time to reinvent yourself. I have been using the time in between recruiter calls and first round interviews to help friends with handyman tasks so that way when I become employed full time again all of my friends who had projects on their checklist will benefit from a bit of my down time. LOL.

Lastly, FLEX your network. People who know you know your work ethic and will recommend you internally. A strong network is vital to a new position.

Chin up you got this!"

CIMA’s VP Membership – Kristina Lutz

“This is the time to lean on your network and THEIR network!  Look at LinkedIn first and second connections at companies that interest you.  Don’t be afraid to ask a connection if they can introduce you to a key player at those companies.  If they don’t know the person well enough, they will tell you.  You won’t know if you don’t ask!  Provide a sentence or two to your connection about you and why you are interested - make it frictionless for folks to help you."

CIMA's Vice President of Personnel – Lisa Medina

Losing a job can be one of the most devastating and humiliating experiences in life. There are many reasons you can get pink slipped. Uncertainty will replace your normal routine. The negative question of what's next stays heavy on your mind. This is the time to start looking for a new job. Get your resume polished. Finding a job is a full time job. Keep a list of all the companies you contact. Keep notes, names, and dates of your meetings.  And most important, follow up. 

Talk to your network, use LinkedIn and other resources. Fine tune some old expertise and learn new skills. Meet with as many potential employers as possible.  You may feel like it is the end of the world. It's not. Most times the best job for you is just right up ahead. All the best people in the industry will agree that getting fired was the BEST THING that could have ever happened! It is all a part of the stepping stones of success.  

CIMA’s President – Gage Barry

“First steps when it happens – I’ve (un)luckily been a part of 2 gut-retching layoffs in my career. They can be especially emotional when you place too much of your identity in a role that is suddenly taken away. This can happen when you’re passionate about your company or role, or have simply spent a long time at one place. Once you've been through it once or twice you can see the warning signs, or at least prepare by networking during the good times. “The best time to look for a new job, is when you have a job.”

It’s important to constantly be documenting your skills and accomplishments. No one else will ever vouch for you better than yourself. I’ve seen people say as often as monthly or quarterly to make updates to your Resume and LinkedIn with measurable results of improvements you’ve made. When enough time has passed, it is incredible how much you may one day look back and consider a rough patch as a blessing in disguise. “

A final checklist of tips for job searching.

• Create a resume that highlights your skills and experience
• Stay organized and manage a list of job postings
• Follow up with a thank you after the interview
• Reach out to industry contacts

After much protest, I finally gave in, listened to my wife, and took down our Christmas Tree prior to our Valentine’s Day dinner date. It was around this time that I realized the reality of 2022 being well underway. Like many of you, the CIMA Board of Directors and I have been hard at work – in both our day-to-day jobs and planning the year ahead for CIMA. We’re thrilled to come to you today with a calendar of events – Educational, Philanthropic and Social – and with an optimistic outlook that this year, we can finally do more together in person.

But first, a year in review for 2021 which culminated in an amazing CIMA Holiday Party – and we have the pictures here to prove it in the link here.

• We rolled out a new membership pricing model, making a commitment to you that CIMA will be free for all agency and brand professionals, as well as students and educators
• We launched a rebranded CIMA – the new CIMA, a new website and the hashtag #theresmoretoCIMA to amplify our message and purpose to the Chicago Advertising Community
• We continued our commitment to provide the next generation of Chicago-based marketers an invaluable resource through our Mentorship Program
• We did what we do best: throw the Midwest’s hottest industry holiday party, where we all had the chance to gather and see so many of our peers, colleagues and friends – in-person!

And in doing all this, our motivation continues to be CIMA’s support of our close friends at Off The Street Club.

So, as we look ahead to warmer days, we invite you to look to us to network within the industry. Look to us to expand your knowledge base in what is evolving in our industry. Look to us to get involved philanthropically and socially. Look to us for your next advertising career opportunity in Chicago. Look to us to gain exposure for your company and yourself. And look to us when you feel compelled to “send the elevator back down.”

• To become a member of the growing CIMA community at this link here (free to brands/agencies, students/educators)
• To volunteer in any of our upcoming events, email Lisa Medina at lmedina@chicagoima.org or David Ruiz at druiz@chicagoima.org
• For sponsorship inquiries for any of our upcoming events, email Amber Blahut at ablahut@chicagoima.org or Caroline O’Reilly at coreilly@chicagoima.org
• If your organization is interested in partnering with CIMA, email Barb Stahl at bstahl@chicagoima.org
• For more information on how your Chicago-based Ad Agency can become more involved with CIMA, email Kelly Chiricotti at kchiricotti@chicagoima.org
• If you would like more information on how you can help support Off The Street Club, email Lynn Fink at lfink@chicagoima.org
• For more information on how to become a CIMA Mentor for students interested in a career in advertising/marketing, email Karla Wagner at kwagner@chicagoima.org
• If you’re interested in joining the CIMA Board of Directors, email me at ncheetany@chicagoima.org

And finally, we truly hope to see you at all our events below that we’re planning this year (dates/times and locations will be solidified as we get closer to each event, providing ample time for sponsorship opportunities and event registration):

• Thursday, 3/31 Virtual Educational Event: “The Future of Advertising” – a fireside chat with Joe Kowan, EVP Digital Solutions, Precision and Technology at Spark Foundry
  • Sponsorships still available; event registration begins Monday, 3/7
• April Philanthropic Event: “Off The Street Club Happy Hour” – in partnership with The Number Project and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
• Spring Social Event: “An Evening at the Royal Palms” – sharpen your shuffleboard skills and save your appetite for some amazing Food Truck grub!
• Summer Social Event: “CIMA Boat Cruise” – BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Enjoy the iconic Chicago sunset from a luxury yacht on Lake Michigan
• 2022 CIMA Golf Outing – BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Date and Location TBD!
• Fall Educational Event: Topic TBD
• Thursday, 12/8: 2022 CIMA Holiday Party. THE ONE AND ONLY! – in partnership with The Number Project and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

Let’s work hard, play hard! Let’s stay safe and take care of ourselves and each other. Let’s stay connected. Let’s stay engaged. And let’s see you at our next event!

On behalf of the CIMA Board of Directors: we wish you all the best this year, and welcome to CIMA 2022!

Regards,
Nick Cheetany
President, CIMA
Chicago Interactive Marketing Association
ncheetany@chicagoima.org