The last thirty days have been a roller coaster of learning new skills, meeting new people, overcoming challenges, and getting adjusted to my first ever ‘big boy’ job. I wanted to take a little bit of time to share with you all just what it has been like joining Anvil at such an exciting time, even with all of the freshman hazing going on around the office.

Now when I speak of hazing, I am clearly speaking about my first couple of days on the job, where I was welcomed with an absolute barrage of, you guessed it, open arms. Being nervous is a trait common with many first days on the job and because of the personal investment I made in getting this one, my nerves were absolutely all over the place when I first stepped in the door. It didn’t take long for my nerves to calm and my emotions to become more excited than anything else.

I was greeted by a coffee and bagel social where each team member took the time to introduce themselves and go out of the way to ensure I wasn’t overwhelmed. Not to be pessimistic or anything, but I was fully expecting to be placed at a desk in the corner and looked at awkwardly while I received monotone training from a disinterested person who was being forced to interact with me.

Is it sad that this is what I expected?

Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but I was not expecting the entire organization to go out of its way to make Nate, the other new hire, and me feel so incredibly welcome to Anvil. It was a perfect start.

Another aspect of the job that I really appreciate thus far is the fact that Anvil literally threw me right in to the fire. What better way is there to learn than to be handed a solid chunk of responsibility right off the bat? Before my first week was finished I had almost finished a fifty two slide audit and started on another. Eventually these audits turned in to effective presentations and before the first month was over I was already feeling a strong sense of accomplishment, while still being aware that I had a long way to go.

Let me take this opportunity to continue ranting, as I need to step in and mention the reasons why I targeted Anvil as a place of employment to begin with. Before I moved to Portland I was in the great state of Indiana just getting acquainted with search marketing, with a heavy focus on link building. It quickly became evident to me that I was trapped in a narrow funnel within the big picture that is search marketing. My desire grew to become exposed to the industry as a whole, and a major challenge was tracking down an agency that literally knew everything about all aspects of the industry.

Once I decided that I wanted to move to Portland, the research was underway and it quickly became evident to me that Anvil was a one of a kind agency that not only could benefit me as an employer, but that I could benefit as an employee. It was the only agency I tracked down that offered the robust services in internet marketing which I was seeking. What I was looking for was a place that I could spend ten years and become a master of my craft. Thirty days have passed and I am absolutely positive that I am in the right place.

Now let’s step back on the timeline of my first month at Anvil where personally the ride has been smooth and professionally the work has been challenging.

No! Not the heavy metal band Anvil, the rockin' search marketing team Anvil!

The ride has been smooth because of the people. With the addition of Nate and I the Anvil employee count is now at sixteen, and each and every person is knowledgeable about their craft and helpful in assisting the new guys in getting up to speed. Again I realize that I am just going off and gloating, but it is true, and I have been overwhelmed at how much the people of Anvil have helped me adjust to my new setting.

The ride has been a challenge because what we do at Anvil is not easy and not for everybody. There is a lot of number crunching, a lot of spreadsheets, and a lot of definitive strategy involved. It quickly became evident to me that even though I felt experienced in SEO, that I was initially unprepared to make major decisions and implement large scale strategies. The great thing is that this is what needed to happen. I needed to be put in my place and inspired to grow. That is exactly what happened and my confidence is growing by the day.

I am sure you can tell by the contents of this post that through one month, I am both thankful and excited to be a part of Anvil Media, Inc. Yes, I have been made fun of a little, called a noob, and had a funny picture of my face blown up and looking over the office, but it comes with the territory and the incredible culture that has been put in place here at Anvil. It has been one month, and I already have visions of permanence thanks to the efforts the organization has put forward to make me feel comfortable. November has thirty days, and if these days are any indication, this young man just stepped in to an incredible, productive, growth oriented place.

We offer competitive compensation packages including healthcare benefits, matching 401k savings plan and performance bonuses. Let’s not forget the monthly happy hour sessions, quarterly field trips and advertising agency league activities like bowling and softball.

The position involves a three-month trial period designed to determine overall fit within the company. The Account Coordinator will report directly to an Account Director, but will work closely to support Senior Account Executives and Account Executives.

Job Responsibilities – Supporting Executives to:

• Developing search engine marketing plans for client sites: competitive benchmarking, keyword research, site optimization, inbound link strategy
• Developing and managing PPC  and CPM advertising campaigns (Google, MSN, Facebook, Display, Shopping Engines): competitive benchmarking, keyword research, text ad creation, landing page testing and optimization, bid management to ROI
• Researching and initiating new techniques to improve marketability and conversion of sites
• Measuring ROI and effectiveness of organic search engine traffic and pay-per-click activities
• Analyzing results and presenting next steps to clients
• Testing and identifying mix of marketing variables that optimize results and exceed goals
• Analyzing site traffic platforms for traffic patterns and visitor trends
• Working with outside partner agencies with web development and design, and email marketing

The Ideal Candidate

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, economics, finance, marketing, or related discipline
• Expert in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
• Proven analytical skills and comfortable analyzing large quantities of data using Excel
• Experience with web analytics programs such as WebTrends, Omniture, Google Analytics, etc
• General understanding of HTML and website programming and design, however this position is not a Web development role
• Advanced Internet research skills and understanding of technology
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and changing priorities effectively in a complex, fast-paced business environment with strict deadlines
• Comfortable working on own and with a team

How to Apply 

Please reply with cover letter, salary requirements, and resume and send email to hr@anvilmediainc.com. No calls please.

I read the error over and over puzzled – “No such State/Province in this country. Please enter a valid State name (or Province name)”.  Next, I thought maybe the country was set wrong – nope – it said good ‘ol U.S. of A… Maybe the zip code? Wrong-o, it was right.

Final conclusion, Google is trying to take over the world by dictating which states are legit now.

1. I bow down humbly in the perescne of such greatness.
2. Thank God! Smoeone with brains speaks!
3. Fell out of bed feeling down. This has bgrihtened my day!
4. It was dark when I woke. This is a ray of sunsinhe.
5. Stands back from the keyboard in aamzeenmt! Thanks!

About COLABORATORY
COLABORATORY is an internship program sponsored by the Portland Advertising Federation and eight Portland agencies. Eight college juniors and seniors will be selected from a national pool of applicants, winning the opportunity to participate in a solid and thrilling real-life agency experience this summer, July 1-August 17. This will be a dynamic, intense, team-oriented program with a focus on work and fun, Portland-style!

• Eight students will be chosen after an extensive application process
• Each student will spend two weeks in three different agencies; internship is six weeks in duration
• Two teams of four will compete to develop a campaign pitch for a real client
• Students with interests in writing, design, interactive, multimedia, production, strategy and account planning, public relations, and account management are encouraged to apply

APPLICATION PERIOD OPENED FEBRUARY 15, 2011 AND ENDS APRIL 21, 2011 at http://www.pafcolaboratory.com/. Those accepted into the program will be notified by May 2, 2011.

INTERNSHIP PERIOD RUNS JULY 1-AUG 17, 2011

DETAIL OVERVIEW

• Application period 02/15/2011 — 04/21/2011
• Accepted Interns notified 05/02/2011
• Program duration 07/1/2011 — 08/17/2011
• Housing is NOT provided See housing information on website for suggestions
• You will be compensated 37.5 hr week @ Oregon min. wage
• You must bring your own laptop
• Check out past COLAB alum experiences on YouTube
• Follow us on Twitter – @COLABORATORY
• Like us on Facebook – facebook.com/COLABORATORY

QUALIFICATIONS
-Bring your own laptop
-Minimum 2.5 gpa
-You cannot hold a job during the internship

Application materials are available now at http://www.pafcolaboratory.com/

1. Someone hacked the listing and uploaded a couple tow truck images.

2. Google has merging issues with their own listings.

3. Google now offers towing services.

You can enjoy the full-size version here.