Watch Foodie Network

Join Our Team

Internships
Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities of All Interns Web Content & Copywriter Graphic Web Designer & Developer SEO Specialist (Optimizer) Social Media Specialist / Food Blogger & Vlogger / Web TV Host Digital Photographer & Videographer Assistant Account Executive

Watch Foodie Network is looking for passionate, talented, and entrepreneurial people to join our 2012 Fall / 2013 Spring Internship. These internships could lead to huge opportunities and advancement within the company.

About Us:

We're a start-up, and proud of it for good reasons. What started out as a hobby has blossomed into an exhilarating opportunity to be of great service in an exciting niche market.

Our philosophy is that the true essence of selling is to be of service. This is based on the fact that the true purpose of a business is simply to help other people solve their problems and fulfill a need. If your product or service cannot solve someone's problems, is there really any reason for them to do business with you?

What sets Watch Foodie Network apart from our competitors is on the one hand we create and distribute web content geared to a foodie audience, and on the other hand we offer a turnkey solution that helps independently owned restaurants and eateries across the Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex achieve greater visibility and rise above the competition by effectively leveraging mobile-friendly website design, social media, video, and online marketing.

The local "mom and pop" restaurants and eateries are especially near and dear to our heart, and the article "Why I prefer to eat at a mom and pop restaurant rather than a national chain" by Jeffrey Attos pretty much sums up why. There's nothing like the sense of community and pride one gets by eating local, supporting the neighborhood and supporting friends most have known as the owners of these establishments for years. It’s a great thing to be able to walk into a local diner, enjoy a home-cooked meal, say hi to friends and fellow patrons, and chat with the owner about their family and community and its struggles in today’s economy. Most cannot afford the constant newspaper, TV, radio and media exposure their big chain competitors use to such advantage. But Watch Foodie Network can help level the playing field with our affordable suite of services.

About Our Internship Program:

All applicants must have a strong interest in online advertising/marketing, communications and social media. And it goes without saying, they must be ardent foodies. These programs are ideal for college or graduate school students looking for an internship for college credit.

Students should be currently working towards a degree at an university, college, or trade school in a related field. They should have at least a Junior class standing/ranking with a minimum 3.0GPA/4.0 scale. Recent college graduates are also welcome to apply.

Your main responsibility is to support, learn, and help grow with our company by using your skills and talents to keep the team organized, the clients happy, and Watch Foodie Network on its game.

We require a commitment of 15-18 hours per week from each intern. However, the hours and days are flexible to work around your school schedule, and in most cases you can work from your own home. You won't be expected to work during your college breaks nor during mid-term or finals.

Please note that our internships are highly competitive. We will accept 2 interns for each position. They will form two teams, with each team working separately but directly with our Founder/CEO/Creative Director/Account Director. Both teams will be tasked with revamping and maintaining our present website to increase traffic and paid advertisement, and to varying degrees participate in our business development process from prospecting to positioning to leveraging our talent and suite of services to new clients.

Since this is also a learning experience, the Creative Director will meet separately twice a week for 2 hours each with both teams. During each of these sessions, one hour will be dedicated to reviewing and discussing current projects. Once a week, one hour will be dedicated to creative brainstorming sessions, and one hour will serve as an (required) opportunity for each intern in turn to make a professional 40-45 minute presentation, including visuals, facts and statistics, on a topic related to the Restaurant / Food & Beverage service industry as it pertains to their particular area of specialization within their team. For example, the Social Media intern could present the latest industry findings on the importance of companies (i.e. restaurants) creating their own "branded customer community" and how. The remaining 10-15 minutes will be for Q&As about their presentation.

The remaining 11-14 hours will be spent working both independently and in collaboration with other team members. A certain degree of latitude and creativity enjoyed by most freelancers is allowed—flexible work hours, no boss breathing down your neck, and the option to work from home in your skivvies—provided deadlines are met on schedule.

We pride ourselves on recognizing top performance, integrity, and a winning mindset in the candidates we seek and promote. Therefore, at the end of the internship, only one team, either comprised of its original members or of members from competing teams, will be offered full-time paid positions within our organization. They will form a team of young, talented, dynamic and above all enthusiastic professionals on the fast-track to partnership, who aren't afraid to get in on the ground level of a new start-up and learn the business from the bottom up.

Bi-Weekly Meetup Facilities:

Compensation:

These intern positions are unpaid. As a perk, however, you will be able to sample a wide variety of incredible cuisine for free while working on location.

We must emphasize here that we place equal value upon each candidate's talents and skills as we do upon their entrepreneurial proclivity. This ensures our ability to award our interns a profit sharing bonus in the form of a gratuity (or "college grant") at the end of each semester.

We value all of our interns and will make sure you receive a learning experience that not only fits your career goals, but generates credible references and job recommendations in your respective industry.

How to Apply:

Please email your resume, along with a cover letter detailing: 1) what position your are interested in, 2) what you believe you can contribute to our organization, 3) what your hope to gain from the experience, and 4) why in particular you want to join our organization.

Please include three professional references, one of these can be academic. Also include any additional information as clearly specified in the intern job description.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities of All Interns:

Must be proficient with Microsoft Office – Word, Excel and Outlook
Must demonstrate some experience in HTML, SEO & SMO
Familiar with Adobe Creative Suite
Must have exemplary internet research abilities
Must have Windows knowledge
Must be able to prioritize and multitask
Must be able to work with and meet deadlines
Ability to effectively collaborate and work in a team
Warm, friendly, "can-do" attitude
Good interpersonal skills - listening, understanding, resolving
Think, act, and respond to requests quickly
Be resourceful - go the extra mile
Respond positively to criticism
Systematic and organized
Proactive in problem solving and making decisions
Able to work independently
Ability to deal with ambiguity and a fast-paced environment
Creative and able to think out of the box
Comfortable brainstorming different conceptual approaches
Possess ambition and a self-motivated desire to advance

A high commitment to continuous learning through courses in professional and self-development and other ongoing training opportunities
Possess a strong leadership drive
Possess a strong entrepreneurial spirit
A strong work-ethic
Strong time management skills
Result-oriented
Flexible
Forward Thinker
Keen attention to details
Proofread and correct errors
Compose standard emails in response to routine correspondence
Schedule and be on time for phone appointments with clients
Prepare phone or in-person meeting follow up notes
Understand, maintain, process, distribute, and update records, files, and documents virtually through our database.
Make secure backups of all work
Recommend improvements in operations and procedures
Present findings in oral or written form

Web Content & Copywriter

This internship is geared towards someone already completely immersed in the food culture. They're addicted to food-related TV shows, culinary magazines, blogs and related media. They want to know everything about food, both the best and the ordinary, from its health and nutritional benefits, to the science, industry, politics and celebrity personalities surrounding food.

Since Watch Foodie Network business services will soon also encompass both domestic and international culinary tourism, which we will document by video, the intern should also share an equal penchant for travel, even if only vicariously. As with food, they're addicted to travel-related TV shows, travel magazines, blogs and related media. They understand that the joy of food and the delight of travel arise from the same impulse: the need to satiate a sensory desire. Travel and food are inextricably intertwined. When we travel, food inevitably becomes one of our prime fascinations and our passport to another world.

So we're looking for interns who will take fellow foodies on a mouth-watering culinary globetrot along which they will experience the vibrant culture, unearth the rich history, meet the fascinating people, and share the natural wonders of the countries we explore. Our objective is for Watch Foodie Network to be the go-to resource for travelers and foodies alike when they want to delve deeper into their favorite cuisine or prospective travel destination.

Your main responsibility is to work with the web marketing team and web designers to write/create, manage and distribute strong, persuasive copy that enhances website functionality and backlinks, as well as develop innovative ways to effectively meet our clients' needs. Duties also include industry research and content development for our own website, including relevant videos.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

Must be pursuing a degree in Journalism, Creative Writing, Communications, Digital Media, Public Relations or a related field. A minor in Marketing, Advertising, Business or Management is a serious plus.
Strong interest in the hospitality industry as it pertains to the following sectors: restaurants, food and beverage, travel and tourism.
Strong interest in world history, domestic and foreign politics and affairs, and the global economy
Superior research skills, with the ability to analyze, organize and integrate large amounts of information into clear concise presentations
Knowledge of search engine optimization and best practices for website content development.
Ability to write persuasive headlines, captions, page descriptions, and marketing text.
Experience with linking campaigns including 1 way and 3 way links, articles, forum posts and more.
Experience with HTML basics (linking text, bolding, creating tables)
Wordpress experience required.
Experience publishing text, photos, and videos on the Web
Experience with Google analytics or other web analytics platform
Must demonstrate strong and adaptable writing skills, with the ability to write professionally for varied audiences. Applicants should provide samples of their writing including links to the websites with their published content.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Create web-ready content, including meta tags and descriptions and title tags, for our website and for your assigned clients.
Use proper writing tone and style according to our clients’ needs.
Contribute to our website's redesign project. Develop, write and test creative copy to optimize success.
Create well-composed content that's current and kept up-to-date and will entice and engage visitors, so they continue browsing on the current website.
Update our website on a daily basis.
Understand and identify quality sites for specific key terms.
Create content using clear, easy-to-understand language while also incorporating keyword phrases that satisfy search engines without turning off readers.
Create focused web content that allows the site visitors to get the information they want quickly and efficiently in an user-friendly manner. Content should be succinct, fact-filled, engaging, written in a down-to-earth, conversational way, broken up by subheadings, make use of bulleted lists, and incorporate embedded links throughout the text.
Stay up to date with trends and news for the hospitality industry as it pertains to the following sectors: restaurants, food and beverage, travel and tourism. In essence, you are to become an authority on the subjects for which you are creating content.
Track and report on all managed websites' metrics.
Assure web-based information is archived for future needs and reference.
Actively post to our own website forums and discussion boards within our website to help break the ice, spark some dialogue and generate a following.
Assist with generating scripts for web commercials using data obtained from clients' Video Shoot Questionnaire.
Assist with research and content development for our Web TV shows.
Other copywriting duties include creating E-zine and email newsletter articles, press releases, bios, collateral marketing pieces, press kit materials, etc. for our company and for our clients.

At the end of this internship, you will be considered for a paid full-time position as the Content & Copy Manager on the fast-track to Chief Content & Copywriter, Creative Director, Senior Media Creative, VP and ultimately a partner.

Graphic Web Designer & Web Developer

This internship is geared towards not only a jack of all trades, but a webmaster of them–someone interested in becoming a multidiscipline designer.

Building a website (i.e. web developer) is a highly technical process. Designing a website (i.e. web designer) is a highly creative process. This position requires knowledge of scripting languages and an active interest in staying abreast of the newest web design technologies.

Graphic design is about solving visual communication problems. Making something look good is a by-product of design, where the real purpose lies in visually communicating with an audience to cause them to do something. True designers don’t just arrange elements on a page to make them “look good”, they arrange them according to the natural reading sequences of the human eye so that the information can be digested most easily. Great design uses emotion to generate action.

You must have a clear knowledge of a variety of contributing factors to a website's success. Such factors include how best to market a website, the options and limitations of graphics, how to create a site that is effective within search engines, knowledge of the drawbacks of different browsers, and the understanding of the coding required for a website.

Your main responsibility is to quickly create high-quality, easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, purpose driven website and blog designs on behalf of our clients who are largely independently owned restaurants and dining establishments. You will assist the CEO/Creative Director with design matters including but not limited to web edits, page creation, CSS, troubleshooting, graphics creation, domain and hosting updates, and more.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

Must be pursuing a degree in Web Design & Engineering, Web Design & Web Development, or Graph Design with an emphasis on Web Design. A minor in Business, Marketing or Advertising would be a serious plus.
Proficient with Mac operating system with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Acrobat and Photoshop).
Ability to re-touch photography, color correct, manipulate images, etc.
Strong visual conceptual and technical graphic design abilities.
Ability to produce web ready PhotoShop Documents.
Strong HTML/XML/CSS/Java Script/Fireworks skills with solid knowledge of usability, accessibility and cross browser issues.
Strong knowledge of website architecture including client/server side architecture.
Programming/Coding/Scripting in one of the many server-side frameworks (at least one of: Perl, Python, Ruby, PHP, Java, ASP, .NET, .NET MVC).
Ability to utilize a database.
Knowledge of various content management systems (CMS).
An understanding of standards for making sites editable by others.
Knowledge of Flash for animated banners.
Knowledge of Kinetic Typography and Motion Graphic Design for video post-production.
In-depth knowledge about the Internet industry and search engine optimization techniques (SEO).
Understanding of the latest trends, such as social media and how to optimize design (i.e. SMO) for those platforms.
An Online portfolio of work required which should include past Flash examples (please include links).

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Design web marketing content (emails, website content, banner ads, specialty landing pages, etc.) based on basic wireframes and an understanding of marketing campaigns.
Drive creative web projects from start to finish, working closely and collaboratively with other members (copywriter, SEO specialist, social media specialist, photographer/videographer, etc) on group projects.
Design websites which enable clients to develop their own "branded customer community" within their own website. Should incorporate the following features: 1) strong linkages to social networks, 2) technical flexibility to create custom social integrations (either through APIs or other integration tools), 3) allow content to be crawled and indexed by search engines to encourage more discovery, and 4) support easy categorization of content based on consumer needs, such as specific content types for consumer questions, problems, ideas, and praise.
Create and maintain design of social networking sites.
Create site maps, user flows, wireframes, mockups and prototypes.
Conduct and apply research on design practices, identifying problems and proposing creative solutions.
Synthesize feedback from multiple sources and iterating rapidly on mockups.
Collaborate with the videographer and social media specialist on your team in the post-production motion graphic design and kinetic typography.
Fulfill several project requests simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines.

At the end of this internship, you will be considered for a paid full-time position as the Webmaster of our organization on the fast-track to Chief Web Officer, VP and ultimately a partner.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist / Optimizer

Let's face it. SEO Specialists rule! They increase a website's visibility and search engine ranking. A higher search engine ranking is the difference between 10 hits a day and a 1,000,000 hits a day.

SEO is vital for any business with a web presence. It can mean the difference between making bank or going bankrupt. Generating web traffic takes hard work and analytical skills. A SEO Specialist operates behind the scenes, but when the site hits number one, their work gets noticed.

The role of our SEO Specialist is to understand business, user and search engine patterns in order to assist our clients in earning premium placement in SERPs and to ensure constant traffic flow to both ours and our clients' websites.

Your main responsibility is to coordinate with the CEO/Creative Director and other team members to get our clients the best possible search engine status. You will be responsible for analyzing, reviewing, directing and implementing changes to both ours and our clients’ websites so they are optimized for search engines by implementing methods to improve the websites’ organic search rankings (SEO). You will also be responsible for researching, responding to, and executing quality link partners on behalf of both our own website as well as those of our clients for organic SEO purposes.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

Must be pursuing a degree in Advertising, Marketing, or Business. A minor in Web Design & Engineering, Web Design & Web Development, Computer science or Information Technologies would be a serious plus.
Google Adwords Certification and certification in the Microsoft Advertising Accredited Professionals program. (If you're not already certified, you are expected to become certified by the of the end of the internship in order to be considered for a full-time position as our SEO Manager. Both certification programs are free.)
Advance knowledge of up-to-date SEO strategies, techniques and best practices; i.e. knowledge of search engine criteria / algorithms, the major factors influencing organic search crawling, indexing and keyword ranking
Strong analytical skills with the ability to compile, analyze and produce recommendations including search engine marketing (SEM), RSS, blogging, and content tagging
Working knowledge of HTML, CSS, Java-script, Flash and/or other rich media technologies with the ability to evaluate and modify them for SEO purposes
Understanding of online marketing and social media marketing techniques
Knowledge of SEO for blogging and various content management system (CMS)
Familiar with Video Search Engine Optimization (Video SEO)
Familiar with Mobile Search Engine Optimization (Mobile SEO) best practices
Strong understanding of Google Analytics, Google AdWords, Google AdWords for Videos, and Microsoft (Bing) AdCenter
Experience with linking campaigns including 1 way and 3 way links, articles, forum posts and more.
Strong familiarity with Google and other third-party keyword research and SEO tools.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Website Analysis: Review and analyze both ours and our clients' websites for areas that need to be improved, deleted, revamped, etc.; prepare SEO strategy reports for CEO's and clients' review.
Keyword Analysis and Research: Perform extensive analysis on keywords and manage our keyword portfolio. Formulate effective keyword strategies for clients based on keyword research and an in-depth knowledge of SEO best practices to improve organic search results.
Meta and SEO-Friendly Copywriting: Collaborate with copywriter to create original SEO content for clients' websites including Meta Title, Description and Keyword tags, advise on SEO-friendly URL and domain selection, and implement off-page SEO strategies.
Search Engine Guidelines: Stay up-to-date on changing SEO standards. Serve as the in-house expert in best practices for “white hat” SEO and link building, and ensure they are followed by other key team members.
Website Submission: Submission of clients sites to the major search engines, website directories, local directories, POI in GPS mapping directories, and menu aggregators (i.e. Allmenus, Menuism, etc.)
Develop and Manage Paid Search Campaigns: As a key team member, your tasks include keyword research; identifying the least inexpensive, yet most profitable, keywords for clients' websites for a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign; writing ad titles and descriptions; bid management; and recommending quality score enhancements. Conduct regular performance analysis and reporting against clients' goals. Provide competitive insight and analysis of campaign data to provide campaign optimization.
Manage our Link Directory: Research, identify, and establish link partners for our website. Although a somewhat mundane and tedious task, it is vitally important not only because it provides a beneficial, useful and relevant resource for our visitors, but resource links have grown in importance because most major search engines have made it plain that—in Google's words—"quantity, quality, and relevance of links count towards your rating." Provide similar services for clients as requested.
Develop and Manage Ads for Video Campaigns: As a key team member, you will help develop and manage the Google Adwords for video campaigns and other third-party ad-servers/networks for both our clients and our in-house web TV shows.
Liaise with other team members as needed on page construction, site architecture, content, and keyword research.
Prioritize SEO opportunities based on greatest impact to traffic.
Stay up-to-date on the latest developments in SMO and Social Media tactics.
Track success of SMO efforts with SMO reporting and performance measurements.
Perform regular competitor analysis and present findings and recommendations to the CEO.

At the end of this internship, you will be considered for a paid full-time position as the SEO Manager of our organization on the fast-track to Director of Web Marketing, VP and ultimately a partner.

Social Media Specialist / Food Blogger & Vlogger / Web TV Host

You write well and enjoy communicating. You're charismatic and enjoy being in front of the camera. You're a social media maven. You live on Facebook, tweet with the best of them, check in with Foursquares everyplace you can, and you have instagrammed every moment of your life for the past year.

You're not afraid to jump in and get things done. And you like working in teams and doing your part to make something BIG happen.

This internship is geared towards someone already completely immersed in the food culture. They're addicted to food-related TV shows, culinary magazines, food blogs/vlogs, and related media. They want to know everything about food, both the best and the ordinary, from its health and nutritional benefits, to the science, industry, politics and celebrity personalities surrounding food.

Since Watch Foodie Network business services will soon also encompass both domestic and international culinary tourism, which we will document by video, the intern should also share an equal penchant for travel. As with food, they're addicted to travel-related TV shows, travel magazines, travel blogs/vlogs and related media. They understand that the joy of food and the delight of travel arise from the same impulse: the need to satiate a sensory desire. Travel and food are inextricably intertwined. When we travel, food inevitably becomes one of our prime fascinations and our passport to another world.

Our objective is for Watch Foodie Network to be the go-to resource for travelers and foodies alike when they want to delve deeper into their favorite cuisine or prospective travel destination.

We're seeking a highly motivated, charismatic individual with experience and fanatical passion for blogging, vlogging, microblogging and community participation leadership.

The focus of the position is to learn about servicing clients by establishing a targeted social media following, and facilitating regular updates and interaction aimed at entertaining, educating and informing the public about our clients' restaurants in a strategic manner. Through this type of aggressive social media campaigns, we will develop strong and positive consumer awareness and exposure for our clients' restaurants, driving more traffic to their websites and attracting new patrons.

At the end of this internship, the intern will have a firm understanding of B2B and B2C marketing. You will have experience in consumer insights and campaign strategy as well as deep knowledge across all social channels. You will learn how to listen to customers and prospects, find influencers, monitor conversations, mentions and trends, and most importantly, how to engage your public. The social media industry is constantly evolving, so you will be ahead of the curve in learning new technologies, new trends and services and be on the cutting edge by researching and recommending new strategic methods.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

Must be pursuing a degree in Broadcast Journalism, Journalism, Public Relations, Digital Media, Creative Writing, Communications or a related field. A minor in Advertising, Marketing, or Business is a serious plus.
Must enjoy a socially active life, and have a strong interest and desire to express your opinions on food, drinks, restaurants, bars, recipes, etc.
Must be comfortable in both live and pre-recorded settings, have an outgoing personality, and be a creative storyteller who can deliver with both factual clarity and emotional connection with viewers; must possess excellent presentation skills
Demonstrate general knowledge of social media tools for restaurants
Knowledge of social media management and best practices.
Already a frequent user of social networking sites with large numbers of contacts/friends/followers.
Must already use two or more of these social media platforms and their relevant mobile applications: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Yelp, Urbanspoon and Foursquare
Experience in customizing social media platforms a plus
Experience with social media optimization (SMO)
Experience with social media monitoring and analytic platforms
Understand the complexity and nuances of creating and nurturing an effective "branded customer community" within an open social media network.
Should be proficient with point-and-shoot digital photography and basic photo editing
Experience publishing photos and videos on the web as a regular blogger/reporter
Good working knowledge of database management (i.e. data collection, sorting, exporting, sharing, etc.)
Must demonstrate the ability to write professionally for varied audiences. Applicants should include links to social media accounts they already personally maintain and links to their vlogs with their resume and cover letter. While not required, if you already have a vlog, please also include a link to your vlog.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Food Vlogs: Following the "Ten Commandments of Video Blogging", create and manage your own food vlogs (at least one per week) to be featured on our YouTube channel. You should collaborate with the graphic web designer on your team for post-production graphics.
Web TV Host: Collaborate with the videographer on your team in developing and producing a food-related Web TV series (i.e. 8 shows; 4 shows per semester) for our YouTube channel.
Web Commercials & Videos: Using our Video Shoot Questionnaire, collaborate with the content/copywriter and videographer on your team in developing a "script" for your assigned clients' web commercials and videos. Act as the on-video interviewer/presenter, if requested.
Monetization of Vlogs and Videos: Collaborate with the SEO specialist on your team to video search engine optimize and monetize your vlog, Web TV show, and clients' web videos.
Create and Customize: Create and customize profiles and pages on new and existing social media platforms (primarily Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Yelp, Urbanspoon and Foursquare) for new clients.
Maintain Social Media Accounts: Monitor and improve existing social media accounts. This may include posting articles, blogging, tweeting, updating profile information, responding to and monitoring comments or forum posts, and creating new content as well as researching relevant content to publish. Work in collaboration with the web designer on the team to update and customize the design profile of your assigned social media accounts. Managing social media accounts should be the top priority and a daily task.
Create Relevant Content: Research topics that align with the interests of ours fans and those of your assigned clients. Create new and relevant content for various feeds. New content includes blog articles, vlogs, tweets, Facebook postings, comments and answers to comments as well as website pages. Content can be created and updated on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, depending on the client's desired social media strategy.
Develop a Brand Strategy: Working along with other team members, develop a brand strategy for assigned clients for special events or to increase awareness. Identify and nurture the best brand advocates and influencers inside the client's "branded customer community" and encourage (or even incentivize) them to share their passion for the customer community and the brand with their own networks. Ensure that all messages in various social media follow a pattern that is representative of assigned clients' values, mission and objectives.
Manage Community Interactions: Monitor and update day-to-day operations of social media feeds. Keep all tools updated and ensure a constant presence in social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. Interact with customers while representing your assigned clients by approving comments and continuing discussions.
Monitor Impact and Feedback: Be the eyes and ears of both our organization and your assigned clients. Identify threats and opportunities from user-generated content surrounding both ours and our clients' social media brand, projects and initiative. Monitor the impact of any ongoing social media programs and report on the effectiveness of campaigns. Keep track of comments, number of fans or friends as well as number of clicks and users to get an idea of the interest generated by a social media campaign. Every month collect, analyze and optimize metrics through site statistics, strategically understand gaps in data and articulate what is happening in each assigned channel, why and what steps to be taken to optimize results.
Research and Analysis: Track the success of social media initiatives and follow competitor activity. This may include tracking likes, fans and comments on Facebook, tracking followers and re-tweets on Twitter, monitoring links and mentions on blogs, and managing networking connections on sites like LinkedIn. Also research competitor profiles and analyze how they are using social media marketing to help identify social media sites that may also be beneficial for us and your assigned clients.
Search Engine Optimization: Implement search engine optimization techniques like keyword optimization when tagging, cataloging, indexing and writing content for social media sites. Should optimize existing content as well as produce original optimized content for blogs, article warehouse sites, and other social media platforms.
Community Outreach & Awareness: Maintain close contact with representatives of other hospitality-related groups to monitor industry events and trends, and generate visibility, awareness and visitor traffic our website. Assist in developing partnerships and building relationships between with established and emerging restaurants, chefs, sommeliers, food critics, reviewers, and industry publications in the DFW area.
Blogger Outreach: Build on our existing database of allied blogs through original blog research and blogger outreach efforts to cultivate guest contributors and to generate visibility, awareness and visitor traffic our website
Stay Current: Maintain and increase professional knowledge of the latest trends, best practices, programs, and applications evolving in social media/networking. Recommend strategy shifts to engage our clients to use those tools as appropriate.
Other copywriting duties include assisting copywriter with clients' newsletters, press releases, bios, collateral marketing pieces, press kit materials, etc.

At the end of this internship, you will be considered for a paid full-time position as the Social Media Manager on the fast-track to Director of Social Strategy, VP and ultimately a partner.

Digital Photography & Videography Intern

This internship is geared towards someone already completely immersed in the food culture. They're addicted to food-related TV shows and related media. They want to know everything about food, both the best and the ordinary, from its health and nutritional benefits, to the science, industry, politics and celebrity personalities surrounding food.

Since Watch Foodie Network business services will soon also encompass both domestic and international culinary tourism, which we will document by video, the intern should also share an equal penchant for travel. As with food, they're addicted to travel-related TV shows, travel magazines, and related media. They understand that the joy of food and the delight of travel arise from the same impulse: the need to satiate a sensory desire. Travel and food are inextricably intertwined. When we travel, food inevitably becomes one of our prime fascinations and our passport to another world.

Our objective is for Watch Foodie Network to be the go-to resource for travelers and foodies alike when they want to delve deeper into their favorite cuisine or prospective travel destination.

The intern will work primarily with the CEO/Creative Director to produce, direct, shoot and edit video packages with or without on-camera talent as requested by our clients. Projects include 30-60 seconds web commercials that are either live-action, photomotion, or a combination of both, and "How-to" instructional cooking videos that run 3-5 minutes long.

In most cases, handheld camera work will be perfectly adequate, and the lower production values add to the authenticity. Restaurants are places where people go to laugh, have fun and enjoy the simple pleasure of human conversation. We will try to reflect this in our videos by keeping things light and friendly. There will usually be some interaction between the person being filmed and the camera person or an interviewer/presenter. In other instances, there may be off-the-cuff interviews with regulars encouraging them to share their favorite menu items, videos of special events, interviews with kitchen staff and videos of cookery classes in action. In any event, the videos won't be bland. There's an enormous amount of room for fun, creativity and innovation.

Upon successful completion of this internship, you will be able to independently develop a video project from concept through production to posting on the web, as well as know how to monetize your videos and optimize them for video search engines. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required, as well as a strong eye for aesthetics and composition.

Minimum Qualifications:

Must be pursuing a degree in Film, Film Production or Videography.
Must have video production and editing experience, even if only academic.
Experience using a HD Camcorder with Still Image Capture and/or a HD Video-capable DSLR camera.
Experience with video-editing software, such as Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, Abode Premier, etc.
Strong knowledge and experience in Adobe Photoshop or other photo editing platform and the ability to re-touch photography, color correct, manipulate images, etc.
Experience with web-based video distribution tools (ie. YouTube, Vimeo, Blip, Facebook, etc.)
Understand how to monetize videos through Google AdWords for video and other third-party ad-servers/networks.
Have reliable transportation.
Applicants should include links to their body of work (i.e. web videos, web commercials, online photo galleries, etc.) with their resume and cover letter.

Prerequisite Equipment:

Either a HD Camcorder with Still Image Capture and accompanying off-camera mics (hand-held, lapel, wireless, etc.) or a HD Video-capable DSLR camera with fast autofocus during video recording (i.e. has fast, smooth, continuous autofocus) and accompanying off-camera mics (hand-held, lapel, wireless, camera-mounted, etc.). Because of the superior ability to shoot high-quality still photos, the DSLR is the preferred option.
A basic portable lighting kit.
A 5-in-1 foldable photography lighting reflector kit.
Portable chroma blue and green screens.
Portable table top studio kit for product photography (i.e. restaurant menu items).

Physical Requirements:

Specific vision abilities required by this job include: Close Vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less); Distance Vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more); Color Vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors); Depth Perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships); and ability to Adjust Focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus).
While performing the duties of this job, the intern is regularly required to stand, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and reach with hands and arms.
While performing the duties of this job, the intern must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds in camera, sound, and lighting equipment.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Assist with the pre-production planning and scheduling of video shoots for web commercials and videos for assigned clients, as well as the food-related Web series (4 episodes per semester) to be co-produced between you and the social media specialist on your team.
Using our Video Shoot Questionnaire, collaborate with the content/copywriter and/or social media specialist on your team in developing a "script" for your assigned clients' web commercials and videos.
Obtain the appropriate release forms.
Make technical and creative decisions regarding such elements as appropriate lighting, shooting angle, composition and framing, type of microphone, audio needs, locations, use of movement and interviews.
Edit and assemble final visual/audio program material; collaborate with the graphic web designer on your team for post-production graphics.
Ensure consistency and relevancy to production.
Monitor technical quality of end product.
Assist with the processing of the web commercials and digital videos for Internet distribution; collaborate with the SEO specialist on your team to video search engine optimize and monetize your Web TV show and clients' web videos.
Assist with coordinating photo shoots with the Head Chef for their online menu, website graphics and/or web commercials.
Make technical and creative decisions regarding such elements as appropriate lighting, shooting angle, and composition for food photography.
Organize and manage our YouTube channel, as well as those of our clients who request this service.

At the end of this internship, you will be considered for a paid full-time position as our Video Director on the fast-track to Video Producer, Executive Producer, VP and ultimately a partner.

Assistant Account Executive Intern

We are currently seeking highly motivated, outgoing individuals who have an entrepreneurial mentality and a strong desire to work in a fast-paced and opportune team environment. We are looking for someone who is interested in establishing a career in Sales and Marketing, possesses a dynamic personality with a “can do” attitude, loves to be challenged, is metrics-oriented, organized and has a need to win.

This position involves face-to-face sales of services to new business prospects. Our sales approach is a refreshing alternative to more general mass sales and marketing strategies.

The objective of this internship is to effectively prepare individuals for careers as Sales and/or Marketing leaders. You will learn a variety of skills from sales and human resources to management and mentorship. We are seeking candidates willing to start from the bottom up in order to learn the complexities and opportunities within an exciting industry.

This is our only paid internship and is a part-time 1099 contract position. Interns will be paid a commission on gross project payments (not a direct employee). Your upside is unlimited to your potential and your ability to close business. Watch Foodie Network provides training and on-going support to ensure your success.

The Assistant Account Executive will work closely with the CEO/Account Director. The role involves active participation throughout the entire business development process from prospecting to positioning to eventually leveraging our talent and our suite of services. The Assistant AE will also assist the Account Director with client campaigns at every step from brainstorming to execution.

The role of the Assistant AE can be likened to that of an orchestra conductor. Like an orchestra conductor, the Assistant AE makes sure everything, and everyone, is working in unison. But instead of directing musicians, they’re making sure the copywriters, web designer, videographer, and other members of the team involved in different aspects of a single campaign are doing their jobs. In other words, the Assistant AE is there to make sure all the people creating the various components of a clients' campaign are working in an unified manner, and staying on target with the message of the campaign as hammered out by the CEO/Creative Director.

The Assistant AE is also the liaison between the client and our organization. They manage administrative and campaign work, ensuring that this is all completed on time and on budget. This means that it's up to the Assistant AE to distill the client’s wishes to the creatives in our organization, and vice versa. Therefore, the Assistant AE needs to be skilled at working with people and distilling ideas and directions in a clear and concise way.

Minimum Qualifications:

Must be pursuing a degree in Advertising, Marketing, Business or a related field. A minor in Communications or Digital Media would be a plus.
Previous experience (or internship) in Sales, Marketing, Advertising or Customer Service/Relations.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) using various applications, including running reports, spreadsheets, email and the internet.
Working knowledge/experience of multiple interactive channels (paid search, natural search, affiliate, display, mobile, social, etc.).
Basic knowledge of Internet technologies used in online advertising and lead generation (i.e. Web Analytics, Pixel Tracking, Data Capture/Integration, etc.).
Google Adwords Certification and certification in the Microsoft Advertising Accredited Professionals program. (If you're not already certified, you are expected to become certified by the of the end of the internship in order to be considered for a full-time position as our Account Executive. Both certification programs are free.)
Experience with web-based video distribution tools (ie. YouTube, Vimeo, Blip, Facebook, etc.).
Understand how to monetize videos through Google AdWords for video and other third-party ad-servers/networks.
Understanding of online marketing and social media marketing techniques.
Demonstrate general knowledge of social media tools for restaurants.
Knowledge of Restaurant and Food & Beverage Service Industry, and access to decision makers, will be a big plus.
Experience developing marketing plans, either in academic or professional (i.e., internship) context.
Strategic thinking a must (how to identify, address, and pursue attractive consumer markets).
Excellent presentation, communication and interpersonal skills.
Ambitious with a strong work ethic and an earnest willingness to learn.
Confident, extroverted, outgoing personality.
Ability to make outbound cold and warm prospecting calls, and meet with restaurant owners and GMs face-to-face.
Understands the importance of presenting a professional appearance and persona to clients at all times.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Business Development:

Explore new business opportunities.
Cold calling for lead generation.
Call on restaurants in the DFW area to promote our suite of services.
Meet with clients to discuss and identify their advertising and marketing requirements.
Educate restaurant owners on the finer points of having a mobile-friendly, easy-to-navigate, search engine optimized website, and how it can drive more business and increase ROI.
Develop account relationships and close sales quickly.
Participate in new business process including research and proposal preparation.
Assist with the formulation of marketing strategies.
Collaborate with the Account Director in preparation of recommendations, marketing strategies and actions for the client.
Pitch, alongside key team members (particularly the Account Director), the campaign ideas and budget to the client.
Build and maintain relationships with media partners and agencies.
As we begin to phase out our affiliate program ads, you will also be responsible for acquiring new paid advertisers and managing their banner ad campaigns within our website.

Relationship Management:

Develop strong and positive working relationships with all members of your team—creative to technical.
Build rapport and credibility with clients; will be able to communicate directly with clients with some autonomy on assigned projects.
Understand clients' requirements and expectations, and provide consistently outstanding customer service.
Work with team members to devise an advertising campaign that meets the client's brief and budget.
Coordinate team meetings internally and with client.
Check the status of each client's job(s) in the creative department and verify the jobs will be completed on time.
Review and present concepts/layouts/copy to the client for approval or modification.
Communicate the client's feedback to the creative department and discuss the next steps in the campaign.
Liaise with, and act as the link between, the client and our organization by maintaining regular contact with both, ensuring that communication flows effectively and provide current information on the status of the account/projects.
Maintain communications with team and client to ensure that assigned work is handled in a positive, timely and efficient manner.

Administrative Tasks:

Create pitch books, PowerPoint presentations, and draft proposals.
Source and provide information as requested.
Assist the Account Director with the management of the day-to-day operation of assigned accounts.
Handle budgets, manage campaign costs and invoice clients.
Handle work flow on assigned projects so that no project due-date extensions or revisions are required.
Provide client service administration support; arrange and attend meetings, handle scheduling, logistics and provide billing support.
Assist with internal and external correspondence (client communication, meeting reports, documentation of verbal agreements, etc.).
Account research: information on client's business.
Research, compile and analyze client's media coverage.
Write client reports.
Attend and participate in status meetings.
Maintain accurate and thorough documentation: project status reports, contact reports, conference reports, timelines, etc.
Review and analyze material relative to client needs: media results, research data, etc.
Responsible for proofreading all copy and documents for the client, including press releases, pitch letters, fact sheets and client correspondence. Ensure final creative product is error-free.
Monitor the effectiveness of campaigns.
Analyze and present monthly analytics reports to team and clients.
Target industry trends and present weekly findings to team.
Gather and centralize information about competitors.
Track competitive activity and keep team informed of changes in competitive climate.

Professional Development:

Complete provided sales training materials and program.
Stay up-to-date through newsletters, RSS feeds, blogs, etc. of relevant developments in the Restaurant and Food & Beverage Service Industry as outlined in provided list of resources.

At the end of this internship, will be considered for a paid full-time position, plus commissions, as an Account Executive on the fast-track to Account Manager, Account Director, VP of Sales, President of Sales, and ultimately partner.