Digital Project Manager @ Simplistics with Spencer Jeffries

In his year one, Spencer’s been working at Simplistics Web Design, a custom web and app design and development company, where he wears many hats as Digital Project Manager from managing internal operations and projects to client service. Some of the things that Spencer and Blair discuss include how getting an unexpected referral changed his job search journey; the importance of doing research by reading job descriptions to help position yourself when you’re ready to apply; and, why it’s important to be honest about what you don’t know in a job interview.

About Spencer Jeffries

Spencer “wears many hats” in his role at Simplistics. He manages the team and operations in addition to his primary client-facing project management role. As a Digital Project Manager, Spencer's led and launched website projects of all shapes and sizes–from one-person startups to websites that receive hundreds of thousands of page views a day.

Before marketing, his background was in interior design which has unique advantages to bring to a marketing role such as end user-focused solutions and creative thinking. 

The Highlights and Hottest Takes 🔥

How Spencer Got the Job

Spencer did a great job on a co-op placement and his manager saw the job listing at Simplistics, reached out to them and said “If you don’t hire Spencer, you’re gonna regret it!” This referral sparked the folks at Simplistics to reach out to him directly to talk about the role.

Lesson Learned

Ask all the questions. It’s not seen as a weakness if you listen and are genuine in your curiousity.

Pro Tip

Don’t be too confident in the hiring process. Know your limits and be honest in an interview with what you don’t know. People try to oversell themselves and their abilities going into a first job which is risky because you “might get tasked above your ability”.

Segments

Spencer's Year 1ne @ Simplistics | 0:57-9:50

Simplistics is a web and app design and development company that builds digital projects "you can’t get out of the box with a template”. Spencer’s role as Digital Project Manager involves internal business operations, human resources and team management, and external client service from project start to finish.

Spencer started working in interior design before making a career change to marketing. There are important transferrable skills in design thinking principles and process for problem solving focusing on the end user that is important for marketing.

Skills required in the role include project management of websites and digital applications, client service and strategic direction on SEO, content marketing, and technical aspects of the website. A website is the foundation for any long-term digital marketing effort.

A common thread to working with clients of different scale/size is that they want to be listened to and understand you’re meeting their objective(s) without jargon or over complicating things:

“Less is more…Simplistics, right?!”

Getting to Day 1ne: The Job Search | 9:51-15:59

Spencer was looking for co-op placement that would likely turn into a long-term opportunity; but this didn’t work out with the company he was at because it went through some changes during the co-op and they couldn’t offer him anything more.

However, he did a great job on co-op and his manager saw the job listing at Simplistics, reached out to them and said “If you don’t hire Spencer, you’re gonna regret it!” Simplistics reached out to Spencer directly to talk about the role. This unexpected referral changed his job search after 3-4 weeks looking.

The job search was still challenging for Spencer as the plan didn’t go as he wanted at the end of the co-op. “I got discouraged, but I didn’t lose confidence.” He took a few weeks to get prepared, to update his resume, and Spencer researched job descriptions to see what they look like, what people looking for, and how to position himself when he was ready to start applying.

Things I've Learned in Year 1ne | 16:00-19:49

This is counterintuitive–don’t be too confident in the hiring process. Know your limits and be honest in an interview with what you don’t know. People try to oversell themselves and their abilities going into a first job which is risky because you “might get tasked above your ability”.

“Know your limitations and be ready to grow vs. somebody who’s overconfident and misses the mark.”

Re(Sources)

• Connect with Spencer Jeffries: LinkedIn
• Brands/organizations: Simplistics Web Design | George Brown College
• Connect with The Year 1ne’s host Blair Smith: LinkedIn | Website

Credits

• Created and Produced by Blair Smith
• Hosted by Blair Smith
• Mixed and Mastered by Ray Harripaul

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