Students at the Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” came to visit 411 Marketing’s office. The students are from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and are enrolled in “International Business” studies at the university. Due to the fruitful partnership between VFU “Chernorizets Hrabar” and the Varna-based company, the students will be able to hold their summer internship at 411 Marketing. It will be a practice-oriented internship that will grant students with a first-hand working experience in the field of Digital Marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The internship is made possible through 411 Academy — the company’s educational project, aimed at training students in the intricacies of Digital Marketing.
Students of the Varna Free University – Chernorizets Hrabar – are trained in the fields of “Evaluation and SEO Optimization” and “Content Management Systems,” as part of the joint project of the University and 411 Marketing. The partners prepare Masters of Science in “Web Design” and “Digital Marketing and Web Design.” The length of the training is 35 hours. The students are trained in SEO, web development, and the creation of a business profile in an online environment. 12 graduate students participate in the project.
“We incorporate new standards and successful practices in the training. Our goal is to keep the training as practically-oriented and applicable as possible so that it meets the needs of the fast-developing IT sector,” commented Milen Sotirov, training managed at 411 Marketing. He trains the graduate students, and the training is practically oriented and meeting the real-life requirements of the IT business. The graduate students of VFU Chernorisetz Hrabar have the opportunity to start an internship at 411 Marketing. The internship provides 240 hours of training and practice in a real business environment. The young people are prepared for work in the field of online marketing and advertising, SEO and web development. Each one of them has the opportunity to start their career and professional realization in 411 Marketing. The internship program is supported by the Bulgarian Educational Ministry and the European Union.
The training of graduate students in digital marketing has been preparing the future employees in this modern and dynamic field of study for four years now, in an attempt to fill a specific niche of the labor market. Upon the completion of their education, the students are highly sought-after specialists, not just locally, but also throughout the entire country. Our goal is to ensure that the trainees have the most direct contact with the business as early as possible.” said Veselina Spasova, PhD, head of the Master’s program.
“Once we’ve reached this point, our next goal is to improve the skills of our students and their range of ability to conduct big data, sentiment analysis, participation in specialized research of the consumer behavior, with which we’ll give the companies specializing in digital marketing the opportunity to broaden their range of services and develop their business,” said Galina Momcheva, Associate Professor and head of the “Informatics and Economics” Department.
At the start of the company in Varna, 411 Marketing had only 4 employees. As of today, the company provides employment for over 200 people in the coastal city. The company is part of the 411 Locals brand – an international company based in USA and specializing in the provision of SEO solutions for the small and medium businesses. It is ranked among the Top 5 of the Local SEO companies in the USA.
411 Marketing’s Operations Manager Vanya Kirilova was in studio on Cherno More TV in Varna to discuss International Women’s Day and the role women play in our society, specifically the IT sector of our workforce.
50% of the IT specialists currently working in 411 Marketing are female. The company provides equal opportunities to both male and female employees who want to build a career in SEO (search engine optimization), online marketing, and web development.
“The young people are interested in technology. They are eager to know more and learn new things quickly. Their growth within the company is connected only to their abilities and their persistence.”, said Vanya Kirilova, Site Director at 411 Marketing.
90% of the managers in 411 Marketing are people who have started at an entry-level position and proved to possess great personal and professional qualities.
The company is a part of the international brand 411 Locals, which is in the elite group of Google partners – Google All-Star Partners. The first office in Varna was opened in 2009 and was shared by 4 people. Today, over 200 team members share the same space and goals. Most specialize in SEO, digital marketing, and website development. 70 of the employees of 411 Marketing possess individual Google certificates for AdWords Fundamentals, search engine advertising, display and mobile advertising, video advertising, and Google Analytics IQ.
The interest in SEO and online marketing is growing. Bulgaria is becoming a high-tech hub and more and more international companies notice that and show their interest in the country.” Vanya Kirilova comments.
The young people realize that the IT sector offers great possibilities for development, professional growth, and securing great income.
The recruitment process in the company is designed in a way that gives equal opportunities to all candidates. The salary of each team member is also directly connected to the results they achieve.
In 2018, 411 Marketing is going to double the size of the 411 Academy, which was first started in 2017. Until now, over 70 trainees completed the program and 70% of them currently work for the company. This year, over 80 people will get the chance to participate in the training program.
Vanya Kirilova, 411’s Operations Manager, awarded 15 more students with certificates for successfully completing our Web Development, Digital Marketing, and SEO internships. The interns are currently enrolled in Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy (NVNA), University of Economics – Varna (UE), Technical University of Varna (TUV), and Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” (VFU).
Their fields of study include Informatics, Information and Communication Technologies for the Maritime Industry, Business Information Systems, Software and Internet Technologies.
Some of the students were offered job positions at 411 Marketing after the completion of their internship. A new internship for a group of 30 interns will soon be formed, so stay tuned!
411 Marketing starts a new investment project for the training of interns and young specialists in Search Engine Optimization (SEO). In 2018, this Varna company will double the scope of the SEO Academy it started in 2017. So far, over 50 interns have been trained at the Academy. 70% of them started work for the company.
“In 2018, we plan to continue preparing specialists for the IT industry, as well as to implement new educational methods in the training process so that we can make it as adequate to meet the needs of this fast-developing industry as possible,” Milen Sotirov, Training Manager at 411 Marketing, commented. The internship program lasts 240 hours and is free for the participants. The trainings are made possible with the support of the “Student Internships” program of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education.
The company equipped a new classroom with 18 individual work stations and an interactive whiteboard, which allows for an improved communication between trainers and trainees, as well as gives more opportunities to the interns to be active participants in the training process.
The company provides the trainees with trainers, each of whom has practical experience in both teaching and the field of Digital Marketing and SEO.
In January 2018, the SEO Academy of 411 Marketing starts the training of 20 interns. The trainees are students from the Naval Academy of Varna, the Technical University of Varna, and the Varna Free University. The next group of interns is planned to increase to 30 people.
The Academy of 411 Marketing prepares young people for working with the latest strategies of Digital Marketing and the methods of Search Engine Optimization in an actual business environment. The trainings are conducted in the office of the company, which allows the trainees to be part of the work process.
411 Marketing is part of the international brand 411 Locals, a world leader in the field of SEO. The Varna branch of the company was founded in 2009 with just 4 employees. Today, more than 200 people work for the company, and the number of its employees is planned to increase with 8 – 10% in 2018.
411 Marketing is the Bulgarian subsidiary of the international company 411 Locals – a company specializing in the field of Internet advertising. Based in Varna, Bulgaria, the company started in 2009 with a personnel of four people. Today, its employees are more than 200. The company established a partnership for education and human resource development with the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, the University of Economics, the Technical University of Varna, and the Chernorizets Hrabar Varna Free University. 411 Locals is an official Google partner, and it’s also one of the top 10 companies in the USA.
Okay, we may have missed to tell you something important. It turns out, we weren’t the only good kids this year! Our annual Secret Santa wasn’t the only visit from the North Pole we had. Earlier this week, Santa came to our 411 Marketing’s office to gift the children of our fellow colleagues with the greatest surprise of them all — a personally handed present from Santa himself!
It is safe to say, we were all envious of our little friends for getting so much attention from Santa but our turn had not yet come. This reminds us, did you get a chance to check out our not-so-secret visit from Santa?
We kept most of them to ourselves, but here are some of our favorite photos from the day of sheer excitement, sparkling eyes, a pile of presents, and some good old Ho-Ho-Ho!
About yesterday… Something magical happened in 411 Marketing’s office. In the midst of the work day, there was a sudden sound of hooves landing on the terrace and jingling bells were quick to fill the air with unexpected cheer and excitement. Our Christmas tree was buried in presents and the Relax room was soon crowded.
And, while the famous one-horse open sleigh was nowhere to be seen, we had Santa himself give away the presents to our colleagues. Of course, his trusted partner in crime, Snow White, was there to lend him a helping hand. Smiles, laughter, and a lot of surprises — this is how it all went down. Check out some of the magic moments we have captured! But beware, they are infectiously fun, and you may end up grinning like a Cheshire cat!
A toast here, a ballet there, and Christmas cheer all around — this is how our famous 411 Christmas party started! It was a night of dancing, fine dining, and a bevy of surprises lurking to catch our unsuspecting colleagues off guard. And they did! Some were praised for their dancing skills, others’ table tennis performance was honored, and we even had our very own 411 Mrs. and Mr. Sunshine crowned!
All differences aside, it was a year worth celebrating in style. In true 411 fashion, we did so with a lot of dancing, laughter, and good words. “Good words?” you may ask. Well, positive messages and thank you notes can never be too many. We had our very own Good Words box at the office where everyone could drop a written message or simply start a conversation with a colleague they are too shy to talk to in person. It is a part of getting to know our growing 411 family. Everyone got their good messages at the party, and the results were a lot of stolen smiles and semi-covered blushes! We call this a win-win.
Don’t miss to check out our blog about Santa’s visit to 411’s office last week where all the kids of our colleagues had their early Christmas presents! Our upcoming Secret Santa post is also something to look forward to!
411 Marketing became the first Varna company to appoint a Chief Happiness Officer (CHO). The responsibilities of the new position consist in the organization of activities and events in and outside the office, which to maintain the happiness, good mood, and high morale of the employees.
“The creation of the Chief Happiness Officer (CHO) position is a great initiative! I think that each big company has everything to win and nothing to lose from keeping its employees happy and in great mood. Thanks to this position, all our colleagues will have the opportunity to know each other better and build a better and stronger team in order to make our days at the office happier. It’s a great honor and pleasure for me to be the first Chief Happiness Officer at 411 Marketing, and I will do everything possible to set a great example for all those who will take the position after me. My goal on this position will be to organize more fun events (for all our colleagues) in and outside the office, to help start traditions, help the creation of a cosier and friendlier work environment, as well as make the integration of all new recruits at the company much easier. The organization of events is also something I love, which is why I am happy I can now do it as part of my job too,” CHO Kalina Eneva commented. Her hobbies include photography, crafting decorations, reading, and writing.
411 Marketing regularly organizes events to keep the morale of its employees high – bowling nights, teambuilding weekends, etc. With the appointing of a Chief Happiness Officer, it makes a another quality step in the direction of creating a pleasant work environment. This way, the company will receive timely feedback on what can be improved in the office environment.
“We spend 30% of the day and night at our workplace. That is why, in the 21st century, it is important for us to ensure a great work environment, a positive attitude, and a friendly atmosphere at the workplace,” Alexander Kolov, HR Manager at 411 Marketing, commented. The new position will be taken on a rotational principle by an employee of the company, which means that every 6 months, the team will elect a new colleague, who will be responsible for the good mood and high morale at the office.
The initiative of creating a special position for an employee who will be responsible for creating a great work environment was first started a couple of years ago in the Silicon Valley in California. 411 Marketing is one of the first Bulgarian companies and one of the few European companies, which take this innovative approach to HR management. Other steps to boost the quality of the work environment are also planned.
411 Marketing specializes in search engine optimization (SEO). The company is part of the international brand 411 Locals, which has 500 employees in Bulgaria, the US, and the Philippines. The Varna office employs over 200 people.