How much can we really tell from what people write about themselves on social networking sites?
I’ve read numerous posts and articles recently which suggest that your social networks act as a CV, implying that what you write in these domains can reveal everything about you and attract the attention of potential employers. In a recent post, Liberate Media agree with this suggestion and list the comparisons between social network Twitter and the classic CV.
However, I think that people need to beware of the persona they create for themselves online.
Your blog topics may seem interesting and insightful but if you’ve just ripped off someone else’s entire post, how are you going to contribute to a face to face conversation about a similar topic?
You may be arrogant and self assured during internet debates, but if you’re shy and retiring in person you’re never going to live up to the confident personality you’ve created online.
So, I guess social networks are like CVs in the sense that if you lie or elaborate on them, you will get found out sooner or later.
Tags: CV, social media
March 18, 2009 at 11:55 pm
I think this dilemma can be turned around as well.
If an employer relies heavily on new platforms of social media when sifting through applicants’ forms, they may expect one sort of person and end up being face to face in an interview with a completely inverted, shadow of their networking persona.
Specifically with journalism, the reliance on a portfolio of work – and likely, their contributions on the internet in blogs, forums and on facebook – to be presented to an employer, drastically blinds them from unearthing the qualities of interpersonal social skills that they may have but are overlooked because they only have one follower on twitter, or don’t tweet at all!
For now at least I am resisting twitter, but I may have to buckle to its quest for world domination before long. Sigh.
March 25, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Think of your Facebook profile or Twitter activity as your online business card – would you tell a potential employer or client everything on your social networking profiles?
If not, look at changing your privacy settings or removing any information you’d not be happy talking about in an interview.