Is Twitter Killing The Resume?
The death of paper resumes has been predicted ever since the advent of email. And now some tech-savvy employers are even refusing to look at traditional resumes or conduct in-person interviews, instead relying on applicants' postings on Twitter in the pursuit of top talent.
Known in some circles as Twitterviews, the ability to sell yourself in 140 characters or less is the latest trend in hiring -- at least among high-tech firms. They include Salem, N.H.-based Enterasys, USA Today reports. The networking company's chief marketing officer, Vala Afsha, says that he's only considering tweets in assessing who's the best candidate for the six-figure, senior social media strategist position he's looking to fill by April 1.
"I believe the very best talent isn't even looking for work," says Afshar, who began accepting tweets for the job earlier this month. "They're mobile and socially connected and too busy changing the world." Afshar isn't alone. Aaron Biebert hired an employee via Twitter 18 months ago based on 40 public tweets and no in-person interview.
"It didn't matter to me what they're like in an interview setting," says Biebert, who works in Milwaukee as a media director. "All that mattered was their online personality." The employee has since left, but Biebert told USA Today that he plans to turn to Twitter again to refill the position.
More: Why You Need A Social Media Makeover
Does the rise of the interview mean you should give up on your resume? Not so fast, says career coach and AOL Jobs contributor Miriam Salpeter. "Inevitably, people are looking to say the resume is dead," she says, adding that hiring gimmicks such as Afsha's are mainly geared toward attracting younger applicants.
The larger lesson, she says, is that social media is becoming more pervasive in hiring. Though you may not be screened based on your ability to tweet for a job, she says, "it is becoming more and more important for any professional to maintain a digital profile," which appears on social-media sites such as Twitter, Google Plus, Facebook and LinkedIn.
For job seekers, the best strategy is to utilize social media in the best way that you can and have an updated, professional resume that highlights your skills, Salpeter says. "You don't want to dismiss any possible way to connect with a networking contact or an employer."
Learn more about using social media and job seeking in the infographic below from OnlineColleges.com. Then, check out the site's 10 tips for optimizing your social resume.
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David Schepp
David Schepp has spent more than a dozen years covering business news for the electronic and print media, including Dow Jones Newswires, BBC News, Gannett Co., and most recently at AOL's DailyFinance. Nearly 10 years ago, he started writing a weekly People@Work column, looking in depth at issues facing workers in today's workplace. Follow David on Twitter. Email David at david.schepp@huffingtonpost.com. Add David to your Google+ circles.
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