In our Mobile Application Development class on marketing ourselves, we were told to discuss the topic of potential employers spying on us.
Companies are using Google, Facebook and other social media to look at your past with a view to determining suitability for employment.
Am I in favour of this practice? Yes and no.
As a former employer I can see the value of the sort of information that can be gleaned from an individual’s online profiles, blogs and affiliations. As a former landlord, this information would have been invaluable.
As a soon to be graduate, I would like to think that my goofier photos and the occasional rant about my “cable/cell/insert utility here” service would not impinge upon my chances of employment with the company
With any good luck it will be a person reviewing the life of David.
After all, who doesn't have a less than flattering photo of themselves online? Maybe, one with you holding a beer. And who hasn't thought unkindly of a service provider at some point?
The person reviewing your history may even identify with you. They can see things in context.
But, will it always be a person?
Your cover letter and resume is already being scanned by software adept at discarding your best effort for not including the correct key words or for just being Englishly challenged.
Having just read of a software offering by EdX that will check online tests and essays, offer immediate feedback as well as the opportunity to re-write a test at once, I found myself wondering if it won’t be long until your digital presence on this planet will be subject to the cold hard scrutiny of software and not the cold hard scrutiny of an HR person.
Can context be programmed in? Will the machine take things with a grain of salt?
Maybe there’s an app for that.
Hold the presses! Here are two useful articles from Workopolis.
Find out who you know at the companies you'd like to work for. Just click on the 'Check LinkedIn' button.
and
How to get more employers reading your resume
Words to live by.
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I think we should just replace computer scanning with dolphins, they sing well and chuckle at everything. While we are at it, maybe we should replace HR persons with dolphins as well. I would never feel too bad about being turned down by a dolphin. So long and thanks for all the fish.
ReplyDeleteGood read Dave. You have a typo with the word "impinge". It is a good topic to discuss. Hopefully it changes people's actions for the better.
ReplyDeleteI checked out impinge and 'tho it has other meanings, MacMillan Dictionary http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/impinge defines it as: impinge on/upon something to have an effect on something, especially in a negative way
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