Leveling the Playing Field
I wonder what job searching was like back in the day – you know, before the internet. Without Monster.com or Google, I don’t know where I would look for a job. I would be completely reliant on word-of-mouth and the newspaper to learn about places of business.
Now, I don’t even have to ask around. If I want to know who the leading PR
firms in Oklahoma are, I do a search on Google. I go to the company’s Web site and click on “About,” I read biographies of the owners and of each employee. I look at the employees’ Facebook and Twitter accounts to see what kind of people they are, and whether I think I would fit in their culture.
Even better, with platforms like VisualCV, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc., I can market myself to potential employers without having to set foot in their offices.
Employers can find out who I am, what I’m about, and what I’m good at before we even meet- employers who, without these platforms, would never have found me.
I think the opportunity to show off what we can do without having to make the first move is valuable to all professionals, but especially to us young professionals just getting started.
We have less experience. We have fewer connections. But we have fresh ideas and we know how to market them.
This is even better if you’re in the communications f
ield. It demonstrates not only that you have the skills to succeed, but that you are well-versed in the internet and “new media”— a concept that sounds pretty scary to some businesspeople, like the ones who decide who to hire.
With so many people out of jobs and looking desperately for employment what better tools could you ask for?
I know it will not be easy, but I don’t think it’s impossible for first-year college graduates to start careers in this economy. We’ll just have to reach out in every outlet we can, intelligently marketing ourselves all the while.
With new media, the chances of getting hired at entry-level in this economy aren’t as scary as in the past. I’m graduating in December, and although it’s a little nerve-wracking, I’m feeling pretty good.
Now, I don’t even have to ask around. If I want to know who the leading PR
firms in Oklahoma are, I do a search on Google. I go to the company’s Web site and click on “About,” I read biographies of the owners and of each employee. I look at the employees’ Facebook and Twitter accounts to see what kind of people they are, and whether I think I would fit in their culture. Even better, with platforms like VisualCV, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc., I can market myself to potential employers without having to set foot in their offices. Employers can find out who I am, what I’m about, and what I’m good at before we even meet- employers who, without these platforms, would never have found me.
I think the opportunity to show off what we can do without having to make the first move is valuable to all professionals, but especially to us young professionals just getting started.
We have less experience. We have fewer connections. But we have fresh ideas and we know how to market them.
This is even better if you’re in the communications f
ield. It demonstrates not only that you have the skills to succeed, but that you are well-versed in the internet and “new media”— a concept that sounds pretty scary to some businesspeople, like the ones who decide who to hire. With so many people out of jobs and looking desperately for employment what better tools could you ask for?
I know it will not be easy, but I don’t think it’s impossible for first-year college graduates to start careers in this economy. We’ll just have to reach out in every outlet we can, intelligently marketing ourselves all the while.
With new media, the chances of getting hired at entry-level in this economy aren’t as scary as in the past. I’m graduating in December, and although it’s a little nerve-wracking, I’m feeling pretty good.
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