This is a podcast from NPR that Molly Mackinnon shared with me today. Hopefully the link works. Apparently the guy featured in the story has been extremely ambitious is using different types of social media (twitter, foursquare, etc.) and a website (davecutlerneedsajob.com) to attract interest from potential employers. He is extremely well-spoken and I applaud his efforts in this still dismal job market. (Sorry, but even though the numbers are improving somewhat, this country still has a HUGE unemployment problem. Most disturbing to me are the millions who are categorized as "long-term" unemployed. And then, of course, there's the category euphemistically referred to as "underemployed," people who are working lousy part-time jobs that pay very little and typically provide no benefits.)
Anyway, I think this piece is a great illustration of how you can use technology to impress people. That may sound trite, but the reality is that most people who don't work in a technology-related field are a bit like me and easily impressed by someone's adeptness with technology. Just like experience in a foreign country is a way to distinguish yourself on the job market, being able to stand out as a tech-savvy candidate can be very beneficial. And in today's job market, one ignores such things at one's own peril.
Anyway, I think this piece is a great illustration of how you can use technology to impress people. That may sound trite, but the reality is that most people who don't work in a technology-related field are a bit like me and easily impressed by someone's adeptness with technology. Just like experience in a foreign country is a way to distinguish yourself on the job market, being able to stand out as a tech-savvy candidate can be very beneficial. And in today's job market, one ignores such things at one's own peril.