picking a winner

in the day and age of entrepreneurship and development, new jobs are created all the time. these jobs are not the kind you talked about with guidance counselors back in high school or the kind that show up in generic job-type surveys. so how can you know if you're a potential fit, and if so, how can a company find you?

the answer is social networking and its convergence with recruiting.

it's one thing to solicit resumes from those actively seeking jobs, but often times it is the people who are in another job currently that are most desirable. this is the attraction to these sites. recruiters get a look at a variety of people and those same people are at a no-loss position by merely putting their resume on display...if they hear something fine, if not they'll stay where they are. it's a good situation for both parties.

i like that the article mentions using discretion when looking for prospects and realizing a subtle tie may not be the most viable option. it's important to realize the potential of these types of sites but also to recognize their limitations.

as this sector further develops, recuriters will become more savvy in employing these techniques and job seekers will also refine their methods of use to maximize exposure and attractiveness. these can certainly be a valuable tool for students at a school like AU where there are not a ton of recruiters coming to campus. certain fields also lend themselves to this more than others. for example, extremely technical fields where concrete, black and white skills are the primary requirement are the best fit. a recruiter can see what a person knows (or says they know) and more or less make a decision. something in a more personal field will require more face-to-face analysis.

all in all, these can be a great tool for people looking to make a career move and those looking to employ them. i'd still take a generous, well-positioned alumni base with hiring power over all the expertise in the world on these sites though.