In an increasingly competitive setting for landing employment, social media provides a useful tool for prospective interviewees gaining information about their possible employers.  Mashable.com shares an article that gives useful tips for interview preparation moving beyond a corporation’s website by analyzing blogs, Twitter pages, and LinkedIn.  Do any of these tactics cross the line between company research and invasion of employee privacy?

From each section, I’ve pinpointed some of the most important takeaways:

LinkedIn

A company’s LinkedIn profile offers information, such as new hires, specialties, and related companies where past employees may have previously worked.  Research of the LinkedIn profile helps interviewees develop more insightful questions to rise during the interview, along with possible personal connections to the company that one may not have realized existed.  Helpful questions to ask oneself when exploring a firm’s LinkedIn page include,

“How long do most people stay with the company?  Where do they go after?  Do all current employees share similar credentials?”

Corporate Blogs, Facebook, and Twitter

Companies may have news releases and relevant information on their website, but how do they directly communicate with their audience?  Many firms share their progression on campaigns, events they plan to attend, and articles or news on topics they find interesting and significant through Facebook and Twitter accounts.  Corporate blogs offer a more detailed view into common thoughts and opinions the firm wants its followers to consider.  Contemplate the objective of a company’s blog: Does it focus on its own accomplishments and events, or does it communicate information that relates to a certain subject that isn’t the company itself? 

Employee Blogs and Social Networking Accounts

Employees are the key drivers of an organization, so their personal blogs and social networking accounts provide insight about the way they may go about handling their work.  This information can be especially useful for determining how well one may fit with the company, but should not be plunged into too deep during the interview, as it may be unsettling for interviewers to discuss their personal life in a business setting. 

While it may be beneficial to follow executives of an organization, I feel it is almost an invasion of privacy to track down employees from a site, like LinkedIn, and then access their personal thoughts through Twitter or Facebook.  It’s certainly important to understand a firm’s general environment to determine fit, but it becomes eerie when an applicant finds themselves walking into an interview recognizing and knowing the employees, when the knowledge is not reciprocal.  There is a part of me that doesn’t want to understand the company too much more than they understand me, especially on a personal level.  Think about the opposite side of these tips; a firm can now search its applicants on Facebook and Twitter, tapping straight into their personal lives.

With companies using resources like Facebook and Twitter for corporate promotion, it only makes sense to dig a little deeper and find more information.  Competition is fierce, and it will be interesting to see the way that individuals fare through gained knowledge from these sights, as well as the way firms will manipulate them to attract the best applicants.

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On CNN Money the other day was an article about more experienced workers having to take hourly paid jobs that typically go to younger people who have no experience. This means the jobs that teenagers and college students typically qualify for are being taken by over- qualified people. The article claims that the unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds peaked in October at 19.2%.

One thing the article mentions that I never thought of is that because the younger workers are not getting the experience in these hourly paid jobs, they are missing out on building those basic work skills, such as communication skills, responsibility, and time management. This could be bad news for their career development. If people my age don’t have this, what are they going to put on their resume when they are looking for a job?

I remember my first hourly job was when I was 14 at the local ski resort. I haven’t been without a job since then, and I’m thankful for the experiences I’ve had. I worked for hourly paid jobs in everything from fast food, ice cream scooping, and even stacking wood. These are jobs that I included on my first resumes because I learned valuable skills that relate to any career path.

I decided to go to Drexel University for college because of the co-op program- I’ll have 1.5 years of work experience related to my major but the time I graduate in 2012. Again, I feel lucky that I’m having this experience of working, when people in my age group are experiencing a high unemployment rate.

If you’re in the group of 16-24 year olds is having a hard time finding hourly wage jobs, consider getting more involved in school. If you’re currently in high school or college, getting involved in organizations and groups is a great way to get experience. You can develop leadership skills, take on responsibility, and gain knowledge in an area you’re interested in.

I know getting involved in clubs and organizations usually doesn’t pay, but there is the added benefit of meeting awesome new people. Plus, if you take on an active role, it’s something that will stand out on your resume.

Julie Novak
Marketing Coordinator
RedZebraWorks

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