I was watching "The Oprah Effect" on CNBC this weekend. Like most viewers, I was wowed by the sheer amount of influence this woman has on...well, just about everything, I suppose. A true success story, Ms. Winfrey catapulted herself into a multi-billion dollar enterprise and became The Voice On All Things Important--and some not so important. In fact, Oprah has so much influence that a recent show she did about Twitter increased the hits by a whopping forty-three percent as compared with a week ago! Very impressive! (If you missed "The Oprah Effect", you can watch it on Hulu or check the CNBC schedule for showings.) Anyway, as I'm watching the show, it got me thinking: If Oprah can turn a no-name product into a flying-off-the-shelf one, can she do that for job seekers as well? Granted, she endorses some products that the average person either can't afford or has no use for (like $65 t-shirts), but that's beside the point. And, as some folks suggest, she endorses pseudo-science and other "quackery", such as "The Secret" and good old Dr. Phil. Of course, it's her show and she can do what she pleases. But here's what I am suggesting:

Ms. Winfrey, why not put aside, say, one show a week and play match-maker by profiling job seekers and inviting employers to discuss their openings? If you can convince your viewers to buy $12 bars of soap and $6 cupcakes, I would imagine you can "subtly" convince employers to start hiring people (or else!).

And, perhaps add a page to the career pages on your website that features the "Job Seeker of the Week" and help people get back to work! P.S. -- Oprah (er...I mean Harpo Productions) is hiring.

By Lorraine Russo of the Underground Job Network

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on The Daily Recruiter.