Blogging for a New Job

I’ve been waxing poetic about how far behind universities are in adopting electronic techniques to help students find new jobs. I don’t just mean e-Recruiting on online job posting sites, but making sure Career Services offices are as up-to-date on technology as their students are.
Whether it’s blogging, Facebook, or Jobster-like online profiles, students need some sort of online presence to get noticed. I’m about 500% confident that this is where recruiting is headed.
If you don’t believe me, reporter Sarah Needleman does a great job capturing the recruiter’s point of view in today’s Wall Street Journal. Recruiters are increasingly looking for passive candidates, those who have not actively applied to a certain job, and having an online presence makes you all the more available and accessible.
But buyer beware! Like the warnings I have made about your profiles on Facebook and MySpace, having an online presence means also having an online conscience. You’ve got to monitor your posts and censor your personality. Fair? Maybe not. But there’s such a blurred line on the Internet when it comes to personal versus professional. You never know who’s looking and what they’re reading.
Students: is your college Career Services office thinking about technology they way they should be? If not, ask them too. That’s how OwenBloggers (The Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University) got started. Students made a case and got the buy-in.
Career Services Offices: don’t think this is a passing fad. Advanced recruiting through online social networking is here to stay. So get educated, and ask your students for advice. The schools who step out first will be the ones who see the most success. Don’t be the last in line!