If you are spending time updating your hard copy, paper resume, you may want to re-think your method. According to Doug Gross’ article on CNN.com, the “dead-tree summary” outlining one’s accomplishments is losing value as an accurate representation of one’s self. Employers seeking candid summaries of potential employees are turning to potential candidate’s social media presence (LinkedIn, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and even Pinterest) to determine a more visceral, realistic portrayal of personality and experience.
You’re probably wondering how to translate “Masters in Finance, Yale University” into a YouTube presentation or “pin” on Pinterest. Are you supposed to post all of your academic writing alongside your travel blog? For many, social media presence and career experience and achievement are two completely separate worlds, so to somehow unite the two sounds difficult, to say the least. Allowing your potential boss access to your photos from that “you only live once” Vegas trip can present potential problems. However, according to Gross, companies are less concerned with unflattering findings but rather interested in core personality traits and noticeable achievements that can not necessarily be conveyed on paper. A Union Square Ventures statement regarding social media searches of potential employees sums it up nicely: “We expect your Web presence to represent who you are, not who you think an employer wishes you were, so please don’t waste time sanitizing your Web presence before sending us there. We get it.”
That said, there are some preventative measures you can take that will ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward. I recommend removing any inappropriate photos, videos, and/or text from your profiles and bulk up your social media presence with materials that portray you in a positive light, just to cover your bases. Other than that, no need to recite and analyze Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace on YouTube.