Title:
Using the Internet and Social Media to Search for a
Job
Description: This is
a VOA Special English Economics Report.
See text below
Text:
The job market is more competitive than ever for
millions of workers around the world. In America,
one reason for that right now is high unemployment
after the worst recession since the nineteen
thirties. But other reasons involve changes in the
needs of the American and global economies. In big
developing economies like India and China, high
turnover rates mean workers often move from job to
job. These days, many job seekers go online to
connect with employers. Job candidates want to show
they have a lot to offer. But in many cases they
simply apply for a job title and list their work
experience. Instead, they should describe the
talents and abilities they could bring to an
organization.That's the advice of Steve Langerud,
director of professional opportunities at DePauw
University in Indiana. He advises students on career
planning and often talks about workplace issues in
the media. He says social media sites are valuable
when they show the abilities of job candidates and
not just their job title and experience. He says:
"This really is a talent economy, and we're stuck
with most job seekers presenting themselves in a job
title mode. And I don't think it matches very well."
Steve Langerud also says employers should think
harder about the skills they really need to help
their organization reach its goals. "Because at the
end of the day, it's still about getting the right
people in the right place at the right time and then
keeping them." Ben Kirshner is the founder and chief
executive of a media marketing company in New York
called Elite SEM. SEM is search engine marketing.
His company's job is to help businesses improve
their websites and search engine results. Ben
Kirshner says when his company is searching for
candidates for new positions, it first looks within;
it considers existing employees. After that, he
says, social sites can be valuable. Twenty-five
percent of new hires come from social media.
Seventy-five percent "typically come from word of
mouth" -- in other words, recommendations from other
people. Elite SEM uses sites like Facebook, Twitter
and LinkedIn to learn about job candidates. LinkedIn
is a networking site for professionals, so users
might be more careful about what they say. But Mr.
Kirshner says a site like Facebook can also provide
a lot of information -- good or bad -- about a
person. So pay attention to what you put on the
Internet and what others put online about you. For
VOA Special English, I'm Carol Presutti.
Hi. I
personally reviewed this video and found it appropriate for
the news section of English Global Group. This
is a Voice of America video which covers an interesting
topic in Special English. I would appreciate some feedback from both
students and teachers about this video. You can comment in
the window below using any of a number of different services
including Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail.
To post a comment:
• Click "Comment using..." in
the window below
• Click your favorite service: Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail
• Login to the service
• Click "Add a comment..."
• Post your comment in the window
Students: Please post a
comment stating what you found interesting about this video. You are
welcome to include links to your English study blogs and any
other materials you think might be useful for learning
English.
Teachers: Please post your
thoughts about this video. You are welcome to include links to
your sites, blogs, and any other materials you think might
be useful for learning English.
Hi. I
personally reviewed this video and found it appropriate for
the news section of English Global Group. This
is a Voice of America video which covers an interesting
topic in Special English. I would appreciate some feedback from both
students and teachers about this video. You can comment in
the window below using any of a number of different services
including Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail.
