Stephen Wynkoop blogged about social networking as a part of the hiring process. I’ll sum it up in a line: like it or not, you are being Googled when you submit your resume. Get over it.
Would you buy a car without searching for an online review? Sure, some people do - otherwise the dismal Chrysler Sebring would never sell a copy. If you haven’t read Jeremy Clarkson’s review of the Chrysler Sebring, go do it, because it’ll brighten your day with gems like this:
“A Sebring can do nothing well. It was hopeless in crosswinds and the only option you need on a twisty road are sick bags. Interestingly, however, while the ride is very soft, the suspension still manages to crash about like a drawer full of cutlery when it is asked to deal with a small pothole.”
Pretty funny, eh? Well, it still sells, and I know it does because I get it sometimes as a rental car. And yes, the car really does suck that bad - the driver’s side armrest on my last Sebring had already worn through the colored part of the plastic, and it had less than 6,000 miles. I’d never be caught at a Chrysler dealer buying one of those.
No, not me - I want a Porsche 911 Targa. I’ve never driven one, but I’m quite positive that it’s the car for me. I know because I’ve read all about it on the internet. I can tell you how much it costs, how fast it goes, what kind of leather I want, you name it. I’m all over that thing and I read about it every chance I get.
Now, replace cars with job candidates.
Imagine yourself as an IT manager or DBA manager getting ready to hire a new person. You have a few candidates:
- Candidate A - you’ve never heard of them, and they don’t show up in Google.
- Candidate B - you’ve never heard of them, and they show up in Google. Looks like they contribute answers on online forums, and their questions line up with the experience they say they’ve had.
- Candidate C - oh yeah, this guy! You’ve been to his web site and you’ve subscribed to his blog.
- Candidate D - he says he’s a DBA, but last week he posted a rudimentary forum question on how to back up a database.
Guess which resume goes to the top of the stack?
And even better, guess which resume automatically demands a salary premium? Which one is the Porsche of job candidates?
If you’re a good DBA - and I’m guessing you’re good, because by reading this, you’re actively seeking out DBA web sites to further your eduction - then you want to go to the top of the stack. You do that by being an active member of the community. It doesn’t directly pay off in cash, but boy does it pay off when it comes time to sift through the resume stack.
Hiring managers, IT managers and DBAs are going to search the web for you. It can either be an advantage, or a disadvantage. Make it work in your favor, and think of this situation every time you post under your public name on the web.
