3foldComm

Gone are the days of combing the newspaper’s classified section for job opportunities. And, almost gone are the days of refreshing Craig’s List every two minutes for the latest and greatest positions. Summer 2009 is all about using social media to land a dream position or a top notch new hire. Whether you’re an employer looking for a shining star to lead your sales team, or an individual on the prowl for a new start—we’re here to tell you that using social media for employment purposes is here to stay.

Fit the Culture: Naturally, 3Fold wouldn’t be covering such a topic if we hadn’t ourselves experienced the fun of using social media to hire…drum roll…Natalie Paulsen! Known as @nataliedaily to many of our staff, she came to us from Sacramento Magazine. As their marketing director, Natalie had connected with 3Folders over Twitter and liked what she saw about our culture. “Without Twitter or Facebook, I’m not sure our shared goals and interests would have been as obvious. Without social networking, I would have had to spend a lot more time on my resume and my references. I would have had to come in the office for more interviews and introductions. Believe it or not, you can land your dream job in 140 characters or less.” And, it’s true. We saw Natalie’s spunk, charm and innovation over Twitter. After she left Sac Mag for freelance work, we snatched her right up. A win-win for all of us.

Skills to Boot: Using social media makes it easy for job candidates to authentically show off their skills, and for employers to find a new hire with the experience they’re looking for. When 3Fold hired our stellar Account Manager, Ross, we first read all of his blog posts that he’d written at his former position. He demonstrated industry knowledge and strong writing capabilities, making our decision simple. Ashlee Gadd, the new Wellness Concierge for Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa, recently faced steep competition during the hiring process. What set her apart from others was her personal health blog. “In addition to the qualifications listed on my resume, my blog demonstrated my writing abilities, creativity, and an aptitude for social media. It definitely set me apart from the other candidates and I am positive that it attributed to the decision to hire me in the end,” she explained. Now Arden Hills has an employee with relevant job skills, and Ashlee has a job she’s excited about.

Ahead of the Game: These days, everyone’s trying to be bigger and better than the competition. New grads are desperate for their first job, and companies are looking for creative staff that can offer skills in the social media field. Christine Amorose is a recent graduate using Twitter and VisualCV (an internet based resume) to market herself. We noticed Amorose’s to-the-point Twitter bio announcing her desire for a job in the PR field. She writes, “I’ve been using Twitter to “follow” the PR professionals who work at agencies that interest me. When these professionals check out my profile, they see a short blurb about me- that I’m a recent graduate looking for a job in agency PR. There is also a link to my VisualCV. I’ve had very positive feedback from potential employers who checked out my VisualCV via Twitter and were impressed with my initiative and experience.” So far, Amorose has not yet accepted a job but she’s already been offered a paid internship at one of her top choices, with three more interviews lined up. If you’re looking for the best and brightest—companies and job candidates— look no further than social networking sites.

We want to hear from you! Leave us a comment on how you’re using social media in your job search, or tell us about a great new hire you made from an internet connection.