I prefer that you predict the end of the world on a Monday, not a Friday
Seriously, what happens when you show up for the interview looking nothing like the shiny 2-D you? It's kind of Max Headroom meets Match.com bait and switch tactics for job seekers. Should you even worry about the fact that you aren't as attractive as your avatar when it has nothing to do with the job (your attractiveness or the appearance of your avatars face complete with kind of creepy moving lips...sorry, I find the talking heads creepy)?
Just because the technology is there does not mean that you have to use it. Please do NOT send me resumes with talking cartoon heads expressing your interest in my company. Please.
Comments
Anonymous
March 09, 2007
"Please do NOT send me resumes with talking cartoon heads expressing your interest in my company. Please." Excellent Friday laugh!Anonymous
March 09, 2007
That is kind of creepy. Makes you wonder if they want to send you a wink or if they want to apply for a job. It just oozes "this slimy e-dating freak is interested in you. Do you wish to return his wink or ignore?"Anonymous
March 09, 2007
Did you really invoke the name of Max Headroom? I hope I'm not the only one who got the reference.Anonymous
March 09, 2007
eRock - glad you enjoyed that. You know someone is going to do it though, just for laughs. Andy - seriously, right? There's just something kind of off about it. Like "how you doin'?" Tim - I did. Dude, we are seriously old. Good thing we are both incredibly good looking...people won't notice : )Anonymous
March 10, 2007
hmmm, well I guess I will quit spritzing my resume submissions w/ my favorite cologne then too.....Anonymous
March 10, 2007
Why on Earth would anyone think that that's a good idea?! Totally blows my mind...Anonymous
March 11, 2007
Patblue - your windsong stays on my mind. Cornelius - I know. Scary!Anonymous
March 11, 2007
I have known Bob for years, and spoke with him about the avatar on his resume a couple of months ago. It's more of a goof/experiment than anything else - definitely not a big part of his job search. Bob is a great marketing professional in the recruiting industry, did some great work in co-founding JobCircle.com, and I don't want to see him become the next Aleksey Vayner because he had a little fun with his resume.Anonymous
March 11, 2007
Oh no, this pales in comparison to Aleksey! I actually thought he was the person that invented the avatar hosted resume and was just using his own to spotlight it....didn't actually think it was an earnest job search, just an example. It is comforting to know he was just trying to have fun with it. But still, I don't want to see this become a trend in drawing attention to ones resume. I trust your judgement on his background but I still think that the avatar has to go. But again, nothing even close to Aleksey....at all!Anonymous
March 11, 2007
I believe that Bob was using a service called Oddcast that lets anyone create an avatar - theirs is not a resume-specific service. I personally don't see much of a future in avatars in general (witness my going off on my blog about Second Life today), but I don't see it as a detriment to a resume - just not really helpful either.Anonymous
March 11, 2007
I'll read what you have to say about second life. I do see the avatar as a detriment to a resume, though. It's distracting and unnerving and doesn't come across as very serious. But others in staffing may have different opinions...I'm just representing mine : )Anonymous
March 27, 2007
But what if your goal was to work for Second Life as sales director for resume avatars?Anonymous
March 27, 2007
Would that be a "real job" or a "second life job"? I don't generally like gimicks on the resume.Anonymous
March 27, 2007
Well, if you lack a real first life, you might need a fake second job. Of course, the real question is, how does the hiring manager react when your avatar shows up for the interview in its boxer shorts and with mayonnaise on its tie.Anonymous
March 28, 2007
You decline him for the fake job, of course.