An unemployed woman searching for work opted for a new spin on social media to try to land a position.
When looking for work, it isn’t uncommon to ask your contacts if they know of any positions going. In 2013, this can result in a quick status change on Facebook letting people know you are on the hunt. However, one woman took this idea a step further.
Dominique Farrell, an IT worker from Sydney, created a Facebook page with a $500 reward for friends and family who helped her land a new job, News Ltd reported.
Just two weeks into the hunt, Farrell has done a series of interviews, and is heading into psychometric testing for one organisation.
Farrell said it was overwhelming, and she spent the first weekend writing cover letters, and it hasn’t stopped since.
Social media changing the way we connect is most definitely old news by now, but even with examples like Farrell, its importance shouldn’t be over-estimated.
"Technology will never hire people but people using technology will," Paul Slezak, co-founder of RecruitLoop, told News Ltd.
Slezak feels the ‘gut feeling’ people get when they meet someone isn’t likely to be replaced anytime soon, although he does recognise that an open mind to innovation and technology is important in recruitment. If job seekers are plugged-in to social media, employers should be, too.
"It creates awareness around their employer brand by building a list of followers and true sense of community so that when a need arises they have people there. It's proactive and ongoing," Slezak said.
Would you hire someone who advertised themselves in such a way? Is it valid, or unprofessional? Let us know your thoughts on Farrell’s method of job-seeking in the comments!