Social Résumés

Millenial social networking Web site Brazen Careerist last week rolled out a new tool that allows users to create social résumés. The tool enables users to showcase ideas, blog posts and other projects, all in addition to traditional résumé information, like work history and education.

Last week, I wrote about how current and future young workers will demand state-of-the-art technology and equipment in the workplace. Andrew Krzmarzick, director of community engagement for GovLoop, argued that federal agencies must begin using social networking tools to engage potential young workers before and during their federal employment. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter, as well as the new open government initiative, provide powerful tools to agencies to discover who is active in agency dialogues and providing thoughtful responses and ideas, he said.

Could social résumés be the way of the future for federal agency recruiting and hiring efforts? The federal government only recently began asking applicants for just a traditional résumé, rather than lengthy essay questions, when submitting an application for a federal job. The government also recently rolled out a new version of job search Web site USAJobs.gov, which now allows users to share information on social networking Web sites.

Social résumés could prove to be a powerful tool for agencies to attract a younger cadre of workers, while also learning some information about them, such as writing skills and knowledge of the agency, beyond what may be included in a traditional résumé. But as Krzmarzick said Friday, if agencies are going to recruit and hire young people using social networking tools, they must allow them to use such tools in the workplace.

What are your thoughts? Can the government keep up with the new ways of attracting and hiring the next generation of workers, many of whom will demand that technology play a role in their work?