When I first heard about Jamie Varon’s Twitter Should Hire Me project, I was impressed and intrigued. The idea was certainly original, and she had a lot of publicity power behind it. However, after taking a step back and a second look, I’ve changed my mind—here’s why.
1. She’s pigeonholed herself. I always warn students and recent graduates about doing this one way or another—whether they limit the locations in which they can possibly live after graduation, the type of organization at which they would like to work, etc. Varon’s gone a step further and limited herself to a specific organization. She’s devoted her entire campaign to Twitter, leaving room for no one else. Pigeonholing your options after college—in any way—is always a bad idea.
Think about it. What she’s essentially done is written a single cover letter—to Twitter—and blasted it out to everyone. The power of having a blog or online portfolio is to market yourself to all potential employers, not just one.
2. She’s coming off desperate. Any time you appear desperate to hiring managers, as I believe Varon does on her site, they tend to look the other way and on to another candidate. Enthusiastic and passionate are great—being desperate is not. Some would say Varon knows what she wants and she’s going after it, but I disagree. Her, albeit original, idea is too begging and pleading to get serious attention from Twitter.
3. She’s stereotypical Generation Y. Many stereotypes exist about Generation Y, and Varon feeds right to them. Namely, she has a sense of entitlement. Even the site’s name shouts this—TwitterShouldHireMe.com. Now, we know cover letters and résumés aren’t about you, they are about the company. Had she thought about this she might have named her site BringTwitterToTheTop.com, or something like that—appeal to their needs instead of hers.
4. She’s unprofessional. I have to say, nothing says “hire me” like, “Hello. Hey. Hi. How’s it going? So, you want to know a little bit about me? Well, my name is Jamie Varon. I’m currently shackin’ up with my parents right now, since I am unemployed.” Enough said.
5. She’s controversial, and therefore a risk. In a controversial blog post about why she walked away from a job after only two weeks, she’s proven that she’s flighty and impulsive—not two redeeming qualities in an employee. I’ve also heard other rumors that make her controversial that I won’t mention here. Basically, a simple Google search would rule her out for most positions. (Granted, this point is specific to Varon and not the idea she brought to the table, but it’s still valid. Employers do perform online searches about candidates before inviting them to interview.)
6. It’s been done. The final reason you shouldn’t follow suit is that the idea—a poor one to begin with based on the points above—is no longer original. Varon “owns” it now, and anyone repeating it would look like a copycat.
Comments
I have to completely disagree with this post. Jamie Varon's Twittershouldhireme.com shows the most important quality students/recent grads can possibly show when applying for their first 'real' job...She knows what she wants!
There is nothing worse than sending a blanket resume and cover letter to an organization, not having any idea who they are or identifying what you can do for them.
Jamie has taken the term demonstrated interest in both Twitter and Social Media to a whole new level and in the process proved that she is absolutely amazing at what she does (PR and social media!!)
I also have to respectfully disagree with this post. I think this site is a great idea, and lets an employer know that Jamie is passionate about what she wants. I don't think she is necessarily begging; I think she is exhibiting her passion.
Also, although the name of her site might seem like she feels entitled, I think naming it anything else would make readers less likely to click on it. Because honestly? If I saw a link that said taketwittertothetop.com I probably wouldn't read it. I think the name of her blog is catchy and original. It definitely intrigued me to read.
Also, I haven't heard any of the "controversy" about Jamie, but after a quick Google search and browsing through 5 pages, I didn't see anything that seemed suspicious.
I have to agree with Heather. Like it or not, right or wrong, a good number of hiring managers are going to think about Jamie's situation and decide she isn't the right employee for them. There is a difference between showing your commitment and interest in a company and going overboard. I love Jamie's enthusiasm and desire to succeed, but too much of anything isn't good.
Will Twitter hire her? It will depend on the mindset of their HR department. For example, for legal reasons, some companies aren't comfortable hiring someone who blogs about why she feels creating 'sexual tension' in the workplace to make the job more interesting is a good idea. Yet, other companies may love her writing style and honesty.
At the end of the day, hiring is discrimination. Which means, Jamie is going to get praised and criticized for her choice. What remains to be seen is how it will affect her ability to get a job. I'm sure she'll get hired, and most likely end up in a job she loves, but will it be with Twitter?
At age 37, I am one of the biggest skeptics you can find of bloggers, attention seekers, undeserved entitlement and unproven talent. But that is not at all how I perceived TwitterShouldHireme.com. I disagree with the premise of your post. In my view, Varon executed a very original idea that was timely, well targeted, packaged correctly and actually worked. She placed her foot in the door where millions did not. Varon made both her target and thousands of people (skeptics as well as those who were fascinated) clearly aware of her objective, which aligned perfectly with the overall ethos of Twitter. She did this all within hours. This was the type of unique thinking and fast action necessary to potentially land an interview –mainly due to the fact that Twitter is a company perceived as one in a million. The risk taking was entirely justified. Being conventional is risk-less but is not always the answer. You labeling Varon "unprofessional" "flighty," "impulsive" and "desperate" is not a fair conclusion and does not accurately dissect what her campaign accomplished.
I have to disagree with you, Heather.
1. Pigeonholed? Because she said she wants to work for Twitter? She never said she would ONLY work for Twitter!
2. Desperate? Saying I don't have a job and I want one with a great company is desperate? Describing WHY she would want a job with them is desperate? I think our definitions of that term must be different.
3. Stereotypical Gen Y? So she should act like Generation X or a Boomer?
4. Unprofessional? If Jamie were actually writing a cover letter, then, yeah, it would be unprofessional. But it's a site to market her personal brand. So it needs to be personal.
5. Controversial? Yep, sure is. And that means traffic, people talking about her, opinions and then more traffic. It's called marketing.
6. It's been done. I agree with this (for copycats) although you never know, it might become a trend.
Jamie's site should not be compared to a resume or cover letter. Those are dry and becoming much less useful in today's market. Jamie's site is a personal brand marketing site, and it is a great way to stand out from the crowd.
I realize you were the prospective hiring manager, you would pass her by. But that is part of an effective job search: finding a place where people understand what you offer and are interested in having you as part of the team. Jamie's site makes it clear what she is after and gets her name out far and wide to managers looking for that...
Disagree with this post. Jamie has just gone out and got massive coverage. Good on her. It'll come good in the end. I really hope that you did this out of the best intentions and didn't try to jump on her fame to drive traffic to your own site. Cos that really would be a bit cheap.
While I agree that Jamie has limited her future options in the "traditional" job market--she is demonstrating that understands the language of social media. She is generating buzz and dialogue about an important issue--how to launch/"hatch" your career after graduation.
Heather's arguments are on point for MOST students and recent grads. It is really important not to burn bridges early in your career--especially in such a public way.
I do give Jamie credit for being very specific in what she wants. The success of this campaign will depend on her character and fortitude to ride the ups and downs of fame and criticism. It'll be a spectacular learning experience (win or lose).
I hate to be one of the sheep here, but I have to disagree with the overall concept of this post. I don't see her attempt as desperate at all. It's a unique idea and, even if she isn't getting a job at Twitter, even if she is getting SOME bad press, she is also putting her name out there, and I'm sure people are recognizing it.
I will agree that some of the writing comes off not as unprofessional, but maybe a little too personal. But on that same note, she has offered up some great suggestions and is doing a fine job at marketing herself, informing Twitter and anyone else who's reading what she can bring to the table.
It's bold, it might be a little risky; some people might not want to hire her because of it, while others probably love it and would gladly hire someone with that sort of outside-the box thinking. It's a risk, but I think it (already has) and will continue to pay off in the end.
This article is actually proof of why Ms. Varon's idea was a good one. The fact that she is being discussed to this degree and getting the amount of attention that she is proves that she did something right. That was her goal. She already succeeded. Her choice of language and style may not get her a job with examiner.com, however, she's trying to get a job at a company that uses a "fail whale" when they have network errors. The business culture of Twitter is obviously loose and more casual than the average workplace and I'm pretty sure that's the type of environment Jamie is looking for. She may not get a job at Twitter, that will depend if they have a position open for her and that they actually find her appealing in person. However, it has already gotten their attention and her foot in the door. She has also already gained the attention of other companies. She in no way comes off as desperate in my opinion. In fact the opposite could be said. She comes off as someone who knows what she wants and is willing to work hard to get it rather than settling. I appreciate that kind of an attitude and if I were as young as her, I might try something similar. She has all the time in the world to try stuff like this. She can settle later in life if this great idea doesn't work for her. Cheers.
I respect what Jamie is doing and I hope she finds success from all this. But here are a few things that come to mind after reading this article.
First of all, if Jamie is hired I wonder how the current employees at Twitter will react to her. Will they accept her?
With regard to Heather’s outlook on this situation, I believe it to be completely reasonable and I agree with the six points she makes. Heather observes this scenario from the standpoint of a hiring manager so you must respect her stance.
I can understand Heather’s position where she says Jamie’s strategy may appear as ‘desperate.’ I mean yea, the job market is extremely competitive right now so maybe desperate times call for desperate measures. But if Jamie gets this job, is branding one’s self to a single company on a mass level an appropriate strategy? Does this mean if I want to work for Google, I should stand outside the building and hand my resume to everyone that walks by?
Does her strategy for getting this job automatically make her worthy of a position at Twitter? Would the outcome be different if a seasoned professional did this compared to a recent college graduate?
Regardless of what any of us say, the only thing we can use to measure the success of Jamie’s blog is her happiness. If whatever comes of this scheme gives Jamie satisfaction, then this whole project must be deemed an accomplishment. Good luck, Jamie!
Heather, I respect you for writing this post, but I have to disagree. Jamie Varon is neither unprofessional nor does she seem desperate...and she certainly does not represent this absurd idea of Gen. Y that you dare to perpetuate. Let's face it, we all need jobs. If I go to a career fair or send a cover letter and resume to an HR department, do I look like a desperate jobseeker? What Jamie has done is stand out, which all hiring managers and HR reps say is a good thing. She's not touting a sense of entitlement. On the contrary, she's put forth more effort than the average jobseeker to show she's qualified. She's demonstrating her skill and creativity, which is the best way to show employers what you can bring to their companies. And I beg you to consider this: instead of 'pigeon-holing' herself as you suggested, she's actually branding herself. She has created a unique concept, and--to use your words--she 'owns' it now. Anyone who can create this much buzz for herself can be considered an asset for any company.
Thank you everyone for reading -- and your comments.
Jeremy O'Krafka said it best -- apparently better than I did in the piece -- that the advice was meant to inform others they shouldn't copy what Jamie did, for various reasons.
Anyone who is a regular reader of mine, which must not include Brewster_d, knows I am an advocate -- a mentor -- for young professionals with nothing but their best interests in mind. I would never -- I repeat, never -- write something I don't feel will truly benefit my audience "just to drive traffic to my column." Attacks like that are entirely unfounded.
When I decided to write this article, I originally did not want to mention Jamie by name but instead simply address the idea she put forth. However, as I researched her project more, it became impossible to separate the two. So, my apologies to those who I offended because of that.
Now, having said all that, I stand by my original assessment of TwitterShouldHireMe.com. As Greg Barrette pointed out, I assessed it from the standpoint of a hiring manager. As a hiring manager, the first five points concern me greatly -- point number six was just an add-on for readers thinking about imitating her efforts. I agree that Jamie "knows what she wants" and is "passionate," but then she took it a step too far, as J.T. O'Donnell pointed out. There's a fine line that should be recognized, here.
Greg also pointed out something I failed to do and definitely should have -- I do wish Jamie the best of luck. I write this column, as I have said before, to help people find, land and succeed at internships and entry-level jobs. I want the same for her as I do the rest of you -- happiness and success at work.
I agree with Heather. Many believe that all publicity is good. Unfortunately, that is not always the case when it comes to getting a job! I hope, for Jamie's sake, that her stunts do land her an opportunity with an organization that is willing to overlook (or embrace) her tactics, or "brand."
However, it is a well documented fact that many companies RUN when they sense desperation. I respectfully disagree with the commentators who don't think Jamie appears desperate. To me, Jamie's approach is just a high-tech version of a person wearing a "hire me" sandwich board on the street. Her use of social media isn't that special or unique, and I don't think it demonstrates that she could do a better job than any number of other potential employees skilled in those areas.
It is also true that Jamie is helping to perpetuate a negative stereotype of Gen Y workers. She does not have to act like a Gex X or a Boomer, but she certainly has the option of using professional language and presenting herself in a respectful way.
Heather,
Something you need to realize is that nothing on the Internet today is original. Not even Jamie's Twitter campaign.
Last year around this time Richard Millington created a blog called <em>I Want To Work With Seth Godin</em>. He was trying to get an internship. And he actually got it too.
Was what Jamie did any less impressive because of Richard? Absolutely not. Because she took a new and interesting approach and totally rocked the blogosphere.
So instead of encouraging other young professionals to not follow in Jamie's footsteps. Why not encourage them to learn from her passion and creativity?
Seems like a waste to just shrug it off ...
I don't think Jamie is stereotypical of Gen-Y. Someone outside of Gen-Y is quick to judge and think she's entitled, but as a fellow Gen-Y'er I think she represents a new breed of being - someone who knows exactly what she wants and devises a plan to make it happen.
Sure, TwitterShouldHireMe.com screams entitlement - but it also screams confidence in her efforts, and a smart move strategically. The URL is easy to remember and has generated quite a buzz.
I think more people should have the ambition that Jamie does. Just my two cents.
Read your comments Heather and point taken, haven't read your postings before. Sorry didn't mean it as an 'attack'! I think it was just the title of your post that bugged me. Just looked like you were jumping on Jamie's bandwagon. But if that's not the case I apologise.
Still you are right - it might have been better to have wished her luck. It's just that your post sounded a little bitter and a bit of a put down against Jamie when I first read it. Like you were trying to throw a bucket of water on her fire.
Last Monday I was let go from my position as Vice President of Sales and Business Development at a publicly traded company. Tuesday I woke up and decided that I would put the wheels into motion to follow my heart instead of my wallet while looking for my next position. I wanted to be a part of the web 2.0 social marketing community and began to seek sales roles at companies that fit the description. Where better to start my journey than the kings of social - Facebook.com? I love Facebook and saw that they were hiring. I applied for a Sales Director role. Enthralled by Social Marketing I began to test my knowledge and see if I could leverage the medium to help my search. I dove headfirst into Twitter and began scanning for like minded individuals. I quickly discoverd @jamievaron and her site www.twittershouldhireme.com. I was amazed by her ingenuity. I immediately decided that I would start a “copy cat” site called www.facebookshouldhireme.com. I purchased the URL and implemented via Godaddy.com. I was thrilled. I shared the link with my friends and family via Facebook.com (where else). A day later Facebook.com respectfully declined my application.
Ouch.
Well, not so fast. Personally, I think the whole experience was phenomenal, I also think Jamie is fantastic.
I also have to disagree with you Heather.
I think Jaime is right on track. Jaime's creativity and ingenuity really stand out and that is something that seems to be in short supply lately.
As a professional resume writer, I have worked with literally hundreds of jobseekers covering several generations including Gen Y, Trophy Kids, Gen X, MTV Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation Jones, or whatever you want to label them. My youngest customer is 19 and the most senior customer I worked with is 73.
I've also worked jobseekers at all levels including some of the highest-level executives at Fortune 100 companies.
The saddest thing that I have observed is that many of them were unable (or unwilling) to be brazen, gutsy, or creative. A lot of jobseekers simply stay with the status quo to avoid standing out...but the sad thing is that you need to stand out!
When 1,400 people apply for one job, it's CRITICAL to stand out!
Simply put, this economy demands it. This economy needs the innovators, the risk-takers, and the controversial leaders...people like Jaime.
I believe she will go far and be very successful. :)
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