Learning What Jobs Are Really About Through Blogs, Facebook, and Twitter

Blogs and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are becom- ing important tools in the employment search process. By accessing blogs, company Facebook pages, and Twitter feeds, job seekers can

1. Name at least six interviewing behaviors you can exhibit that send positive nonverbal messages during the job interview.

2. Should you be candid with an interviewer when asked about your weaknesses?

3. What should you do if asked a salary question early in an interview?

4. How should you respond to questions you feel are inappropriate or illegal?

5. What kinds of questions should you ask during an interview?

6. List the steps you should take immediately following your job interview.

7. If you are offered a position, why is it important to write an accep- tance letter, and what should it include?

8. If you are asked an illegal interview question, why is it important to first assess the intentions of the interviewer?

9. Ethical Issue: When asked about his previous salary in a job inter- view, Jeremy boosts his salary a bit. He reasons that he was about to get a raise, and he also felt that he deserved to be paid more than he was actually earning. Even his supervisor said that he was worth more than his salary. Is Jeremy justified in inflating his previous salary?

Learn additional information about a company's culture and day-to-day activities.

Your Task. Using the Web, locate a blog that is maintained by an employee of a company where you would like to work. Monitor the blog for at least a week. Also access the company's Facebook page and monitor Twitter feeds for at least a week. Prepare a short report summarizing what you learned about the company through reading the blog postings, status updates, and tweets. Include a statement of whether this information would be valuable during your job search.