College students about to enter the workforce during these weak economic times have an opportunity to control what their potential employers will know and need to know about them- at least more than a paper resume could ever show. It wasn’t so long ago that I was applying for my job and I relied predominately on a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 1/2 piece of paper.

I crammed as much text as possible onto that resume. My reputation lay in the hands of the information I presented here and maybe the three individuals I list at the bottom as references.

If Barrack Obama taught us anything over the course of his campaign it was how influential an online resume can be. He built an online network unlike any other and used it to supplement his traditional campaign.

In the end, he used social media to get the job, so-to-speak.

The blending of real world networking and online social networking can be the difference between getting your first interview and getting your first job.

For the seniors in college, I encourage you to think about hard your facebook profile and yes, delete pictures that put your reputation in question. Share your life online, share your experiences, but share wisely.

Your employers will google you.

Those results are your new resume.

“You build a successful career, regardless of your field of endeavor, by the dozens of little things you do on and off the job.”- Zig Ziglar

For my friends who are experiencing their first semester without returning to college and perhaps simultaneously experiencing the start to a new career, here are a couple of things to think about:

1. Yes, I still think about college around this time every year and I’m 3 years out. The feeling fades slowly, but, Back-to-School is always an exciting time of year.

2. For those starting their first job after college, you’ll be in a work/ career environment 40 hours a week, but what will you do with the other 128 hours?

We all go through a rough patch upon entering the “real world.” It’s tough. Monday through Friday, for what seems like every sun-lit hour, you’ll spend your time looking at a computer or scheduling meetings, or typing emails, or drafting reports etc.

My first step towards finding the positive in the “real world” was realizing that I would need to find a work/life balance. Wow. That’s a big undertaking for any 22 or 23 year old. I knew that I would have some decisions to make. How much would I involve myself with networking for work and how much time would be spent meeting up with old friends from college?

Finding the right balance isn’t easy. I have up and downs. Some weeks I’ll work late, some weeks I’ll leave at 5 on the dot. Other days, my mind moves between my career and my next big adventure outside of the office.

Monday through Friday is only as good as what you make of the whole week, in and an out of work.

Anyone doing something outside of work, please feel free to tell us about it. Kickball league, community service, a hobby…How do you find balance?

In preparation for my presentation at Virginia Tech’s annual PRSSA Symposium this Saturday I have gathered some tips I hope to pass along to the seniors at VT about to enter the working world. If you have any other words of wisdom, interview tips, or hard lessons learned please let me know.

1) The importance of networking online. Your employers will Google you! It is important to be found online. Use your profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn as an extension of your resume.
2) Ask how long your interviewer has been with the company. The longer a person’s tenure, the better the company is most likely treating them.
3) Know at least 3 or more direct competitors of the organization you interview with, they may ask you as way to gauge how much research and preparation you gave this interview.
4) Research the company’s most recent news. Know what is important to them and what is going on in their industry. Press releases are the BEST way to get breaking news on an organization and their competitors.
5) There is no substitute for internships. Start volunteering, start helping out, make a phone call, see where you can assist and then Make it Happen!
6) You are interviewing the organization as much as they are interviewing you. Make sure the company is a good fit for your personal style and interests.
7) Method Affects Effect. Make it look good. The way you present yourself, or the method, in which you present yourself, will affect the overall outcome. The vocabulary words you choose will affect your message. The shoes you wear will make an impression. Your personal method will affect the outcome.

Please drop a comment if you’ve got anything you’d like to add..

Mike Toner
www.MikeToner.com