Adding Web 2.0 to your CV

[Judi Kercher]

I saw an interesting 'discussion' topic at the LIS ning about adding Web 2.0 skills to resumes or CVs. How would one do that? Is it necessary? How much detail would you provide? Is adding a link to a Web 2.0 site about your Web 2.0 involvement to your CV (as suggested there) a good idea? What do others think?

[Sean Murgatroyd]

I've been thinking about this subject myself. I'm currently employed as a Children's and Teen's librarian but am wanting to reposition myself as a web/web 2 maven and hop career paths.

For this purpose especially I feel taking the step of having one's CV being a 2.0 document isn't too far - although the cautious part of me feels a need to back it up with paper anyway - almost every library manager is well aware of the need for, and desirability of web 2 skills, but not all of them have the time to invest in learning to navigate their way around it.

My notion was of a PBWiki to (I notice Karin Dalziel mentions that and I'll be following up on Weebly and Wetpaint as alternative options.) Perhaps having a "printable" button at the very start of the site referring to a public google doc/stored word doc would allow managers who want Web 2 but are not necessarily confident to navigate it themselves would be a solution to that conundrum.

[librarykris]

Back in the day when I was a manager I would have been keen to see how applicants were applying their web 2.0 skills. I wouldn't have cared (much) about their personal use of webtech it would have been how they apply it to their working life either as an individual or an organisation representative that would have been more important. So for e.g. "they started a Flickr account that included virtual tours of their library" would be more important than "have Flickr account showing their holiday snaps". It's tricky if they aren't in a library or similar job already of course. In that case I'd still be keen to see they have experience using various tech (just like I'd be keen to know they can use MOffice. )

There's also the question of online identity. Who are they? Is their private/personal identity the same or do they have more than one? I currently have 5 - 1 pseudonym personal me, 3 pseudonym work me, 1 actual work me (and by golly it's getting hard to keep them all in check.) If you only have actual-you then putting something in your CV is kind of a moot point - employers will probably be googling you anyway. (For the record I haven't googled anyone who I was hiring but I have done it for new work colleagues.)

When I apply for jobs I like to write up results and actions rather than just a straight list of skills. I'll tweak it for each job. If I felt that a my strategic skills were more important to this position than web skills then that's what I'd focus on. It's all a guessing game when applying for jobs - what are they actually looking for and how can I best show that off. Also what could the job be good for? what might be included? If I was at all unsure then I might leave out my web2 stuff and try and talk about it at the interview. After all, you can't include everything in your CV.

I like the idea of an online document/site/thing but until HR practice catches up with online practice you'd be better off with a paper copy as well so that there is something to hand to prospective employers.

Other thoughts...
Librarian in Black http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/about.html
Penelope Trunk on online identity overrated-cleaning-up-your-online-identity-underrated-cleaning-up-y...
Phil Bradley on spokio
How to defend your online reputation by Dan Tynan (found via Stephens Lighthouse