The apparent theme of this blog and of life in general these days, according to Captain Obvious, is that the Internet in all its vastness is no longer a hobby or a mindless distraction. It has become as much a part of American life as cheap beer and taxes. For some, the virtual appendage attaches easy. But for those who weren't born with WiFi built into their brains and USB plugs on each finger tip, the flood of information can be overwhelming to the point of capitulation.
So for an industry like journalism to not only accept but embrace the second-to-second changes of Internet communication is rather remarkable, given its reputation of being staunchly built on staunchness and a deep respect for not just the history of its craft, but for the tradition it represents. (Try to imagine Ben Bradlee saying "Send it live now, get it right later.") It may be this tradition that's not only keeping newspapers alive, but it's helping them thrive. Something about unfolding those off-white broadsheets, stained with morning coffee, drives 104 million people to read print news every day. But the Newspaper Association of America also points out that news is in transition mode, and many good things are coming out of it. One of the many challenges of online news is to create something that hasn't been done a million times before. Through niche markets, multimedia innovations, need-filling information tools and experiments with different business models (non-profits) and platforms (iPhone Apps), new news--onlinenews--is chipping away at a thick layer of Web redundancy and marrying tradition with innovation.
The result is a better connected, more credible and useful Internet and more up-to-date news than ever before. Gathering, distributing and reading the news is like wading in a collective, global stream of consciousness and sifting through to find what's relevant to the reader and what's useful to the reporter. But the problem still remains: Who has the time to find all these things, much less use them on a regular basis? Perhaps the next step toward perfect usability is an online directory of Web sites, organized by use, region or topic. Something like that might already exist.
Among the societal and technological changes wrought by the Internet explosion, one new use has not become standard, but taking advantage of it can push you above the crowd in the job search: online and multimedia resumes. The job market is unfortunately far from standardized. Every employer wants to feel special with a tailor-made cover letter and a specialized resume these days, and good luck figuring out exactly what employers want.
The debate over best methods to wooing a potential employer has gone on for millennia: One page or two? Graphics or streamlined? Narrative or to-the-point? Professional or laid-back? Some people are scrapping it all and taking their "personal portrait" to a whole new level. Interactive Web resumes are colorful, informative and loaded with character and charisma, as opposed to the Times New Roman fact sheet of olde. People are taking to heart the idea of not just showcasing accomplishments, but making a memorable mark that will burn a personalized brand onto the minds of recruiters.
Also, online resumes allow for one-click tours of your entire online presence, which could give an employer an even better picture of your networking abilities, work style and hobbies or interests. Applicants can link to their blogs (a great way to demonstrate writing abilities), Facebook (as long as you're careful about questionable content) and LinkedIn, a site that is quickly becoming the first stop for employers.
As the barriers between real life and virtual life slowly melt away, the Internet
is proving to be an essential tool in the working world, especially for journalists.
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