Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

An On-Line Technography Scenario

Author:Bernie DeKoven
Posted:3/30/1999; 10:34:40 AM
Topic:An On-Line Technography Scenario
Msg #:4694
Prev/Next:4693 / 4695

The on-line Career Counselor:

On-line technography is going to affect the range and nature of services available through the Internet. What follows is a sample scenario. I hope it will encourage you to continue in your efforts to explore this technology, and to contemplate other scenarios of equal or greater power. I think the more we can envision how this will happen, the more effective we will be in making it so. You, for some hopefully happy reason, are in the process of looking for a job. The first obstacle is getting your resume together. And, despite oodles of inner confidence, you have come to the realization that you need help. So, what you do, you clever and astute person you, is seek the support of an on-line Career Counselor. You find the appropriate website, and, in the conveniently supplied response form, enter your name, phone number, best times to be called, and, of course, your preferred method of payment. If you already have a resume, you are asked to send it via e-mail. You get an e-mail confirming your request, the time that you will be called, and a URL to click on. You get the call. The compassionate and well-informed voice instructs you to click on the URL. You do so, and get linked to a page with your name on it, and a copy of your old resume. The voice informs you that your resume has been reformatted into an outline. As you watch, you see the outline collapse into main headings. Then, the voice directs your attention to the "accomplishments" section of your resume, which is suddenly expanded. "First," explains the voice, "we need to re-organize this section. You have it organized according to time. It really needs to be organized according to which accomplishments you feel will have the most relevance to the job your looking for. So, let's do some prioritization. For example, if I may suggest, since you're applying for the position of Master Frontiersman, your keynote address to the Baton Twirling Conference might be less important than your having developed the website for Newsweek, so, let's put the Baton Twirling on the bottom of the list, and the Newsweek job on the top." As you observe the changes made to the list you begin to understand the process. "Oh," you exclaim, "perhaps my paper on The Future of the Internet should go right after the Newsweek job, and my Second Place award at the National Whistle-Blower's Convention actually go below Baton Twiirling." And as you suggest the changes, you see them happen, on-screen. "Perhaps," suggests the voice, "we should look at your opening paragraph again. Now that we have a better idea of your qualifications, maybe you have something to add beyond 'I want a job that will pay me a lot.'" As the voice makes the suggestion, you see the Accomplishments list collapse, and the Introductory Paragraph open. And so it goes, section by section, the voice patiently and professionally guiding you through the process, your participation and personal investment pretty much total, your resume taking shape and form before your eyes. And when you and the voice are satisfied, you can download the completed resume or, for a modest extra fee, get an appropriately professionally formatted version e-mailed to you by the end of the day. If you've ever gone through trying to actually get help on preparing a resume, you can appreciate how shifted this paradigm really is. In stead of being given a bunch of frustrating and generally demeaning advice on how you should write a resume if you only had the right stuff, you are actually getting actual help, and winding up with an actual resume. In stead of having someone write it for you and go through days of iteration and reiteration while you each try to understand the other, you are sharing expertise and understanding, working together, learning from each other, getting immediate satisfaction and meaningful results.



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