The employment specialist world of tomorrow

Despite spending most of my day (work and personal time) on a computer, I'm a skeptic about the promises of world-changing web applications. I think MySpace is for kids and I figure that 99% of videos on Youtube are better off not seen. I follow people on Twitter, but don't tweet myself as I don't think my employer would approve. Of course, I do blog.

Still, I think these are all great tools for workforce development. Here's a roundup of the most hyped sites and thoughts on their potential in our field. Real life examples reveal the early adopters and some hiccups with blogs that were suspended after three posts or social networking profiles with zero friends.

Twitter

Basic:
1. Announce Events
2. Celebrate successes.

Advanced:
1. Connect to employers.
2. Advertise specific candidates.

-Workforce Solutions Heart of Texas tweets.
-Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande tweets.
-Wise (VA) Workforce Center tweets.
-Worksystems Inc (Portland, OR) tweets.

Youtube

Basic:
1. Recruiting/Informational Brochures
2. Event Recaps

Advanced:
1. Self-produced (targeted) training
2. Employer interviews/profiles

-Workforce Solutions (Houston-Galveston-Gulfcoast) application and interviewing videos on Youtube.


MySpace/Facebook

Basic
1. Announce events.
2. Recruit.

Advanced:
1. Maintain follow-up contact.
2. Connect participants to other resources.

-Workforce Solutions Heart of Texas Myspace.
-Columbia-Greene Workforce NY Myspace.
-Worksource Vancouver (WA) Myspace.


Other examples:

Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast blog.

Huron County (OH) employment specialist interview by the Toledo Blade on Youtube.

Cumberland County (NC) Workforce Development montage on Youtube.

WorkOne Southeast (IN) youth commercial on Youtube.

Wise (VA) Workforce Center podcasts.