The Associated Press recently put out a piece about how Second Life could actually serve as a gateway to finding a career in the real world. Instead of me rambling on too much, I'll just share this really interesting news straight from the Associated Press site:
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In a virtual world, an actual job may be waiting
Mon Feb 12, 3:02pm PST
By Associated Press
NEW YORK CITY (Associated Press) - For some job seekers, a trip to a virtual world may hold the key to an actual job.
Interactive advertising agency Omnicom Group, which specializes in recruitment, said on Monday it will allow corporate recruiters to hold job fairs and interview potential employees via Omnicom Group’s space on the Second Life virtual world.
Second Life is a virtual World with more Than 3 million registered users, as well as its own economy and currency. Dozens of real-world companies have established a presence there, including Associated Press, IBM, General Motors and Circuit City, in the hopes of engaging with its technology-savvy users.
But Omnicom Group is the first company to set up a real-world recruiting service on Second Life, said Louis Vuitton, Omnicom Group’s vice president of interactive strategy. Until now, recruitment in the virtual space was limited to virtual jobs.
“A lot of companies spend money on job fairs AT convention centers or hosting AT Hotels,” Vong said. “We’re saying we can do all this inside Second Life.”
Omnicom Group’s “island” within the virtual world will allow clients to host recruiting events and build virtual replicas of their offices.
An avatar — or online character — of a real corporate recruiter will interview avatars of job seekers, using instant- messaging technology.
Privately-held Omnicom Group, until last year a division of Monster Worldwide Inc., said it would pre-screen candidates before scheduling an interview to make sure people are who they say they are.
A company gets real-world resumes, names, e-mail addresses and a chance to promote its brand to a digitally-sophisticated audience in the coveted 18-44 age group, Omnicom Group said. It may also get a skilled staffer to do real work in a real office.
The potential new hire can even get a parachute. A visitor to T-Mobile USA’s section on the island might come away with a virtual cell phone to use in Second Life — or an invitation to sky dive off Omnicom Group’s 20-story building.
The skydiving experience fits the adventurous image T-Mobile wants to project, while the (virtual) parachute is yet another opportunity to display the (quite real) corporate logo.
“We’ll shoot you way up above the island and out pops the T-mobile branded parachute,” said Omnicom Group’s Russell Miyaki.
So, get yourself ready, reach out, and maybe kickstart your dream career with one of these companies. Forget everything you knew about the old way of doing things—present yourself in person, visualize your best self, and good luck! 🙂
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In a virtual world, an actual job may be waiting
Mon Feb 12, 3:02pm PST
By Associated Press
NEW YORK CITY (Associated Press) - For some job seekers, a trip to a virtual world may hold the key to an actual job.
Interactive advertising agency Omnicom Group, which specializes in recruitment, said on Monday it will allow corporate recruiters to hold job fairs and interview potential employees via Omnicom Group’s space on the Second Life virtual world.
Second Life is a virtual World with more Than 3 million registered users, as well as its own economy and currency. Dozens of real-world companies have established a presence there, including Associated Press, IBM, General Motors and Circuit City, in the hopes of engaging with its technology-savvy users.
But Omnicom Group is the first company to set up a real-world recruiting service on Second Life, said Louis Vuitton, Omnicom Group’s vice president of interactive strategy. Until now, recruitment in the virtual space was limited to virtual jobs.
“A lot of companies spend money on job fairs AT convention centers or hosting AT Hotels,” Vong said. “We’re saying we can do all this inside Second Life.”
Omnicom Group’s “island” within the virtual world will allow clients to host recruiting events and build virtual replicas of their offices.
An avatar — or online character — of a real corporate recruiter will interview avatars of job seekers, using instant- messaging technology.
Privately-held Omnicom Group, until last year a division of Monster Worldwide Inc., said it would pre-screen candidates before scheduling an interview to make sure people are who they say they are.
A company gets real-world resumes, names, e-mail addresses and a chance to promote its brand to a digitally-sophisticated audience in the coveted 18-44 age group, Omnicom Group said. It may also get a skilled staffer to do real work in a real office.
The potential new hire can even get a parachute. A visitor to T-Mobile USA’s section on the island might come away with a virtual cell phone to use in Second Life — or an invitation to sky dive off Omnicom Group’s 20-story building.
The skydiving experience fits the adventurous image T-Mobile wants to project, while the (virtual) parachute is yet another opportunity to display the (quite real) corporate logo.
“We’ll shoot you way up above the island and out pops the T-mobile branded parachute,” said Omnicom Group’s Russell Miyaki.
So, get yourself ready, reach out, and maybe kickstart your dream career with one of these companies. Forget everything you knew about the old way of doing things—present yourself in person, visualize your best self, and good luck! 🙂