Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Beeline Broadcast, #3

Plowing Ahead with Pinterest


Source (via Pinterest) - Originating source link is broken

I am a self-confessed Pinterest addict. For anyone who doesn't know, Pinterest is a social media site where users upload photographs, recipes, diy projects, etc. for others to view. Users then "pin" images to their "boards”. Basically it’s a form of social media. At my assisantship I rely on Pinterest for bulletin board inspiration. Sometimes I find material for academic-related workshops. Pinterest also has resources that are helpful for soon-to-be graduates, like interview tips and resume outlines. I really like UConn's Center for Career Development board.


When I interviewed for the position at the community college, I actually fashioned questions from today's featured Pinterest image. I asked a number of questions during my interview, but the panel responded well to the following two: 

1. Are there any opportunities for professional development? 
2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your department? 

I ended up rephrasing “department” to “institution” because the panel represented a variety of departments. It was really interesting to see their reaction to Question #2. I think they were bored after watching interview after interview, and this was an opportunity for them to really think and construct their own answer. I especially liked this question because it was much easier for me to attribute certain responses to certain faces (rather than names to faces). 

Their responses were fodder for personalizing my thank-you letters. Instead of writing a generalized response, I included something more personal: “I really liked how you described your institution as an exciting, collaborative environment. I would love the opportunity to contribute my own ideas in this position!” 

In short, Pinterest is revolutionizing my job search (one pin at a time).

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