YouTube and your career

I'm sure the title would make you think this was going to be another article about how to avoid the digital dirt phenomenon, right? Not this time. Sometimes technology can help you jump start your career if used the right way.

I recently had a colleague ask me if she could toss out an application that consisted of a four-page resume and three-page cover letter. I quickly told her that certainly could because the applicant either A: Enjoys talking about him/herself or B: Has no clue. With so many on-line videos and career development web sites on the market, there is no excuse for lack of preparation.

Two excellent on-line career preparation tutorial sites come from Vault and CollegeGrad:

1. Vault.com (http://youtube.com/user/VaultVideo): If you're looking for an entertaining short film on interview dos and don'ts and other career search hot topics, then this is the site to go to. Vault has a strong reputation for being one of the most trusted names in career information, and they have over 48 videos to prove it!
2. Collegegrad.com (http://youtube.com/user/BrianKrueger): The greatest perk about Brian Krueger's videos is the length. Each of the 68 videos lasts around one minute, providing the viewer with short tidbits of helpful information. So, if you have one or two minutes to spare, Brian's videos are well worth it. I particularly like his tips on cover letter writing and how to remain calm during an interview.

Enjoy!