"Applying for real life jobs... scary!"

Pinnacol tries to reach candidates interested in exploring careers with us many different ways. We're on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter. So it's not unusual to see in my in-box that someone new is following me on Twitter. I usually click the link that takes me to their Twitter page just to see who they are and to try to understand why they are following us.

This morning I had a notification from a student, Bailey, at Iowa State University who appears to be brand new to all things tweeted. She had tweeted just once, but her single tweet speaks volumes: "Applying for real life jobs... scary!" And they say that you can't say much in 140 characters or less...

To Bailey I first say thank you for following us - we hope some of the information we share is useful. And second, welcome to the real world - applying for real jobs is scary at any age, so you are in good company. I remember when I was in your shoes getting ready to graduate from college and looking for my first 'real' job. Despite all the help I could finagle from my college career center, friends, and parents I really had no clue what I was doing. From writing a resume and cover letter that would make me stand out from the crowd, to the first face-to-face interview it was all a brave new world.

The job market Bailey is facing is radically different from the one I faced all those years ago. However, some things haven't changed despite all the new technology, social media, and increased competition for every job available. The ability to interact at a human level won't necessarily get you an interview, but by and large it is still what will get you the job. My wife, who is a teacher, constantly is giving me examples of students who can text faster than a speeding bullet but who have an inordinate amount of difficulty actually communicating with others face to face.

I'll give Bailey credit - she actually tweeted a simple, easily understood thought. So many tweets are indecipherable either due to the  abbreviation required by the 140 character limit or because you're left guessing at what the person tweeting really meant.

She also made me remember that in just a couple of months a whole new crop of recent graduates will be entering the job market. I wish Bailey well as she begins her search. Scary as the job market may be, it still remains a brave new world out there. That's something else that hasn't changed.