Virtual interviews, real jobs

A Job Interview You Don't Have to Show Up For 
From the Wall Street Journal Business Section

You don’t go to the interview, you just send your Avatar.  A number of companies, such as Microsoft and Verizon, are using Second Life to interview potential hires.  Remarkably this article is not the usual smear job.  No sex and violence.   Reasonable coverage.  The article is two years old and written when Second Life had not introduced voice, but is otherwise informative. I looked around for information to update the story and develop content for newcomers,  

Companies and universities are actively using Second Life not only to interview prospective hires, but also to recruit employees and students.  Or, conversely, universities are using Second Life to let prospective students interview them.   At the Rockcliffe Community Gateway I see a number of people come into Second Life with interests like that.   The information displayed when people enter Second Life shows Rockcliffe as education- and business-oriented; that may attract people with objectives that match. 

You can see why virtual interviews would be of interest for screening applicants.  No travel costs.  No office needed.  And if you are looking for tech savvy people—well, your prospective employee has to pass some tech tests even to get to your interview.   

And speaking of tech tests, people need help getting ready for job interviews.  The writer describes a few problems that people ran into in connection with a job interview in Second Life.  Finding appropriate clothes is an example.  Controlling the avatar is another.  These are obviously examples provided by people who entered Second Life specifically to have a job interview and went to the interview as newcomers.   

All that shows a need -- and possibly a demand - for an introduction to Second life that is specially designed to meet the needs of people coming to do business.   That was two years ago.   About the same time Manpower moved into Second Life to help meet that demand.  

Last September, Manpower hosted a discussion:

 "The Evolution of the Virtual Workforce"

"Since we established our presence in Second Life two years ago, social networks have completely evolved the labor market," said Manpower Inc. Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres. "Now, every social network has some underlying current related to job searching or career development. We are seeing the emergence of a flexible new model for virtual work, led by entrepreneurial, tech-savvy individuals who dictate when, where and how they work. We are focused on what motivates and interests this new breed of workers, giving us the ability to create practical solutions that help our clients attract, engage and retain winning talent."  

Here are some relevant links: 

Manpower Inc. and the world of virtual work.

Manpower's Second Life Headquarters

Web link: Manpower's Second Life Headquarters 
You can enter Second Life through this website.  

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Three Christmas Plays by Avatar Repertory Theater

These were presented this past weekend to enthisiastic crowds of 50 to 70 people 

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Second Life Wave Users Meet-Up

• Who: Second Life™ developers who are also Google Wave users
• What: Developers Discussion
• Where: Free University of Berlin*
• When: 11AM SLT Saturday, Dec 19th
• Why: To discuss the integration of SL applications and XMPP

Join programmers and content creators to discuss how wave technology (XMPP) might be integrated with SL applications.

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Special Hobo celebration 

---- Friday 18th December 2009 ----

Hobo Island

California time

• 1pm - Russell Eponym
• 2pm - Fable Sinatra
• 3pm - Senjata Witt
• 4pm - Morton Shamen
• 5pm - Ziffy Zarf
• 6pm - TerryLynn Melody
• 7pm - Von Johin hour 1
• 8pm - Von Johin hour 2

---- Saturday 19th December ----

California time

• 1pm - Blindboy Gumbo
• 2pm - davecorbett Darwin
• 3pm - Morton Shamen
• 4pm - Bartelby Pegler hour 1, DJ'ing
• 5pm - Bartelby Pegler hour 2, DJ'ing
• 6pm - Frets Nirvana
• 7pm - Blindboink Parham

---- Sunday 20th December ----

California time

• 1pm - Bartelby Pegler and Whirligig Rutabaga
• 2pm - Peet Peterman
• 3pm - Frequency Picnic, DJ'ing
• 4pm - Morton Shamen
• 5pm - Arman Finesmith
• 6pm - Groucho March
• 7pm - Frogg Marlowe & Jaycatt Nico 'Effinjay'