Category: higher education

Blogs and the higher ed marketplace

Catching up on my higher ed blog-reading this morning, I discover two posts about blogging and the higher ed workplace.

One post, from erelevant, is an announcement that Warren Wilson College is looking for a VP of advancement. But it’s interesting that Morgan posted the ad on his blog. I’d be interested in hearing whether any candidates respond to the announcement, and whether any inquiries that begin, “I found your ad for the vice president’s position on the erelevant blog…” will make it past HR’s screening. Morgan, keep us informed, please.

The other post comes from Rob at UBrander, and it’s a lament about the substandard quality of applications he’s received for a web copywriter position.

He writes: “[M]ore than 50 applicants have made it through HR to my desk. Only four have received interviews. None have been hired.”

It seems they haven’t done their homework. But Rob has done his. Read on:

The ones who did get an interview didn’t bother to Google me. If they had, they would have found my blog, my LinkedIn profile, etc. They would have learned that I have a particular philosophy of higher ed marketing related to the IMC process. They would be able to impress me with marketing terms like “brand equity.” They would have even learned what I looked like so they could immediately recognize me when they walked into the department. Those who didn’t get interviews might have checked me out on the Web, but what prevented them from getting an interview was that I checked them out too.

A cautionary tale for job-seekers in the Internet age: Google your prospective employer. And beware what you post about yourself.

Chief Illiniwek’s last dance

At tonight’s University of Illinois basketball game, the Fighting Illini’s mascot, Chief Illiniwek, will dance his final dance. In a news release (PDF) issued last week, the university announced it was dropping the chief as its mascot after tonight’s game.

Chief Illiniwek

Illinois is the latest in a long line of universities to get rid of Native American mascots, following in the footsteps of schools like Marquette and St. John’s. Writing in PopMatters, Tim Giago, an Oglala Lakota, provides a historical perspective of the battle to drop the chief and notes that “not all ‘traditions’ are honorable.” But not all U of I students are happy with the decision and are showing their displeasure by wearing “chief” apparel today and then switching to black after tonight’s game. Many of the 3,500 students who joined a Facebook group in protest of the decision are expected to dress accordingly.