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Blog Comments Can Tank Job Prospects

Posted Oct 29, 2008 6:22 AM CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss

Blogging may help law students blow off some steam or connect with others, but it could harm their job search, warns a law firm recruiting manager.

Writing in the Am Law Daily, Lynne Traverse of Bryan Cave gives an example. A student interviewing for a summer associate position listed her blog on her resume. When a lawyer checked out the blog, it contained an entry from the student’s spouse about the cities where she hoped to be working. The city where the Bryan Cave office was located was not among them.

Traverse explains that Bryan Cave invests a lot of money in summer associates, and wants to hire students who really want to work at the firm.

“Blogs are dangerous since they tend to contain random, stream of consciousness entries as well as posts from people other than the job candidate,” Traverse adds. Expect that potential employers will look at blogs as well as social networking websites. “Watch out for those party pictures and personal information you don't think an employer will see.”

Students should instead make sure their blogs help their job search by posting descriptions of meaningful student and community activities or discussions of legal issues.

Comments

1.

Matthw
Oct 29, 2008 11:48 AM CST

I never thought about that.  Despite the layoff news, I see thousands of high paying jobs posted on employment sites -

http://www.linkedin.com (networking for professionals)
http://www.indeed.com (aggregated listings)
http://www.realmatch.com (jobs matched to your skills)

Those laid off will find new jobs…maybe better ones!

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2.

Ellen Barshevsky
Oct 29, 2008 9:28 PM CST

I DISAGREE. 

I am not a regular BLAWGGER, but I have had a number of people say that I can come to work for THEM because I am a legal EXPERT.

People know that I know the LAW, and am a member of the BAR in good standing. 

My boyfriend also says that I should NEVER be afraid of voicing my OPINION on matters where I have expirtise.

I said to him there are ONLY some areas of the Law that I know, but I don’t know ANYTHING about ANTI-TRUST or the UNITED NATIONS LAW.

He said he did NOT know anyting about the law OTHER than I was his star Lawyer.  So, I do NOT BLAWG about those topics.

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3.

Tanizaki
Oct 31, 2008 4:37 AM CST

What does your BOYFRIEND say to you ABOUT randomly rendering WORDS in all CAPS for no apparent REASON?

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4.

RJGatorEsq.
Oct 31, 2008 5:40 AM CST

#2, our self-proclaimed legal EXPERT:

I sincerely HOPE your boyfriend does NOT look to you for SPELLING advice, since spelling is CLEARLY not an area where you have any “EXPIRTESE” [sic].

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5.

Annoyed
Oct 31, 2008 7:29 AM CST

Ellen, seriously????

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6.

Edwin Barmaidsky
Oct 31, 2008 7:33 AM CST

Ellen, I can assue you that if you used your inane and quasi-literate posts here as a writing sample, you would have no prospects. And that is the POINT of the article.
For students and others who are burned by their blogs, face books, etc., it is a good exercise in being discreet and maintaining confidences that are essential components of a successful career.  i wouldn’t hire someone who would be so careless.

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7.

MakeEllenStop
Oct 31, 2008 7:35 AM CST

Stop Ellen ... I am begging you ... stop before we all die from laughing so hard at you! STOP!! My sides hurt everytime I read your posts ... God help the profession if word of you gets out, just more fuel for the lawyer-joke fire.

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8.

JFK
Oct 31, 2008 7:59 AM CST

Blogging would be ok if everyone would let Ellen edit them before posting.

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9.

Fierce
Oct 31, 2008 8:16 AM CST

Ellen, It’s OK not to be an EXPIRT in every area of the law.. United Nations law isn’t very important anyway.  You (or your BOYFRIEND) would be welcome to work at my firm.  Keep Posting here though.  Unlike these jealous detractors, I love your POSTS!!!  Your BOYFRIEND is SOOOOOO LUCKY!!!

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10.

EB fan
Oct 31, 2008 9:17 AM CST

I feel sorry for anyone whose real name is Ellen Barshevsky.  That said, I love your posts! I look forward to them and the reactions they get evertime I get this newsletter.

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11.

Al Dunbar
Oct 31, 2008 9:23 AM CST

Don’t feed the troll, people.

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12.

Andy the Lawyer
Oct 31, 2008 9:33 AM CST

Ellen’s boyfriend is Todd Palin.  Or his clone.

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13.

suspicious
Oct 31, 2008 9:42 AM CST

I don’t think Ellen is real.  After reading many of her inane posts, I have come to the conclusion that she is a fictitious character.  Someone created her and enjoys getting a rise out of everyone else who reacts to her ridiculous statements.  I think her posts get more reaction and commentary than the original law articles she comments on.

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14.

Poindexter (aka "knuckles") T. SMith
Oct 31, 2008 12:05 PM CST

Comment removed by moderator.

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15.

R
Oct 31, 2008 2:56 PM CST

I would be interested in Ellen’s take on the latest Palin controversy: the one where she claims that the press is violating her First Amendment rights by criticizing her negative campaigning. I’m serious! (At least about Palin’s claim.)

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16.

Texas Law
Oct 31, 2008 9:51 PM CST

News Flash:  Ellen is a male Troll who is not a lawyer.  Poindexter is not Ellen’s boyfriend because Ellen’s boyfriend is named Allen (or Alan, I forget and can’t spell either).  Quite frankly, the Bronte sisters are almost as overrated as Ellen.  Blogs are dangerous, they cause you to lose brain cells.

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17.

Beckie Moriello
Nov 1, 2008 6:01 PM CST

In response to the article…

I don’t see how the example used in the article should dissuade us from blogging. If I don’t want to live in a certain city, then better the employer find out sooner rather than later.

I recently had an interview where I wished that the employer had googled me first and saved us both some time. (He made it clear during the interview that he wasn’t keen on hiring Obama-supporters.)

As for party pictures, I disagree with the common wisdom. I think it’s silly to feed the delusion that employees don’t have weekends. If my boss walks into a party where I am, it would be ridiculous for her to expect me to be on office behavior. It is equally ridiculous for her to expect office behavior on my facebook page. She’s welcome to look at it, but she’s going there with the understanding that she’s visiting me on my off-hours.

(Of course, I realize that this is idealistic and that clients might be biased by an atty’s non-work web presence, which therefore creates a legitimate reason for an employer to make decisions based on non-work web presence.

Which makes me want to stick my tongue out at those clients, and makes me thankful that my current field doesn’t involve such clients.)

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18.

Michael G
Nov 1, 2008 11:50 PM CST

Personally, I really don’t care about what potential employers think of me.  If they don’t like the real me, they shouldn’t hire me, then.  Who needs them?

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19.

Big Mack
Nov 3, 2008 8:46 PM CST

To all those who dont care please continue. It allows all of us who do care to get the better jobs. From the bottom of my heart thanks.

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20.

LoveMeSomeEllen
Nov 7, 2008 11:54 AM CST

When I read this article, I thought:  this is perfect for Ellen.  Her post did not dissappoint:  “I am not a regular BLAWGGER,” line is pure gold.  Thanks, Ellen

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