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Could You Sell Yourself In 160 Characters?


Posted by Eric Zeman, Jul 7, 2009 11:25 AM

A company based in Wales is looking for a new marketing employee. Rather than seek out resumes the traditional way, the company is asking prospective employees to sell themselves in one text message. Text messages are limited to 160 characters.


Hiring can be a tiresome process. Sorting through a pile of resumes can be draining, and may not lead you to the best possible hire for the job. Perhaps that's why Usk, Wales-based Teimlo has decided to take a different tack.

Teimlo provides content and other services for mobile phones. It partners with network operators and can provide portals to sell whatever services it is that a particular company wishes to sell or market. Teimlo recently posted the following job listing to its Web site:

Teimlo is looking for a new Marketer. If you are qualified, sassy, good with words, dynamite at events, Adobe compatible, have working knowledge of mobile and social media, and are a determined multi-tasker and networker we want to hear from you.

We will make an initial shortlist from the impression you make in 160 characters. Your text will be a single text at your standard network rate. You will receive an acknowledgement text followed by a further text to let you know if you are shortlisted. Once the hiring is complete we will send you one further text only.

Sounds like a very interesting way to seek out new employees, but is it a fair challenge? I don't know about you, but my resume runs two pages (one if I really edit it down). Which 160 characters describe me best? Do you think you could snag a new job simply by sending a text message?

How about something like this:

"I am a mobile blogger, Google me to see samples of my work."

That's only 59 characters, and its probably not going to get me hired.

"Blogger for hire. 10 years exp in mobile. Skills include writing, blogging, photography, video production, photoshop, HTML, & web tech. I work hard."

That's 148 characters, but I can't say it is any better than the first.

Feel free to share your 160-character resumes in the comment section.

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