For someone who prides herself on keeping up with trends, I have been quite slow on the uptake with Multi-User Virtual Environments, such as Second Life. I don’t fully grasp this concept, and I haven’t yet become a full participant, but I’m attempting to learn more and expect to post more as I do. Clearly, Second Life is a storytelling environment.
It should not therefore have surprised me that Second Life is also being used as a job-interviewing environment, but there it was in the New York Times.
Reporter Matt Villano told of his interview with Linden Lab, the owner and operator of Second Life:
Mr. Gould showed up in a Superman costume. Next, he invited me to sit down next to him in a chaise longue that overlooked the crashing surf. As we talked about my strengths and weaknesses, crabs skittered along the sand at our feet. At another point, in the middle of responding to a question about overcoming professional challenges, I stood up and performed a hula dance.
Finally, after thanking me for my time, Mr. Gould stood up, shook my hand and flew away.
Apparently, these interviews are indeed taking place, and companies are also using Second Life for Virtual Job Fairs. “Mr. Gould” told Villano that Second Life interviews are best supplemented with traditional recruiting methods.