Dear Friends,

It is no more news about how much the world has evolved and still evolving daily. In our present electronic world, there is hardly anything you do right now that would not require using the virtual space. For many, the virtual space has become a means of livelihood that rakes in enough to keep them smiling.

It will be futile to attempt to define the term “CV” as captured in the title because it is usually the first thing anyone is asked when in search of a job or perhaps most opportunities. Each time anyone says to us “Please send me your CV”, even when the opportunity does not materialize, we smile with the hope that our CV will make a case for us to get the opportunity. There are lots of debates about how a CV should look and many friends have sent me CVs to help review. In fact, some have had to ask me to write CVs for them from scratch. Each time I review these CVs, I always advise them to also polish their virtual CVs.

This is the premise of my post. I have come with a simple question: How polished is your virtual CV? You Still do not get the message, right? Arguably the new generation CV is now “Social Media” Yes!! Facebook, Instagram, etc. As a young person, are you aware that when you apply for a job or an opportunity, some of these guys come to see if your personality matches what you say on paper? Why else do you think the US asks for your Social media handles when you apply for a visa? In the same way, you use google to find out information. The same is done somewhere to find out about you. The use of social media has increasingly become a measuring tool across different spheres. The various scenarios where Social media has been used as a decision tool for different opportunities is endless. Now there are lots of arguments as to how ethical this is, however, that is not within the remit of my short piece.

If you fail to recognise that your social media account is the new CV in our day and age, then, it could be suggested that you fail to recognise a route to your growth. Why else do you think celebrities polish up their Instagram pages and struggle for the blue tick? All we do is go there and smile at how beautiful their page is failing to recognise that they use those pages as their CV.

I have spoken to a few people who say, “I am not so active online” and yes, it is not a crime not to be active but if you are a user on this virtual space, you must recognise its potency in being a decision tool across many fronts. Personally, I have loads of experiences that this post cannot contain in relation to how my social media pages have served as my CV.

Be deliberate about building your profile and be guided in your daily interactions with people on this space. Many people have lost jobs simply because they insulted someone on Facebook on Sunday, only to discover he was the same person who had called them for an interview on Monday. Be guided.

With these reasons and many more, I have come to the personal conclusion that this virtual space is the new CV, polish your social media pages. It is okay to have fun and breath while here but please remember that it is the new CV. Watch what you post, share, do, and say, people are watching, employers are watching, record labels are watching, visa officers are watching, institutions are watching and this might just be your elevation or doom.

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