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I was doing a search for search engine marketing on Google and saw Bing advertising in the sidebar via Adwords.  Has anyone else noticed this? I think it is interesting that Google is allowing Bing to advertise on Google.  Here is a screen shot. Click for larger view

There is a very interesting article over at NevilleHobson.com this morning titled “Job requirement: Twitter followers” that discusses a recent job posting by BestBuy in which there is a preffered qualification of having 25o Twitter followers.  After reading this I am wondering if having a “personal social media portfolio” will be something that will give the edge to future job hunters.  If a freshman in college begins to utilize social networks and maintains those social networks until graduation, what will that group of social network accounts be worth?  I can see where in certain industries, especially sales, where existing personal networks could be very valuable.  This seems to be the next logical step in preparing for the work force.

I look back on two occaisions in my past when I saw this same concept in use only on a pencil and paper level.  When I got out of the Navy in 1987 I went to work for a major insurance company and the first two days on the job the only thing I did was make a list of everyone that I knew no matter how well I knew them. Everyone from best friends to the guy that took my money at the local convenience store for a cup of coffee. This was to be my core list of sales calls.  A few years later I took a job as a car salesman (hardest job in the world by the way) and once again the first couple of days at work were devoted to making a list of everyone I knew.

So now that I think of it the concept is not new just the technology involved. We have moved form legal pad and pen to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace et al……  Maybe CIS 101 in college these days should include how to start and maintain a personal social network.

What are your thoughts on having these networks as a suggested job requirement?

I suppose the title of this blog post says it all.  It is a little long I will agree.  I certainly have not learned all there is to know about SEO, but I realize there are many changes going on at this time and I want to discover and learn more about off site techniques including social networking to drive traffic to my websites.  I guess the question I am asking myself is which is more valuable and produces the best results; off site social networking to drive traffic or onsite SEO for the search engines and subsuquent discovery by visitors.

I am curious as to what your opinion is?