Can Your Slashdot Comments Get You A Job?

from the in-some-places,-apparently... dept

Wed, Aug 5th 2009 5:20am — Mike Masnick

It always amuses me when people insist that no one would create content without getting paid for it, since that's clearly not true. Plenty of people produce all sorts of valuable content for a variety of other reasons -- and even if they don't get paid for it directly, down the road, it can lead to opportunities to get paid. A good example of that, obviously, is the open source community, where there are plenty of stories of active contributors leveraging their success in the community to find jobs. But can it apply to blog comments as well? Perhaps. Ian alerted us to the fact that the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) is looking to hire people on the PR side, and one of the things they're asking for (even before a resume) is a link to your Slashdot profile (or other similar "comment histories"). Who knew all those "first!" posts could be worth something...?

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Filed Under: comments, content, jobs, resume, slashdot

24 Comments

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pegr, 5 Aug 2009 @ 5:58am

No way, baby!
I keep my real-life persona separate from my online antics... So much so that there is no online connection between the two. No, don't think I would want to be judged for potential employment by my posts.

Remember, on the Internet, no one knows you're a dog!
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Chargone, 5 Aug 2009 @ 6:00am

i know it's meant to be a joke, i get it and am amused :D but i can't help responding to such statements seriously as well. i somehow don't think 'First!' comments will get one very far.

well, 'cept maybe far away from any forums involved :D
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aguywhoneedstenbucks (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 6:02am

Re: No way, baby!
In real life no one knows I'm a jackass.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 6:17am

Re: Re: No way, baby!
My kind of business partner. All aboard the jackass express...
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minijedimaster (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 6:29am

Re: Re: Re: No way, baby!
I always said that if I ever bought a boat I'd call it the "Jackhole Express"
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Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 6:32am

Re: No way, baby!
"I keep my real-life persona separate from my online antics"

Yeah, same here. To the point where if I was asked for links to my comments, I'd say "sorry, I don't get online". I have a vary strong opinion about copyright, patents, and trademarks. I don't think those would go over vary well in a job interview.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 6:33am

Re: Re: Re: Re: No way, baby!
"I always said that if I ever bought a boat I'd call it the "Jackhole Express""

Not a bad name.

I'd call mind "A boot" and sail that bitch into Canadian waters to just confuse the shit out of EVERYONE!
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Aug 2009 @ 6:36am

Sounds like a pretty shrewd move by the SFLC. Didn't we just see a story a few weeks ago about a PR person who got fired for comments posted online? If you are hiring a PR person, it makes sense to check out their Slashdot (or other online commenting) profile to see if they are a jackass or if they can respond to criticism intelligently.
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aguywhoneedstenbucks (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 6:47am

Re: Re: Re: No way, baby!
Oh crap! I've exposed my jackassery to someone that I'm doing business with!
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Travis (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 7:44am

"I keep my real-life persona separate from my online antics..."

Yeah...wouldn't want current/future employees to find out about my forum trolling. :)
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Travis (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 7:48am

"In real life no one knows I'm a jackass."

In real life...nobody knows I am a sexy female Night Elf Hunter known as Luvstopwn.
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Thomas Burke, 5 Aug 2009 @ 7:53am

Re: Re: No way, baby!
Might get you a job on a political campaign group or maybe a job for a company with similar views.
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mediawest (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 8:02am

copywrong
the recording of the music is the issue. the copyright covers the recording, not the music piece. there should be a fair use clause, but, there aint no sanity clause..........
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Travis (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 8:12am

Re: copywrong
"the recording of the music is the issue. the copyright covers the recording, not the music piece. there should be a fair use clause, but, there aint no sanity clause.........."

I think you took a wrong turn somewhere.
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ferin (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 8:12am

no
If somebody actually gets hired, solely based on being a frequent FIRST! commenter, I think I will cry.
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Ian, 5 Aug 2009 @ 8:15am

Re: Re: No way, baby!
Chronno S. Trigger said:
I have a vary strong opinion about copyright, patents, and trademarks. I don't think those would go over vary well in a job interview.
At the Software Freedom Law Center? You might be surprised.
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Shawn (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 8:16am

I tell them my online persona is 'Anonymous Coward' and that I often contradict myself :D
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Canuck, 5 Aug 2009 @ 9:10am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: No way, baby!
"I'd call mind "A boot" and sail that bitch into Canadian waters to just confuse the shit out of EVERYONE!"

If you sailed into a Canadian port with a boat named "A Boot" people would probably have a good chuckle and assume you're Canadian.
We don't actually say "aboot" but we all know that yank's think we do so it would come off as a nice gag.
I;m all for it!
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Dark Helmet (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 9:37am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: No way, baby!
"We don't actually say "aboot" but we all know that yank's think we do so it would come off as a nice gag."

....Bull, sir. It may not be as widespread a correct stereotype as it's played out to be, but I've met plenty of Maples in my time, and I've heard a-boot. Not that Minnesotans are any better....
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Anonymous Noel Coward, 5 Aug 2009 @ 9:47am

Re: Re: No way, baby!
Chronno: vary != very. Or do you really mean your opinions are sometimes strong and sometimes not?
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Chucklebutte (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 10:34am

o.O
im too irrational in my posts with poor grammar no punctuation and very foul language usually ranting about this and that...

I hope no future employer looks at my /. post... or any for that matter! lol
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Aug 2009 @ 12:03pm

Re: Re: No way, baby!
Then that implies you are looking to work for companies that don't share your opinions on quite fundamental things...
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another mike (profile), 5 Aug 2009 @ 4:24pm

Re: No way, baby!
Woof, I mean, This.
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Jacob, 23 Dec 2010 @ 4:51am

How to create a resume
nice post
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