Why Personal Project Data Matters in Today’s Workforce

Humans are creatures of habit. Maintaining a conventional lifestyle is comfortable, yet comfort and security do not always coexist. We would be naïve to think our routines are untraceable. In fact, we leave online breadcrumbs in most every aspect of our lives. And companies are picking up on these patterns through the quantified self, or personal projected data.

We document where we are, who we are with, what we do, how we feel, or what we buy through common sources like social media, IP addresses, Wi-Fi connection, GPS, browser history, loyalty cards etc. Powerful companies like Amazon, Facebook and Netflix have developed algorithms in order to relate to their customers and their interests by using their customer’s quantified data.

“My argument isn’t one against the quantified self-movement. But if history is any guide naïve, blind participation without considering the implications of your data being recorded and shared with third parties is reckless.”  https://pando.com/2013/05/20/you-are-your-data-the-scary-future-of-the-quantified-self-movement/

Most people equate data collecting as a form of consumer targeting. And for the most part, this kind of tracking is common and appears harmless. However, we are blind to the detrimental data we unknowingly give up without hesitation, and this is the data to which companies pay millions to use to their advantage. For example, where you grew up, who you surround yourself with, what you do on your free time, who you politically side with are all examples of information companies like Google and Facebook use to filter your feeds in order to navigate you towards relatable online communities and content.

Why does data matter in my job search?

When companies are seeking employment, they are looking for that “perfect fit”. Someone who not only has the skills, experience and education, but also molds to the company’s culture. This cultural factor can be measured through one’s projected data. And since the internet became “social”, candidates voluntarily share critical personal and professional characteristics. Prior to the first round of interviews, hiring managers can create a preconceived opinion of each candidate based on data discovery.

“Where such randomness exists now, of course, “big data” – that amalgam of all that we and our fellow digital citizens do online, the gigabyte human traces we bequeath second by second to machines – is certain to follow.” https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/10/job-hunting-big-data-interview-algorithms-employees

Whereas now the threat seems intangible, in the near future the hiring process will be diluted. Candidate vetting will be focused on a selective data persona rather than how a candidate shines in an interview. Past unprofessional or unethical acts will be impossible to evade through shared data sources like Applicate Tracking Systems. Personal and professional data will begin to blend and the rhetorical, statistical data collected from online patterns will determine how desirable the candidate is to the company.

It is important to be cautious of everything you project online. We are no longer the personality we project in person, but our online persona represents who we are as well. Never knowing who might be watching and what might be used as additional screening data for future employment must always be considered.