Modern work

Last week I interviewed at a dynamic young startup, and after speaking with some of the engineers, I wanted to find out more about their backgrounds. The chief architect for the company had a blog, with links to the blogs of some of his colleagues. A few searches on Google surfaced more blogs of employees from the company, and navigating the links of each blog exposed an entire network of relationships.

Who can get a job if no one has heard of you? What if a Google search returns--nothing?

The modern workforce puts itself online, talking about its work, its plans, and who it talks about. Participating in the online mesh is likely to become (if it's not already, in some circles) a new cultural prerequisite for the 21st century. In the 19th, your neighborhood, your family, your firm, or your "club" might define your status and the relationships available to you for opportunities. Not so, now; the club has moved online, entrance is open to all who publish and link and share.

Mind you, this is not a complaint. I think it's exciting: we are actually witnessing a cultural change (and far from the only one), caused by the emergence of the Internet and the power of self-publication. And it feels liberating as well: modern work may reward self-expression, something that was not always assured in the past.

The 21st century is now accepting applications for admission...