Facebook for the seven-figure set

I just received an email from a recruiting firm inviting me to submit my CV to their database. Nothing unusual – most executives do routinely receive such solicitations from a variety of headhunting firms and job boards.

This particular invitation did immediately catch my eye, though, because it originated from the CEO of Heidrick & Struggles (H&S) — an exclusive global recruiting firm that traditionally focuses on high-level, C-Suite recruitment. High-end firms such as H&S have thus far not relied too much on online marketing or engagement techniques.

However, the message in this e-mail made it quite clear that H&S has realized that it cannot ignore the growing influence of online communities and social networking even amongst the senior executive levels.

In recognition of this, H&S is launching what it believes to be the future of the CV – something it calls VisualCV. Essentially, it is a multimedia digital resume that allows you to easily include images, recordings, documents and video to showcase your professional track-record. This VisualCV can also be embedded into social networking tools like your LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, personal blog or email signature.

H&S dubs this their “Facebook for the seven-figure set”. This is further evidence that web engagement is getting ever more pervasive – no matter who your target audience is, you’d better ensure that your message can be found on the web!