Job Seekers Rely On 'Klout' To Set Them Apart
BOSTON (CBS) - Meghan Onsrud is one of the millions of Americans looking for a job. "It's hard. It's really rough," she said.
She has everything for a great resume: a college degree, work experience, and specialized skills. She knows it's important to showcase everything in its best light.
"You really have to put the pedal to the metal and find interesting ways to be seen," she explained.
WBZ-TV's Paula Ebben reports
Meghan is hoping a little red box with a white number next to her name on her resume is going to set her apart.
"You have a handshake. You have a business card. But if you have a Twitter handle, or you have a YouTube account, you can really push yourself to be more than just a name on a paper," she added.
That little red box with the number is called her Klout score.
It measures how influential a person is on social media.
Klout CEO Joe Fernandez explained, "You get a Klout score based on your ability to drive others to action."
More than 100 million people now have a Klout score.
"If you are creating public data on the social web, like Twitter, you will have a Klout score," said Fernandez.
A Klout score isn't about how many friends or followers you have.
Every single time you do something on a social media web site, Klout measures the number of people who spread that message.
The more people who respond, the higher your Klout score.
Meghan's Klout score is 55 out of a possible 100.
Anything over 20 is considered high. Justin Bieber, for example, scores 100.
Technology experts like Molly Wood of CNET believe this virtual popularity contest is here to stay, and more employers will be taking notice.
"They assume if you are popular online, that's worth noting on your resume."
Keeping her Klout score high can be a like a part-time job for Meghan sometimes.
"In a given day, there are 3-to-10 Tweets, about a handful of Facebook updates, and you have YouTube videos."
Meghan is hoping her followers will be get her in front of the most important audience of them all – a future employer.
You can find out your own Klout score by going to Klout.com and putting in your user name for one of several different social media outlets.
