Editorial: Examining Sarah Palin’s LinkedIn profile

“A Little Bird Told Me” is a weekly op-ed column that will appear every Monday on Breaking Tweets. It is part of an effort to add more opinions to BT, with the addition of an international roundtable discussion also in the plans.

As reported by CNN, former Alaskan Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin has recently posted her resume to the social networking site LinkedIn.

I thought that considering Sarah Palin–often criticized for her inexperience–finished second in her bid to be the next American Vice President and that I concurrently have finished a disappointing second in a number of job interviews, a comparison was in order between her public resume and mine using the thoughtful points made in the Twitterverse as a guide.

After all, the former governor is now my direct competition and I feel it necessary to see where I stack up.

So without further adieu…

drunkencobra tweets: “Special skills: winks and u’betchas”

Not actually mentioned on her LinkedIn page–maybe you should mention these skills to Palin before her next interview–but I’ll concede Palin’s strength in them. I have to say, I’m pretty sure I take down the special skills category. While I can see the individual flair that “winks” and “u’betchas” give a potential job candidate, I think my proficiency in video editing software, multiple camera models, HTML, Microsoft Office and AP style edge me out as a more well-rounded interviewee–note, however, that I am not opposed to working some “ya’lls” into my regular conversation if it will make me a more attractive candidate.

42bkdodgr tweets: “How come Palin only listed one college she went to, I thought she went to 5.”

True, Palin for some reason did leave off her stint at the distinguished Hawaii Pacific University as well as the two community colleges she attended, North Idaho College and Matanuska-Susitna College, but since she only listed her B.A. degree in communications from the University of Idaho on her LinkedIn page we’ll just deal with that. the U.S. World and Report ranks the University of Idaho as a tier 3 school amongst other national universities while my alma mater Gettysburg College is listed as a tier 1 school with a higher degree of selectivity. Now before you Idaho Vandals start coming out of the woodwork to defend your education, the University of Idaho is a fine institution with all the…wait you’re the Vandals? Never mind, Bullets beat Vandals every time, case closed.

Dean_Rathbone_ tweets: “I am sick of you peeps hating Sarah Palin just because Her daughter got pregnant at least she doesent have a sex tape…you know who you are”

Well, I think we’re pretty even on this one. While I can say I never have campaigned on the platform of strong family core values at the same time my teenage daughter was going through her first pregnancy, that might only be because I don’t actually have a teenage daughter. However, I can definitively state I have not made a sex tape. So I guess it’s a draw here, well played Palin.

JPWP tweets: “Sarah Palin’s LinkedIn profile name is /governorpalin despite fact she resigned as Alaska’s governor in July ‘09″

Whoa, don’t get too angry there JPWP. Palin just seems to be highlighting some past achievements, nothing wrong with that. As for Governor of Alaska, running the 49th state is a pretty impressive line on a resume and I can see why employers might jump at the chance to hire the former leader of America’s forgotten winter wonderland. However, I was a weekly movie critic for Gettysburg College’s campus newspaper, the Gettysburgian, for nearly the same amount of time Palin served as Alaska’s governor and I’m pretty sure the stress level was comparable. Consider the the other jobs and responsibilities I had at the time and I count this one a win in my column.

kathrrrynn tweets: “My grandparents live next door to the lady who bid $63,500 to have dinner with Sarah Palin. I love Alabama”

I also am a fan of Alabama, but that doesn’t save me here. No one has ever, in any situation, placed a bid for any amount of money in order to win the right to spend an evening with me, let alone a $63,500 bid. I am open to offers though, and for the paltry sum of $63,500 I’ll spend the whole day with you not just dinner.

palininfo tweets: “Sarah Palin linkedin: Palin Posts Resume On Social-Networking Site linkedin-Palin had over 500 connections”

Wow, my 122 doesn’t seem to match up well here at all. I do have a few quality connections though–Politico’s managing editor Bill Nichols and Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Torok look pretty impressive–but I don’t think I hold a candle to Palin’s +500, no matter who they are.

Well there you have it, with the score 3 to 2 and one tie I barely edge out possible 2012 Presidential candidate Sarah Palin as a more qualified potential employee, according to the important criteria laid out by a few choice Twitterers.

I can rest easy now knowing that one more competitor doesn’t spell doom for my future employment options…whew!

Tweets Referenced in Column

kathrrrynnn My grandparents live next door to the lady who bid $63,500 to have dinner with Sarah Palin. I love Alabama 16 Oct 2009 from txt

42bkdodgr @GottaLaff How come Palin only listed one college she went to, I thought she went to 5. 18 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck in reply to GottaLaff

palininfo Sarah Palin linkedin: Palin Posts Resume On Social-Networking Site linkedin- Palin had over 500 conne… http://bit.ly/2s4C8F 19 Oct 2009 from Tweetbots

JPWP Sarah Palin’s LinkedIn profile name is /governorpalin despite fact she resigned as Alaska’s governor in July ‘09 http://bit.ly/14Q31 19 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

drunkencobra Sarah Palin needs a job. Special skills: winks and u’betchas: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/ 19 Oct 2009 from web

Dean_Rathbone_ I am sick of you peeps hating Sarah Palin just because Her daughter got pregnant at least she doesent have a sex tape…you know who you are 19 Oct 2009 from web