Simon runs the Short breaks division for Holiday Extras, an online travel business that specialises in Theme Park and Theatre breaks in the UK and Europe.

Last week I ran an about.me competition for our business, we had prizes for everyone that entered (mainly wine and beer) and cash prizes for the 3rd, 2nd and 1st. We created a judging panel – ‘X Factor’ style and then put a short list out to a ‘live public’ vote around our larger group business – 10 mins to complete an online form. We had an award ceremony for the short listing and winners.

Here’s the criteria our judges applied:
Our defined criteria are to give guidelines but not designed to ‘limit people’ – great consideration will be given to creativity and customization: However, there will be particular things that we will look for as judges. In no particular order…

• clarity of bio (ie, we get what you are saying)
• fun v professional spirit (needs to have personality but its also there for professional reasons)
• photo / background / art
• something that stands out (what makes your bio special, unique and better than the rest)
• not too ‘cheesy’ (don’t try to be too cool for school; relax and be yourself)
• ‘I want to work with you!’ (this is the main thing – someone who doesn’t know you would want to work with you because of your about.me profile)

The winners were:

1st: Emily Rumbelow

2nd: Sally Pemble

3rd: Luke Frake

And here are the remainder of the submissions:

Simon Hagger (mine!), Rob Huzzey, Simon Wood, Matt Sutton, James Armitage, Kevin Hodges, Russell McAthy, James Osborne, Joely Mortimer-Lewis, Amy Witing, Kelly Buzza, Charlie Kitson, Shelly Wilson, Amanda Struby, Gary Robery, Shelley Roberts, Jacob Young, Michelle Clark Cowell, Leigh Wood, Jonathan Dudley, Sara Regan and Oliver Anton Brown.

Everyone in our business embraced this challenge and as well as being fun I am finding the about.me profiles an important part of communicating the go ahead, funky, entrepreneurial web business we are running. I am using them for recruitment already and sending examples to candidates and recruitment agencies to portray our culture, talent and creativity.

We are putting all the about.me profiles scrolling through our office reception TV and most of our team have as their screen savers and on Twitter and email signatures. I am really keen my team are able to be individuals at work and get personality into their professional lives 🙂 about.me gives the perfect opportunity. I felt they all got the balance across perfectly.