• Mashable, Friday, March 11, 2011 11:43 AM

Citing current YouTube job listings, Mashable calculates that the video sharing site is planning to grow its staff by 30% this year. "The Google-owned video site has dozens of open positions in all areas -- although an especially high number in advertising sales and customer support -- and all around the world," Mashable reports. The unit currently has a reported 650 employees, so a 30% increase would mean an additional 200 staffers before the end of the year.

Selling the dream, YouTube said in an official blog post this week: "[B]ecause we believe that technology and platforms like YouTube are giving rise to the most diverse set of faces and voices ever seen or heard in human history, us YouTubers really enjoy and feel proud to work here."

The hiring binge comes on the heels of YouTube buying Web video production company Next New Networks earlier this week. Along with encouraging the development of ever more content creators, YouTube continues to explore live event coverage, and sporting events in particular.

Read the whole story at Mashable »