Social Media A Fad Or An Essential Career Tool

Social Media Networking: A fad or an essential career toolCDAA | Brisbane | 3 March 2010Jenni Proctor | Career Clarityjenni@careerclarity.com.au

Essential career tool always“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”Networking

“It’s not what you know, it’s who knows that you know about it.”Networking – A new dimension

Linked InTwitterFacebookPower TrioBest sites for career management

SocialMainly social for most peopleCan ask anyone to be your friendNews Sharing – Status, New babies, Holidays, Parties, PhotosBusinessHeavily used by small businessFan pages and groups to share specific information News Sharing – Workshops, Products Meetup groups – networking eventsFacebook

<A way of communicating to many using only 140 characters Used a lot by celebs and business US trend to advertise jobs through Twitter >That’s 138 characters!Headline pointing to your website or articleExpand your job or business networkCan search on daily basis – find out what jobs are coming up Expert statusTwitter

www.linkedin.comMore professionally orientedCan’t just link with anyoneInterest groupsResume uploadedresearch people, companies, groupsLinked In

August, 2009 - ComScore70% of internet users visited social networking websites in 2009Nearly 9 million Australians visited a social networking site in June, 2009Only 29% in 2008Popularity Worldwide: Facebook followed by MySpace, Windows Live, Bebo and Twitter. Facebook- 6 million visitors and growing 95 % from the previous year. MySpace Sites -3.5 million visitors, up 5 % Windows Live Profile with nearly 2 million visitors. Twitter witnessed the most substantial growth, surging to 8,000,000 visitors in June, 2009Orkutalso achieved significant growth, up 607 percent.Talent Bar and yworld are upcoming sites.Social networking in Australia

World’s largest professional network 48 million members and growing875,000 members in AustraliaOver 1,000 companies using LinkedIn Talent Advantage to hire employees.Telcos and banks are most likely to take advantage of the business network siteTelstra, IBM, Optus, National Australia Bank and ANZ listed as the top five companies in Australia with the most employees on LinkedIn. Top five positions for Australians on LinkedIn include: business owner, director, manager, consultant and project manager.Industries - information technology and services industry, financial services, computer software, telecommunications, marketing and advertising, accounting, education management, human resources, banking and management consulting.Reference: http://www.smarte-commerce.com/social-networking-usage-in-australia/Linked In

Preferred option for professional networkingNetwork - Informational interviewsIntegrates blog posts and Twitter Can join groups to show expertise and interestCan submit articles to showcase expertise and link to websiteCan be useful for researching companies and individualsLinked In Advantages

Is Social Media Networking helpful in finding a new job?14% some contact7% “My career profile is available for public view.”The Age….

Social Networking FreedomsIn 2003 – 2004, Social Media was BLOCKEDTraditional companiesProblems with Workplace Internet Leisure BrowsingContemporary companies want someone whoCan promote their brandCan acquire new businessSocial personality usually uses social media!

Ciaran Norris, head of social media at the WPP agency Mindshare, says: “Last year was definitely a tipping-point for social media. Advertisers can now see it’s not just for kids, it’s not just for geeks – that was the worry before. More clients are asking about what we can do in social media..”Evening Standard, London, 25th January, 2010Advertisers take it seriously

GlobalisationEconomic changesFlexible labour practicesInformation technologyNew techniquesNew practicesNew strategiesNew approachesWorld of work

Impacts on job seekersWhat we need to tell our clientsProfessional practiceThe use of social media within our professionWhat career practitioners need to know

Employers use search engines and social media to evaluate clientsInternet content = new or lost opportunitiesNew opportunities – market skills, establish contacts, promote themselfLost opportunities –photos, comments Blurred boundaries between public & privatePrivacy being tightened on Facebook1. Impacts on job seekers

Be aware, not naïveBe consistentBe respectfulUpdate regularly2. What we need to tell our clients

Their use of Social MediaTheir level of privacyAnything on site that is private informationTheir level of awareness about privacyTheir “exposure” – How would you feel if your employer or prospective employer looked at your site? Help or hinder your prospects?Keeping up to date with changes on a siteQuestions for clients

Be consistently brandedHow often is it updated?Is the information consistent with your resume?Professional or social profile?Shorts and thongs or business suit?Skills, accomplishments, passions, professional interests – Are they visible anywhere?Risk minimisationProfile Savvy

Same Advice, Different ContextUntil about 2009NowPresent yourself well in applications and interviewsPresent yourself in a good light to potential employersLook, act and sound as if you would be a good employeeUtilise your network wellManage your online profile carefully Maintain consistency of your personal brandDoes an online search make you seem employable?Utilise your online and offline networks

Are you networking online?Are you learning from others online?Are you using social media to promote your own professional interests or business? Are you helping your clients to use social networking to their advantage?3. Professional Practice

Best example I have seen:Career Success Radio – Keith Keller and Annemarie CrossWeekly broadcastsInternationalHighly visible on main social media sitesCreating links with many career development organisations and individuals internationallywww.careersuccessradio.com4. Social media with our profession

Talent BarYworldGlobal Career Coaching AllianceYahoo Groups – Career coachesOther sites to explore

To be Career Development Practitioners of the current times, relevant to all generations and aware of the main modes of communication that people are using………Therefore Social Networking is an essential contemporary career development tool.Our challenge

Contact: Jenni ProctorCareer Clarityjenni@careerclarity.com.auwww.careerclarity.com.au

Social Media A Fad Or An Essential Career Tool

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