We’ve all heard of White-collar crime but what about White Collar Social Networking? It is on the rise, even though most so called white collar executives probably would say they don’t have a facebook account and rarely uses Twitter or some other, blue collar social networking site. But there are many white collar social networking sites that cater specifically to business professionals and upper level management types.
There is really no difference in the concept only in the jargon and the level of arrogance and what is actually shared amongst other white collar executives. There is sort of this good old boy networking thing going on, if you know someone who knows someone then maybe if you know their email address and the name of their secretary and how you know them possibly you can become connections, not friends, this would be completely unacceptable vernacular at the management and executive level, there are no friends here only contacts and connections.
No Funny Business
You will also notice there is nothing cleaver, funny or for that matter interesting going on, nothing to excite your senses or get a laugh from, except the occasional lunch mishap, or how so and so screwed up a briefing. From one site to the next it is the same type of post as well, it’s either about how to be a great boss, taxes and other corporate style content, nothing of any real substance or anything that hasn’t been written before. From one site to the next it’s the exact same thing that’s been repeated over and over for decades. You would think these execs would want a change of scenery or at least something they could go home and have a laugh over with the family.
No Funny Business
You will also notice there is nothing cleaver, funny or for that matter interesting going on, nothing to excite your senses or get a laugh from, except the occasional lunch mishap, or how so and so screwed up a briefing. From one site to the next it is the same type of post as well, it’s either about how to be a great boss, taxes and other corporate style content, nothing of any real substance or anything that hasn’t been written before. From one site to the next it’s the exact same thing that’s been repeated over and over for decades. You would think these execs would want a change of scenery or at least something they could go home and have a laugh over with the family.
Job Searching on Social Media
Probably the biggest use of social networking is for white collar jobs and job searching, which is on the rise, even Ford just last year in its latest spree is taking greater use of social media for recruitment, a sign it is hunting for tech-savvy Millennials, a large majority of whom hunt for jobs on social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter on their PCs and mobile phones. Ford said the campaign, which it is dubbing "The Distance Between You and an Amazing Career Has Never Been Shorter," is an effort to attract talent to its newly-incubated "fresh and innovative image." |
"The type of talent we want at Ford are often searching for and evaluating potential employers on social media sites, so expanding our recruiting efforts on these channels ensures we have a strong presence throughout their selection process," Felicia Fields, Ford's president for human resources, said in a statement.
Twitterviews
Some tech-savvy employers are even refusing to look at traditional resumes or conduct in-person interviews anymore, instead relying on applicants' postings on Twitter in the pursuit of top talent. Known in some circles as Twitterviews, the ability to sell yourself in 140 characters or less is the latest trend in hiring -- at least among high-tech firms. "I believe the very best talent isn't even looking for work," says Vala Afsha chief marketing officer for Salem, N.H.-based Enterasys, who began accepting tweets for one of their job vacancies. Aaron Biebert hiring manager who works in Milwaukee as a media director stated to USA Today that he plans to turn to Twitter to fill positions, "It didn't matter to me what they're like in an interview setting," says Biebert, "All that mattered was their online personality."
Some tech-savvy employers are even refusing to look at traditional resumes or conduct in-person interviews anymore, instead relying on applicants' postings on Twitter in the pursuit of top talent. Known in some circles as Twitterviews, the ability to sell yourself in 140 characters or less is the latest trend in hiring -- at least among high-tech firms. "I believe the very best talent isn't even looking for work," says Vala Afsha chief marketing officer for Salem, N.H.-based Enterasys, who began accepting tweets for one of their job vacancies. Aaron Biebert hiring manager who works in Milwaukee as a media director stated to USA Today that he plans to turn to Twitter to fill positions, "It didn't matter to me what they're like in an interview setting," says Biebert, "All that mattered was their online personality."
So Scrape Your Resume
Not so fast, although people are looking to say the resume is dead it isn’t and hiring such as Afsh’s above is mainly geared toward younger tech savy applicants and having a great resume is still very important. Social media is becoming more pervasive in hiring but your ability to Tweet in most cases isn’t going to get you a job. It is very important for any professional to maintain a digital profile, such as Twitter, Google +, Facebook and Linkedin and keep it professional especially if you are looking for a job.
Can you really find a job with a better Twitter bio? Or a beefed up Facebook presence? Most white collar job seekers would probably say no, and most have probably avoided Facebook and Twitter altogether even though they probably have had accounts for years. Here's why:
. I never know what to say.
. I'm uncomfortable being so public.
. I'm not that witty.
. I feel like there's already too much sharing going on, anyway.
. I feel a potential employer would find it childish or immature.
Not so fast, although people are looking to say the resume is dead it isn’t and hiring such as Afsh’s above is mainly geared toward younger tech savy applicants and having a great resume is still very important. Social media is becoming more pervasive in hiring but your ability to Tweet in most cases isn’t going to get you a job. It is very important for any professional to maintain a digital profile, such as Twitter, Google +, Facebook and Linkedin and keep it professional especially if you are looking for a job.
Can you really find a job with a better Twitter bio? Or a beefed up Facebook presence? Most white collar job seekers would probably say no, and most have probably avoided Facebook and Twitter altogether even though they probably have had accounts for years. Here's why:
. I never know what to say.
. I'm uncomfortable being so public.
. I'm not that witty.
. I feel like there's already too much sharing going on, anyway.
. I feel a potential employer would find it childish or immature.
Put on a happy face, and don’t always be so "serious" certainly be professional in your Twitter and Linkedin profile photos, but lighten up and replace that stone-faced photo with a smiling, animated one. Who wants to work with someone who looks grim and unhappy?
Your profile should look professional, but people tend to be straight to the point with little creativity, where a little more thought on engaging the reader should be considered. On linkedin, the bios are very straightforward and extremely boring, but on Twitter, they often shoot for funny or creative, but not cute.
Your profile should look professional, but people tend to be straight to the point with little creativity, where a little more thought on engaging the reader should be considered. On linkedin, the bios are very straightforward and extremely boring, but on Twitter, they often shoot for funny or creative, but not cute.
Hit the right people with the right content. The goal isn't to collect as many followers as possible; it's to find the ones who actually matter, and share information that's important to them. Do this by using the term Twiangulate, by finding out who follows the people who follow you. Your influence will come from the influence's in your network.
Find a specialty -- or two or three. Don’t limit myself to a single topic of interest or expertise. Share information on subjects you are familiar with as well as topics affecting your profession. In other words, join conversations in multiple areas that will benefit you.
Be where the conversations are. On LinkedIn, you can join professional groups and engage in discussions, connect with potential hiring managers, and post updates with links to studies, news stories, or your latest project. Twitter has more then 500 million registered users, versus 187 million for LinkedIn. And while almost everyone will miss almost everything you tweet, those who see it may actually notice you.
Find a specialty -- or two or three. Don’t limit myself to a single topic of interest or expertise. Share information on subjects you are familiar with as well as topics affecting your profession. In other words, join conversations in multiple areas that will benefit you.
Be where the conversations are. On LinkedIn, you can join professional groups and engage in discussions, connect with potential hiring managers, and post updates with links to studies, news stories, or your latest project. Twitter has more then 500 million registered users, versus 187 million for LinkedIn. And while almost everyone will miss almost everything you tweet, those who see it may actually notice you.
A Brave New World
This new world is one where a short Google search can bring up hundreds of pages of information on every subject conceivable, and it shouldn’t be surprising, then, that when you apply for a job, potential employers take to the Web to find out all they can about you. In fact, a recent Jobvite survey found that one in every six job seekers credit social media with landing their current job. If you've looked for a job in the last 10 years, you know the basic Internet rules for job searchers, including making sure your Facebook page and other social network profiles are devoid of incriminating pictures and comments. |
But some job searchers are going further than just making sure there isn't any bad information about them online. They are taking control of their online presence by creating social resumes and career profiles on sites such as LinkedIn, VisualCV.com, Ziggs.com and many more. Don’t be afraid or resistant to this change, especially if you are a job seeker, just make sure you spend the time to make all your sites and profiles representative of who you are and just be careful of what you say and who you say it to or about.
What About Blue Collar?
According to the Society for Human Resources Management, now that LinkedIn has cracked the white-collar recruiting puzzle, more recruiters are coming to Facebook as a result. “It’s catching on but not competing quite yet,” notes Curtis Midkiff, SHRM’s director of social strategy and engagement.
In the end, he stressed, your social networking choice should be tied to the type of job you’re looking for. LinkedIn, he said, is the “suit-and-tie network,” and people looking for professional jobs in traditional industries are probably making a good call to be on there. For positions in healthcare or manufacturing, and generally more blue-collar jobs, Facebook is gaining interest from recruiters as a way to find applicants. The site is also gaining popularity with employers looking to fill seasonal jobs, such as UPS looking for holiday drivers, Midkiff explained.
According to the Society for Human Resources Management, now that LinkedIn has cracked the white-collar recruiting puzzle, more recruiters are coming to Facebook as a result. “It’s catching on but not competing quite yet,” notes Curtis Midkiff, SHRM’s director of social strategy and engagement.
In the end, he stressed, your social networking choice should be tied to the type of job you’re looking for. LinkedIn, he said, is the “suit-and-tie network,” and people looking for professional jobs in traditional industries are probably making a good call to be on there. For positions in healthcare or manufacturing, and generally more blue-collar jobs, Facebook is gaining interest from recruiters as a way to find applicants. The site is also gaining popularity with employers looking to fill seasonal jobs, such as UPS looking for holiday drivers, Midkiff explained.
UPS’s Jobs Facebook page often includes posts about job openings, and the page now has more than 71,000 likes. A post from earlier this year stated: “UPS is hiring Sales professionals!” The post included 70 comments and a company official even answered questions of Facebook users interested in a sales job a big difference from the black hole so many job seekers face when they apply these days. Hiring managers may also be looking to sites beyond LinkedIn if they want to connect with younger workers.
As white collar America goes through radical restructuring, times are good for skilled manufacturing workers as well. You can follow the same ideas as stated above because you never know when or who will be looking at your internet presence to make a decision about your future employment.
Above Books
Social Networking for Career Success - Social media is a powerful, mandatory tool for the job world, and career expert Miriam Salpeter illustrates its fullest potential with this one-stop resource. Learn how to create and promote an online brand and make yourself indispensable in your field.
Social Media Mastery - (A Daily Actions Guide): 75+ Daily Challenges to Help you Expand your Reach, Build your Platform, and Establish your Online Authority [Kindle Edition] Learn how to establish a social media strategy in line with your goals, organize it all with Evernote, and how to market your content based on your product, service, or credentials. Fire up your brand via social media, Kindle ebooks, or podcasts using this guide.
Both books sold through Amazon, click on the image to be redirected.
As white collar America goes through radical restructuring, times are good for skilled manufacturing workers as well. You can follow the same ideas as stated above because you never know when or who will be looking at your internet presence to make a decision about your future employment.
Above Books
Social Networking for Career Success - Social media is a powerful, mandatory tool for the job world, and career expert Miriam Salpeter illustrates its fullest potential with this one-stop resource. Learn how to create and promote an online brand and make yourself indispensable in your field.
Social Media Mastery - (A Daily Actions Guide): 75+ Daily Challenges to Help you Expand your Reach, Build your Platform, and Establish your Online Authority [Kindle Edition] Learn how to establish a social media strategy in line with your goals, organize it all with Evernote, and how to market your content based on your product, service, or credentials. Fire up your brand via social media, Kindle ebooks, or podcasts using this guide.
Both books sold through Amazon, click on the image to be redirected.
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