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I was recently sitting in a restaurant and overheard some women talking about Twitter.
"Do you know what Twitter is?" one said.
"Oh yeah, I saw it on the Weather Channel".
So Twitter is a big huge deal. So is Facebook. So is blogging. I've read countless articles about what we should or should not be "putting out there" and was also recently "friended" by my great uncle. It really got me to thinking about what all the social networking is doing for us?
Granted there are lots of avenues to create profiles and connect with friends and I'm not arguing that they are a waste of time because I spend a ton of time on these sites too. A disgusting, sick amount of time. However, I do think that job seekers and personal branding afficionados should not get caught up in mistaking "social networking" for "actual work".
This all kind of started when I was uber jealous that I couldn't go to SXSW. I could barely stand it or breathe I was so jealous. I told myself that if I didn't go I would never, ever, be where I needed to be if I didn't go to this function. I complained so often that a friend of mine had a mini intervention and outlined all of the things I had just completed in my career and I figured if I was freaking out about this stuff maybe other people were too.
So let me just come out and say that yes, your next employer or your current one wants you to understand Twitter. They will love it that you know how to navigate the social media sphere and they will certainly expect that you have had a little experience there. They will also want to see that you have done actual work.
It seems to me that with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogging, etc. that we can be really really busy and at the same time not accomplish much. Twitter followers are great but networking will occur in other less sexy places as well. Example, you might find a mentor in a VP of Business Development at a dishwasher production company. He or she probably doesn't have a Twitter or Facebook but can be extremely well connected and have a lot of influence.
Your resume and your work experience (even if you are in the social media field) must be more well rounded than followers and friends. I definitely think all of the social networking spaces are essential to be a part of but it's just as importnant to be able to tell the difference between getting things done and just messing around with friends online.
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Comments
03.25.09
Your post is a refreshing change from the drumbeat of "yay, social media," though I still have a bit harsher stance on social media. I'm reminded of a saying, "don't play business, do business." Playing business involves activities like printing up business cards, getting a logo designed, picking out office furniture, etc. They are fun things to do, but don't really advance your business in any meaningful way. For the most part, social media is playing business.
The biggest problem with social media generally lies in targetedness. It does a very good job of reaching out to millions of people who have no interest whatsoever in whatever it is that you are offering. You might as well try to get a job or new sales prospects by going to a night club or randomly mail resumes to people in the phone book.
Unless your job is to do something involving Twitter or updating a Facebook profile, your next employer couldn't care less if you know how to use these tools either. If anything they will wish you'd get off them and get some actual work done.
03.25.09
Caitlin, all these fancy tools come down to how you use them. Used effectively and you can make some big moves, meet some cool people and build your personal/professional brand.
Spread yourself too thin, or break some of the cardinal rules and you won't twitter your way to anything
03.26.09
@Factor77 what are the cardinal rules? I have a hard time agreeing with either of you, I find myself somewhere in the middle...
03.26.09
Relying solely on social media for networking, marketing, and business development is a failed plan. While there is certainly a market there, and consumers willing to be engaged, that isn't the whole scope of what most companies are looking to do. Each social media tool has their own niche and place, but none of them are the end-all source for everything. Nor should they be.
From a career perspective, my main two mentors aren't on any social media site at all. One of them (my boss) is barely tech literate at all. But I've learned quite a bit from him, and continue to on a daily basis.
Personally, I expect a company I do business with to have at least an informational website, but I could care less if they blog or are on Twitter.
03.26.09
Brian - I think you make some really good points. However, I think employers are starting to appreciate the skill of social media navigation (at least I hope so). This means your employee can learn new mediums and skill sets as they pop up. Other than that, "playing business" seems to be a good term.
@factor77 - you are completely right! Use them most effectively and be focused on your goal with the tools and you will win. Ancillary (read: constant) updates on your every move is almost like a nervous tick.
Andrew - My mentors aren't on Twitter or Facebook either yet they have given me such great advice. Also, when I look at their careers, they are busy and extremely accomplished. I doubt they would see the value in Tweeting about being on an airplane or walking into a meeting. What I notice about them is that they are always aware of the value of their actions in regard to their career development.
03.26.09
@Caitlin
I used to interview and screen candidates for an online advertising firm. If someone had listed "Facebook" and "Twitter" as job qualifications I most definitely would not have been impressed. All that tells employers is that you know how to spend 3 minutes to sign up for an account and kill time online.
Companies that are more old guard put bans on using these media at work because they are afraid of their employees wasting too much time on the job.
I stick by my original point. Unless your job directly relates to using Facebook, Twitter, or whatever application, your employer could care less and would rather you be getting some actual work done.
On the other hand, if you have some demonstrable success such as a profitable marketing campaign you conducted via social media, then you might have a story to tell.
03.26.09
I can agree that anyone who banks their entire personal brand through social media is going to be frustrated and sorely disappointed with the results.
However, 80% of the major business and networking connections I made in 2007 and 2008 were through social media, the majority of them being through Twitter. It's a long process, indeed and a deliberate one at that.
03.26.09
I think social media has it's place in certain aspects of life. But the biggest thing is that if you don't keep up with Facebook, Twitter, etc, then you may become old before your time and technology will quickly leave you behind. And being an engineer, I see it as part of my job to stay on top of what is going on with social media and utilize it to make myself better at my job.
03.26.09
Great post! You have said what most people in the social media sphere don't want to admit to, which is there is more WORK beyond just networking. Simply b/c you understand how Twitter, Ning, FB, and blogging all corresponds into a big network; you must have viable skills beyond that to have a career. If you look at the big social media gurus: Chris Brogan, Gerard McLean, Guy Kawasaki, Neenz, and Aramando...they all have sound business skills outside of social media. This is why they are so successful.
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