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Last night I went to a PRSA Mixer in downtown Portland - I’d never been to one (and I’m not even a member of PRSA yet) so I thought I’d see what it was all about. To no surprise, Read this author's blog.
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Comments
04.10.09
I think Facebook is simply the place on the web where you communicate with your friends about your social life. In general, people don't connect with other people that they only know online, like you do on Twitter, because its a personal/social tool.
I don't think Facebook is going anywhere anytime soon, mostly because its the best place to post pictures, but your article does explain why they have such a hard time becoming profitable. Companies don't want to advertise in a place where people are looking at pictures of last nights party or talking about their social lives.
Also, now that everyone can use Facebook, I wonder if there will ever be another place for college students and people in their twenties to call home (like Facebook used to be)??
04.10.09
@Ryan - I think that's just the issue - people only connect with people they know online because they view it as personal/social but now it's headed in the 'Twitter' direction. Even Mark Zuckberberg said he reorganized it because he was inspired by Twitter.
I think there will be a place someday for college students only, like the old facebook. Question is whether a site like that could amass such a following like Facebook did and resist the urge not to make the same mistakes of Facebook...
04.10.09
@Alyssa: Check out TheQuad.com ... It's definitely not like how Facebook used to be, but I don't think Facebook was ever really catered to college students ... That's just who they targetted, anyone can find value in the network.
TheQuad is more of a college niche. They will always have to be about college. With a brand like that they'll always be a place for college kids.
04.10.09
I toyed for a long while about writing a post of how weird I felt "friending" people in my freelancing world on Facebook...but that it was even weirder that I had no issue with them seeing my status updates on Twitter or reading my blog (which, hello, obviously personal!)
Over the past two months I've really started seeing Facebook going down the road of myspace, especially with all the "gift" applications! And notes...I thought I had escaped the myspace bulletins of "20 Things I Did in 1995...LOL OMGZ!" when I deleted the account. If I see one more person from high school that haven't talked to for 10 years but friended cause I didn't want to be "rude/mean" by ignoring the request send someone an Easter Egg/Corvette/Happy Bunny I could potentially pitch my laptop out my townhouse window which will just make me angry and thus perpetrate an already bad situation!
04.10.09
People will do silly things no matter the platform. I choose to not liter the place with "20 things..."
As far as Facebook goes, I only connect with people I actually know (and have had extensive contact with - like a classmate that sat next to me for that 15-week course). I've heard of people creating business and personal accounts but then again if you don't friend someone with your personal account you still risk the bruised ego/feelings.
I choose to sidestep the whole thing. Facebook = personal; LinkedIn = Personal + Professional; Twitter = personal + people of interest. At this point in time i don't want the whole world following me on twitter and I don't want to follow everyone.
Oh yes, I block everything except my LinkedIn account. If you know me you can request a connection/link, otherwise you can't see anything :-) Like the expression says "Good fences make good neighbors"
04.10.09
From my own experience, I have tried to keep Facebook as personal and linkedin as professional. Even so, I try to keep my Facebook as clean as possible anyway. Rumor has it that law schools (of interest to me) and HR departments are searching the web to see what you have out there. I don't want some picture from back in the day that I completely forgot about to ruin a good chance.
04.10.09
@Ryan - Good point about TheQuad being a college niche. I guess FB never was really a niche site, but I still think that college students ended up being their niche in a roundabout way.
@Elise - I totally agree about the "LOL OMGZ" notes and posts - totally MySpace trash! If I get another gift or 'LilGreenPatch' request I'm going to lose it!
@DrPepper- Do you think you're missing out on good networking opportunities by only friend-ing people you know?
@Kristina - That's the same route I've taken, but you never know what someone's going to write on your wall or what picture someone's going to post of you. Maybe you didn't catch it or forgot to delete it and that's the moment these HR reps are looking? That's the point I'm making, is that people who aren't in your social circle like HR reps and grandparents who are seeing things not meant for their eyes...
@Everyone - Thanks for such great comments!!
04.11.09
I believe in the 21st Century we will be seamless in our lives. There will be no more "professional" self and "personal" self, because those were products of the industrial age, which is over.
So what are we to do? Conduct ourselves in ways that won't be embarrassing. We're all grown ups here, we need to behave as such. And those old photos from college? I think most people understand what it means to go to college - as long as you're not acting like that now.
My bosses are my "friends" on Facebook. And my Facebook persona is the same as my F2F persona. I even make the occassional snarky remark, and I'm not worried, because my if my bosses can't deal with the "real" me, then I'm not working a the right place.
Sometimes making that leap into adulthood can be scary. Will I ever have fun again? Will I start looking like an old person? Am I going to turn into my mom/dad?
I have lived through that transition and can tell you with confidence - yes, no, and definitely not.
04.11.09
@Alyssa - I don't think I am missing out on opportunities - I am just cutting out the noise.
I have on occasion added friends on LinkedIn (or FB if they have no LinkedIn address) of people who I follow and interact with on Twitter, or whose blogs I read and comment on. Blogs and microblogs serve as a filter for me. If I enjoy the content, and if I develop a professional relationship with those individuals they get added.
I tend to use Google Reader and fellow bloggers as filters to finding new people which reflects my real life tendencies - I don't go up to strangers and randomly start talking - however if they know someone I know and they seem to like the same thing I do (or are selling something I like) - then I start the conversation.
Friend-hoarding and open networking are not useful tools for me because there is something important lacking: trust. WIthout the social capital of trust a network is nearly worthless.
04.12.09
@GenerationXpert and @DrPepper - both very excellent points. It's so interesting to hear everyone's takes on how to conduct one's self in the 21st century and what they think the future holds. Thanks for the insightful comments!
01.17.10
@GenerationXpert Suzanne Kart
That is the real problem. Many "employer"/Hr are invading private space much more than usual. The idea that you are not human but a robot is making the people go "underground" as the invasion of privacy has become rampant. Everyone has something to hide even if they don't know it!
A person has a right to private life and an alter ego as a professional.
Those "old pictures from college":may only be six months to a year after graduation. However employers see it differently.
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