Just in case you didn’t know, today is the final day of Social Media Week.
It’s been a week full of discussion, innovation, and maybe just a few Tweets.
All in all, one thing is clear: social media plays a massive role in our lives – both personal and business.
While everyone is abuzz about the immense value of social media, I thought I’d jump in and offer my two-cents on the subject.
How has social media evolved?
It’s hard to say were social media started. AOL? Friendster? Regardless, social media started when we wanted to connect on a level outside of face-to-face interactions.
Since then, social media has shaped how we communicate, share, hide, connect, and process human interactions. Today, with the development of micro-blogging like Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr, people are connecting and sharing outside of their immediate or extended networks – something that the average Joe on the street couldn’t fathom 25 years ago.
Where does the job search fit in?
Before social media came around, the job search already required a lot of “putting yourself out there.” Job seekers had to make themselves visible to employers if they ever want to get hired.
Enter: social media.
Social media is all about putting yourself out there and the job search is too. If anything, social media allows job seekers to put themselves out there far more than they could otherwise. Social media doesn’t require technical prowess, lengthy sessions, or even, creative genius. Just enough is enough for social media.
What is the relationship between social media and the job seeker?
Without a doubt, the best word to describe the ideal relationship between social media and the job seeker would have to be balance. Without balance, the job seeker is at an extreme of one or of another. Too much information (i.e. kegstand photo ops) is just as bad as too little (yes, you do need to delete your abandoned MySpace page).
In the future the relationship is bound to evolve, as it has already. Content is king, so it’s bound to venture into the divine ranks soon enough. Job seekers who can grasp this concept soon will find that they’re using social media to its fullest extent.
What does social media have in store for us? Privacy issues, retaliation, and controversy already clog up the airwaves. My best guess: observe and react.
What do you think? How has social media helped shape your job search? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Recent Comments