Social Media Networking: A fad or an essential career tool

1. Social Media Networking: A fad or an essential career tool CDAA | Brisbane | 3 March 2010 Jenni Proctor | Career Clarity jenni@careerclarity.com.au

2. Networking • Essential career tool always • It used to be …..“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” • Now it is more……”It’s not what you know, it’s who knows that you know it”

3. Traditional networks

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

6. Power TrioBest sites for career management • Linked In • Twitter • Facebook

7. Facebook Social • Mainly social for most people • Can ask anyone to be your friend • News Sharing – Status, New babies, Holidays, Parties, Photos Business • Heavily used by small business • Fan pages and groups to share specific information • News Sharing – Workshops, Products • Meetup groups – networking events

8. Ernst & Young Careers

9. Twitter <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 article • Expand your job or business network • Can search on daily basis – find out what jobs are coming up • Expert status

11. Linked In • www.linkedin.com • More professionally oriented • Can’t just link with anyone • Interest groups • Resume uploaded • research people, companies, groups

12. Social networking in Australia August, 2009 - ComScore • 70% of internet users visited social networking websites in 2009 • Nearly 9 million Australians visited a social networking site in June, 2009 • Only 29% in 2008 Popularity 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, 2009 • Orkutalso achieved significant growth, up 607 percent. • Talent Bar and yworld are upcoming sites.

13. Linked In • World’s largest professional network • 48 million members and growing • 875,000 members in Australia • Over 1,000 companies using LinkedIn Talent Advantage to hire employees. • Telcos and banks are most likely to take advantage of the business network site • Telstra, 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/

14. Linked In Advantages • Preferred option for professional networking • Network - Informational interviews • Integrates blog posts and Twitter • Can join groups to show expertise and interest • Can submit articles to showcase expertise and link to website • Can be useful for researching companies and individuals

15. The Age…. Is Social Media Networking helpful in finding a new job? • 14% some contact • 7% “My career profile is available for public view.”

16. Social Networking Freedoms In 2003 – 2004, Social Media was BLOCKED Traditional companies • Problems with Workplace Internet Leisure Browsing Contemporary companies want someone who • Can promote their brand • Can acquire new business • Social personality usually uses social media!

17. Advertisers take it seriously 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, 2010

18. World of work • Globalisation • Economic changes • Flexible labour practices • Information technology • New techniques • New practices • New strategies • New approaches

19. What career practitioners need to know • Impacts on job seekers • What we need to tell our clients • Professional practice • The use of social media within our profession

20. 1. Impacts on job seekers • Employers use search engines and social media to evaluate clients • Internet content = new or lost opportunities • New opportunities – market skills, establish contacts, promote themself • Lost opportunities –photos, comments • Blurred boundaries between public & private • Privacy being tightened on Facebook

21. 2. What we need to tell our clients • Be aware, not naïve • Be consistent • Be respectful • Update regularly

22. Questions for clients • Their use of Social Media • Their level of privacy • Anything on site that is private information • Their level of awareness about privacy • Their “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 site

23. Profile Savvy • Be consistently branded • How 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 minimisation

24. Same Advice, Different Context • Present yourself well in applications and interviews • Present yourself in a good light to potential employers • Look, act and sound as if you would be a good employee • Utilise your network well • Manage your online profile carefully • Maintain consistency of your personal brand • Does an online search make you seem employable? • Utilise your online and offline networks Until about 2009 Now

25. 3. Professional Practice • 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?

26. 4. Social media with our profession Best example I have seen: Career Success Radio – Keith Keller and Annemarie Cross • Weekly broadcasts • International • Highly visible on main social media sites • Creating links with many career development organisations and individuals internationally www.careersuccessradio.com

27. Other sites to explore • Talent Bar • Yworld • Global Career Coaching Alliance • Yahoo Groups – Career coaches

28. Our challenge • 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.

29. Contact: Jenni Proctor Career Clarity jenni@careerclarity.com.au www.careerclarity.com.au