Current conclusions regarding social media

Social media is a fascinating subject. There are numerous websites, blogs, journals and other resources in the online community to discover information regarding social media and its relatively recent impact on organizations, employees and online presence. At the beginning of this study, I began by asking myself several questions:

How and to what extent do HR departments and professionals screen employees before hiring by searching and examining their online presence?

Preliminary conclusions: I have spoken to about 10 different employers by mouth and Twitter… about half said they check out social networks either before or after an interview. Depending on my time, it might be interesting to look at several different fields to see if this changes. I have found multiple articles on online presence, but not published data on specifically on how often it is used by employers to screen.

Additional conclusions:

Thanks to Lindsay Olsen at the Ladders.com, I was able to find some interesting statistics regarding this:

• 22% of hiring managers use social networks to research profiles (+11% from 2006)
• 34% of hiring managers dismissed a candidate based on what they found (out of the 22%)
• 24% of hiring managers found information that was used to hire a candidate
• 77% of recruiters use search engines to learn more about candidates
• 35% have eliminated a candidate from consideration based on the information uncovered online
• 16% of executives found information they fear if seen could eliminate them from consideration of a new job.

Googling a candidate’s name to see what comes up in the search was one of the most frequent items that I came across in researching this question. Job seekers should occasionally Google their own name to monitor what “surfaces” when this is done. If anything negative is found, the candidate should contact the website and ask that it be removed.

What do they look for?

Preliminary conclusions: The employers that I talked to said that they look at the information posted by the potential employee, pictures, and content to judge professionalism.

Additional conclusions: Lindsay Olsen’s information shared some highlights on this as well:

• 41% of candidates posted information about them drinking or using drugs
• 40% of candidates posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information
• 29% of candidates had poor communication skills
• 48% of candidate backgrounds supported their qualifications for the job
• 43% of candidates had great communication skills
• 40% of candidates were a good fit for the company’s culture.

How many business organizations and what kinds of business organizations practice this?

Conclusions: This is one area that never quite developed. I did not come across many defining lines among industries that said this industry participates, this one doesn’t. This leads me to believe that all industries are in some way, shape, or form, jumping on the social media bandwagon. Because the involvement of social media is so great, I would imagine that it is affecting all industries.

How can social media be used as a tool to enhance one’s job application, professional career and networking abilities?

Conclusions: Absolutely! By engaging in the constructive use of social media, one can put themselves at an advantage by learning how to communicate in new, innovative ways. With work and diligence, these skills can be honed and can greatly enhance networking abilities and career advancement. In addition there are new positions being created everyday to engage and manage social media as well as develop new social media communities. Because of the social media boom, or what is also referred to as the development of Web 2.0, the nature of business and organizational communication is changing. By being familiar and skilled at working with social media, professionals are able to tackle a new way to communication with consumers and clients.

What does a professional online presence consist of?

Preliminary conclusions:
    Establishing a professional, clean, online presence can make one more versatile in the job market for several reasons. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, PROpen Mic and LinkedIn offer the opportunity to connect with professionals in your field. You can also connect visually through friends and friends of friends, one can ask questions, learn about job openings, etc.

Having recently joined Twitter, I have seen many job openings posted just since I joined. On Twitter, the content of postings has a lot to do with how the site functions as a tool. If one posts, say, what they’ve eaten, where they’ve gone, or some other unnecessary detail. This isn’t really using Twitter to an advantage. However, by responding with educated thoughts, a user can offer succinct opinions and share valuable information with a easily reachable target audience. The user can also “follow” other users and gain information this way. Many users post articles and information about topics relevant to a field, and users can also search by keyword.

I have not found very much information on Facebook as a professional tool, but have heard more about it as a tool to “research” potential employees. Although users can join groups associated with their company, post job history and education info, and publicly advertise, I have found that it is used more as a friendly social networking site and less used for professional networking. LinkedIn, however, is primarily for posting professional information. Users of  LinkedIn can connect with other users resulting in a professional network that can be reviewed visually. On Facebook, one can create groups to separate different types of “friends”, but those “friends” can be from any area of one’s life.

Also in researching these sites, I found the site called VisualCV.com where one can publish their Resume or C.V. as well as work samples, visual images, audio and video samples, etc. All of these components are linked on a site with a personalized web address which can be published on various social networks and exists online for employers to review. Personally, I think it’s brilliant and competitive and should be a requirement of colleges and universities. Documents from many programs can be uploaded to an online portfolio, and the visual CV can be linked to a number of different social networking sites including Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, and Twitter. It can also be downloaded and exported as a PDF to be printed or e-mailed. According to their website:

“A VisualCV is an Internet-based, multimedia resume that provides a comprehensive picture of you professionally and allows you to stand out from the crowd.”

Additional conclusions: When I initially began this project, I pictured online presence as an entirely personal thing. However, when I began researching, I realized (as more of a “Duh!” moment than an “Aha!” one) that businesses and organizations are also striving to develop effective, successful online presences as well. There are lots of websites out there with encouraging lists, tips, and recommendations on how to develop and maintain an effective online presence. Some common themes I found are:

• Work at it. Establishing profiles, developing websites, maintaining blogs, tweeting, and posting are not a onetime deal. They are in constant need of updating and management.
• Analyze and appeal to your audience. Without losing the essence of what you and/or your organization represent, appeal to your audience through words and visuals, by promoting other professionals like you , and staying on top of new information that affects your career and industry.
• Stay positive. This rule applies especially to job seekers and potential new employees. Blogging about employers- especially negatively is dangerous territory. The only people who get away with this are those that already get paid to do so.

In addition to the themes above, I have also published multiple blog posts regarding the development of online presence. One of my favorites is the 19 Presence Management Chores You COULD Do Every Day by Chris Brogan, which I plan to begin working on starting tomorrow.

 What are the effects of social media as a screening tool on college students and recent graduates?

Preliminary conclusions: Social Media is a quickly growing industry and there are professionals needed to run it and keep companies current on the various social networks and social media sites. Many companies have hired professionals simply to improve their online presence. Since they basically offer a way to conduct free advertising, companies can harness this by appointing a position to use social media to their benefit. Potential employers who are competing in a technical, global market realize this. By enhancing your abilities to use social media, and knowing how to effectively use it, one can boost their job application and resume.

Social Media is also being referred to by some as a “bandwagon”, but it does have its advantages. I can definitely see how it could be huge cost in inefficiency by being abused by employees who have access to it during the day. It also has the capability to hurt one’s reputation by the “wrong” material being posted. However, I feel that if it is used wisely, it offers potential employees, current employees, and companies a great way to expand their outreach and receive feedback in a global economy.

Additional conclusions: According to an article by Dan Schawbel in Business Week Online, “72% of companies plan to invest more in recruiting through social networks”. This means that recent college graduates should be actively developing their online presence, monitoring their current one, and deleting all of those party pictures from Facebook, or at least making them visible only to select persons. I saw an article on TechCrunch yesterday where Facebook is now the 4^th largest site in the world having grown in the last year by 157%! Amazing. I can remember in about 2004? 2005? When I was first hearing about it. In the month of June alone, it had 77 million unique visitors. Schawbel also offers tips to job seekers regarding each of the major social networking sites, and the tips seem to be geared towards younger users.

In addition to those initial questions, I looked at and blogged about research regarding:

1. Social media as an HR tool, how it is used in employee recruiting and its impact on hiring and firing practices.
2. The development and establishment of social media policy in the corporate environment
3. The developing and changing role of social media in public relations
4. Professional online identities and personal branding, as well as online branding for organizations

The amount of information that I have reviewed over the last five weeks is enough to make one’s head spin, and I feel like I have only scratched the surface. There is still so much more information out there; I look forward to my continued learning about social media and its impact on society.

Johnny Taylor Jr. on Social Media

Johnny Taylor Jr. is the President and CEO of RushmoreDrive.com. He was recently featured on Human Resources iQ in an interview regarding Social Media in Human Resources. The full interview can be found here. Taylor explains that “more and more recruiters are using these sites to obtain a better understanding of the personality and lifestyle of potential job candidates that could positively or negatively influence their position in the organization”.

One of the first questions asks whether an “employer’s use of social media…as a recruiting strategy” is a violation of privacy. I completely agree with Taylor in his position on this, which is that people create their own accounts and post their own content freely. If someone chooses to make information available online to the public, this public includes potential employers. This is why social media users should be conscious of what they are posting online and why online presence has become an issue for discussion.

Taylor describes what human resource professionals are looking for on social media sites. “Employers are trying to increase our chances of finding the right ‘fit’ in our organization (fitness meaning technical credentials and cultural/values fit)”. While there are definitely aspects of one’s life that should not be used as criteria for employment, employers and recruiters can sometimes form opinions of a potential employee depending on what they choose to post online.

The interviewer also asked Taylor, “How much of an influence do these social networking sites have on an employer’s decision to hire job candidates?” Taylor states that although “human resources departments aren’t surfing social networks as a common part of their recruitment process”, they “are increasingly turning to them (especially for new college graduates)”. He does explain that “it’s not at all uncommon for applicants and employers to conduct a quick Google search on someone in advance of an interview”. He also explains that information found by recruiters on social networks is not the only information used in the hiring process.

Taylor finishes off the interview by advising applicants to “assume your parents access your social network every day – so no lies, compromising pictures, etc.” This seems like sound advice to me; however, my entire family- including my in-laws are on facebook, so I am already practicing this.

Personal Branding Blog… an interesting discussion

I recently read “When Personal Branding, Social Media and Human Resources Collide”, a blog post by Dan Schawbel in which he reviewed a discussion with Steph K, an HR Director at HP. The full discussion can be found at: http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/when-personal-branding-social-media-and-human-resources-collide/

The article mainly focuses on blogging, in particular the use of blogs by HR people. However, the last two questions contained information that I found pertinent to my current research. In one question, Schawbel asks “What are the top 3 things you’ve learned as an HR professional while blogging that you didn’t know before?” Personally, I like lists. They condense information and make it easier for me to store in a busy brain. Steph K answers with these three items:

“1. It’s really easy to get wrapped up in your own company and not pay enough attention to trends in the outside world. Blogging and reading blogs has helped me stay informed about the world and people outside my company, more than I expected.

2. A blog is not PR. Corporate blogs are not the company line or the company position, they’re just a place to write the blog around a common interest. Bloggers are asked to represent their own viewpoints; they are not a spokesperson for the company. At the same time, bloggers have a lot of responsibility. We need to be aware of things like privacy and be able to achieve the perfect balance of discretion and transparency.

3. I’ve been pretty amazed at the amount and quality of information that’s out in the blogosphere. In HR, recruiters seem to be the biggest group out there blogging and reading. This should be good news for job seekers because recruiters are always looking for candidates to match the positions they’re working on, even in tough times when they have fewer positions to fill. The world is n the midst of a changing recruitment model and companies as well as candidates are trying to figure out better ways to find each other. I think social media has a huge role to play in that.”

The first item on his list makes a great point. In expanding knowledge of trends in the outside world, outside of a particular company, it can give a professional the knowledge and opportunity to perform better in their current position.

The second item, regarding PR, deals directly with appropriateness and professionalism. It touches on the idea of a fine line between the freedom to express ones opinion and thoughts without causing damage or harm to the reputation of a company. Although not all posts are negative, this is a controversial area and is often one brought to the forefront of the topic. Although blogs are not “PR” represented by the company, they could easily create situations that would potentially involve a PR department if the blogging got out of hand. On the other hand, blogs can also serve to spread positive news by reviewing topics, situations, services, products or practices that could also positively affect a company. In addition to employee blogging, clients and consumers can also blog and comment on blogs which only expands the “word of mouth” regarding a company.

Third on Steph K’s list is a comment on the “amount and quality of information” found in online blogs. He states that “recruiters seem to be the biggest group out there blogging and reading”. This is a great thing for those of us out there looking for potential job opportunities, especially if they are reading our blogs…that is, of course, if the blogs they are reading are relevant to their company and well written. It also gives potential employees an edge over those who just send in a resume and go to an interview. Blogging can show off great writing skills and knowledge on a variety of topics.

Additionally, Steph K describes the web as a “great equalizer” with “constant correction and improvement of information” which means that there is updated information all the time. However, this also means that there more of a chance to receive incorrect information, so blog readers should beware of their sources. Just because everyone can have an opinion and post blogs doesn’t mean that their information is correct.

In the last question of the discussion Steph K asks, “Even before social media, networking was often touted as the best way to get a job and this can be tough for people who are early in their careers. Personal branding seems instrumental to that. What do you think is the best way to get a new job, and if you had to pick one piece of advice to give new grads, what would you tell them?”  

Schwabel’s first sentence sums up the answer: “I would recommend that they start as early as possible”. He advises that new grads, “invest in the development of content that you can use in your interviews or to attract new opportunities”. Regarding social networks, Shwabel’s position is that they have “leveled the playing field, such that you can connect directly with hiring managers and recruiters, instead of submitting your resume to job boards”.

The Personal Branding Blog has been syndicated in Reuters, Forbes.com, Sun-Times, Hoovers, and Fox Business.

Preliminary conclusions

Some preliminary thoughts regarding some of my questions:

How and to what extent do HR departments and professionals screen employees before hiring by searching and examining their online presence?

            I have spoken to about 10 different employers by mouth and Twitter… about half said they check out social networks either before or after an interview. Depending on my time, it might be interesting to look at several different fields to see if this changes. I have found multiple articles on online presence, but not published data on specifically on how often it is used by employers to screen. I plan to address this more when I get to the topics in Week 4.

What do they look for?

The employers that I talked to said that they look at the information posted by the potential employee, pictures, and content to judge professionalism.

How can social media be used as a tool to enhance one’s job application, professional career and networking abilities?

            Establishing a professional, clean, online presence can make one more versatile in the job market for several reasons. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, PROpen Mic and LinkedIn offer the opportunity to connect with professionals in your field. You can also connect visually through friends and friends of friends, one can ask questions, learn about job openings, etc.

Having recently joined Twitter, I have seen many job openings posted just since I joined. On Twitter, the content of postings has a lot to do with how the site functions as a tool. If one posts, say, what they’ve eaten, where they’ve gone, or some other unnecessary detail. This isn’t really using Twitter to an advantage. However, by responding with educated thoughts, a user can offer succinct opinions and share valuable information with a easily reachable target audience. The user can also “follow” other users and gain information this way. Many users post articles and information about topics relevant to a field, and users can also search by keyword.

I have not found very much information on Facebook as a professional tool, but have heard more about it as a tool to “research” potential employees. Although users can join groups associated with their company, post job history and education info, and publicly advertise, I have found that it is used more as a friendly social networking site and less used for professional networking. LinkedIn, however, is primarily for posting professional information. Users of  LinkedIn can connect with other users resulting in a professional network that can be reviewed visually. On Facebook, one can create groups to separate different types of “friends”, but those “friends” can be from any area of one’s life.

Also in researching these sites, I found the site called VisualCV.com where one can publish their Resume or C.V. as well as work samples, visual images, audio and video samples, etc. All of these components are linked on a site with a personalized web address which can be published on various social networks and exists online for employers to review. Personally, I think it’s brilliant and competitive and should be a requirement of colleges and universities. Documents from many programs can be uploaded to an online portfolio, and the visual CV can be linked to a number of different social networking sites including Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, and Twitter. It can also be downloaded and exported as a PDF to be printed or e-mailed. According to their website:

            “A VisualCV is an Internet-based, multimedia resume that provides a comprehensive picture of you professionally and allows you to stand out from the crowd.”

Social Media is a quickly growing industry and there are professionals needed to run it and keep companies current on the various social networks and social media sites. Many companies have hired professionals simply to improve their online presence. Since they basically offer a way to conduct free advertising, companies can harness this by appointing a position to use social media to their benefit. Potential employers who are competing in a technical, global market realize this. By enhancing your abilities to use social media, and knowing how to effectively use it, one can boost their job application and resume.

            Social Media is also being referred to by some as a “bandwagon”, but it does have its advantages. I can definitely see how it could be huge cost in inefficiency by being abused by employees who have access to it during the day. It also has the capability to hurt one’s reputation by the “wrong” material being posted. However, I feel that if it is used wisely, it offers potential employees, current employees, and companies a great way to expand their outreach and receive feedback in a global economy.

Social Media, Employers and Employees

I am very interested in the development of social media and its impact on corporate organizations and professionals. Lately, there has been more and more emphasis placed on the effective development of an acceptable online presence, as well as the avoidance of making errors in professional judgment by posting and sharing inappropriate material online. Celebrities have often been kind enough to lay the ground work for some of these “dos and don’ts”, but I have also heard stories and examples of employees being reprimanded and fired for inappropriate behavior online.

Several examples of social media include LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, PROpenMic, and Twitter. These organizations have been developed and become extremely popular and widespread in recent years. Through this study, I plan to address these questions and topics:

-          How and to what extent do HR departments and professionals screen employees before hiring by searching and examining their online presence?

-          What do they look for?

-          How many business organizations and what kinds of business organizations practice this?

-          How can social media be used as a tool to enhance one’s job application, professional career and networking abilities?

-          What does a professional online presence consist of?

-          What are the effects of social media as a screening tool on college students and recent graduates?

I plan to conduct this study through research over the next few weeks. Here is a tentative brief timeline which may change as my project develops:

-          Week 1, July 6-10: Research social media, its beginnings, outreach, and published research on social media as an HR tool; look for blogs to follow regarding social media topics; continue to brainstorm questions regarding the effects of social media on hiring/firing practices in corporate organizations.

-          Week 2, July 13-17: Research the growing use of social media in hiring practices, job searches, etc; continue to follow blogs; briefly interview 2-3 HR professionals regarding the use of social media.

-          Week 3, July 20-24: Research the use of social media as a corporate tool to enhance advertising, marketing, PR, and employee recruitment.

-          Week 4, July 27-31: Research the use of social media as a tool for individuals to build and enhance their professional identity; explore blogging as a career enhancer; address what creates a positive online presence.

-          Week 5, Aug 3-5: Draw conclusions.