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I would use LinkedIn. I would also omit older experience (more than ten years), as well as your date of graduation form college. Facebook and other networks besides LinkedIn are usually not relevant to employment.
In my opinion, I don't think it does too much, unless Social Media is a part of the job. Of course, there are recruiters out there looking for any excuse to disqualify you. I am not an older person, and do not use Facebook or Google+ since I don't care to voluntarily hand such private information about myself to any corporation. I do have a good LinkedIn profile detailing my work experience. It does not map out my family tree, relationship history, pictures of my dog, or what I had for dinner last night.
I believe (or believed) that my advanced experience with technology shows that I could easily use social media sites if necessary. I mean, I can create and maintain my own freakin' Access database and I'm currently learning a few programming languages. Social media sites are child's play in comparison. Why do I have to engage in using social media in my private life to prove that I can do it? Why can't employers make that connection? Sorry...end rant/
How about I state in my cover letters that I don't engage in social media myself, but I am highly capable?
It would come across as disingenuous.
Most anyone can technically "use" social media, but there is an intuitiveness that comes with knowing how USERS relate to it that you can't fake.
Not knowing how it is part of people's lives will be a hindrance.
IOf course, there are recruiters out there looking for any excuse to disqualify you.
There are???????? I wonder why they would do that given the fact that they could be fired from their job or lose a client and be fired from their agency. Any thoughts on that?
I believe (or believed) that my advanced experience with technology shows that I could easily use social media sites if necessary. I mean, I can create and maintain my own freakin' Access database and I'm currently learning a few programming languages. Social media sites are child's play in comparison. Why do I have to engage in using social media in my private life to prove that I can do it? Why can't employers make that connection? Sorry...end rant/
How about I state in my cover letters that I don't engage in social media myself, but I am highly capable?
There's a little more to being "proficient" at social media than being capable of posting on it. Anyone who can post here should also have the ability post on social media. It kind of goes back to the reference I made to "phone manners" before. You might be asked if you can respond promptly and tactfully to inquiries from outside the employer, using social media. Your presence on social media should demonstrate that you have a good command of spelling and grammar, too.
I'm getting a sense from your posts that you'll have no problem demonstrating those things. But it would be good to demonstrate them in a non-anonymous place for potential employers!
Most anyone can technically "use" social media, but there is an intuitiveness that comes with knowing how USERS relate to it that you can't fake.
Not knowing how it is part of people's lives will be a hindrance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bo
There's a little more to being "proficient" at social media than being capable of posting on it. Anyone who can post here should also have the ability post on social media. It kind of goes back to the reference I made to "phone manners" before. You might be asked if you can respond promptly and tactfully to inquiries from outside the employer, using social media. Your presence on social media should demonstrate that you have a good command of spelling and grammar, too.
I'm getting a sense from your posts that you'll have no problem demonstrating those things. But it would be good to demonstrate them in a non-anonymous place for potential employers!
These are excellent points - I definitely was not seeing it from this point of view. The places I have worked (mainly Higher Ed) have always been in strict control of their own branding/marketing through social media. I've been asked to take care of the technical side of things, like editing/proofing/formatting items for online bulletin boards and LISTSERVs, but I've never been asked to contribute content or field customer service issues via social media (just email). So I was just stuck in my own universe of what I have done already, not what I might have to do in the future. Derp!
Now I see that I have to use social media to prove that I am a tactful speller on my "off" days. It makes sense. Maybe my lack of social media history gives the impression to potential employers that I am someone that can't effectively navigate the "social" aspects of social media.
Oh, and thanks, Bo, for expressing faith in my future social media skills! I'll avoid cat memes and lolspeak...for now *cue evil laugh*
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Sorry...end rant/
*cue evil laugh*
