The Evolving Rules of Social Media

How often should you update your social media profiles?  I just did a walk through our offices and reminded all the employees that they need to go to LinkedIn and update their profiles.  Several looked at me blankly, one even said to me, “Am I supposed to have a profile?” I nodded patiently and said in my normal, playfully acerbic tone, “Yes, you need to have a LinkedIn profile.” She looked at the others around the room as if I had chopped her head off.

It is easy for me to forget that not everyone has had a profile for five years.  Not everyone thinks regular updates and profile maintenance are necessary.  I do and my co-workers know that I do.  In a busy, growing company, LinkedIn and other professional networks have served as a great help in my efforts to recruit for or promote my company and understand everyone’s position and how I can help them, how they can help me.

LinkedIn is the ultimate professional networking tool, even with its constant updates and changes.  I also have a profile on Plaxo – which I like to describe as a cross-breed of Facebook and LinkedIn with some pretty cool tools built in – like their birthday calendar.  I love sending eCards to professional connections; it is a great way to let someone know you are thinking of them and another way to maintain inactive or passive relationships.  You never know when an inactive relationship will blossom into a full-blown active one.

And there are other online networking profiles floating around out there.  My personal social media philosophy has always been:  There are an awful lot of details available about you on the internet- take control of your online persona and have what YOU control be the dominating sources, the highest ranked listings in a Google search about you. I cannot stress enough the importance of knowing what is out there about you.  Go to pipl.com, type your name into the search bar and see what comes up about you.  The listings of personal information are all available on line.  Next go to Google and type in your name in the search bar, but search in “images.”  Other surprises await you.  Information you put out about yourself online is all cached somewhere and is retrievable.

Be careful and be in control.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have always been a huge proponent of having an open Facebook.  I use it for business and professional networking, so I want people to be able to find me and feel free to contact me.  But I also like feeling secure and until recently, I have always felt secure online.  That was no longer true after a few harassing emails and messages through Facebook and other networks.  I changed my privacy settings on Facebook and now avidly block followers on Twitter.  I have also closed my Facebook chat function.   Why? Because I want to continue to use social media in my work and just like any other tool, there are evolving rules regarding its use.

I choose to evolve with the rules.

by rayannethorn

Just Tweeted

So, I just sent out a tweet as a result of reading about a dozen other tweets. Anyone else tired of the new buzz word: INFLUENCE? I am glad that it has overtaken such words as “transparency” and “authenticity” or “thought leader” but I am growing weary of this new one rather quickly.

I don’t believe influence can be measured with an algorithm or by how many friends you have. I think it goes back to what the wizard told the TinMan – a heart is not measured by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others. And really, how do you measure love?

Is it “I love you this much,” with arms outstretched as far as one possibly can reach? It is unmeasurable – which is different than immeasurable.

Just wanted to stop in and say that. Nothing more. Influence is over-done. Already. What’s next? Maybe “follower” or “friend” – Maybe you can have too many.

by rayannethorn

Something to Tweet About

Do you think Google is a major player in technology? Do you think they pay attention to what is new, what is hip, what is important in social media? Perhaps. I recently heard an interesting fact: Google and Twitter have engaged in a multi-million dollar partnership. What does this mean to you and me? First, it means that Google views Twitter as a powerful business tool. Second, it means that Twitter will be backed by the biggest player in internet technology. And third, it means that Twitter is not going away.

Interestingly enough, Twitter is still not being taken serious by big business. What Twitter allows is the opportunity to engage personally with customers and clients – right now. While Google is a fantastic search engine, it is not right now, it is not this second. Twitter is real-time, right now, right this second. Imagine the capabilities? Combining real time with the most incredible search engine there is.

Do you think we need to take it seriously? I do. (she yells at the top of her lungs) I encourage my clients to create a profile, begin active engagement, and I even offer to help them put together tweets. While, at first, it can be off-setting and maybe a little daunting, Twitter is just a conversation. That is all. Keeping that in mind, what might you be interested in sharing with current or potential clients and customers, how about candidates? When you look at it as a tool built as a conversation enabler, it takes the “big and scary” away. It should make it easier to think of how you can make it work for you.

Are you in a niche? Perhaps you are a generalist. Perhaps you are a sourcer. Perhaps you own a business and want to know best hiring practices or learn the most that you can about HR and recruiting. Maybe you have developed a product to solve an issue within your own company or industry. How do you see the speed of Twitter and search capabilities of Google assisting you? It is never easy to try something new or to take a risk. Growth comes from risk. Development comes from difficulties.

If you haven’t embraced Twitter, try and figure out why. What is it that scares you? Or keeps you from it? I have heard many say, I just don’t like it. I understand this. I didn’t like the fax machine and I didn’t like it when theLadders started charging me after I had already used them for a couple years. I didn’t like it when my office got moved or I resigned previous positions. Not liking something is not an excuse. Learn to love it. And you know why…

by rayannethorn

posted at BonusTrack.us on RecruitingBlogs.com