5 Ways to ensure you Never Get Hired. How companies are using social media to screen job candidates. #careerday11

On The Agenda

1.  What is social media?

2.  Who uses it?

3.  Why should you care?

4.  What NOT to do!

5.  What TO do!

What is it?

What is social media? Software (websites) that allow groups to:

Ü Generate content (photos, video, audio, writing)

Ü Exchange that content

Ü Have a conversation

In Plain English

Why is it so popular? 1.  Sites are easy to use

2.  Make it easier to meet and connect with people online

3.  Learn about people before contacting them

4.  Free

- http://www.socialmediaonline.com/why-social-networking-sites-are-so-popular/

Who uses it?

Is it a fad? Social Media use of all US Internet users:

Ü Age 50+: 42% (up from 22% in April 09)

Ü Ages 18-29: 86% (up from 76% in April 09)

Facebook.com was the #1 visited website in the US in 2010.

Second place: Google - Experian Hitwise 12/10

- Pew Internet & American Life Project 8/10

By the Numbers 152 million Blogs on the Internet

200 million People on Twitter Ü  25 billion Tweets sent in 2010

800 million People on Facebook Ü  250 million New people on Facebook in 2010

Ü  30 billion Pieces of content shared on

Facebook per month.

-Royal Pingdom 1/11

@LadyGaga

14+ million followers

Why should you care?

Employers are looking Ü  Now, 91% of employers use

social networks to screen prospective employees

Ü 69% have rejected a

candidate because of what they found.

Ü They use: Ü  Facebook (76%)

Ü  Twitter (53%) Ü  Linkedin (48%)

Reppler.com study, Sept. 2011

Why employers disregarded candidates Ü Lied about qualifications

Ü  Showed poor communication skills

Ü  Made discriminatory comments

Ü  Posted content about them drinking or using drugs

Ü  Posted inappropriate photographs or information

CareerBuilder.com survey, December 2009

What NOT to do!

The Buffalo News, April 24, 2011

Let’s do a quick Google search.

Online=Public & Forever Consider anything you post online to be completely public.

Ü Facebook used to be private, but is becoming more and more public. Ü Advertisers can use your information Ü Complex privacy settings, change frequently

Ü Even if you manage your privacy, apps and friends can access your data and share it to the rest of the world.

Privacy settings …

App settings …

Individual App settings …

App info through friends…

Public search …

In other words …

Some Examples Thought you were managing your privacy online? Think again…

Ü The WayBack Machine Ü  Google, Pepsi, Lego, ME

Ü Openbook Ü  “Got so wasted last night” Ü  “I hate my boss”

Ü Twitter Search

Ü Google Indexes Facebook Comments

What TO Do!

What TO do! Ü 68% of employers have hired

candidates after screening their social networks:

Ü  Candidate received awards and accolades

Ü  Showed solid communication skills

Ü  Showed candidate was creative

Ü  Provided a good feel for personality and fit

Ü  Conveyed a professional image

Reppler.com survey, Sept. 2011

Clean up digital dirt before you begin your job search.

Remove any:

Ü Photos

Ü Content

Ü Links …that can work against you in an employer’s eyes.

Before the Job/Intern Hunt:

SociableBlog.com, January 2010

Before the Job/Intern Hunt:

Self-SEO – Google yourself!

Ü  Build a portfolio website

Ü  Create a LinkedIn profile

Ü  Start Tweeting (carefully!)

Ü  Start a blog

During the Job/Intern Hunt:

Socially Network!

Ü  Follow and talk with industry pros on Twitter

Ü  Join LinkedIn and Facebook groups to establish relationships

Ü  Participate in Twitter chats

Ü  Recommend other’s work on LinkedIn

SociableBlog.com, January 2010

Get Involved & Learn More

Jobs! Ü  PRSA Jobcenter (prsa.org/jobcenter, @PRSAJobcenter)

Ü  @PRJobs

Ü  PRSABuffaloNiagara.org

Ü  advertisingclubofbuffalo.com

Industry Twitter Chats! Ü  #journchat #pr20chat #HAPPO

And finally…

1.  Post Digital Dirt

2.  Be a Terrible Troll

3.  Have a Big Mouth

4.  Establish Copious Contacts and Comments

5.  Be Positively Negative

“Social Screening” infographic, Mindflash.com

The Five Ways.

Recap!

1.  What is it?

2.  Who uses it?

3.  Why should you care?

4.  What NOT to do!

5.  What TO do!

Questions?

Kevin Manne New Media Specialist

Twitter: @k3v2

Email: kjmanne@genesee.edu

Not quite done…

Facebook IRL

Thank you!

Social Media Icons: http://icondock.com

Profile photos: “Social Media for College Students” by Jeffrey Zelaya on slideshare.net