Social Media and what it can do for YOU!

By JC MaldonadoSenior Seminar Presentation

First of all….wtf is social media???Social media refers to activities, practices,

and behaviors among communities of people who gather online to share

information, knowledge, and opinions using conversational media.

Conversational media are Web-based applications that make it possible to

create and easily transmit content in the form of words, pictures, videos, and

audios. (Brake, Safko, 2009)

The social media sites that fill the internets

What social media is NOTIt is not Twitter, Facebook, Ning, Linkedin,

YouTube, or other sites out thereThese are SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS“Social media is about enabling

conversation…it is also about how this conversation can be prompted, promoted, and monetized.” (Brake, Safko, 2009)

People are talking about you, it might be friends, classmates, customers, or employers….how will you respond?

First three rules of social media for business YOU!

1. Social media is all about enabling conversations

2. You cannot control conversations, but you can influence them.

3. Influence is the bedrock upon which all economically viable relationships are built. (Brake, Safko, 2009)

Most of us are graduating in less than a month and will be looking to start our careers…the biggest thing you can do to help your search is social media

Do you think that sending out resumes to every job opening you find will work?

What if there was a way that you could put your resume, past work experience, skills, and more out for any potential employer to see??

5 things every student should do!

1. Develop a personal brand

Personal branding expert Dan Schawbel, author of Me 2.0

What is your personal brand?

“Personal branding is about unearthing what is true and unique about you and letting everyone know about it. As a brand, you are your own free agent: you have the freedom to create a career path that links to your talents and interests with the right position…” (Schawbel, 2009)

Develop a personal brand that helps you stand out

What can you offer to your employer? What makes you different than the other thousands of graduates that are searching for

jobs?Find the identity and voice that will display that

you are a valuable asset to whoever hires you! Apply it to whatever you do, whether it’s online

or offline Show your “value proposition”

(Schawbel, 2009)

What do you have to offer?A robust professional network?

Endorsements from respected colleaguesPrevious accomplishments with cataloged

results?A diversified and unique skill set?

“Approach your career in terms of differentiation (standing out in the crowd) and marketability (providing something

that other people want and need”(Schawbel, 2009)

2. Network, network, networkNetworking is a huge key to getting your

name out for people to recognize…the more often people see your name, face, read about what you are doing the better

If you meet someone in person, then find them on a social media site, most likely they are on one

With social media you can reach out to them through Linkedin or Twitter by simply saying nice to meet you and establish a connection without overstepping personal boundaries

LINKEDINLinkedin is the largest professional social

network online, with over 65 million usersSet up your own professional profile,

including, skills, interests, current position, previous employment, and even your resume!!! I can even put this presentation up so that future employers can see my work!

Use Linkedin to connect with people you know, they may be friends, family

members, professors, etc.

According to Socialnomics author and creator of the video Social Media Revolution, Erik Qualman, 80% of

companies are using Linkedin to find employees

3. Build an online and in person network of people

Find people you know, develop a relationship first, then connect

Whether it is your Linkedin account, Twitter, or whatever social media application you are using, the key is to “fish” with the biggest “net” possible

The larger your network, the more authority you will have and larger chances you will have to help others and for others to help you

Getting started…You want to connect with anyone that

might help you land a job or may know someone who is hiring

What is amazing about social media is that your networks are doubled if not tripled

Employers can use the Linkedin search engine to find you

Co-workers, teachers, coaches, and others can post recommendations about you

It’s legit

Mike Brady, 33, a Naperville resident who was laid off by the Bank of America in April 2008, used LinkedIn in his recent job search. “When I found a job I liked, whether it was through a company’s website or through a job board, I would check LinkedIn to see if I knew anybody at the company or if I was a second degree away,” Brady says. “Then I would try to get my foot in the door that way.”

Barbara Maldonado used Twitter to put the word out that she was looking for work and followed other people who were in the same situation. “If anyone was looking for a job, I left a note that said I’m in the same boat, asked what they are looking for, and said if I run across anything in [your area], I’ll keep you in mind,” she says. In March, she accepted a job as a business development manager with Elmhurst-based Marketing Resources, the direct result of a LinkedIn conversation that had started five months before. (Little, 2009)

What authors Chris Brogan and Julien Smith say…“The wider your network, the easier it is to get things done. Get to know more people. Do it in person at events. Do it online by commenting on blogs. Follow more people on Twitter. Expand on Linkedin. Cultivate your network by passing information on to people who may be able to use it. We can’t stress this enough: Powering your network and growing it into something far-reaching and diverse means a world means a world of difference. “

“As you start developing more and more online relationships make sure you build strong personal relationships that allow you to share genuine thoughts, not just networks of shallow contacts.” (Brogan, Smith, 2009)

Brian Solis, author of Engage

“Social networks are indeed a hub for your digital identity and activity, connecting the disparate pieces of your persona from across the distributed web and portraying a more crafted, organized, and representative digital resume and knowledge portfolio” (Solis, 2009)

4. Never stop learningNever be afraid to learn something new or

embrace technologyThe speed at which technology and

information is being shared is moving exponentially. If you fail to stay on track with innovation, YOU WILL BE LEFT BEHIND

In order to succeed you must possess a eagerness to learn and a ‘Can do’ attitude

I used a Kindle, or e-books for nearly all of my research for this presentation

5. Its all about relationships…online and offline

“Relationships are measured by the values, actions, and sentiments that others take away from each conversation” (Solis, 2009)

“We’ve discovered that people who understand how to build relationships on the Web also know how to make business happen using this understanding” (Brogan, Smith, 2009)

“Social networks are about being social and building genuine relationships for mutual gain” (Halligan, Shah, 2010)

Social media to me is like trading baseball cards…

Everyone wants an “even trade” Your online and offline relationships

should always be about helping others…connecting, sharing, talking, and giving

Always give more than you take and people will respect and value your connections…in turn they will want to help you

Resources Brake, D, & Safko, L. (2009). Social media bible (Kindle

version) Brogan, C., & Smith, J. (2009). Trust agents: using the web

to build influence, improve reputation, and earn trust. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc..

Halligan, B, & Shah, D. (2010). Inbound marketing(Kindle version)

Little , R. (2009, August). Will Work for friends. Chicago Magazine, Retrieved from http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/August-2009/Will-Work-for-Friends/

Qualman, E. (2009). Socialnomics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc..

Schawbel, D. (2009). Me 2.0 (Kindle version) Solis, B. (2009). Engage (Kindle version)