How job seekers’ social media profiles affect employability: Evidence from a research study

 

Social media plays an increasingly important role in recruitment and employee selection. Recruiters are tempted to check on job candidates’ social media profiles (SMPs) because SMPs could reveal more dynamic information about the candidates than their resumes alone. 

By checking the candidates’ SMPs, recruiters can discover their real personality, which cannot be easily achieved even through job interviews. Meanwhile, hiring managers can also assess job candidates’ social capital based on the size and the composition of their social networks.  

The study

 

To investigate how social media may affect recruiters’ hiring decisions, Antonio Muñiz, who graduated from the master’s program at the Collins College of Hospitality Management, Cal Poly Pomona, and I conducted a qualitative study together. We published our work in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. This research answers:     

The two research questions

 

1. What information or job candidate’s personality traits revealed on their SMPs gets the hiring managers’ attention?  
2. How do such information or job candidates’ personality traits revealed on their SMPs affect managers’ hiring decisions?

 

The research method

 

We conducted 11 semi-structured interviews in 2018 with 11 managers in major hospitality companies, representing the restaurant, hotel, country club, even planning, and managed foodservice sectors. On average, these 11 managers had 19 years of work experience in the hospitality industry. They made hiring decisions, ranging from hiring two to 18 candidates a month. Following the suggestions of ensuring a qualitative study’s trustworthiness, we firstly recorded and transcribed the interviews. We then performed a content analysis of the qualitative data. Finally, we reported the narrative results with direct quotes from the informants. 

 

Finding 1: The recruiting channels and legal considerations

 

The informants rated Indeed and LinkedIn the preferred websites for recruitment and selection. Surprisingly, none of them were aware of any policies issued by their companies about using social media in screening and selection. Many informants also held reservations about using social media in screening because of privacy concerns, the uncertainty of the information revealed from the candidates’ SMPs, legal compliance, and time constraints. 

 

Finding 2: LinkedIn is the preferred platform

 

About half of the informants used LinkedIn in screening. Only one informant admitted that s/he screened candidates’ other SMPs besides LinkedIn. That is, s/he also looked at candidates’ posts, videos, and pictures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

 

Finding 3: The preferable content on social media

 

Most informants favored pictures about food, catering, and events, news articles, and organizational social activities. Having a clear headshot/smiling, professional/appropriate content, positive/motivational content, and activities in general were mentioned once or twice only. 

 

Finding 4: The unfavorable content on social media

 

Inappropriate language or content, negative posts, personal information on LinkedIn, and anything discriminatory came to the top. 

 

Finding 5: The influential traits that may affect recruiters’ hiring decisions

 

Of the Big Five personality traits, hospitality managers looked for extroversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. Additionally, leadership potentials, professionalism, a good match, the current position held, as well as skills and endorsements, can be influential. 

 

Finding 6: How candidates’ SMPs affect employability

 

Unfavorable content seemed to have a more substantial influence than favorable content. As far as a candidate’s starting salary is concerned, the informants only factored in the candidates’ skills and experience. 

 

The implications

 

Besides the research’s theoretical contributions, the findings provide helpful, practical implications for businesses, hiring managers, job seekers, and career counselors. We recommend: 

 

• Organizations should develop clear guidelines about using social media in recruitment and selection. 
• For a minimum, Organizations must provide guidelines or assessment rubrics that are specific to LinkedIn. 
• Hiring managers are advised to follow the company’s guidelines and policies if provided. 
• Hiring managers need to justify why and how SMPs are used in screening if no guidelines or policies are provided. 
• Job seekers are highly encouraged to build a complete LinkedIn profile with a professional picture that projects their personality. 
• Job seekers may consider sharing favorable content and should avoid the unfavorable content on their SMPs. 
• If possible, job seekers should have their LinkedIn profile and other SMPS critiqued by their friends, co-workers, and career advisors, as what they would do on their resumes and other application materials. 
• Career counselors should teach job seekers how to build professional SMPs, with specific examples of how they may strategically display the desired content favored by recruiters. 

 

Do job seekers need even more impeccable social media profiles during the pandemic? 

 

This study was conducted in 2018 before the pandemic hit the economy with numerous long-term effects. Nevertheless, I expect that job seekers’ SMPs may play an even more significant role in influencing recruiters’ hiring decisions for two reasons. On the one hand, more people are forced to leave their jobs, making it more challenging to secure a job offer in a competitive job market. On the other hand, more companies let their employees work from home permanently. The traditional screening methods, such as face-to-face job interviews in the workplace, may no longer be an option for hiring managers. 

 

Back in May 2020, it is reported that 84% of recruiters were adapting to new hiring practices that facilitate remote exchanges. Among them, 58% used LinkedIn, Facebook, and even Instagram to connect with potential hires. It is also believed that job candidates’ digital presence will matter even more in 2021 and beyond. 

 

Lastly, it is important to note that the above results were generated from 11 qualitative interviews. Although we took careful measures to ensure this qualitative inquiry’s trustworthiness, the results may not be generalized in other settings. Instead, this study’s strength relies on its in-depth, narrative results reported by those purposefully selected informants who have abundant first-hand experience of screening job candidates. 

Do you believe that people’s digital reputation is critical in a job search? How important are job candidates’ SMPs in helping them secure a job offer? 

Note: This post is also available on MultiBriefs.com; the picture was downloaded from ConstructionExec.com. 

Interested in a Sales/Marketing Position? You’d Better Start Tweeting

Traditionally, companies promote sales by initiating one-way, and often persuasive messages to influence buyers’ purchasing decisions, but social media has destroyed the “one-to-many-communication” model. And because of that, if one wants to work in the field of sales and marketing, s/he must know how to communicate effectively on social media.

Well, many people have already been active on Facebook and Instagram. Isn’t it enough? Probably, at least they know how to “talk” as a customer. The challenge is B2C (business-to-consumer) communications are very different from C2B (consumer-to-business) and C2C (consumer-to-consumer) communications because everything posted on a company’s Facebook page or Instagram profile must reflect a brand’s or a company’s core value. Do you notice any differences between the Facebook messages posted on McDonald’s page and the ones on Chick-fil-A’s page?

A good sales/marketing manager must also know how to measure and document the ROI (return on investment) of a company’s effort on social media marketing. Very likely, most internet users do not even pay attention to how many friends they actually engage on social networking sites. If that’s the case, can they determine if a B2C communication strategy is working or not based on measurable outcomes?

Additionally, a good sales/marketing manager must go beyond Facebook and Instagram. At a minimum, s/he must also be active on LinkedIn and Twitter. According to the Wall Street Journal, Twitter now has over 230 million monthly active users. Some companies have already gained great success in promoting sales on Twitter. For a hotel, Twitter can be an “easy and inexpensive way to get in touch with its audience and to form community bonds.”  

If you still feel doubt about Twitter, let’s hope the following Bloomberg video will add some weight to my argument. In your opinions, what are the important skills that a sales/marketing manager should possess in the social media era? What can a candidate do to better prepare himself/herself for the challenges facing sales/marketing managers these days?


References:
The picture was downloaded from Guladigital.com.

Do We Have the Rights to Talk about Work or our Boss on Social Media?

It is not new to hear people got fired because of their updates on social networking sites. In one extreme case, a man got fired even for his random thoughts posted on Facebook. So, is it legal for companies to fire employees because of their updates on social media sites?

Employees have the rights to discuss face-to-face on “protected concerted activity” as outlined by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). For example, employees can talk about their wages and work conditions with co-workers. According to The Lodging Magazine (2013), the answer to whether employees have the rights to talk about work or their boss on social media sites depends on whether the employee’s update is considered as protected concerted activity.

The article in The Lodging Magazine reported two cases with the published decisions from NLRB. One case involves in an employee’s sarcastic comments about the employer. This employee is not protected because NLRB believes that the comments were made “solely by the employee without any discussion with other employees.” In the other case, an employee responded to a co-worker’s criticisms of her job performance as well as the performance of other co-workers. This employee was fired, but NLRB ruled in favor of the terminated employee because the employee’s behavior is “a call to group action that related to their working conditions.”

Even though it is noted that the decision made by the NLRB may turn out to be invalid because the Supreme Court by the Administration is still pending on its decision on whether the NLRB “lacks a quorum and is unable to conduct business,” employers are advised to keep such decisions of NLRB in mind. In the end, the article lists six suggestions for employers’ considerations (direct quotes):

• Eliminate policies that require employees to maintain confidentiality over wages, bonuses, or commissions.
• Review social media policies for non-specific terms that need further definition or stricter language.
• Adjust overly broad language that prohibits employees from discussing company policies, schedules, safety, dress codes, work assignments, other staff, or management.
• Eliminate or change language that prohibits posting of company logos, company name, identification of employee with the company, etc.
• Where legitimate issues are involved, define information that the company considers confidential (private employee data, guest information, strategic marketing plans, financial particulars).
• Consider a disclaimer at the end of the social media policy that makes clear that the policy is not intended to restrict an employee’s Section Seven Rights under the NLRA.

My suggestion to individual users is to think before posting any negative comments about work or their boss. They may ask themselves: besides venting my feelings about work or my boss on social media sites, how does my update help solve the issue? Are there other places for me to vent my feelings? Are there other places I can seek solutions (e.g., the HR Office, the corporate HR Manager, the NLRB, etc.)?

I agree to the article that managers need to revisit their companies’ policy. Ideally, I believe that the best solution to “stop” employees from bad-mouthing the company or their supervisors is to nurture an organizational culture that value employee feedback. If employees know their employer listens to them and shows genuine interest to them, they tend to be more open to their managers about their feelings and thoughts. If their issues are solved, they will not need to vent their feelings on social media sites any more. What do you think?

References:

Ryan, Andria, & Lominack, Reybun. (2013, March). Word to the wise: the National Labor Relations Board is weighing in on social media communications and employee rights; Here’s what hoteliers need to know. The Lodging Magazine (The official magazine of The American Hotel + Lodging Association), p. 20-21.

Retention Management – What Strategies Are (Not) Working?

The U.S. added 157,000 payroll positions in January according to The New York Times. Such job growth, however, did not result in a lower unemployment rate. On the contrary, the unemployment rate rose to 7.9% for the month. What is going on?

There must be more than one reason behind that. One could be employers now require existing employees to take over some of the responsibilities for the vacant positions until they are filled. When employers are not filling the vacant positions, the increased number of payroll positions does not help lower the unemployment rate.

Another possible reason is that fewer employers are willing to invest in candidates with less experience but great potential. Companies prefer to hire candidates who are ready to plug in and perform the job immediately --- usually those holding a similar position in a competitive firm. By doing so, companies can save a good amount of training and development cost. Therefore, it may seem everyone is “hiring,” but the truth is everyone is fighting for the same candidates who have already had a job. When no one is hiring the unemployed, the increased number of empty positions has little effect on the unemployment rate.

I consider what I mentioned above the “malpractices” in HR operations because these companies are doing nothing but “digging the grave” for themselves. Today, almost every professional is on LinkedIn. Many are also active on other social media platforms. As compared to regular staff, valuable employees are more vulnerable to be seen on the internet and be approached by a competitor. As a result, when the economy is turning around, the companies that require employees to do more for less or do not want to invest in their human capital will end up losing the top talent for the competitors.

Considering retention management is a system-wise approach to encourage valuable employees to stay with the employer, I would like to ask you the following questions: What considerations a company must take in managing employee retention? Based on what you experienced in the workplace or what you have read in literature, what tactics can employers use to manage employee retention? Which tactics work well? Which do not? For what reasons?

Relevant discussion:

Are Employers Expecting Too Much?

References:

Rampell, Catherine. (2013, February 2). Job growth steady, but unemployment rises to 7.9%. The New York Times, pp. B1. Also available online via http://nyti.ms/XxVsxP

The picture was downloaded from FrankCrum

Can You Carry a Good Conversation? The Basic of Social Networking

Social networks can be referred to as a complex social structure in which people connect with one another. Social networks have been around for as long as there have been human beings. People established networks by interacting with one another. Now that there is internet, which allows people to break the physical boundaries and connect with others in almost everywhere and at any time, will people find it easier to build a social network?

Indeed, it is often just one click away from connecting with someone online, but think deeper, there is no shortcut for building a real social network. Let’s say if we want to establish a professional relationship with a potential business partner in a traditional setting. First, we will find ways to get introduced to the partner. Then, we want to speak to the partner on the phone, in person, or at least with e-mail/mail. Such conversation provides a good opportunity for both parties to assess each other’s work and ideas. If both parties are interested and able to carry a continuous conversation, a network can be established.

Likewise in the cyber world, online connections may not necessarily mean social networks. For example, there are online connections we know nothing about other than their name and job title. There are also connections we might know in person but do not talk to each other for years. Will you trust a connection like that and do business with him/her? If we cannot even trust a person’s profile, how can this connection turn into a beneficial relationship? Will you still consider this person part of your social networks?

If we want to turn our online connections into our valuable social networks, we must be able to network with our connections through on-going conversations. I believe the following networking tactics may help:

·         Update all user profiles in social networking sites. Make sure there are a professional picture and a brief work history that shows a person’s work ethic.

·         Make notes about the connections, which can be used as references for follow-up conversations. LinkedIn, for example, allows users to write notes on their first connections’ profiles. Such notes are only visible to the user himself/herself.

·         Interact with connections by clicking “Like” or posting a short comment on their updates. Ask questions if the topic/conversation interests you.

·         Send birthday wishes, season’s greetings, and “congratulations” to connections if they post good news.  

·         Share useful information on connections’ wall or through e-mail if they might have interest.

·         Tag or mention connections in an update or picture on your wall if the topic is the connections’ interest.

·         Ask intellectual questions and seek feedback from the networks.

Social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn provide an additional means for people to stay connected. However, just as what we do in a traditional setting, we must continuously engage with our connections on social networking sites to build a valuable social network.  

How important do you see an on-going conversation in a relationship? What other tactics will you suggest to help people better engage with their connections on social networking sites?

References:

The picture was downloaded from BoundaryInterFaces.WordPress.com 

Beyond a Profile Page: A Continuous Discussion of “Seeking Jobs on Social Media”

It is no longer a secret that companies use social media to recruit and select managerial candidates. As a result, if a job seeker wants to catch an employer’s attention, s/he must be visible online as an expert.

Last year, I published an article about social-media job-search tactics in HOSTEUR™, in which I shared some career advice with hospitality and tourism students. A year later, I was invited to write an article of the same topic for the HealthyYou Magazine, but this time my target audience is the students majoring in nutrition science and public health. I actually offered similar advice to both groups (even though with different wordings). The truth is it doesn't matter in which area(s) a person wants to advance his/her career. The basic tactics of using social media in job search remain the same. Here are some examples,

• A job seeker must understand the characteristics and qualifications that his/her ideal employer is looking for in order to design/develop an appropriate personal brand that fits into this employer’s expectations as well as his/her own career goal.
• Having a presence on major social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter is good, but not enough. A job seeker also needs to actively participate in online forums and discussion. The more useful information this person shares, the better. The more this person helps other in a specific area, the more likely this person will be known as an expertise in a particular domain.
• It is nice to connect with the industry experts, professionals, co-workers, clients, and people who share the same interests, but these connections may not mean much if we never interact with them. A trustful relationship is built over time through continuous interactions.
• Being negative and critical is fine because it shows a person’s professional knowledge (at least it indicates that this person is capable of identifying an issue), but it can be better if this person is able to offer constructive feedback, suggestions, and alternative solutions to help solve the issue.
• In order to leverage the power of social media, professionals and students must be willing to share their knowledge and some personal information online. A person can have the most brilliant idea in the world, but such wonderful idea might never be discovered or searchable by a potential employer if this person keeps everything private.

What do you think? Will those tactics work in other disciplines besides hospitality and tourism, nutrition science, and public health? What other useful suggestions will you make to those job seekers who plan to use social media in job search?

Relevant discussions:
Tactics of Seeking Jobs on Social Media

Privacy vs. Efficacy: Which One Would You Choose? (Using Facebook in Job Search)

One Has No Choice But to Manage His/Her Online Image
Background Check on Social Media: Now Is a Serious Business
Using Facebook for Background Check
Social Media and Job Search I
Social Media and Job Search II

Social Media and Job Search III

Personal Brand and Social Media
Managing Your Online Reputation
Ways to Clean Up a Person’s Negative Online Reputation

References:

Kwok, Linchi (2012). Beyond a profile page: Using social media to build a personal brand and impress potential employers. HealthyYou Magazine, 12(1), 14 – 15. (Available in print but not online yet).  

We Are Being Analyzed on Twitter for Marketing Purposes

Most of us know that the Big Brother is watching us on social media. So, whether or not we want to be watched is out of the question. The debate turns to: To what extent should we be monitored? And more importantly, are we being watched for a good reason?

Twitter, for example, will soon allow advertisers to target users based on their “assumed” interests and hobbies, according to this Wall Street Journal video. Twitter is able to do that because it knows what users like by analyzing their tweets, favorite tweets, retweets, interactions with other users, keywords in Twitter search, the following list, and the follower list.  

In fact, other big players in the market like Google and Facebook have been running targeted ads for a while, but I still think this could be good news because marketers will have an additional medium to reach target customers --- users on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter are different in many ways in my opinions. Besides, this could an important move for Twitter before it announces the IPO (initial public offering).  

Today’s technology allows marketers to closely watch consumers about just everything, from body temperature, motions, and heartrates in a shopping trip, to their shopping routines. I am not sure if consumers are happy about that, but I believe many marketers are. Would you agree? 

The business implications of monitoring internet users’ online behaviors, however, can go beyond marketing. HR is another good example. Social media has become a very important tool in recruitment and employee selection. Hiring managers can now analyze a job candidate’s online presence before making an offer. If a job seeker does not know how to present himself/herself with 140 words or how to leverage the power of social media in job search, s/he would miss many good opportunities.

If you are a HR professional, how do you use technology in managing an organization’s human capital? If you are a job seeker, what tactics can you use in job search on social media?

Besides Marketing and HR, what other departments can use social media for their advantages? How?

References:
The Twitter logo was downloaded from https://twitter.com/logo

Social Media: Is It a Gift from Angel or Devil?

I keep hearing two distinguishing voices about social media. Some complain that social media has negative impact on individual users and the society as a whole because people can become very addicted to it and there is no sense of privacy in the cyber world. Others think highly about social media because people can use social media to promote business, find jobs, solve crimes, and remain connected with friends and family. Which school of thoughts makes sense to you?  
 

To me, they all make sound arguments. I see social media as a “neutral” tool. If people do not understand social media or fail to use it in an appropriate way, it could be very harmful. At the same time, social media can certainly become very useful, depending on how we use it.

The following news videos, for example, provide some great examples of how social media can make positive impact. As featured in the first, CBS news video, NextDoor is a new entrepreneurship venture that keeps people connected with their neighbors. On NextDoor.com, people can seek support from neighbors and remain informed of what is happening in the neighborhood without knocking on people’s doors. According to the second, MSNBC news video, police departments are relying more on social media, especially YouTube in solving crimes.

So, what is your opinion on social media? Is social media a good thing or a bad thing?

Relevant discussions:

Still Feeling Reluctant to Adopt a Social Media Strategy? Please Think Again

Yammer: Another Entrepreneurship Idea that Built on Social Media

Social Media for Entrepreneurs

The CBS News video about Nextdoor:

 The MSNBC News video about more police departments adopting social media in solving crimes:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

References: The picture was downloaded from TightMixBlog.com.

Mobile Etiquette

The 2012 Intel Mobile Etiquette Survey is out. It seems that people are doing worse over time, however. According to this Wall Street Journal video, 81% of adults think manners are bad, comparing to 75% of last year. Here are some bad examples on the top pet peeves list:

• 77% - texting or typing while driving
• 64% - talking too loud in public
• 55% - having the volume too loud in public
• 59% - sharing too much negative information
• 55% - sharing inappropriate or explicit photos
• 53% - sharing the information that is deemed to be private

Texting while driving is prohibited by law in most places. Recently, there are also communities that began issuing fines to those who are texting while walking. It is possible that more communities will ban texting for pedestrians soon.

This survey also reminds companies and people not to share too much personal or negative updates in social media. Too much “irrelevant” information will irritate the audience and friends. When somebody “unfriends” a person, there must be a reason, right?

Social media is not about the person (or the company) who owns the accounts; it is more about the audience. When sharing information, we need to ask ourselves: “What’s in it for the audience?”

Even when people share useful information with their friends, it is also very important to respect others’ privacy. For example, several of my friends are looking for a house now. When I found some useful information (e.g. a highly recommended mobile app for house hunt), I did not post that information in my friends’ timeline or mention their name on Twitter. Who knows if my friends are ready to let the whole world know that they are looking for a house now? Instead, I sent them an e-mail about the app.

What are the most annoying mobile manners you have seen? Please share with us and let everyone avoid those bad manners.

Some relevant discussions:

Etiquette for the New Age 

Social Media Etiquette for Business

Smartphone Etiquette
 

Using Social Media in Communication: An Interview with Keren Ritchie

Today, I conducted a Skype interview with Keren Ritchie in my social media class. Keren received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and is currently a M.I.A. (Master of International Affairs) degree candidate at Columbia University. Her experience in social media ranges from non-for-profit to for-profit organizations. So, what are her thoughts on using social media in communication?

Keren’s Work Experience in Social Media

• While there is not much difference among organizations as an effective social media strategy can work for different entities, businesses in general allow more freedom and creativity in using social media for communication; government agents are more careful regarding the content being communicated.
• Social media policy is very important for every organization, but surprisingly, few organizations she worked for had established clear guidelines of using social media. “Many companies’ social media policies are more reactive; a good social media policy will allow organizations to be more proactive in responding to what is happening in social media.” As a result, whoever can develop social media strategies and write social media policies is “golden” in job search.
• As to which department should write the social media policy for the organization, Keren pointed to the Communication Department. I believe that social media should be included in an organization’s integrated business strategy because social media can be used in PR, HR, Marketing, and more. Accordingly, if the Communication Department oversees an organization's social media activities in different departments, it will work. Otherwise, the executive committee that develops integrated strategy should draft the social media policy for the organization. What are your opinions on this issue?

Trends in Social Media

• Many companies are “afraid” of social media because they don’t know how to use it. Seeing the opportunities and advantages of using social media in business, more companies will realize the importance of social media. They must use social media in order to stay competitive --- Avon is a good example of failing for not being able to catch up with the social media trends in competition.
• Organizations should hire at least one dedicated person to manage their social media channels. If budget is an issue, a manager should oversee such activities. Small business with limited resources is advised to use those “widely-reach” platforms with built-in integrated applications (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube). Without a dedicated person who consistently updates relevant content on social media, it is difficult to engage the audience.

Using Social Media in Job Search

• Networking is still the key, especially for those vacancies that are not even publicized. LinkedIn and other social media tools can certainly help people build a network online, but the “personal connections” cannot be completely replaced by a virtual network.
• Students and job seekers are advised to acquire the following transferable skills: having (and being able to demonstrate) strong communication skills (verbal and written), knowing the relevant trends of the field, paying attention to details, multitasking/multi-talented (e.g. having the skill sets of writing, administration, and strategic planning), and the ability of know-how (e.g. using WordPress and making YouTube videos).
• Graduate school is a great place for networking. Alumni are often very helpful, for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Thank you, Keren for sharing her valuable advice of using social media in communication. What additional suggestions will you give to us?

Please visit http://sfy.co/qTg to read more about our Storify story for today’s interview.

An Interview with Eric Rattner at Hospitality eBusiness Strategies, Inc.

I had a Skype interview with Eric Rattner, Account Executive at Hospitality eBusiness Strategies (HeBS Digital) in my social media class yesterday. Eric graduated in the Hospitality Management Program at SU in 2011. Before joining HeBS Digital, Eric completed several internships in hotels and restaurants. I felt delightful of speaking with him about his job search tactics as a student, his current position and company, in addition to the internet-marketing and social-media trends. Here are some highlights of our conversation:

Job Search Tactics as a Student

Eric began building a network both online and offline when he was a student. He was informed by one of his connections regarding the job opportunity at HeBS Digital. Then, he applied for the position on LinkedIn, went through the interviewing process, and secured the job offer.

Eric shows us a great example of finding jobs online. As a matter of fact, 89% of the U.S. companies are relying on social networking sites for recruiting. Among them, LinkedIn accounts for 73% of the internet hires through social media (Wright, 2012). Job seekers have no choice but to practice the social-media job-search tactics.  

Work at HeBS Digital

HeBS Digital is an e-marketing firm that helps clients develop internet strategies and design/manage their websites and social media accounts. HeBS Digital is growing and has won many awards over the past 10 years. Eric loves the company and enjoys what he is doing. Besides the technical skills, having good work ethics, being reliable and professional, and being able to take responsibilities are important in HeBS Digital.

Everything Eric said is important for a student who starts his/her professional life. I hope students will appreciate the expectations and rules set by their professors. It would be easier for a professor to teach the content of a subject (i.e. the technical skills) without paying attention to other aspects of education. I, however, believe that a good professor should also “train” students how to be a good citizen (e.g. work ethics and professionalism) and how to think independently (e.g. critical thinking and problem-solving skills). Things like arriving on time, showing respect to others, remaining undistracted by cellphones, and participating in class discussion may seem “silly” but crucial in preparing students for the real-world settings, would you agree?

Internet Marketing and Social Media Trends

According to Eric, it is always important to measure the effectiveness of a company’s social media strategy. Pinterest and Google Plus are new but emerging platforms. Companies also need to pay close attention to Google Social Integration and see how it may affect SEO (Search Engine Optimism).

In the past, I have noticed that some hotel chains set up social media profiles for the brand in the corporate level while many others allow each property to create/manage its own social media accounts. Restaurants, on the other hand, often manage their social media accounts in the corporate level. Eric suggested that having a social media account in the property level allows more personal conversation between a hotel and those customers who actually stay in that hotel. I agree, but I also feel that each hotel brand, in the corporate level, should have an active account in all major social media profiles. Similar to sales and promotions, a hotel chain can broadcast a commercial in a national network while at the same time, individual hotel properties can put an advertisement in a local magazine or video. Why can’t a hotel chain have many social media accounts, one in the corporate level and the others in the property level? 

Social media and internet marketing is important for every business and definitely a growing field. HeBS Digital is now hiring, so as many other social media firms. Surprisingly, according to a recent study by the Society of Human Resource Management, only 12% of the companies being surveyed reported that they have at least one full-time employee who is managing the organization’s social media activities (Leonard, 2012). This could be a very exciting finding for students and job seekers who are interested in social media because there will be many job openings in the field soon when the other 88% of companies finally realize the importance of having full-time social media staff. My suggestions to students who want to work in the social media field include: (a) take some relevant courses in social media --- also think about what other skills required for a social media officer, will other seem-to-be-irrelevant classes be helpful in building some transferable skills? (b) begin building a personal brand as a social media expert  by engaging in intellectual conversations online; and (c) network, both online and offline.

I very much appreciate Eric’s insightful information. What are your thoughts about this interview? Any suggestions or comments for me, students, and other social-media professionals?

Interested in my conversation with Eric Rattner? Please check out the tweets about this interview on #HPM200 Guest Speaker @rattner31. 

References:

Bill Leonard. (2012, March). Your active role in social media policies. HR Magazine, p. 105. 

Aliah D. Wright. (2012, March). Your social media is showing: A candidate’s online presence may say more than a resume. HR Magazine, p. 16.

Tactics of Seeking Jobs on Social Media

Recently, HOSTEUR™ published a paper of mine entitled “Seeking Jobs on Social Media: Are You Ready?” (p. 13 – 17). The paper answers three research questions:

1. What is social media?
2. How do companies use social media in recruitment and selection?
3. What can job seekers do in responding to companies’ social-media strategies in recruitment and selection?

People who follow my blog probably know the answers very well. In today’s discussion, I would like to summarize and quote some of the tactics I discussed in the paper. I would like to open up for comments because what you share may help a job seeker find a job.    

• Understand employers’ expectations. Job seekers must know the characteristics or qualifications that recruiters seek in candidates.
• Design an appropriate personal brand that fits in employers’ expectations and the job seeker’s career goal. Job seekers need to answer: “What do I want the recruiters or hiring managers to know about me?”
• Join the professional organizations/groups on LinkedIn and participate in discussions. That means initiating intellectual conversations and answering other group members’ questions. It is very important that a job seekers shares useful information in the network.  
• In addition to the popular social networking sites, create an account in other professional communities on the internet, such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Inc.com (a community for small business). Why? They will help optimize the search engine results.
• Use the same name and title on every social media site. This will help search engines identify and bring up the right profiles at once.
• Cross-reference one another on a person’s social media profiles. The question is: “Do you have an information hub for all your profiles?” The hub could be blog, a personal website, a LinkedIn profile, etc. Let the recruiters and hiring managers to navigate the profiles from one to another.  
• Build a network with industry experts, professors, co-workers, references, people who share the same interests, and people encountered in professional occasions. Whom we know matters!   
• Before building a personal brand, search a person’s name on Google, Bing, and Yahoo. See what people talk about the person on the Internet and social networking sites. If there is an issue, fix it or even hire an agent to help clean up the negative content.
• Build a strong personal brand on social media by frequently posting relevant comments or discussions that support the job seeker’s personal brand. Over time, the job seeker should be known as an expert in a specific domain.
• Ask professionals who are familiar with the job seeker’s work for endorsement on social media. The recommendations can help a job seeker to validate and promote his/her personal brand.
• Because very few employers want to hire a negative person or a questionable candidate, a job seeker must be very careful when posting negative comments (unless they are constructive), complaints, or those pictures/comments that do not project his/her personal brand.
• Pay attention to the hidden messages conveyed on social media. Do you think your pictures indicate who you are? Pictures taken at the award ceremonies are always very helpful in supporting a resume or what is highlighted on the application letter. 
• It is all right to show a candidate’s true personality in some ways. In some degree, job seeking is similar to dating. While companies are looking for candidates who fit in the organization’s culture and jobs, job seekers also want to find the jobs they like. If a candidate “pretends” to be somebody else and gets a job offer that does not match the candidate’s personality, s/he will very likely end up hating the job and leaving the company. Rather, a job seeker should target the positions or companies that match his/her personality and be true to oneself.
• It is important that a job candidate uses a professional profile picture and keep their profiles public to some degree. If everything is “hidden” or “private,” how would a job seeker amplify the power of social media?
• Be very careful of the questionable content posted on the internet. If that’s something you don’t even want your family to know, probably it is not a good idea to put the content on the internet.
• It takes time, or even a very long time, before a person can establish a strong personal brand online. So, everyone should all start practicing now regardless if s/he is looking for job or not.

References:

Kwok, Linchi (2011, Fall/Winter). Seeking jobs on social media, are you ready? HOSTEUR™, 20 (2): 13-17.

The picture was downloaded from LIBN.com 

Relevant discussions:

More Employers Are Using Social Media in Screening Job Candidates

Privacy vs. Efficacy: Which One Would You Choose? (Using Facebook in Job Search)
One Has No Choice But to Manage His/Her Online Image
Background Check on Social Media: Now Is a Serious Business
Using Facebook for Background Check
Social Media and Job Search I
Social Media and Job Search II

Social Media and Job Search III

Personal Brand and Social Media
Managing Your Online Reputation
Ways to Clean Up a Person’s Negative Online Reputation