My co-author on "Networking for the College Student and Recent Graduates", Professor of Business and Head of Entrepreneurial Studies at DeVry University-- Dr. Michael Faulkner is my guest blogger.
He always has a wealth of information through his continual research.
Read what he has to say on Today's Job Search---
Much of the FORMAL JOB SEARCH/ CAREER PLANNING TRAINING in our culture, e.g. ( college and HS education, and learning that goes on in other intuitions, by parents, many mentors, free lance educators, free market enterprises (search firms, head hunters, recruiters, placement agencies, etc.)government agencies (job and employment search, job training, etc)still focuses on the least productive approaches for potential job seekers. The approaches continue to focus first on learning the skill or technique in vogue (education is still trend oriented). So the formal job search approach is to teach a skill or technique or college major that industry supposedly needs. This approach is then supported abet weakly and generally imperfectly and ineffectively by curriculum that includes a huge dose of formal (unproductive and inefficient tools) and not much informal (effective, efficient and successful tools). The question unanswered is why? What keeps the formal approach on the front burner and using up the recourses when the evidence shows it isn’t the winning formula? That is probably the focus of more research.
The problem is, this formal approach does not answer the critical need of either the demand side (job seekers) or supply side (job providers) which is information. Each is seeking better and more accurate information about their needs prior to the job search or recruitment of candidates. The research and current literature on the topic shows the formal job seeking methods have been inadequate in providing the necessary quality information. Consequently successful job seekers and satisfied job providers have continued doing what they have done for over 100 years and that is rely on the informal job seeking and recruiting methods which are social networking. As the research and literature on the topic show, job seekers using their own strong networks and individual “bridges” to weak networks, and individual direct contact with hiring mangers as the most successful methods of job search. In this case, success is just defined as finding a new job.
As Mike summarizes his post-
"There are five points to my social media article that stand out:"
Social media, like the 1980s and 1990s Internet era, is an awakening not of a new media but of the capabilities of communications technology to communicate more effectively.
We can’t make the mistake the Internet pioneers made and think social media is a product or an end service, it’s a way to reach our customers and prospects with our brand, not to sell, but to provide content.
- Social media marketing requires a strategy – a written plan – just like any business plan, marking plan, communications plan, or promotions plan.
- Social media must fit your organization’s brand. Not all organizations will find social media technology for them, make sure it is the medium your customers and prospects prefer otherwise don’t employ it.
- Social media is just one management tool in a whole tool box of tools. It needs to be part of your multi-media, multi channel branding effort and not a standalone effort. Social media must fit like a puzzle part with every other management tool you use as a seamless part of your business tactics.
- If you adopt social media, don’t copy cat what others have done. Be original and differentiate and demonstrate the value of your social media to your customers and prospects.
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