Social Media is NOT about Telling People What You Had for Breakfast

Social media isn't about disclosing what's going on in your personal life.  It is about sharing information with other people.  It is a tool for learning! 

This is the same definition for networking, if you recall. 

Finding people with whom you have a common interest and sharing what you know and what they know.  Because we live in a "flat world", the answers to our questions are out there somewhere.  You can find the answer if you know where to look.

There are yahoo groups, google groups, wikis,  user forums, Ning, LinkedIn groups, blogs and Twitter.  There are hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to share content and info, Stumble Upon, Digg, etc.

Most people, not all, get it. They are using these tools to spread a message by sharing information- by providing written content and sharing their expertise.

If you want to learn more about these tools, you are going to have to teach yourself.  That's the bad news.  The good news is that there are some great places to learn:

Mashable:  The Social Media Guide is chock full of great information on all those tools.  Go read and learn.

LinkedIn has a Learning Center with tons of articles and mini videos to walk you through using and even mastering the beast.

Facebook might be just for fun for you, however, businesses are tapping into it. It makes it easy for them to "push information".  There are applications you can add to your Facebook account that can help you find jobs.  Keppie Careers wrote about these applications and there might be even more now.

This is not a short term investment.  This is an investment in your future.  You will, undoubtedly, be out of work again.  Isn't it time you start learning this now and begin managing your career?

Still not convinced? 

If you think age discrimination is a problem now, wait until you aren't using these tools and missing out on all the jobs being posted and shared ONLY in these places.  It may just happen.

Comments

[Career Sherpa]

Carolann: Connecting! Yes! That's all it is. Great to have you visit here! Hope all is well and Happy New Year!

Deborah: excuses, excuses! I love your question...do you have all the contacts and job leads you need?

[Carolann Jacobs]

Hannah,
Great information! What I tell job seekers and the not-all-that-comfortably employed is that even if they only use social media to be social, they're making connections. You never know when your high school buddy may be the key to your next position, next sale, next shared laugh, for that matter. At the end of the day, it's about connecting.

You Rock!

Carolann

[Deborah Mourey]

Hi Hannah,
I speak to job seekers everyday and many of them are skeptical that social media can help them get their next job.

Many of them tell me they "don't have the time" or "will never use twitter no matter what."

Your advice here is very important. I speak to recruiters who tell me the first place they post a new position is on twitter because the only candidates who will find it there are people who are open to new technology and are learning.

No one HAS to learn social media but I ask you, if you're not using it - do you have all the contacts and job leads you need?