The Impact of Social Media on Communications Recruiting

By Ted Chaloner

A number of years ago, we received a resume from a candidate whose title was Vice President of Consumer Generated Media. It was new to us and although we could figure out what he did, we couldn't imagine that function being so senior. The world has changed, and quickly.

No matter what you call it - social media, digital communications, etc. - it certainly has moved from being new and different to something our clients cannot do without. Knowing how to use blogs and wikis and Twitter and LinkedIn and all the other new forms of communications effectively has gone from being a nice-to-have to a must-have. We think this trend will continue with the following results in the coming year.

INTEGRATION:

What is now termed social media will become integrated into corporate communications and public relations. Content will be paramount as the media, consumers and businesses will be sharing and accessing that content through all kinds of devices and platforms.

Example: Bing integrates Facebook updates and Twitter tweets into search results

SPEED:

Before the 1980s, resumes were created on typewriters and sent by US Mail most often in response to classified ads in newspapers. That process took days if not weeks. Everything now is at warp speed. However, it hasn't made finding outstanding talent any easier. Despite the massive amount of data available on line, corporate recruiters and search firms still have to dig deep and use their expertise to find just the right fit for communications departments and agencies.

More than 70% of the candidates we placed in 2009 were employed and many were passive candidates. Job boards and career portals have added a lot to help career management and recruiting but have not replaced the need for recruiters at all. Wait too long to respond to a job lead and you'll miss out entirely.

Example: Cut off dates for resume submissions are getting shorter and shorter.

MOBILITY:

Smartphones will continue to change the way we all access content. We will be freed from our desks to find, edit and share information of all kinds. Networks will knock down technology barriers. Organizations will no longer be able to tightly control content as users become increasingly able to add their own input and send it along.

Another aspect of mobility is the remote access. A candidate in San Francisco can be interviewed by a recruiter in New York not just by phone but live on web conferencing without the expense of video conferencing; in fact some are free.

Examples: Skype, iChat, SightSpeed, WebEx, Yugma, DimDim, and many others.

MEASUREMENT:

The same kind of detailed statistics available for web sites will be used to measure the effectiveness of new media. Companies will be able to collect information about customers and users without having to use focus groups and other traditional research techniques. Communications professionals will have to prove that there is a return for the investment in time and money in new forms of communications.

Examples: Google Analytics, Woopra, Compete, Alexa, Google Trends, Yahoo Site Explorer, Filtrbox, Addictomatic, Socialmention, Digg Search, , Backtype, Yacktrack and many more.

TRANSPARENCY:

Keeping secrets will get harder and harder. Companies with significant responsibilities to treat information in strict confidence will have to develop new ways to guarantee confidentiality. Unintended gaffes will also need careful follow-up. Youtube is powerful.

Example: Tiger Woods and George Allen

UNIVERSALITY:

Everyone will need to become conversant with social media. Job seekers, recruiters, hiring managers and HR professionals will all have to keep up with the changes. Career portals will become huge and more sophisticated. Networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook have already grown beyond expectations. When we are sent a word.doc resume by email, we often look on line for more information.

Use of social media has already moved into new areas quickly, way beyond shopping and job searches and gaming. Political campaigns have shown its application to electoral politics and fundraising. There will be phenomenal growth in the use of social media in healthcare, education, government services, and many more sectors.

Example: The Obama campaign

CONSTANT CHANGE:

Nothing will stay the same for very long. New means of communications will continue to be developed and adopted and we'll need to keep up. Although I don't think Alvin Toffler was correct when he wrote in 1970 that the pace of change would be totally disorienting, he was right in Future Shock that the pace of change and the incredible number of choices we are presented has continued to increase exponentially.

Example: Toyota (the company with a VP of Consumer Generated Media). Buy a car and you're faced with thousands of choices: brand, model, color, features, and how to pay for it, insure it and garage it.

BASIC SKILLS:

All this is evolutionary, not revolutionary. In job search and career management, candidates and employers will still have to tell their stories in an effective presentation. Good interviewing skills will still be a huge advantage. With so much information about everything easily available, there is no excuse for poor preparation. Content will always be critical, so writing and presenting skills are of utmost importance.

About Chaloner Associates, Inc.

CELEBRATING OUR 30TH YEAR IN EXECUTIVE SEARCH - Chaloner Associates is a national, executive search firm specializing in communications, marketing, advertising, and interactive recruitment. With offices in Boston and New York, we work with corporate, agency, consulting and non-profit clients in all industries across the US and Canada. Our knowledgeable recruiters, team-based approach, and long-term client and candidate relationships distinguish Chaloner Associates as a leader in talent acquisition since 1979.