But...You're in IT

I had a phone interview this week with a company for a consulting job. To be fair, this company is not an IT company, they are more situated in accounting, but I was interviewing with their IT department. My interviewer asked me about my semester and this class came up.

I mentioned LinkedIn, and this person had a no idea what I was talking about. Now granted, this person is a little older, but working in IT, I was surprised that they had never heard of the site. Isn't this supposed to be the future of business? If you are working in computers and technology, then wouldn't one of the most popular networking sites pop up on your radar sooner or later? I was caught off guard, especially when the person asked me to explain what the site is for.

To be honest, it gave me a bad impression. How up on things can they be? I know that they know much more than I do, but how do you now know what LinkedIn is when working in this field? Does this surprise anyone else?

Well, all I can say is I am certainly glad that I know what it is as well as many other networking sites. These tools have a lot to offer us and the sooner people learn about them, the more effective they will surely become. (Maybe through a little networking? Eh? Eh?) Although, I will say I was happy to find out that I am, in fact, not the only person, who knows what all of this stuff is. Apparently I don't live in a hole, which comes as quite as a relief.

Taking the "Social" out of "Social Good"

It only seems natural that online social networking would be utilized by everyone, and this trend has made its way into the world of Social Good. Websites, emails, and other methods of getting in touch with fellow do-gooders has become a new avenue to get people to get together to do whatever it is that they enjoy doing.

One such network, Razoo, hosts a social networking site for those who want to come together to share what's going on in the world. It is really great that we have the capability to connect so easily with each other. Although, I have to admit when I first heard about all of this I was a little confused. When I think of social change, and getting people together to make a difference, the internet doesn't really come to mind. I always think of those types of efforts being more face to face and actually going out and doing something. I know that a site like Razoo can make giving and updating others about efforts is a great tool, but something about it seems to easy. I think that such a lofty goal as "social change" needs to be a little more out there where the public can see it. Let's face it, when a person is online they are going to their favorite sites and looking for what they are interested in and if we aren't looking for something, chances are they will be harder to stumble upon.

Another site trying to promote some of these same concepts is Fatdoor. Some of their ideas include a network for neighborhoods to help out the elderly, or sending money to a local grocery store for a homeless person. Personally, I have a hard time with these ideas. Are we so out of touch with our neighbors that we need to actually look them up from the comfort of our own homes? And why can't we just give the homeless person a couple of dollars? I mean really people, not everything needs to be on the internet. We need to be concerned about the three dimensional people too. It's wonderful that we can bring people together, but when you live on the same block, just go outside...

And What do We Have to Show for It?

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. This year, while at the table, I was waiting for the conversation of the evening to some how turn towards social networking and all the new things going on in the cyber world. Guess what? It never did. It wasn't until after dinner that it even surfaced. I guess all of this talk of internet connections in class made me think that everyone was talking about this kind of stuff. Although it was refreshing to be reminded of what I used to talk about before I took on the IT classes.

After dinner I started making fun of my cousin for finally joining Facebook and telling her boyfriend to get in when he told me he refused to "sell out". That's a whole other topic for another time and if anyone is in the mood for a good Facebook rant make sure and hit me up. It was at this time that my aunt commented in how it changed the whole way we now connect with each other. The woman is absolutely right.

Things like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Delicious have changed the ways we keep in touch, look for jobs, and even find entertainment or news. While our generation may not have any physical thing to show for it, we certainly have made in impact on how the world runs. (Not too shabby for a bunch of computer nerds.) We are now out there creating content for ourselves and others, and turning to this user generated content rather than the same old advertising, agenda pushing sources from before. Sure everyone is trying to get our attention but we have much more variety than we used to. It's a new time and I'll bet the advertisers are panicking now that I can get someones attention just as fast as any of them, although I can do it on a students budget. (That would be $0, for anyone who was wondering...)

Join Facebook, Make My Day

When reading "How the Web Polarized Politics" I have realized what a huge impact the Web is going to have on potential candidates this election. Gerry McGovern, an author focusing on this exact topic, points out that those who will be looking out for candidates on the internet are "waiting for them to slip up".

McGovern could not have said it any better. A particular blog entry, "How Facebook Will Change Politics", written by Sunny caught my eye. The blog points out that while the Internet has the opportunity to bring us together politically, it does a better job of polarizing us. Candidates have, hopefully, figured this out by now. So being the tricky little devils that they are they will probably try to utilize that medium as much as possible.

I would caution for them to watch out. If I see these suckers on Facebook I'm going to stalk them as much as I do everyone else. (Don't roll your eyes, you know you do it too.) These people better hire some people who know what's going on in the Web, which I know they can afford to do. Because like McGovern said, I am just waiting for the next UTube video or dumb statement to come out so I can use it as one more reason to vote for the person that I dislike the least.

I assume that using social networks on the Web would want to target college age people if they are using mediums such as Facebook and with programs such as Rock the Vote encouraging us to vote, candidates have to understand that we won't be so easily convinced. I guess what Big Brother didn't anticipate is that we would be watching "him" right back. We are a passionate age group and chances are we are online so the best strategy for potential candidates this year would be treat your PR online as you would any where else because it will come back to haunt you faster than ever imagined. (I know I still remember Howard's Dean battle cry from back in the day...)

My Fantastic Resume

Is anyone else confused? While job hunting and taking this Social Networking course I am beginning to wonder about the value of my resume. I have had this remarkable piece of paper since middle school and now when I need it, I fear no one else cares to look at it. Reading articles labeled "The Blog is the New Resume" and "Six Degrees of Recruitment", I am quickly approaching the conclusion that this job search is becoming less about what I know and is more tied to who I know.

Well isn't that disappointing for anyone else? I have worked my entire educational career about building up experiences that would hopefully one day land me a job where the interviewer would take one look at this baby and say, "Wow, I gotta hire her." Apparently I was wrong. And it still doesn't seem fair. I can have all of the experience but if the other candidate knows someone I don't I think can safely assume that the battle is almost over. That is almost, I have decided to continue to believe that all of that work has to be impressive to someone. Unless you know someone I can contact, do you think they would want to read my resume?

So, who wants to cut me a break?

When I read that seven out of ten people find their jobs thorugh networking I had to read it over, the last I heard it was nine. This whole job search can be a very intimidating process, and the beginning can be the worst part. Where do we even begin? Between classes and an internship, I have found it very frustrating to make time to start looking for connections.

Enter Linkedin.com. I joined this sight a couple of weeks ago at the request of my internship coordinator. I asked my bosses if they were on to which I was answered with raised eyebrows as if to ask, "Yeah, you're not?!?!" So now I'm on and my network has grown since I signed up. Nothing has come from the site itself but some personal networking did a lead to a phone interview. So apparentely this is the new way to go. As ABC News put it: Out with the business lunch and in with the email. I know that the networking tactic has been working for me. There doesn't seem to be a good chance of getting a job otherwise. From experience I have seen this to be true.

Last semester I was abroad and thought I would be sneeky and start sending in resumes in December for an internship in June. Guess how many emails I got back. (That would be none.) But now I have interviews set up through my contacts so wish me luck. I still don't like the idea of needing a contact to get someone to pay attention to me, altough I understand the reasoning behind it. What is yet to be discovered is if I will be able to land something that is as interesting as the jobs I applied for.

Well aren't we just one big far flung (possibly frustrated) family?

I'm so accessible I could just about lose my mind. Isn't it great? Now we can work on teams that are not only in our office but we can work with people all over the globe. Sounds great, doesn't it? Personally, not at all. Team building, from what I have experienced is a process that can be made easier by getting to know my teammates. In the article "Collaboration Tools are Ready for the Battlefield", we can learn about how technology can be helpful and super cool is helping our world become more efficient.

But then again, in the article "Working Together when Apart", we are reminded of just how frustrating technology can be. Gaining insight and knowledge from all different types of people is a great resource, but can we be over-exerting ourselves? I think it is a strong possibility, and one that we should be cautious of. Technology has made our lives easier and harder at the same time. It's a cool idea to be able to check your email from a hand held device from wherever we are provided we can get a signal, but when that starts creeping into the weekend and on family vacations the idea gets less cool with every sneaked glance we get it. It is no longer a challenge to connect to each other, technically speaking, as the article points out. But I believe that we are making ourselves so accessible that it is starting to get hard to focus. Reaching across the world to one another is great, but maybe we should see what the person sitting next to us has to offer as well. Maybe the best answers can be found in a closer proximity.