Social media networking boosts resumes

 

 

Column by Eva McEnrue. E-mail [email protected].

Facebook: the steadfast temptress that lures 85 percent of college students away from their schoolwork.

The website that started a mere seven years ago now has more than 600 million members worldwide, horrifically including my grandmother in Florida, my high school chemistry teacher and flat-footed Pete, who lived down the street from me growing up.

The growth and popularity of Facebook, Twitter and other social media networking websites shows no sign of slowing down.

With new applications and features added every day, social media networking has become the Wal-Mart of the Internet. A one-stop-shop for everything shared: what your friends are doing, photo albums, games and notices of upcoming events and birthdays.

Logging onto Facebook, I find myself receiving fewer friend requests from people I actually know and more from local businesses.

It seems the days of vibrant colored flyers, cheesy banners and kids waving poster boards on street corners while riding a unicycle are coming to an end.

Businesses have begun to monopolize on the world’s social media networking addiction, creating accounts for their companies and asking potential consumers to follow them online.

Status updates from businesses are constantly flooding my newsfeed with advertisements about drink specials at a local bar, a musician playing at a local music venue and various sales at local boutiques.

Clothing stores have even started to upload photo albums displaying new merchandise with captions detailing the items price, available sizes and colors.

This ability to advertise directly to a wide range of consumers without spending a penny helps relieve economic woes suffered by many small businesses.

Social media marketing benefits consumers as well, enabling them to evaluate the competitive market without having to log off their computer.

This marketing strategy builds a strong bond between buyer and seller. The customer’s ability to comment on the business’s happenings, comment, share suggestions, ask questions and receive rapid, personal responses forms consumer loyalty.

The expansion of social media networking has greatly influenced how businesses operate, which influences the professional requirements.

Having a successful career in journalism no longer only entails having to write a precise news piece and publish it with lightning fast speed. Journalists today must also tweet information as it occurs, post pictures and share links simultaneously.

I am neither a friend nor foe of Facebook’s new business platform. I am merely drawing attention to the fact that businesses are using a new a platform and they will expect potential employees to be proficient with social media networking.

So I say to all of you Facebook elitists, the days of riding your high horse are over.

Social media networking is no longer the website girls use to stalk ex-boyfriends or that some hipster doofus uses to display his profound intellect and wit in 140 characters.

It has become an intregal part of the business world. Knowledge of social media networking websites is now a necessary, marketable skill that businesses may soon be looking for on resumes.

Next time you’re at the library Facebooking and that one “friend” gives you grief for not studying, stick your nose just as high in air and tell her that you are.