Category Archives: social

Is Generation Y Not Taking Social Media Seriously?

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I read an interesting article, “Generation Y’s career Facebook Fumble,” which I feel tells half the story and not the whole story about my generation’s tangled history with social media. Keep in mind that Generation Y created today’s social networking and it flourished from there.

First is first, let me lay down the groundwork for my thoughts on the current state of social media:

  • Facebook is a playful social network
  • LinkedIn is the professional networking site
  • Twitter is the established quick and short messaging site
  • Google+ is emerging as a new player in the field of social media
  • MySpace is in the digital graveyard along with other less prominent social networking sites

Facebook – the playful network

Playground

Facebook is the social playground

Historically, Facebook was an exclusive club designed only for college students. It was when the company began opening its network up to allow major corporations and geographic regions to join, the problems started becoming mainstream. I will admit, college students freely expressed themselves on the site and it was more of a status symbol by networking with the most friends, posting on various groups, and having photos of yourself after those so-called social gatherings. Problems on Facebook constantly plagued students and college administrators. When Facebook opened up to the public, it was a huge social experiment and train wreck at the same time. Suddenly the popularity of Facebook made it possible for everyone to connect with each other and may inadvertently caused some generational clashes–mostly between mom/dad vs. son/daughter. Parents would often want to check up on their kids and sometimes it got ugly.

Notably, the issues began when people discovered inappropriate photos and inappropriate postings on Facebook and it happened to be reported on the news. It still happens todoay, but not as much as it used to. We have learned how to manage our social media much better than the heyday.

Linking professionals with LinkedIn

Now I want to switch gears and talk about LinkedIn. It is a social networking site intended to showcase one’s own career goals, resume, and accomplishments. This place is excellent for showcasing the world our professional lives. In the past year, I have received more LinkedIn connection requests from my colleagues in college than I have before. Since joining the site in 2008, I added over a dozen of my college friends who are seeking professional employment because they care about their professional life and wish to be associated with other successful peers on this social networking site. There are many benefits by using LinkedIn, such as

  • requesting letters of recommendations
  • associating with professional groups
  • listing accomplishments and goals
  • showcasing major projects
  • participating in professional discussions
  • seeking new employment opportunities
LinkedIn is essentially a social network built around a professional resume.

 

Social Media Study

Cited in the article is the Gen Y and Facebook Study, conducted by Millennial Branding, which reveals some interesting characteristics that should be highlighted as important aspects of the newest generation joining the professional world. It shows that Generation Y is looking to enter into the professional workforce and have been eager to jump onboard than before. The demographics in the study, 18-29, show that there are many college graduates lumped in seeking professional work, which is great news.

In the study, not mentioned in the news article, the Gen Y population demonstrates the entrepreneurial spirit. That finding suggests that this particular generation seeks ways to build services and products on their own rather than work for a company. The study also mentions that nearly 2/3 of the surveyed group avoid disclosing their employer on Facebook. This evidence supports the notion that Facebook is a social network intended for personal use among friends and family. However, the study reviewed data from Facebook. If the study showcased LinkedIn, it may paint a rather different picture of the state of professional social media for the Generation Y population.

Is Gen Y Taking Social Media Seriously?

Yes. And no. For those seeking professional careers, they are putting themselves out there through the use of blogs, social media, and websites. They are promoting themselves using every avenue possible. For example, I am on all the social networks, I write this blog, I also have a couple other websites out there. I am constantly networking with professionals on these networks and promoting myself. So far, it has produced successful results.

On the flip side, there are people who are not on professional networks and are missing out on employment opportunities. There is great potential to professionalize Generation Y through the use of Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+. We simply need to find the right formula to demonstrate our seriousness in the workforce and show that we can play well in the big leagues too.

New LavaCon Article on TechWhirl

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I have added another article about LavaCon 2011 on the TechWhirl Online Magazine. Please check out my new session summary titled, “Lightning Talks – Multiple Speakers.”

In this article, I mentioned six speakers who each presented a lightning talk about an important topic of interest related to the field of technical communication. A lightning talk is a brief 10 minute presentation along with question and answers. Lightning talks are meant to be short, thoughtful, and sharp.

The following is a list of presenters and their topics at the Lightning Talks during LavaCon.

  • Richard Hamilton spoke about XML and Wikis
  • Alan Houser explained why it is an important time to be a technical communicator
  • Ben Woelk shared the top ten practices to shockproof social media
  • Robert Armstrong talked about the Art of the Demo and how to present a demo
  • Brenda Huettner covered how NASA approaches social media
  • Hilary Hart spoke about the importance and benefits of the Technical Communication Certification program.

“Lightning Talks – Multiple Speakers” is featured on the TechWhirl site alongside other session summaries I have posted about LavaCon 2011.

Social Media Overload?

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Are we at the point where we are constantly connected to new social media networks that we are slowly shunning these places due to a lack of interest? I had an interesting discussion with a good friend of mine, offline of course, in which we shared some feelings for why we are not posting as much as we used to. This list is not much of a surprise but a reflection of what is truly occurring. Is this a true phenomenon?

Social Media Overload

Are we overloaded with social media?

Reasons why we have social media fatigue

  1. Too many social network sites to look at in a day or week
  2. Lack of quality content posted online
  3. Content is overwhelming or too much is being posted at once
  4. Conflicts with friends and acquaintances

If there is social media fatigue, how can we mediate this issue? There are solutions that we can practice to alleviate the overload. The alternative is to shut down your computer and read a book. That alternative is not as feasible as we might think when this world is highly connected to the internet.

Solutions to alleviate social media fatigue

  1. Consolidate to a handful of social networking sites
  2. Organize your social feeds so you receive relevant information instead of junk
  3. Use a program that organizes social media sites in one place
  4. Post meaningful comments and updates that others appreciate
Social Media Overload

Ways to alleviate social media overload

While these solutions are general ideas, below are some examples of what I practice in order to avoid overloading my social media experience.

  1. Automate my blog updates using Hootsuite and a Facebook Application to post on Twitter and Facebook.
  2. Trim down my list of followers on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter so I see relevant information.
  3. Unsubscribe from updates to be sent to via email and phone
  4. Link WriteTechie RSS feeds and Twitter updates inside of LinkedIn.

There is no silver bullet to alleviate social media overload. With a few simple steps, we can clean up our online social life. It may not be possible to permanently avoid social media because it is becoming an integral part of how we communicate with the world. What we have to realize is if we are tired of social media, we need to find a method for how we can participate in a healthy and positive manner.

What are your tips and methods for reducing your social media overload?

If you are not overwhelmed by social media, find me online

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