Put the right tools in your toolbag… Toolbag!
If there was ever a fad in Human Resources, social media would be it. Clients have been asking me about it a lot lately, and when I finally sent out an email about how iCIMS can work with it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an interest! That’s why this article from the NY Times surprises me.
Comparing Facebook to North Korea is a fairly bold statement and, at the least, a misinformed one. It reminds me of a phrase that I use fairly often when I encounter people who have a tool who want to use it in a way it wasn’t designed: “It’s like putting in a screw with a hammer; just doesn’t work.” That’s what I get out of this article: a bunch of people are unhappy Facebook doesn’t work the way they think it should (or should have).
Facebook was designed to one thing, and one thing only: connect users together to form friendships. Everything else it does is to enhance the way you can create new or develop current connections. In regards to HR, we’re using it (and social media at large) to connect with candidates and keep our candidate pool engaged with us so, that when it comes time to hire, we have candidates that not only have the skills we want, but also the knowledge and passion for the organization too.
The article goes on to cite other causes of unhappiness, but again, you have to wonder if these people would have used the service anyway if they had just a) read the Terms of Service, or b) used Facebook to develop meaningful connections rather than have a race to the 1,000st friend. A well-maintained friend list can keep those who you simply can’t contact all the time abreast of what you’re doing. A good Facebook profile can the starting point of launching your “personal” brand. Used correctly, your Facebook can actually speak for itself and actually give recruiters reasons to hire you!
In short, use the tool properly. I don’t think I have to say what happens when you don’t. Social media has its place, and it’s here to stay. And those who harness it for all it’s worth definitely have an advantage over those who do not.
