It was just a few years ago that social media was in its infancy. Many businesses believed that the social media “fad” would pass quickly. It is altering industry in the same manner as the internet, railroad, printing press, and assembly line did many years ago. Social media has become social business, according to the speakers and executives attending the Working Mother Media conference called “The Business of Social Media” in New York City on June 14.

America’s CEO’s now know that social media is one of the most effective ways to listen, communicate and share with customers and important partners.  It’s also an important component of engaging employees and recruiting talent.  Recruiters and hiring managers are engaging with candidates on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and all of the other social media platforms.

It all happened so quickly. Social networking, recruiting, employer branding, personal branding, and job search are all coming together to create an exciting new set of prospects for businesses and higher education. What effect does this have on students and recruiters?

Recruiters have quickly adopted LinkedIn for mid- and senior-level executive identification and search. Many corporations’ university recruiters are also beginning to use LinkedIn for prospect identification. Simultaneously, colleges and universities are preparing to instruct students. The collegiate sector is currently LinkedIn’s fastest growing section.

Most of the college students I encounter have a very average or sub-par LinkedIn profile. They need to learn how to make their profile shine and attract viewers. By using keywords, a student or job seeker can become easily searchable. Some of the college Career offices know how to teach this skill, but many are calling in outside experts which is usually very wise.
Aside from strong profiles, colleges and coaches can also assist students with internship and job search. Teach students how to use LinkedIn for advanced searching and professional networking, including proper etiquette. This is sometimes overlooked, but it is critical for kids to learn. Twitter is another significant possibility for colleges and coaches. Students and recruiters are flocking to Twitter in droves!

Those of us who assist with college students on social career searches teach Twitter networking and job search skills. From a professional standpoint, Twitter conversations are a terrific method to quickly interact with industry experts. Twitter, like LinkedIn, is an excellent resource for researching and following a potential employer or industry.

There are Facebook career fairs, LinkedIn job advertising, Google + hangout interviews, and simple search and networking everywhere. We’ve moved on from fads. Colleges, institutions, students, and individual job searchers are all striving to stay up with social technology. Social enterprise is here to stay.

It’s Just a Fad!

How are you adjusting to the  social media age?