Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

Social networking and the internet have changed the way the world has communicated and done business both personally and professionally.  Many businesses are turning to the web with sites such ans LinkedIn and Facebook to market their company and also to use these sites as a tool to reach out to future employees of their company.

"More companies are trying to tap Facebook Inc.'s 750-million-plus user base to find new employees, threatening traditional job boards and competing with LinkedIn Corp., which has dominated the online professional networking arena. Facebook's use as a job-recruitment tool remains small, but its appeal may be growing. Some recruiters say they have all but eliminated their spending on job boards, which can charge a few hundred dollars per job posting, depending on volume. Others note that while LinkedIn contains a more comprehensive resume database, candidates tend to value referrals from their connections on Facebook more," says Joe Light in his article.

The way that companies market their products have also changed since the invention of the World Wide Web.  The days of advertising agencies primarily using their ads in magazines and on commercials to sell products are a thing of the past.  Now they're turning to websites like Facebook and Pinterest to sell products.  Advertising and communication have reached a new level, because now they have us to be their advertising experts.  Yesterday I pinned over 50 pins for new apparel, recipes, and make-up.  One of my posts describes the best mascara EVER!  DiorShow.  Thanks to my post, Dior gained free advertising from my post which went out to a plethora of friends and coworkers. 

"People love talking about things that make them happy—including their favorite products and brands. Say you really like JetBlue Airways—they fly with flair and get you there at an affordable price. Or you just plain love your new Sony GPS camera—it’s way too cool to keep to yourself. In the old days, you’d have chatted up these brands with a few friends and family members. But these days, thanks to modern technology, armed with little more than a video camera, laptop, and a cell phone, anyone can spread the word about products and brand experiences to thousands, even millions, of other consumers." (Page 143).

Business to consumer interactions have come a long way prior to the internet age.  Companies have found ways to use consumer wants and needs to revolutionize the way companies do business.

"In response, marketers are now working to harness the newfound communications power of their everyday customers, turning them into influential brand ambassadors. Companies such as JetBlue, Sony, Microsoft, and McDonald’s, among others, are now developing a new breed of brand ambassador programs that organize and supercharge consumer-to-consumer interactions about their brands. These programs employ everyday consumers who are passionate about their products to act as part PR agents, part sales reps, and part evangelists." (Page 143).