ClarityWEB Article
SURGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA JOB VACANCIES
Almost two years ago the blue-chip organisations had tuned in to the fact that Social Media was here to stay. More importantly, the big boys understood the value of it and the marketing potential if they were to harness it properly.
The following companies had all recruited personnel in full time social media positions to manage their use of platforms:
IntelIBM
Cisco
HP
Yahoo
Sony
Nokia
General Motors
JetBlue
American Express
Best Buy
Now, the surge is on. If you search any well known job website nowadays you'll usually find Social Media vacancies spanning page upon page. Analysts, Managers, Executives, Administrators and more - there are currently over 50 non-technical Social Media vacancies on Monster.com in the United Kingdom alone.
There are over 250 vacancies in the USA.
So, who fancies a job where you spending all day updating your organisation Facebook page, tweeting like a canary on steroids or Digg-ing like a mechanical monster at the coalface? Of course the reality is that Social Media management is much more than spending all day long on your favourite website.
Statistical analysis comprises a major part of nearly all the positions you'll find. That's because companies below blue-chip size have now realised that social media sites represent a collosal free (in the main) marketing opportunity and method of connection with the global customer base they have traditionally reached via much slower mediums.
Company executives have realised that the populus is online and that their message has to find them. Traditional means are dying - no matter what spin your local agency tries to put on it. It's a fact; print, television, radio and even standard internet advertising cannot compete with the mammoth capacity of absorbing information that users of social media offer.
The question is - should your company be recruiting? Well, think about it. If you can sit back and give it a few minutes thought, ask yourself these questions...
Have you seen an uplift in business from posting on social media?Has your brand awareness increased?
Have you identified new resources, opportunities or markets with social media?
Let us answer the question for you - yes you have. If you're a regular business user of social media and your content is good there is no other answer in our opinion. Much of the answers may be intangible to you at present, but if you're seeing people follow you on Twitter or making friends on Facebook you can be assured it is going to have an impact.
This article isn't going to give you the answer to the million dollar question though. You have to decide that for yourself. Instead, make a point of raising it in your next meeting, discussing it with your peers, colleagues, seniors and subordinates - and maybe slip it into the conversation with your marketing advisors.....and if they sneer or look uncertain, or try to tell you the medium isn't mature enough yet.....find some new colleagues or advisors.
Spread the Word
Made you think?
If this article makes you think a little deeper than a moment, you're one of the sensible and astute ones.
Social Media is here and here to stay. You've not seen anything like the impact it is going to have on your company yet though. It is going to pervade every aspect of what you do, what your customers do and what your year end finances look like.
Unfortunately many people give up all too soon. Social Media is much more than short term gain - in fact the short term gains are questionable, perhaps even damaging. It needs to be harnessed in a way that your target audience know you're in it for the long run.
Think about it - it's no different to traditional media forms. If you advertise once and then stop, you'll see little benefit. If you maintain a consistent and attractive campaign, you'll find that brand awareness becomes a very important factor that your organisation will reap the benefits of - long after your competitors have given it up.
Rome wasn't built in a day, as the saying goes - but the Colloseum still stands today and people visit it in their droves.
Small company?
Please don't think this doesn't apply to you if you're a small organisation. It applies to every in business, from sole traders to multi-national conglomerates. Recognising that it does is key.
Even if you do nothing about it tomorrow, don't let it be something that you forget about - because do you really want to be one of those people who looks back in 4 years when your competitors are miles ahead on social media use? If you are - you'll think back to that article you read and wish you'd done something.....don't be one of those people!
First Time Online?
Can you remember the first time you used the internet?
