Social media
usage for business is often perceived to involve promoting products or services
in a bid to generate as much consumer attention as possible in order to drive
traffic to a particular website and improve sales. However, did you know that
businesses also use social media for gathering Intel?
Waseem Saddique comments: “ In a recent survey
conducted by jobs board ‘CareerBuilder’, it was discovered that 37% of
businesses use social media to pre-screen potential employees. Suddenly that
Facebook photo of you roaming around the streets with a cone on your head may
not seem as funny.”
Within that
37%, a further 65% refer to Facebook as their primary source of information for
assessing the suitability of a prospective job candidate for a vacancy within
their business.
Social media
has opened so many doors for business leaders, not just in terms of online
marketing in order to promote the products and/or services of their company,
but social media also allows businesses to gather vital information on
consumers, effectively spy on business rivals and determine the employability
of potential job candidates.
The Social Selection Process
What do employers look for on social media sites when pre-assessing job candidates?
Waseem
Saddique comments: “The survey conducted by CareerBuilder reveals a number of
interesting facts.”
·
12%
of HR Managers use social networking sites to identify reasons NOT to
hire an individual
·
34%
of business leaders stated that they had discovered something on a social media
site that influenced them not to employ someone
·
Hiring
managers are put off potential job candidates who refer badly to a previous
employer
·
A
minority of business leaders also said they would not consider a candidate if
an individual does not ‘write’ well on a social media page
What do businesses look for on social
media sites when promoting a product or service?
Waseem
Saddique states: “In short everything. The plan is to get into your life and
social media offers them that opportunity. The majority of social media users
are far from cautious when posting information. This allows businesses to
gather all the Intel they need in order to construct a successful online
marketing campaign that targets the desired audience.”
Spending
habits, hobbies, interests, daily activities and a whole host of other topics
are commented upon by consumers in their billions as they share life
interactively on a worldwide platform. For businesses the world is made a
smaller place in terms of gathering essential information that allows them to
understand their consumers.
Business Wars and Social Media
However, it’s
not just consumers that are targeted by businesses, such a thing exists, known in the corporate
world, as the Social War of business. Waseem Saddique states: “This is
effectively a business head-to-head where rivals track what their competitors
are up to, via social media.”
Sometimes
it’s not pretty, whilst the majority of businesses ‘play fair’ in sharing ideas
and recommending services, there are a small minority of companies that use social
networking to slander rival organisations.
In conclusion
it’s worth noting then that social media has more of an impact on your life
than you may realise. So before you post that that comment or picture that
you’re probably thinking about posting as you’re reading this, ask yourself,
who’s watching and is it appropriate? It could define your future!
