Professionalism and social networking profiles

Recruitment companies - or at least their press offices - are very worried about Facebook and other online social networking sites. People might put up pictures of themselves drinking, they worry; sometimes they might even say inappropriate things that indicate work or study is not their only source of pleasure.

This month's Fast Company magazine, however, takes a much more sensible approach. "What looks like exhibitionism isn't quite what it seems," writes Rob Walker. "By and large, the versions of self-identity that the young - and not-so-young - users offer up on these sites are not so much confessional as calculated."

Just as dating sites carry profiles of people who are younger, slimmer and just a little more interesting than the real-life person that they represent, so people's web selves on other sites are also carefully-edited versions of reality. "We sign on to promote our own agendas," Walker concludes.

Comments

[Jo]

I read somewhere there is a generational divide. "coldies", children of the coldwar, worry endlessly about their internet presence. They perhaps also have a view that their employers have a right to their whole persona.

Gen i use the internet, as you say. They are deeply integrated, much in the same the way coldies would have ingratiated themselves with teachers and other opinion gate keepers in their time.

They also see work as more contained. "You want X done. I need from you these resources and this pay to achieve X so that I may go on and achieve Z elsewhere. Can you deliver?"

They will have searched through the media sites too. They know who has been coming and going from the firm and are interpreting your answers against that information! It is a two way street! If your firm has been delivering career advancement, it shows up as quickly.

Ah, another job for HR - the monthly report to the Board on our employment brand in the social media benchmarked against our competitors!

[Jo]

Gee, that was quick! Done already!

LinkedIn announced during our night that they now offer company profiles. Type in The Times, pick Timesonline and there you have it.

Company history, who you are already connected to (we are connected at third degree!), whose profile is most popular, average demographics (For Timesonline, average age 31 years
Median Tenure 1.5 years
Gender
Male 59%
Female 41%
Estimated based on LinkedIn Data).

Other firms also have most likely company they came from and most likely company they go to.