Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

Ah, social media, the wonderful World Wide Web, and hand held mobile devices have change the way we live and do business drastically in the last ten years. This change has come faster than any other technical advance before them. It not only change our lives it has change the way major companies market them self’s and how they hire new employees. Major companies like Jet Blue are hiring what they call brand ambassadors who go out and promote the brand. At times for free with gifts and free stuff from the companies. Sony used brand ambassadors to jump-start the launch of its new GPS camera, a high-tech device that draws on satellite tracking technology to let you record the exact location of every picture you take and later map them out online using Google Maps. Sony selected customer ambassadors who like to travel, take pictures, and blog. “This is a product with emerging technology and we really need to let consumers see people using it,” says Sony’s director of digital imaging. (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, pg 143). Another way this technology crazy has changed the human world is the job market. Jobs now are using social media to find candidates they seem fit for the job. In an article in the Wall Street Journal they state “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.” (Job Recruiters Turn to Facebook to Find Candidates - WSJ.com). Though this trend or new way of life may pose a threat to the way humans live and interact it is a wonderful tool for business. Social media helps companies reach out to their customers and make them feel wanted and appreciated. “Apple’s obsession with understanding customers and deepening their Apple experience shows in everything the company does. For example, a visit to an Apple retail store is a lot more than a simple shopping trip. Apple stores are very seductive places. The store design is clean, simple, and just oozing with style—much like an Apple iPod or iPhone. The stores invite shoppers to stay a while, use the equipment, and soak up all of the exciting new technology:” (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, pg 143). Oh the internet what an amazing thing it lets us connect to people we would normally never have the chance to connect with but when used wrong it can harm. When used for good it is amazing.