Networking in the modern eraSocial media and career building

Trainees CommitteeEuropean Commission, Brussels

9 April 2010

Robert Zlokower

About me

International Media Manager at euronews(Project Manager of Comment:Visions)

rzlokower@euronews.net

Traditional networking

• Business cards– Have your own– Organise by topic

• RPQ:– Research – Preparation– Questioning

• People love themselves <3• Engage.................and dis-engage!• Follow-up (write notes on back of cards)

Social media and employment

• 75% recruiters use search engines to find information about candidates

• 26% percent of recruiters have denied candidates because of information found online (1)

• A step further.... 40% employers say they would consider the Facebook profile of a potential employee in their hiring process (2)

1: according to a 2005 survey of 102 executive recruiters by ExecuNet, an executive job search and networking organization.

2 :according to a 2006 University of Dayton study of 5,000 employers nationwide.

So, what should I do???

• Ernst & Young LLP, a world-wide accounting firm, was the first company to purchase a Facebook page aimed solely at recruiting

• Microsoft Corp. sponsors a “Microsoft Student Group” page with forums about products and a link to its college-recruiting site

• ‘Clean up your identity’• Get ‘good press’ on blogs and • online publications for internet

search results• Ask an employer to speak via e-mail or phone

....or jump in!

Professional social networks (PSN’s)

• 2 out of 3 internet users are on social networks• 500 million professionals should be using PSN by 2015• e-REPUTATION is based on RECOMMENDATION and SHARING

• 93% of social media users believe a company should have a

presence on Social Networks (3)

• PSNs: www.linkedin.com ; www.viadeo.com

• Relevant social media: oneclimate.net ; NING

3: According to Neilson reports

Seek out...

• ‘Virtually’ connect with people after you’ve met them in real-life

• Contribute to forums to become an ‘expert’ (knowledge sharing)• Join relevant groups• Find like-minded

people• Experiment• Companies and

‘stakeholder engagement’

‘Social Media Advances the Sustainability Dialogue’ Sept 2009

...and be sought

• Develop your e-reputation; be professional• Tag yourself with keywords so you appear in

search results• Keep an updated profile and mention new

projects• Make ‘friends’ so you appear in suggested

contacts• Upload multi-media of your work

...or create your OWN social network!

Keys to success

• Think backwards. Imagine yourself at your end goal, then work backwards

• Good luck comes to those that work for it• Treat every obstacle as an opportunity

rzlokower@euronews.net