Why social media is just the new old fax machine

Facebook and Twitter are just tools

If you have a chance to attend any of the Recruitment Symposium events that Jobing is holding around the county, I strongly urge you to do so.  They are turning out to be very strong events with a lot of engagement and dialogue and questions around social media and recruiting and branding.  I have been a part of an afternoon panel at two events here in Florida, and have learned a lot, as well as having a great opportunity to share some of my knowledge with others, which is always very cool.

Yesterday, I was on a panel with Alex de Carvalho and Nikki Gordon.

Here are some of the things we shared, cut from the small but active tweet stream.

“Social media can be overwhelming but is not rocket science both legally & technically,”

Smart career move = utilizing @twitter for industry-related content, industry leaders, networking w/ top 1%

“if your not using social media to publish you should at least you it to listen”

“Great idea! Utilize Twitter user lists 2 find relevant peeps 4 jobs (social media lists 4 potential candidates)”

I also shared my new mantra/message that it is important to remember that in the end, things like twitter and facebook are just tools that Hr peeps need to learn.   Essentially, they are fundamentally no more more scary and intimidating than other tools like a laptop, a phone, or a fax machine.

I am old enough to remember the installation of the first fax machine ever in the HR office at Melling Forging Company, my first employer back in 1986.  Harps sounded and angels sang as they unveiled this ugly box with an oversized roll of toilet paper attached.    People huddled and gawked as the technician installed a dedicated phone line, and asked “What does it do?” in hushed tones.

The technician broke the magic spell when he said: “I dunno, I’m just a line guy.  You are gonna have to read the manual.”

Have you read the manaul yet?

Fax technology is not quite obsolete yet, but it is getting there, but it had a fabulous run.  And once we read the manual, the fax machine became an integral part of our office.  We weren’t scared of it.

Until the day someone faxed a bomb threat.  Then it was scary, and as we fled the building, we blamed the stupid fax machine.

Actually, that didn’t happen, but it is what people tend to do right now with social media before they receive any bomb threats.   Don’t do this!   Find the “manual”and read it,and only flee if you a genuine threat, bomb or otherwise.

Remember, social media is just a set of tools.   Like guns, bombs, or even fax machines, it is up to you to decide how they will be used, and whether or not they become forces for good or evil!

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Tagged as: Alex de Carvalho, Business, Florida, Human Resources, Online Communities, Social Media, technology, twitter