Week 6 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

Companies are beginning to search for employment opportunities in place of the traditional method of hiring new employees.  "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."(http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903885604576490763).  While this could lead to many opportunities in our current economic downturn providing opportunities to many who would otherwise have none; doing such could be a double-edged sword.  Getting too involved in a potential employee's Facebook account could potentially damage their reputation and chance for a job because a company decided to dig into this persons life.  Just as I am sure that sometimes people are put off if a company contacts them through Facebook for a potential job opportunity. "Jeff Vijungco, vice president of world-wide talent acquisition for Adobe Systems Inc., said that in focus
groups, prospective job candidates were sharply averse to being contacted through Facebook for jobs." (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903885604576490763).  While there are risks from that end using social networking to increase the market of a brand is becoming more popular with each passing day.  Most companies that are around certainly have a social network page to connect with their consumers. Some companies are even  using it to their advantage by creating roles for the consumers to express their love of a brand to friends, family, and other fans over the web.  "Brand ambassador programs leverage the power of peer-to-peer communication. Consumers hear about products and brand experiences from others just like themselves—people they trust—rather than from commercial marketing sources."(Marketing: An Introduction. Armstrong/Kotler pg. 143). While it is hard to say where this trend is leading is it certain to say that it will be most interesting to see where it leads.
eting: An Introduction