Social Media and Career Development for Life Scientists Clifford S. Mintz, Ph.D. www.bioinsights.com

Web 2.0 and the Social Media Landscape

Social Media Career Development Factoids A survey conducted by the Human Capital Institute and ExecuNet found that 70% of recruiters use social networks to find qualified candidates A 2008 CareerBuilder.com survey revealed that 31% of hiring managers used social networking sites to research job candidates A survey conducted by the Create Group, a recruitment firm, found that 50% of employers “Google” prospective employees or interns to learn more about them 88.8% of college students are active on at least one social networking site

A survey conducted by the Human Capital Institute and ExecuNet found that 70% of recruiters use social networks to find qualified candidates

A 2008 CareerBuilder.com survey revealed that 31% of hiring managers used social networking sites to research job candidates

A survey conducted by the Create Group, a recruitment firm, found that 50% of employers “Google” prospective employees or interns to learn more about them

88.8% of college students are active on at least one social networking site

Advantages of Social Media Broad reach and wide audience Easy and effective communication Extremely interactive Virtual networking No geographical limitations Easy access to thought leaders, decision makers and prospective employers

Broad reach and wide audience

Easy and effective communication

Extremely interactive

Virtual networking

No geographical limitations

Easy access to thought leaders, decision makers and prospective employers

Bioscience Career Development Sites Facebook (www.facebook.com) Fan pages Groups Twitter (www.twitter.com) Company accounts Groups

Facebook (www.facebook.com)

Fan pages

Groups

Twitter (www.twitter.com)

Company accounts

Groups

Bioscience Career Development Sites (cont’d) Linked-In (www.linkedin.com)* Individual networks Groups Over 25 million professionals from over 150 countries BioCrowd (www.biocrowd.com)* Designed exclusively for career development for bioprofessionals

Linked-In (www.linkedin.com)*

Individual networks

Groups

Over 25 million professionals from over 150 countries

BioCrowd (www.biocrowd.com)*

Designed exclusively for career development for bioprofessionals

DON’T Provide information about your drinking, drug use or sexual orientation or proclivities Post provocative or inappropriate photographs Make discriminatory remarks about race gender, religion sexual orientation etc Use inappropriate screen names or nicks Social networking site profiles frequently appear on the first page of Google for name searches

Provide information about your drinking, drug use or sexual orientation or proclivities

Post provocative or inappropriate photographs

Make discriminatory remarks about race gender, religion sexual orientation etc

Use inappropriate screen names or nicks

DO Remove pictures, content and links that can send the wrong “message” to prospective employers Regularly monitor friend’s comments Join groups selectively. Some may seem like fun, but may not give the best impression Be selective about who you accept as friends or followers. You are who you associate with “ Goggle” your self from time to time and clean up or remove any “digital dirt” SET YOUR PROFILE TO PRIVATE

Remove pictures, content and links that can send the wrong “message” to prospective employers

Regularly monitor friend’s comments

Join groups selectively. Some may seem like fun, but may not give the best impression

Be selective about who you accept as friends or followers. You are who you associate with

“ Goggle” your self from time to time and clean up or remove any “digital dirt”

SET YOUR PROFILE TO PRIVATE

BioCrowd-A Social Network for Bioscientists Career development opportunities Improve science education and public understanding of science Promote business interactions Visit and join at www.biocrowd.com

Career development opportunities

Improve science education and public understanding of science

Promote business interactions

Visit and join at www.biocrowd.com

Conclusions Social media is being increasingly used as a career development tool for both employers and job seekers It offers many advantages over traditional job searching and career development strategies Be careful to keep your professional and personal lives separate Don’t rely exclusively on social media and the Web to find a job or advance your career—real life, face-to-face networking is still the best way to succeed!

Social media is being increasingly used as a career development tool for both employers and job seekers

It offers many advantages over traditional job searching and career development strategies

Be careful to keep your professional and personal lives separate

Don’t rely exclusively on social media and the Web to find a job or advance your career—real life, face-to-face networking is still the best way to succeed!