How social media, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, can be used by job-seekers and employers, and descriptions of current trends. Created for CST430, CSUMB, by Paul F. Smith (http://neuronico.net).

1. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Paul F. Smith
Santa Clara Valley Brain Injury Conference
Hayes Mansion Hotel
San Jose, CA
Revised March 13th, 2012
Originally presented on February 26th, 2011; also revised for the Monterey County Committee for the
Employment of People with Disabilities and the Monterey County Job Developers Consortium in April
and May, 2011.

2. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Video: Social Media Revolution

3. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
What is “Social Media?”

Online tools for social interaction

Can be used by anyone with access to a:
− Computer or Mobile Device
− Internet connection, and
− Web browser

Free or low cost

NOT a substitute for other forms of
interaction and networking

4. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
The power of Social Media

Connects people from around the world or
across the street

Enormous potential audience

Vast array of tools for different purposes:
− Social Entertainment
− Social Networking
− Professional Networking
− Information distribution
− One to One Marketing

5. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Worldwide Growth in Social Media: 2007-2009

6. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
More frequent check-ins: 2008-2009

7. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media – The Big Three

Facebook – over 500 million users
− over 142 million active users every month

LinkedIn – over 67 million users
− added 200 million users in one 9 month period
− establish recruiting tool for employers

Twitter – over 105 million users
− over 50 million tweets per day;
− 30,000 people a day are signing up

8. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Employment
Outsourcing firm Challenger, Gray and
Christmas conducted a survey in August
2009 via e-mail. More than 200 HR
executives responded. The outplacement
firm asked HR executives to rate on a scale
of one to five which of nine job search
methods were most effective. Here's how
they ranked:

9. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
1. Networking
2. Using social networking sites
3. Targeting management recruiting firms
4. Using online job boards
5. Applying to jobs via an employer's website
6. Cold-calling employers
7. Sending unsolicited résumés to employers
8. Responding to paper classified ads and
9. Attending job fairs

10. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Employment
An increasing number of companies are using
social media in recruiting, both to verify the
character of a candidate, and to identify
potential employees.

11. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Employment
The Jobvite Social Recruiting Survey 2010 -
over 600 human resource and recruiting
professionals participated in the survey.
The survey was completed by individuals
responding to an online invitation or to an
email invitation sent to a registered list of
human resources and recruiting
professionals.
Here are some of the data summaries:

12. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Employment

13. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Employment

14. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Employment

15. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Employment
An increasing number of job-seekers are
using Social Media in their professional lives
to connect with existing contacts, expand
their professional network, for professional
development, or as part of their jobs.

16. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Employment
The 2010 Social Networking Report
(Simmons Marketing, an Experian
company) provides data behind the growth
in use of Social Media, including the fact
that fully 66% of online Americans use
social networking sites today, up from just
20% in 2007. (based on 2009 data)
These findings were based on the online
habits of 10 million people.

17. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Employment

18. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Social Media and Brain Injury

Social Media provides a venue that levels the
playing field for some

Removes some of the pressures of time,
distraction, social anxiety, and physical/verbal
presentation
− Memory and Attention
− Communication
− Employment gaps

A place to demonstrate capability, credibility,
and specific skills

19. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Using the Big Three: Facebook, LinkedIn, and
Twitter

Facebook: incorporates many
entertainment and business uses

LinkedIn: employment/career focused,
business-credible

Twitter: immediate, breaking information
Video: Three Social Media Sites that can Help
You Land Your Next Job

20. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Practical ways Social Media can help you get
your next job

Build your network

Demonstrate your skills

Research employers

Find jobs

21. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Building Your Network

Add friends, family, coworkers, employers

Add new contacts, acquaintances

Search for individuals and groups in your
profession

22. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Building Your Network - adding the people you
already know

Import contact lists

23. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Building Your Network - adding the people you
already know

Import contact lists

24. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Building Your Network - adding the people you
already know

Advanced People Search

25. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Building Your Network - adding new contacts

Send a personalized invitation; remind
them of your connection

Offer help/information/resources

Tell them about a group relating to their
profession

Ask them about the professional
organizations they belong to

26. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Building Your Network - adding new contacts

27. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Building Your Network - adding new contacts

28. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Adding new contacts - face to face

“Are you on LinkedIn?”

“May I add you to my network?”

“Join, and I can introduce you to people/groups/
resources that you might find useful.”

“Do you use other Social Media sites for
professional contacts? Which ones?”

Hand them a card with a link to your profile

Offer resources, be helpful

29. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Demonstrating your skills

Post updates related to your profession
− “The 2010 Acme Corporation Conference is
coming to the Bay Area this year – I'm looking
forward to the keynote by Wile E. Coyote!”
− “I see that Acme has released the specification
on their 2012 jet-powered roller skates. If they
does everything described on the spec sheet,
Road Runner better watch out!”
− “I just read a report on the new testing
program at Acme Corporation – analysts expect
product reliability to skyrocket!”

30. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Demonstrating your skills
Join groups related to your profession

31. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Demonstrating your skills
Join groups related to your profession

Answer/ask questions, offer resources

32. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Researching employers
As you grow your LinkedIn network, you'll see
more connections with potential employers

Read profiles of connections employed in your
profession – look for:
− groups they belong to
− past employers
− descriptions of their skills
− where they get professional news/information?
− hiring managers and HR personnel
− a contact in the job role you want

33. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Researching employers (continued)
Google for background information

terminology/jargon you don't understand

past employers

organizations

employee names

search Twitter for recent information, current
employees, company announcements

“Follow Company” on LinkedIn

34. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Finding jobs

Leads from connections

LinkedIn job postings

Job postings within groups

Contacting a company hiring professional

Contacting a recruiter

35. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Presenting yourself to the world - Internet
Etiquette

… is a lot like “real world” etiquette

Don't SPAM

Don't Flame

Give at least as much as you take

Knowledge and competence are demonstrated
over time, not inferred from past titles

Read and adhere to the posting guidelines

36. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Presenting yourself to the world – Social Media
Profile Tips
According to a survey of more than 31,000
employers released by CareerBuilder.com in
2008, of the hiring managers who use social
networks, one-third said they found information
on such sites that caused them to toss the
candidate out of consideration for a job, the
survey said.
The top areas of concern found on social
networking sites include:

37. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Top Areas of Concern:
− Inappropriate photos or information posted on a
candidate's page (40%)
− Poor communication skills (29%)
− Bad-mouthing of former employers or fellow
employees (28%)
− Inaccurate qualifications (27%)
− Unprofessional screen names (22%)
− Notes showing links to criminal behavior (21%)
− Confidential information about past employers
(19%)

38. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Presenting yourself to the world – consider the
Employer's Perspective

Does this make me appear responsible?

Does this make me appear knowledgeable?

Does this make me sound like someone I’d
want to work with?

Until you feel confident about the tone and
content of your posts, get someone else to
look at your writing first

39. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Final Tips
− Balance your priorities: remember that other
forms of networking are important
− Balance your time: you can spend many hours
online; think about what you are trying to
achieve
− Have a strategy for your online networking
− Think about the practical things you can do that
will yield the biggest results
− Go online with a goal in mind; accomplish that
goal, then disconnect

40. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Additional Resources
View these slides, a list of the resources used
to build this presentation, and more at:
www.workdev.org

41. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Thank you!

42. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Contact me
Paul F. Smith

Email: psmith@workdev.org

twitter: paul_f_smith

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/paulfsmith

Phone: 831-234-0613
www.workdev.org

43. Social Media, Employment, and Brain Injury
Media Sources (in order of appearance)
The Social Media Revolution 2012 (slide 2)
Streaming video: http://youtu.be/0eUeL3n7fDs
Nielsen Report on Social Media (slide 5)
Website: http://bit.ly/62Pl4X
Experian/Simmons 2010 Social Networking Report (slides 6, 17)
PDF: http://ex.pn/dq77N8
Jobvite 2012 Social Recruiting Survey (slides 12, 13, 14)
PDF: http://bit.ly/jgm59q
LinkedIn.com (slides 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 31)
Website: http://www.linkedin.com
Paul F. Smith - Photograph, October 2009 (slide 41)