Dean and I spoke yesterday at Silicon Valley employment group, CSIX Connect, on the topic of Web 2.0 Networking. While most of the participants embraced our Twitter and Linkedin tips with great enthusiasm, there were a few skeptics among the crowd of sixty. Despite the success stories we brought forth in our presentation, “Who’s really using these sites?”, was a question initiated by one man at my lunch table. As I got involved in the debate, I realized that the question was more about, “What’s in it for me?”
How Early Web 2.0 Adopters Benefit:
- You demonstrate that you are “with it.” You prove that you are keeping up with the latest business trends, and are not allowing yourself to become a dinosaur. You demonstrate the traits that are desirable in any business partnership.
- You increase your professional value by having added new skills to your portfolio.
- You expand your networking circle. While real world networking is still vital, you can make a lot more new connections every day by being an active social media networker.
- You combat age being an issue in landing jobs. Employers are likely to place greater value in your willingness to learn the latest skills over your chronological age. Youthfulness is a state of mind.
- You maximize your exposure and it’s free.
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Great insight. I just started on this but I have to agree that age is not a factor and that state of mind is. Age is matter of mind. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter
Thanks, Gary, for your contribution. To add to what you’ve said, our actions are the best representation of our state of mind.
I believe starting into social media thinking “whats in it for me” can be one of those “short cuts” that you never talk about afterward.
Though I wasn’t at the conversation with the gentleman you spoke with, I get the sense that he may be questioning – whats the point?
I would say that everyone should start getting familiar with the tools and toys that are out there because simply – that is the way things are moving.
Don’t worry who’s using them. Make sure you are using them.
Well said, Dave. You’re a great example of why we all should be using social media.
http://innerarchitect.com/2008/11/24/twitter-case-study-how-david-murray-found-a-new-job-via-twitter/
Thanks for your support and inspiration.
Hi Susan-
I heard about your talk at CSIX ( I am an alum there).
I consider myself an avid networker, and a focussed networker as well. I for one cannot disagree more with the “whats in it for me” view. Its almost like saying that you wouldnt even talk to anyone without knowing the RoI upfront!
In all my networking, I’ve learned thats its best to be non-presumptive and allow the conversation to flow. Opportunities are always available to the open minded – not to the ones with a closed mind
Thanks again for coming Susan, it was my first time at the meeting and your topic was the reason that my colleagues and I went.
The next day I was able to speak with almost a dozen people at our other local networking group on the subject and was still surprised to find responses anywhere from mild skepticism to down right disdain.
I was eager to bring up the point you made about early adopters and mentioned that isn’t our very own Silicon Valley culture built on early adoption? If not here, where? India or a number of other interested countries would be more than happy to move ahead of them. THAT got them thinking.