So, what's the point of all of those social networking sites anyway?

If you're someone who spends a lot of time writing on your blog, checking Facebook, updating Twitter, connecting on Brazen Careerist etc., you've probably been asked this question at least once. So, what do you say to the naysayers out there? You could refer them to countless articles and blog posts about the value of social networking sites to businesses, or mention the wide variety of people and organizations that can be followed on Twitter. Well, here are a few pointers for explaining your love of the Web 2.0 world to those who aren't a part of it:

1. Emphasize what you've gotten out of these sites, all of the connections you've made, and how each site serves a different purpose. The more you can back up your positive opinions, the better.
2. Show the doubtful one the sites instead of just talking about them. This way, they can have a picture in their mind to go along with the name.
3. If all else fails, suggest that they try it out for themselves before passing judgement. After all, pretty much all of these sites are free and it's what you put into it that determines what you get out of it.

I have always been a bit of a technology geek. I love electronics and gadgets, and I'm always looking for new websites to explore. But, a lot of the people in my life aren't so technologically advanced, or just don't have much of an interest in it. So, I was very happy when CPX added a new page to our website that provides links to everything I've been working on since I started in January. Now, when someone asks me what it is I actually do at work, I can show them.

So, what's the point of all of those social networking sites anyway? For me, it's a way to connect to people in my industry, keep up with the latest news, share my thoughts on things that are going on in my life and in the world, meet new people and reconnect with old friends, promote my company in fun and innovative ways, learn from others...and so much more.

How would you answer this question? What's the point of all of those social networking sites FOR YOU? Is Twitter overrated? Has Facebook gotten out of touch? Are blogs just a soapbox for people to vent about their lives? Or is online social networking the best thing since sliced bread?

Update: For more on this topic, check out this post on Intersected, an awesome blog!

Advice to Young Job-Seekers

I recently became a member of the site Brazen Careerist. It's a place for Generation Yers to connect and share insight on work and life. Speaking of sharing insight, I just finished filling out a survey from the Center for Intl. Mass Communications Training and Research at UGA. The survey is sent out each year to a sample of students who have just graduated with a journalism/communications degree. The focus of their research is the job search process, how easy or difficult it was to find employment after graduation, what worked and what didn't in terms of searching, how many jobs you applied to and how many interviews you had, how long you searched etc.

After answering all of the questions, (very difficult, networking & online searches, about eighty and about a dozen, seven months), we were given the opportunity to give advice to 2009 grads.

So, here's my advice:

• Be persistent, even when you feel like giving up.
• Job searching is a job in itself, so be prepared to dedicate a lot of time to it.
• Explore every possible connection, even if you feel like you're being annoying or that it can't possibly lead anywhere.
• Take every interview, regardless of whether you think you'd actually be interested in the job. Nothing is beneath you, and it might sound better when you hear more about it. If nothing else, you'll gain some valuable interviewing experience.
• No matter how much you practice the "typical interview questions," it's still going to be awkward, and you'll probably get caught off guard by something.
• After you leave an interview, don't beat yourself up for your mistakes. There's nothing you can do at that point, and all you'll end up doing is increasing your stress level.
• When you have an interview where you feel totally comfortable and forget about all of your stock answers because you're speaking from your heart, that's the job for you.
• Remember these mantras, you'll be thinking them a lot: "You never know," and "We'll see what happens."