Gen Y and the Enterprise #2: Exchanging information over time and space – how I've evolved my social media use

Note: This is an entry in a series of blog posts written about entering and the workforce as a member of Gen Y. These posts focus on Socialcast intern Margo Consul’s first-hand experience in a social-media-rich landscape that shapes the way new employees interact with their colleagues and customers.

As a new employee to the workforce, it seems to me that there’s a sizeable group of employees that has been hesitant about using social media at work.  I think that it’s the word “social” that seems to imply that these methods of communication have no intrinsic value. So, I propose a challenge to those that are still hesitant towards using social media:

Don’t focus on the term “social,” – focus on the instant communication and the consistent flow of information that these sites make available so you can do your job better.

My parents have always had a conservative approach to social media, and I believe that there are many with their viewpoint today. Like any concerned parent, my mom took to heart the stories about online predators out to get her kids and cyber-bullying. My dad was always concerned about privacy and putting too much information on the Internet. These are the tainted images that many people still have about social media.

I didn’t understand the negative perceptions of the social websites when they were first gaining popularity; to me they were a way to communicate with my friends on multiple levels. I could send them messages, share photos of us and always be clued into what they were thinking by reading their blogs. What we talked about wasn’t necessarily of great importance, but the sites provided a way to connect faster and use less effort than email.

Recently, I have learned that yes, these sites are social, but you can manipulate them to be more than just a place to post photos and pass the time. I have used the status update box in Facebook as a way to ask general questions about events at Santa Clara or tips for finding articles for a research paper. The question is broadcasted to a much larger network than your closest friends. I do the same thing at work inside our Socialcast community when I need help with a project.

I have also used the update box as a way to draw attention to accomplishments I want people to see. I attach links to my recent articles in the school paper or my newest blog post.  Down the road, archiving these will help me show future employers my portfolio over time.

Turn these techniques on their head and companies and their employees can use them to announce a new product, get instant feedback by asking for suggestions and post links to their websites. The ideas of exchanging information over time, space, knowing what people are thinking, reading, working on and always being connected is at the root of the social media phenomenon.  Few can argue that this isn’t a benefit at work. To the naysayers, I urge you to use these platforms as a way to connect faster, gain information, and communicate better with those around you – you will become quickly adept and enthralled as long-time users like me.