“Web 2.0 refers to a supposed generation of Internet based services that emphasises online collaboration and sharing among users.” Wikipedia.
Last week I attended a CIPD seminar about how new developments in the virtual world have encouraged a new communication system between organisations and their audiences.
The aim of the day was to introduce HR Managers to the possibilities and tools now available to them which are already impacting on the world of recruitment, marketing and branding.
The speakers were Jonathan Barnes from 5RB, David Coombs from TMP Worldwide, Andrew Gordon from jobs.ac.uk, Isabelle Hung from Harrods, Sara Mansoori from 5RB and Peter McCracken from University of Nottingham.
New generations of consumers no longer respond in the same way to traditional method of marketing and would much rather be part of the marketing campaign than be ‘marketed to’. This is where Web 2.0 comes in……
Web 2.0 allows communications to move forward from 1-way to a 2-way conversation, such as groups and message boards on Facebook, and mini blogs on Twitter. But the tool that demanded the most attention was Second Life.
Second Life is a virtual world where users can create their own character and can interact with other users and socialise, participate in activities and create and trade virtual property with one another.
So how does this impact on recruitment?
Organisations can enter into Second Life to advertise vacancies, hold conferences, attend and host recruitment fairs and even create their own island!
This enables jobseekers to be more forthcoming with their questions as anonymity lowers their inhibitions to ask honest questions. This will benefit us as recruiters, as we can gain an insight into what the jobseekers really want to know.
But this doesn’t mean the end for traditional media!
Indeed traditional media is still alive and well, but with new generations of jobseekers-coincidentally named the ‘Facebook Generation‘-growing up with new media, an integrated melting pot of Web 2.0 tools and traditional media could be the way forward.
Of course, if you were to simply bombard jobseekers with your brand on every tool available this is more likely to make you look clueless, rather than a forward thinking ‘cool’ brand, so perhaps our biggest hurdle is which tool to use and when to ensure we reach our audience with the greatest impact.
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