Normally my posts focus on what I encounter on various social media platforms. However, today's article is more along the lines of how social media has made its way into our everyday lives. In this particular case, it is the job interview process.
It began as most interviews do. The hiring manager, along with a subordinate, run through the checklist of the job description, what would be expected and then proceed to tout the wonderful things about the company which sets it apart from all the rest. Now, comes that much anticipated question, "do you have any questions for us?"
Having done my homework; I had researched the company the best I could on the Internet. Yes, there was a website. There was even a Facebook page for its corporate office. Honestly, I was not impressed with either.
Since I was not applying for a social media or marketing position; I was reluctant to initially express my actual opinion. However, in response to their question and as a follow up to a comment made by one of the interviewers regarding the lack of consistent traffic coming into their establishment during our meeting; I proceeded to advise them that they were missing out on an important source of potential business, both locally and nationally.
The hiring manager seemed taken aback at first. "We have a Facebook page and a website, what more do we need?" I proceeded to explain that having both does not constitute customer engagement and that their corporate office was letting a golden opportunity slip through their fingers both on a national and local level. Their website was a basic, right out of box site without any of the bells and whistles visitors have grown accustomed to. In fact, it is set up so generically that a first time visitor would be hard pressed to determine what products or services they sold.
Okay, so maybe corporate wants the website to be streamlined and just "plain". Maybe it is part of their corporate philosophy or strategic plan. Who am I to question? At this point, I am only a potential customer as I have not officially been moved to the next step of the interview process.
As a potential customer and one of the millions who utilize social media in researching companies and the brands they represent, the total lack of engagement on the various social media sites is astonishing. Their Facebook page has 76 followers and nothing has been posted by the administrators of the page since its inception. There is one post from someone thanking them for their help 6 months prior with no response or acknowledgment. I even dared to bring up Twitter and Pinterest backing off once their eyes started to glaze over.
A lot has been said recently about prospective employers using social media to research potential employees. In this case, I researched a potential employer. If I had been moved to the next step in the hiring process and eventually be offered a position - would I declined based on the lack of information on the company and their obvious lack of customer engagement? Or, would I have accepted the position knowing that I would have been able to assist them in beefing up their social media presence resulting in increased traffic? Increased traffic would ultimately result in the potential of increased commissions for me. Alas, that is one bridge I did not have to cross.
While I went with all intentions of selling myself as the ideal candidate for a basic sales position, I may have also taught the hiring manager a thing or two about social media and its importance to a business and its success. In a way, I left the interview feeling more confident than in previous ones. Not because I thought I landed the position; but because I actually was able to pass on just a little bit of advice, that if taken, will enable this particular company to flourish. Granted this situation, though real, occurred over a year and a half ago and I have continued to on my journey to learn more about the world of social media. Hopefully, this company has as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment