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Check Out These Cool Networking Tools

Shapr app
Shapr Interface

Many traditional business practices over the past few decades have evolved into having some sort of digital or mobile alternative. Technology is continuously creating new ways to do just about everything, including networking. What used to consist of simply shaking hands and in-person conversation has also hit the digital world with the emergence of social sites such as LinkedIn and some cool networking tools.

 

Although they can provide a way to foster a professional connection that would be otherwise difficult to attain, the way people use social platforms in general can take away the true intention which is to develop a personal relationship that is mutually beneficial.  If you are trying to connect with someone for a specific reason, they may accept your request, but they could have also accepted any number of people that day and now you’re just another connection they may or may not interact with.

 

The good news is, there are many tools out there in addition to LinkedIn that can be used for meeting people and networking, and they take a different approach compared to traditional social and networking platforms. They aim to create an experience that encourages people to go beyond the platforms to actually meet with people for lunch, coffee or at an event to form a genuine professional relationship.

 

Some of them are specific to certain kinds of meetings or interactions like Extendee and Let’s Lunch, while others, like Shapr, are a tool simply for networking with people in the area.  One of the more specific-use platforms, Extendee, is used to meet people that are attending the same conferences, festivals, marathons or any other type of event. You can then begin a conversation with like-minded people before even getting to the event, or even share a ride from the airport to the venue. The most important element that the Extendee boasts is maximizing ROI. When you have invested time and money into traveling to and attending an event, you want to get the most out of it, and Extendee helps you do that.

 

Another one is called Let’s Lunch, which has a mission to empower people to get more out of their lunch time in a unique way. Let’s Lunch connects you to companies that you could go have lunch with and experience the company culture and even discover job opportunities. Forbes said, “while there are a lot of incredible tools and resources that make it easier to network with people from all over the world, there’s still nothing quite like Let’s Lunch.”

 

The platform that I have interacted with the most is the Shapr app. The easiest way to describe it is to say it is similar to Tinder or Bumble, but for professional networking. It has a very similar interface and you swipe left for “no” and right for “yes” on the people you come across.  The app shows you approximately 15 people per day based on your location, but there is more to it. You can log in using LinkedIn, and the algorithm also uses your professional experience and tagged interests. So, if you are interested in entrepreneurship, technology and marketing, you can make that a part of your profile and Shapr shows you people that are also interested in those topics.

 

According to the app’s founder, Ludovic Huraux, the limit of 15 is important to the central idea of Shapr which is to “make networking a habit.” The limit forces people to come back daily and people don’t have the ability to swipe through tons of people every day, which would diminish the impact and effect of the app.

 

In the Shapr app, you swipe anonymously and get notified when both people swipe yes, and then a conversation can be started. Unlike some other platforms, it is less focused on sales or jobs and instead intended to cultivate relationships and get people to meet up offline.  The app has been used by all sorts of people, from company executives to entrepreneurs, recruiters, and students looking for some guidance or mentorship.  Shapr is great for finding people and simply starting a conversation.  If you are not looking for a specific type of meeting or for people going to a certain event, you might use Extendee or Let’s Lunch instead.

 

I stumbled upon Shapr from a social media post and thought it sounded very interesting so I downloaded it right away. I began using it and swiping through people without much of an expectation. I was interested in talking to people working in the marketing field who could offer some career advice. I was able to speak with people in the industry who were more than willing to provide some insight on their own career path.  That is why the Shapr app is an excellent tool for more personal (but still professional) networking. Instead of a pool of thousands at your fingertips, Shapr shows you a limited amount everyday based on what your profile says you are interested in.

 

These tools put a spin on networking on bigger platforms which gives you a pool of thousands at your fingertips. They are more focused, and most users are looking for some insight just as much as they are willing to share knowledge and guidance, which is what makes them powerful.  Most users are looking for help just as much as they are willing to share knowledge and guidance, which is what makes these tools so great.

 

Facebook security

Is it time to quit Facebook? Both users and brands are wondering.

Facebook security

Privacy has always been a concern for users on social media and across the internet, but these issues have come into the spotlight amidst recent reports of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. And both users and brands are wondering is it finally time to dump Facebook. Across Twitter, #DeleteFacebook began trending. Celebrities made announcements that they were leaving Facebook. Several big name brands including Mozilla and Sonos temporarily suspended their Facebook advertising.

 

But what does this really mean for marketers? Should you pull back on your Facebook ad spending right now? Here are four reasons why companies should not be afraid to continue business as usual on Facebook.

 

1. Only a small number of people are leaving Facebook.

There are still over two billion users on the world’s largest social media platform, whose daily lives are entwined with Facebook. Although people are concerned, most are taking steps to be more cautious about data being shared rather than outright deleting their accounts.

 

Few companies are making changes to their ad spending as a result of the news, at least for now. According to Pathmatics, digital intelligence platform, of the top 1,000 ad spends on Facebook, only seven pulled ad spending following the Cambridge Analytica reports.

 

2. Facebook has been through issues before – and survived.

Facebook has already begun to make changes, including removing 3rd party data providers from its ad targeting, pausing all messenger bots and developing a new certification tool for marketers to guarantee email addresses used for ad targeting. Right now, Facebook’s priority will be to actively pursue solutions to earn back the trust of consumers.

 

Last year when Google-owned YouTube came under fire for showing brand ads next to hate speech and offensive content, brands boycotted YouTube but returned after a few months because of their quick response to remedy the situation. YouTube did not suffer any losses in earnings or growth.

 

3. Facebook advertising works.

The effectiveness of Facebook advertising has always been due to its hyper-targeting abilities. As the demand for transparency increases and access to data is limited, marketers may have to get more creative with targeting and begin to rethink their digital strategies, but as long as Facebook ads continue to deliver results, brands will continue to use it.

 

4. It could have happened to anyone.

This is the time we live in and privacy has been the tradeoff for the benefits of technology. And while the target is on Facebook right now, this is an overall consumer privacy issue across all digital media that needs to be addressed.

 

At the end of the day, leaving Facebook is a personal decision. As an ad agency, our job is to stay educated on the matter, monitor the situation closely for further fallout and help our clients determine the best strategy moving forward. And for brands, unless enough users leave or if the targeting regulations hurt performance, there is no reason to panic.

 

Regarding your personal account, learn ways to protect your data here.

 

Read more here:

http://adage.com/article/digital/marketers-wrangle-cambridge-analytica-fallout/312932/

https://marketingland.com/advertisers-didnt-leave-youtube-and-they-wont-leave-facebook-237063

https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/should-you-delete-your-facebook-account

Businesswoman Searching Online Job In Office

It’s Time to Stop Calling Them Passive Job Seekers

passive job seekersIn the world of recruitment, we use the terms “Active and Passive Job Seeker,” to differentiate between people who are actively searching for jobs, whether out of work or ready for a change, and those who are currently employed, but may be convinced to consider another opportunity.

Before the Internet and social media, candidates had to work hard to find and apply to jobs. But with technology leading to greater access coupled with people changing jobs more frequently, I propose that a new term needs to be implemented. Call it the “Always Looking” Job Seeker, the “Semi-Active” Job Seeker, the “Opportunistic” Job Seeker.

The word passive is outdated. As long as you have a smartphone, you always have the ability to look for job opportunities. A recent Indeed study (Talent Attraction Study: What Matters to the Modern Candidate) demonstrates how job seekers have changed:

  • 71% of workers admit to active job searching or at least openness to a new opportunity. This statistic shows that passive job seekers are no longer the majority.
  • 50% of adults who earn between $100,000 and $110,000 start reviewing new job opportunities within just 28 days of the start of their current role
  • Among all employed adults, 65% look at new opportunities within 3 months of starting their new job.
  • 58% of workers look at other jobs at least every month. 18% review job openings daily.
  • 44% of adults subscribe to job alerts, which deliver notifications right to your inbox

 

Switching jobs has become more common, especially among millennials and younger generations. Currently employed millennials typically plan to stay in their current role for only a year or two. They may not be actively job seeking, but would be willing to switch for a better opportunity, whether that means better perks, better advancement potential, a greater feeling of purpose or something else.

Targeted email job alerts with matching and learning technology, such as ZipRecruiter, allow individuals to keep an eye on possible job opportunities without lifting a finger. Social media sites and niche online communities like Stack Overflow for developers, allow potential job seekers to learn about company culture, values and opportunities, where they are already spending their time online.

As the passive and active job candidate line becomes more blurred, companies need to utilize a mix of tools including social media, job alerts, specialty niche communities and referrals to reach these “in-between” candidates.