The advent of e-mail drastically changed how business was done just a little over a decade ago. The rules of the game changed – the phones stopped ringing, the faxes stopped littering the floor below, and the inbox started piling up. While phones still do ring and faxes do come in, let’s face it – it’s just about all sales calls. And while just about every employed person I know is working less hours yet maintaining a heavier workload due to the economic slowdown and its buddies layoff, attrition, and furlough to name a few, no one has much extra time in the day to field sales calls. And e-mail, while we all still use it to connect, has seen it’s heyday. Logging in and checking your inbox in spurts has given way to the era of instant information. Sometimes your question is answered via status update before you even have the chance to make your inquiry. Enter Facebook, Twitter, and the newest latest – Google Wave - all will reign as the new kings of communication.
What does this mean to your organization? Is your company on the Facebook Fan Page bandwagon and “tweeting” new job opportunities via Twitter? Are you reaching potential job seekers before they even start looking for a job? A Twitter account or Facebook Fan Page may not produce instant results and applicant flow, building your network now will reap benefits years down the road.
This Wall Street Journal article “Why E-mail No Longer Rules” is a great read on where we are going in the world of communications and why you and your employer should already be on the wagon.
