Josh Lowensohn who wrote the guide for Webware kicks-off:

What is Facebook and why should you use it?

Facebook is a social networking service that lets you connect with friends, co-workers, and others who share similar interests or who have common backgrounds. Many use it as a way to stay in touch after finishing school, or as a way to share their life publicly. What makes Facebook different from other social networks are its extensive privacy controls, its development platform, and its large and quickly growing user base. Facebook has been called the “thinking person’s” social network. Compared to many other social networks, Facebook gets new features and improvements on a regular basis.

Don’t get too comfortable. “Facebook gets new features and improvements on a regular basis” means don’t blink or you’ll log on one day and not know what to do or how to do it!

Just in case you’re hungry for more, from Robin Good there is Social Networking: A Beginner’s Guide To Facebook, another handy reference with some additional stuff to work through.

Disappointed at being shut out from the recent bidding for a piece of Facebook Steven is not one to cry in his beer. He is putting his investments elsewhere and sponsoring the Dallas Recruiting Roadshow instead!

It’s a shame Steven won’t be able to join us on the day to share his wealth of knowledge on using social networks for recruiting best practice like he did in Atlanta. But no matter — there is plenty here online to dig through and many more lessons inspired by his ongoing research. Case in point, see today’s post on Recruiting.com: Social Network Ignoramus: The Fate of a Recruiting Dinosaur?

Steven and CollegeRecruiter.com continue to be good friends to the Roadshow. Thank you!

I just picked this up from Forrester’s Charlene Li who — like Steven — knows what she’s talking about:

[slideshare id=128129&doc=big-brands-facebook-demographics-case-studies-best-practices3037&w=425]
[No Image? View the slides on SlideShare]

And on the subject of demographics, here’s my two-cents on Second Life which also came up in Atlanta.

In presenting his afternoon keynote Steven Rothberg had some distinct advantages over possible food-induced dozing:

• Our Atlanta delegates were really hungry to learn about networking tools and recruiting issues, in the main brand new stuff to contrast with their mainstream practices and possible misconceptions about using social networks in their day-to-day jobs; and
• Steven provided much food for thought but kept everyone asking for more. Not only that, Steven delivered his presentation with enough spice and wit to keep even possibly bland topics like background checking, compliance and source-of-hire metrics appetizing.

Here are Steven’s presentation slides…

[slideshare id=125136&doc=best-practices-for-using-my-space-facebook-and-other-social-netowrking-sites-for-recruiting754&w=425]

…although the real juice is in direct contact with him:

CollegeRecruiter.com
(800) 835-4988
Steven(at)CollegeRecruiter.com

You can also keep ahead of things by reading Steven’s blog or connected with him on LinkedIn. 

Posted by: Amitai Givertz

I got an email from someone who was not only sitting in on Steven Rothberg’s keynote Best Practices for Using Facebook, MySpace and Other Social Networking Sites for Recruiting but she was also taking notes! The question was:

Steven was talking about the data coming from our ATS being 80% inaccurate when it comes to where candidates come from. Where does that statistic come from?

I believe the number was actually higher and that Steven was referring to a whitepaper titled ATS Sourcing Data – 83% Inaccurate, talking about traditional postings. In fact, John Sumser pointed the research out in his Electronic Recruiting News column in December last year:

Having spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), HR Executives wrongly assume that the sourcing data has some resemblance to reality. Yet 5 out of 6 Candidates enter inaccurate data.

To the question about who can help with accurately tracking job posting responses Steven suggested a couple of options pointing to Don Ramer in the back of the room. Don’s company Arbita — one of Atlanta’s sponsors — provides a range of solutions worth checking out and publishes a good overview titled Global Jobs Cross-Posting Solutions.

Steven also addresses the issues and related topics in an excellent post, Consolidation in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Space.

Last, I posted a related item on RCI Recruitment Solutions’ Bells & Whistles blog called The Budget for Stupidity which has a few useful links.

If you have any questions or comments do share them please.