The Age of Social Media

Social Media Has Taken Over Our Lives 

Social media has evolved and taken over the lives of many young people who either seek false celebredom, perceived importance and awareness, created interesting networks for young professionals, driven a laissez-faire attitude for seasoned professional and developed into a new marketing tool for business owners, public officials, and corporate executives. But the tone and purpose of the message can be lost if the age of the viewer doesn't correlate. According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center revealed in Jessica Walrack's article, the breakdown of the social media age groups can be used to determine the type, frequency and focus of the message.

Promote, Promote, Promote 

If you want to promote a business or submit a highly publicized post aimed at a targeted demographic between the ages of 18 - 29. Focus marketing effort on:

• Facebook (87%)
• Instagram (53%)
• Twitter (37%)
• Pinterest (34%), 

To gain the interest of prospective buyers between the ages of 30-49, the efforts should turn towards

• Facebook (73%)
• LinkedIn (31%)
• Instagram (25%)
• Twitter (25%) 

63% of 50-64-year-olds are active on Facebook while those over 65 have a 56% Facebook usage rate.
There is no need to post new technology gadgets on Instagram for the elderly market because they won't ever see it unless their 19-year old grandson visits and sees it on his tablet. Offering after-work fitness boot camps with child care arrangements to 20 yr olds on Pinterest would generate less traffic than a Facebook ad that reaches the social media users from the ages of 30 - 49.

Know the age for the message and the targeted platform for them to notice. Welcome to the aging of social media.

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Posted in: Facebook,Instagram,LinkedIn,marketing,Pinterest,social media,Social Media and Business,sports psychology,strategy,Twitter

The Art and Science of Talent Acquisition

Find The Right Person 

Hiring the right person for a job is more than evaluating the experience, references, and accomplishments from prior positions. The process must also be based on the character and emotional intelligence the individual displays in order to function in the work environment and around the vast personalities of others. Large companies employ human resources departments and sports teams hire sports psychologists to assess the attributes of future personnel through standardized tests and questions as a science. But knowing the right fit for a position based on the talent needed to get the job done is more of an art.

Learning On The Job vs. Character Qualities 

Certain skills can be taught on the job - written communication (although it is assumed that should be a strength if graduated from high school), computer programming, budgeting, marketing techniques, presentation skills and social media tactics. In the case of sports, understanding a playbook and remembering the plays associated with a position can also be developed while with a team. However sound judgment, good character, loyalty, ambition, and commitment are innate and rarely learned attributes. Understanding the fundamentals of how the sport should be played either comes naturally or through hard work and dedication for those who have mastered specialized athleticism.

The Truth About Analytics 

While the analytics across all the personality and character assessment tests (e.g. Personalysis, Jung Typology, True Colors) can prove to be historically factual to determine which people will work well together and be overachievers or under-performers, it does not account for the required talent that can be gleaned by a hiring manager who has experience determining and acquiescing the job-related strengths and weaknesses of the potential candidate.

Recruiting is An Art

The move towards hiring analytics cannot be taken as the gospel like the facts derived from business intelligence models with key performance indicators. It is an aid or extra information to add to the interview notes. After all, the science of the psychology exam results can waiver if the candidate knows how to manipulate the answers to his benefit. The art lies within the ability to recruit the right person based on the weaknesses that need to be strengthened. Hence, the proof is in the art.

Published February 9, 2015
Photo By Steven Lewis

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Posted in: effective hiring,Hiring,leadership,Leadership Skills,Personalysis,sports psychology,standardized tests,Temeko Richardson,True Colors Test