Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

“Marketers are now working to harness the newfound communications power of their everyday customers, turning them into influential brand ambassadors. Companies such as JetBlue, Sony, Microsoft, and McDonald’s, among others, are now developing a new breed of brand ambassador programs that organize and supercharge consumer-to-consumer interactions about their brands.” (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, pg. 143) The article in our book was fascinating. I didn’t realize there were entire companies devoted to finding marketing ambassadors for such high end companies. It’s true that this is important because whenever someone I know writes something about a company good or bad, I tend to believe them without even trying the product. I know many people who would be great at this because they have such a passion for specific brands. “Brand ambassador programs leverage the power of peer-to-peer communication. Consumers hear about products and brand experiences from others just like themselves—people they trust—rather than from commercial marketing sources.”(Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, pg. 143)

“Facebook's use as a job-recruitment tool remains small, but its appeal may be growing. Some recruiters say they have all but eliminated their spending on job boards, which can charge a few hundred dollars per job posting, depending on volume. Others note that while LinkedIn contains a more comprehensive résumé database, candidates tend to value referrals from their connections on Facebook more.” (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903885604576490763)  I have seen so many of my friends post about either needing a job or that their company is hiring. I think it’s a great way to get a job through friends that are actually reliable or know that you would be reliable. Everyone is so active on Facebook right now that it could be a great tool for companies to use. They could see what their interests are and relate them back to their company.