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The Boom Of Social Networking- Essential For Profit and Employment

Brand new research out today reveals that school leavers’ social networking skills could hold the key to their employability, as advocated by two thirds of SME decision makers
Finance - 24 August 2011   Download IconContent available for download:  
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Social networking has exploded: Twitter gets more than 200 million tweets each day and Facebook now has more than 750 million users. This GCSE results day, a brand new survey has revealed that school leavers’ social networking skills are incredibly appealing to employers, as advocated by two thirds (66%) of SME decision-makers. Over a quarter (27%) of managers in SMEs now look towards young people to educate them about social networks and the best way to utilise them.

Social enterprise is becoming a reality in many small businesses, as nearly half (47%) of SMEs use social technology to interact and engage with customers and prospects. This trend is on the rise with 66% of businesses saying that social networks and tools are important to the growth of their business.

Social networking in the workplace is key for youth employment in the UK – in fact, 40% of graduates stated that they would be deterred from working for a company that had banned Facebook and Twitter. Therefore, the enthusiasm for social networking seems to flow both ways, as over three quarters (76%) of graduates would be more attracted to an employer if they actively used social network tools.

. Introduction:

Social networking has seen a boom in recent years, and brand new research has shown that both small businesses and young people about to embark on their career should be relying more on social enterprise. More and more, the most forward thinking businesses are utilising social media, not only to engage clients and prospects, but to recruit smart, forward thinking graduates and school leavers. This GCSE results day, school leavers need to be considering how they can use social media wisely in order to make themselves more appealing for employers – for profit as well as employment.

So, in a world of tweets and tags, how can we make use of social media?

Joining us to discuss this further is Tim Barker, a social media expert and SME advisor.

. Suggested Questions:

What does the research show about businesses using social media in our area?

Why is social media such an attractive tool for businesses and school leavers?

What do small businesses have to gain from utilising social media?

How can small businesses attract and retain the talent of tomorrow by using social media?

How can school leavers and graduates use social media to make themselves more appealing to employers?

Why did you do this research?

Where can we find out more information?