But these two rules together.  That’s spells media circus for a small economic development and publicly funded agency in Pennsylvania.

Companies must now consider the potential media attention they will and may receive when moving termination an employee.

The Leigh Valley Economic Development Corporation is learning this lesson first hand.  And maybe, just maybe this is a lesson they can learn so you don’t have to.

The company’s social media specialist, Vanessa Williams (@prpeep) was let go after posting to the company’s Twitter account,@LVEDC.  The tweet posted on Friday, June 3^th, said the following, “We start summer hours today. That means most of the staff leave at noon, many to hit the links. Do you observe summer hours? What do you do?”

Williams was reported to have been terminated for the tweet as well as other circumstances that were not disclosed.  Like many organizations, the company didn’t have a formal social media policy.  She was offered a severance package, and it appears the company did not act swiftly and generously enough with their offer.  She has hired an attorney to clear her name adding more fuel to the media fire.

This story isn’t so much about Williams and if she should have been fired.  This looks to be am over-reaction by a group of decision makers who don’t fully understand social media.  With over 155 million tweets posted each day, it is likely that Williams’s tweet would have been long forgotten.  This story is more about the potential damage and unforeseen factors that can sneak up on a company when they move to termination.

The company should have kept their mouth shut about the termination.  Their statement and interview with a local reporter created a media firestorm.  Articles from publications around the world as well as an AP article, fueled the fire.  If anyone deserves to be reprimanded or terminated, it’s the employee representative that was quoted in the article.

Social media is public forum, which is contrary to most employment situations.  These happen behind closed doors.  If a company is going to terminate someone who has a presence on social media or because of conduct on a social platform, companies need to consider the potential fallout both positive and negative for themselves as well as the terminated employee in question.

While a termination may seem just in your mind, it doesn’t hurt to consult an expert.  In this day and age with the use of social media and its prevalence in the workplace, that expert just may be your Marketing and PR team.

Originally posted at Blogging4Jobs.

Photo Credit Laughing Squid.

One non-traditional networking tool is Twitter.  Think of Twitter as a virtual cocktail party with more than 27 million people in attendance.  Like any traditional cocktail party or networking event, there are conversations (known as your twitter stream) that happen all around you.  Twitter is no different.  Because your purposes for Twitter are primarily business based, it is extremely important to selectively join and be present for key conversations among decision makers or influencers in the industry in which you are looking for work or in your community.

• Follow People. Following others and retweeting or reposting their tweets is a great way to begin to build a relationship.  Use Twitter directories which are essentially online yellow pages to search for influencers in your target industry, location, or by key word like Twellow, and We Follow.  Here are 15 more great Twitter directory sites courtesy of Mashable.

• SEO or Search Engine Optimization. Be found by making sure to include key words that are searched by recruiters and hiring managers in your Twitter bio.  Consider words including industry specific software programs, certifications, and words that are repeatedly listed in job board advertisements.  Recruiters use key words within your tweets and your bio to find you.  Make it easy to be found including key words and a link to your blog or profile.

• Hash Tags (#). Hash tags are used in Twitter as a way to sort and search by topic.  Some common hash tags for job seekers including #jobs, #jobhuntchat, #jobsearch #jobadvice.  Using your iGoogle account set up an RSS feed of common key words and hash tags in Twitter Search.  Setting up your RSS feed is a great time saving tip.

• Find Recruiters. I almost always suggest that job seekers take an aggressive approach to their job search.  Just as recruiters source and search for you, job seekers can seek out and connect with recruiters, human resource professionals, or hiring managers using social media search tools.  Twitter directories are a great start, however there are more advanced tools like Follower Wonk and Twitter Search.  Both these offer advanced search options allowing you to search by key word and zip code.  Follow Wonk provides advanced bio search options.

• Building Relationships. Chris Brogan provided a crude yet effective example of social media networking and how to build relationships.  He likened engaging someone and asking them for a sale, to buy their product, or a job to sticking your tongue down someone’s throat just after meeting them.  Basically, don’t ask for the sale until you have an established relationship.  Social media can be very surface and the relationship is the glue that holds your reputation and relationships together.

To learn more about Twitter for the job search and business, you can take a look at my book, Tweet This!  Twitter for Business. E-book and softcover versions are availale.

Photo Credit IbTimes.

According to Wikipedia, a mullet is a unisex hair style that is short in the front and long in the back. The mullet began making appearances in the popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not catch on with the masses until the early 1980s.

Business professionals, entrepreneurs, and job seekers can learn from those that sport this fashionable cut when managing their online brand.   A popular saying when describing a mullet comes to mind-

“Business in the front. Party in the back.”

Wise words when considering your online brand as a business professional no matter what your industry, position, or responsibility level. Keep your business and professional profile in the forefront and in plain view of recruiters, prospective employers. and customers. Keep your personal life and party in the back. Users of social media need to be mindful doing your best to maintain a professional image while showing your creative and unique qualities at the same time.

Business in the Front.  Social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs, and Twitter are great mediums in which to develop relationships and grab the attention of hiring managers and recruiters. Share your expertise and lead with the business in all you do. Your posts, pictures, and tweets should be at least 70% business related. Lead with interesting articles, tidbits, and information that is industry specific or related to the job in which you currently work or aspire to.

Party in the Back

The remaining 30% of your social media content can be related to your personal side but be weary. I have visited FaceBook profiles with one too many drunk pictures and tweets leading me to search for talent elsewhere. If you are unsure if something is inappropriate, ask yourself if your mother would approve. Items that your mother would approve and/or tolerate are generally appropriate to display on your social media profiles. Social media is all about interacting and developing relationships. I encourage you to tweet or post comments seeking input and feedback from others. Commonalities make you interesting which lead to engaging conversations with persons from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Unfortunately, for Dog, the Bounty Hunter, this advise has come a little too late.   He is a good example of why your social media mullet is so important.

**Dont’ forget to leave to follow the link to the Tweet & Shout Blog contest and leave a comment to help me win the contest.

Twitter was created in 2006 during a brainstorming session at think tank company, Obvious Corporation and was designed to communicate in short bursts like SMS or text messaging and answer the following question, “What are you doing?”  Originally, called Twttr the company has secured over $55,000,000 in secured funding from venture capitalists and has yet to be profitable, but that could all change with the addition of commercial accounts.

Twitter has already began moving to unveiling its new commercial and business account services with its verified accounts for celebrities and actors earlier this year.  Twitter has also recently provide a short guideline and tutorial detailing how businesses and professionals can leverage Twitter for their business.  The tutorial which is quite short does not discuss third party applications and other tools that businesses can leverage to manage their time effectively.

My book, Tweet This!  Twitter for Business which will be available in late November 2009, discusses tools and strategies businesses can use to manage their time, grow their following, and increase revenue in just thirty minutes a day.  Look for more information over the weeks and months until the book’s release.  I will also be unveiling a new website and resource soon that will discuss all things Twitter for businesses, consultants, and non-profits in a usable and no-nonsense way.  Look for it at http://www.tweetingmybusiness.com beginning September 2009.

Do I support the creation of commercial accounts for Twitter?  I’m curious to see the analytic features Twitter offers, as well as the special commercial only features and of course the cost associated with this new service.  Like everyone else, I’ll have to wait and see.

Twitter is not complex but for new users, it can be overwhelming.  There are new terms to understand, etiquette to learn, and third party tools to experiment and consider.  I often hear questions like, “Why are people I don’t know following me?” and “How can I find time to read everything in my Twitter Stream?”

People follow others to learn more about that person.  This form of acceptable “cyberstalking” is a way for others to develop relationships and promote themselves without making the full relationship commitment similar to online dating or chat rooms.  And yes, it is okay not to read every tweet in your stream.  In fact I wouldn’t recommend it.  There are not enough hours in the day.  Focus on a few people or tweets that peak your interest and engage.  It’s like shaking someone’s hand at a networking meeting when you’ve already read their bio.

• Learn & Observe. Take the time to read blog posts, books, videos and engage other tweeps before diving in.  It’s important to remember that what you tweet, how you tweet and when you tweet is a direct representation of you and as a job search candidate, a business professional or personal.  I recommend viewing Twitter in Plain English You Tube Video posted below.
• Be Authentic.  Gear your topic, discussion, and posts to your target audience and be genuine.  Have empathy and be put yourself in the shoes of your audience.
• Use Third Party Applications. Free services like TweetDeck, TweetLater, Ping.fm, and others make your life easier.  With these tools you can create groups of followers, keyword search, post to multiple social media platforms like Facebook, Flickr, and Bebo, and also schedule your tweets or posts.
• Engage, Engage, Engage. Twitter is what you make of it.  Get out there and join in the conversation.  If you have good content, take time to engage others, and have a dialogue, the relationships and connections will follow.
• Be Organic & Patient. Not eat organic but grow your follower count organically and over time.  It’s the best way to develop creditability among Twitter power users.  Avoid following others in large numbers of 250 or more a day.  Doing so appears to others that you are spam.  (yes, these do exist)
• Manage Your Time. As my friend, Shelley Cademy says, “Twitter can be a soul-sucking black hole.”  Use Outlook or other calendar to schedule your time on Twitter so that you remain productive and focused on working, spending time with family, or whatever it is you do.

What a difference a year makes.  Twitter and other social media platforms like Facebook and Friendfeed have grown at an enormous rate over the last 12 months.  According to Quantcast, a website quantifier, there were 26.5 Million Twitter users in the United States in June 2009 compared to a little more than 2 million users in June of 2008.  Last year these sites were not even on the radar screen of company executives, professional sports teams, and others.

The NFL has had an existing policy barring the use of PDAs and cell phones by its players and as of July 2009 had begun enforcing a social media policy banning players from using social media platforms during training camp, practices, and games.  The policy has resulted in several fines although it has not been finalized but that hasn’t stopped the NFL from enforcing their policy.  According to the Associated Press, the San Diego Chargers fined cornerback Antonio Cromartie $2,500 for complaining about the food at training camp on his Twitter account. Cromartie linked the quality of the food to the Chargers’ failure to reach a Super Bowl.

The Marines issued an order also earlier this month banning their soldiers from social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace stating that these sites increase the risk that sensitive and secure information might be leaked or received by advisories.  And now the SEC.  The South Eastern Conference just released a new social media policy placing restrictions on how much tweeting, blogging, and video blogging reporters can do at games, practices, and news conference.  In addition, the SEC’s policy also includes restrictions for fans in the stands attending SEC sporting events banning them from using Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, blogging, or video blogging in an effort to keep fans not in attendance glued to the SEC’s preferred television network for the most up to date and complete coverage.

Can they do this?  Yes, they can try but the bigger question is how.   How does the SEC plan to police the 90,000 fans inside University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin stadium as well as the 100,000 tailgaters who remain outside the stadium updating their social media profiles and tweeting real time action and updates?  The Social Media Police. We’ll have to wait and see.

As these organizations try to develop a control mechanism and system to monitor and police the use of social media platforms, the rest of the world including corporate American is waiting and watching.  Corporate American Information Technology and Human Resource Departments over the last year have rushed to put in place strict social media and security policies to protect company assets.  However, what they are doing is creating a larger social media divide that could negatively impact the company’s culture and brand reputation.  Unfortunately, the very decision makers who seek to police and enforce with social media policies fail to understand the full scope and power of social media.  And even if companies block employees from viewing social media platforms on company computers, employees still have access to unrestricted internet sites using smart phones like Palms, Blackberries, and iPhones.

First the NFL, the Marines, and now the SEC.  Is your company next?

***As of August 18th, the SEC has issued a revised social media policy that includes the following:

“No Bearer may produce or disseminate in any form a “real-time” description or transmission of the Event (i) for commercial or business use, or (ii) in any manner that constitutes, or is intended to provide or is promoted or marketed as, a substitute for radio, television or video coverage of such Event. Personal messages and updates of scores or other brief descriptions of the competition throughout the Event are acceptable. If the SEC deems that a Bearer is producing a commercial or real-time description of the Event, the SEC reserves the right to pursue all available remedies against the Bearer.

Apparently, Twitter has suspended some accounts inadvertently due to some sort of Twitter spam that is making the rounds.  Unfortunately, I have been caught up in the mess.  Our accounts, @blogging4jobs, @xceptionalhr, and @soonerexecrec have been suspended.

If you are on Twitter, I’d appreciate it if you would send @spam a Direct Message or @reply requesting that our accounts be unsuspended.  I’ve contacted Twitter and submitted a ticket requests.  In the mean time, your tweets will be much appreciated!

Cheers!

Jessica

***Update:  Just learned that all Twitter Accounts that use TweetLater have been suspended.  If you are interested in staying up to date, do a search with keywords, “suspended accounts” at search.twitter.com.  Look for a post coming from @mashable at www.mashable.com as well.  Until then, see you on Facebook!
***7/5/09 Update at 10:15 pm CST:  Twitter accounts @xceptionalhr and @blogging4jobs are back!  We’ve resubmited ticket request for @soonerexecrec’s account (Greg’s account).  www.mashable.com reports that Twitter will be posting an update on their blog at blog.twitter.com very soon.  Thank you for all the kind tweets!  It’s good to be back.