Thought for the week – "Online social networks are most useful when they address real failures in the operation of offline networks," – Mikolaj Jan Piskorski

Understanding users of social networks 
A fascinating look at what work on social networks. Hint – users do not click on advertising.  But, 70% of users view photographs.

What about newspapers?
Can print media be saved? Booz Allen offers four strategies  to reinvent print and make it profitable.

Google and micropayment for content
Meanwhile, Google is developing a micropayment facility for online content. Will it work for content providers as it does for music? How would this be relevant to recruitment advertising. Perhaps, job seekers paying small amount to access exclusive job listings?

Personal brands as important as corporate brand
Should you encourage an employee to promote their own personal brand? Ross Dawson highlights the shift from corporate brands to personal brands.

Research coming out of the US suggested Social Recruiting, the practice of using social media or networks to recruit staff, is gaining grounds. A study by Jobvite found that 68% of respondents use social networks or media to support their recruitment efforts. More telling is the finding that 66% successfully hired a candidate through an online social network.

There is no doubt that social networks provide ample opportunities to source talent, at the same time there are still many unknowns (How do one measure effectiveness; can social networks be a steady source of talent; what are the consequences of not using social media;  what is the story in Australia?).  However, one have a strong sense that we are witnessing a shift, if not in sourcing methodologies but the way we communicate and interact with potential candidates. Have a look at the report (registration required), our industry is changing rapidly.