44% of companies monitor employees’ use of social media

A new survey has just been released , that shows how companies approach social media in the workplace, with some pretty surprising findings. When you work in a more open and flexible company, it’s easy to forget that many people, particularly in larger organisations, are subject to fairly intense monitoring or policing of access to social networks. And, somewhat worryingly, the policies adopted towards use of social media don’t just apply to the workplace, but outside of it as well. In the companies surveyed, 44% said that they had policies in place for use of social media that covered use both in and out of the workplace. Further to this, less than half the businesses in the survey said that they gave access to social media for all employees. While this is a difficult subject to broach and there is by no means a right and wrong answer, it nonetheless contributes to an unfair split in the level of access to information and connections.

71% block social networks in the workplace

To show just how extreme monitoring social networks has become, a staggering 70.7% claimed that they actively blocked social networks in the workplace. This is a huge figure and is somewhat surprising, given how pervasive social media has become in our daily lives. And while many may see this as justified, viewing social network use as something purely private, such blocking seems almost archaic :

The issue here is not so much in considering social media as a place to chat to friends, but in viewing it as a valuable source of information. Yes, restricting access to chat to your friends on Facebook is one thing, but restricting access to Twitter for example, is quite another when you consider the role that it plays in the circulation of information and news.

Who owns your content?

Where this gets even more interesting, is that such a large proportion of companies have policies that cover use of social networks outside of the workplace as well. This is a difficult reality for many people and it’s an outcome of the private becoming public. Where once you used to leave work and you had your private life to yourself, for many, that private life is being broadcast online, as you choose. For organisations however, this poses a risk if you are linked to your organisation in any way. Anything you say or do online could indirectly implicate your employer and you can understand the risk here.

But surely, as social media becomes more pervasive in our lives, this line of thinking can only go so far. We are only going to become more public and share more information about ourselves, so how far can the policing go? What’s needed instead of even more policing or moderation, is a step change in society that ultimately changes the relationship between employee and employer. Your job is your job but your life is your life. There will need to be a shift in thinking across society that what individuals do or say online (as long as it’s legal) should in no way affect your position 9-5. The alternative is a more policed society where the employer/organisation has absolute control and can enforce restrictions as they decide is best.

The need for anonymity?

This brings up an interesting issue of anonymity, which has been brought to the forefront since Google’s decision to ban users who don’t use their real names on Google +. Now while this is completely Google’s decision – their network their rules – when you consider this approach in line with how organisations are monitoring social media, it makes things rather difficult. If by default you are forced to use your real identity online but you know that your employer could be watching, it takes away a huge amount of freedom that everyone should have access to. The extent to which you have freedom and access to information online can be determined by your employer, which is a worrying thought and a fairly sobering view of the future.

Why a networked employee is a good one

Companies that restrict employees’ access to social networks, ultimately have a differing view to the benefits of social media. It’s clearly seen as something that can impinge on day to day working lives, as opposed to something that can view it. This, again, is a somewhat archaic approach. Sure, a significant part of social media is about purely connecting with friends from a social perspective. But it’s also about building connections, establishing authority and discovering new information. This can only be beneficial to an organisation. A networked employee is ultimately a better employee as it opens up the lines you have to information and the connections people build extend beyond being purely social and can benefit organisations by creating new opportunities, access to ‘influencers’ in your area and possible lead generation. Nearly 71% of companies are actively restricting this.

How To Ace A Job Interview On Skype

If you haven’t conducted an interview by Skype yet, I’m willing to bet that it’s coming to your laptop screen or iPhone soon. With gas prices skyrocketing and plane tickets more costly too, employers are increasingly looking to Skype and a handful of online interviewing sites and tools to conduct the first interview. Video interviews on Skype are used to “get more comfortable with the candidate” and see how they handle face-to-face communication and technology tools, said Matt Berndt, director of communication career services at the University of Texas.  Some also use a recorded video interview so they can be certain they’re using the exact same questions with all potential candidates.

“Telephone interviews are going to video interviews” via Skype or another mode, Berndt said. He offers some savvy suggestions for making Skype interviews sparkle:

• Try it out with friends. Ask them to critique how you look, whether the lighting washes you out. Check your Internet connection too; low signal strength could ruin your interview. If you’re using the webcam on your smart phone, make sure you have the battery charged and know exactly where to sit the phone so it captures you and your environment attractively.


• Have a backup plan. Know the interviewer’s phone number and email. Have them handy – just in case your Internet access gets knocked out or your camera malfunctions. Create a Plan B to show you’re proactive and know how to develop workarounds.


• Think about what the background says about you. Control the entire image. Create a great frame for the picture of yourself. Or keep it simple if you want to keep yourself neutral.  Berndt’s backdrop was a full shelf of books, a deep blue wall and a framed Kandinsky print. “It bugs me a little bit that my door’s open,” he said.


• Organize your notes in front of you. The interviewer cannot see all the desktop around you. So put it to good use with notes and prompts as well as material pulled up on your computer screen. The extra information could enhance the answers you give – and remind you to ask great questions too.


• Turn off your pop-ups and email. They slow down your computer a bit and they may distract you from the interview. “If you receive an email from a friend with a very very funny joke, it could be bad news,” he said.


• Know Skype’s features. One that may be useful: For example, you can share your screen with the interviewer which allows you to showcase your original graphic designs or your in-progress app or something else.

My experience with Skype has been interviewing executives, authors and experts for the articles I create. Here are three suggestions that apply to job interviews too:

• Give a dog a bone. If you have an affectionate or noisy pooch, give her something to distract her – so she won’t distract you in the middle of your interview. Or ask your roommate or partner to take doggy for a walk during the interview.


• Consider who will hear you. If you’re keeping your job search a secret, you may need to schedule the interview before or after work. Even if you have an office with a door, someone could overhear you – or just knock and come in as you’re telling the recruiter your best saved the day story.


• Videotape yourself during the interview. This gives you the chance to review how you did, to seek feedback on the interview – and to follow up on any question you mishandled.

The final tip comes from both of us:  Practice, and practice some more. “Reduce the variables in the job interview” by preparing to answer the question you dread, Berndt said. Practice for the awkward moments – a dropped connection, both talking at once or an interruption by dog or daughter. Practice with the tools so you can manage them effortlessly before the recruiter sets up your Skype screening interview.

http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/ace-job-interview-skype/

Microsoft Buys Skype For $8.5 Billion, Now What?

Over the past week there were rumors that Google and Facebook were both interested in buying Skype. Then Om Malik reported that Microsoft was really the one interested and the Wall Street Journal confirmed yesterday that Microsoft would be paying a remarkable $8.5 billion for the company, making it Microsoft’s largest acquisition to date:
At a value close to $8 billion, the Skype deal would rank as the biggest acquisition in the 36-year history of Microsoft, a company that traditionally has shied away from large deals. In 2007, Microsoft paid approximately $6 billion to acquire online advertising firm aQuantive Inc. Many current and former Microsoft executives believe Microsoft significantly overpaid for that deal. But they are also relieved that Microsoft gave up on an unsolicited $48 billion offer for Yahoo Inc. nearly three years ago. Yahoo is valued at half that sum today.

eBay Double Dips
In 2005 eBay initially bought Skype for $2.6 billion in cash and stock but was never able to fully exploit or leverage Skype across its marketplaces. In 2009 eBay sold most of Skype to investors, while retaining a substantial minority stake that winds up making eBay as much in cash (roughly $2.5 billion) as what it originally paid for Skype.

Amazingly, as the WSJ points out, the transaction would make Redmond Skype’s forth owner in eight years. Apparently, according to Malik, Skype’s investors and owners were pushing for a sale after the company’s widely anticipated IPO was delayed. Last night the snark was out for the deal with many people dismissing Microsoft as overpaying and expressing skepticism that the company would be able to leverage Skype in any meaningful way.

Some Skype Numbers
Before a discussion of what Microsoft might be expected to do with Skype, a quick look at some numbers and financial data. The company had well over 600 million registered users in 2010 but “only” 145 milllion active monthly users and 8.8 paying users (mostly SkypeOut), on a global basis. Skype made roughly $900 million in revenue in 2010. Google is one of the primary competitors identified in Skype’s IPO filing. And, as others have pointed out, the new “face” of IP Telephony is Apple (FaceTime), Google (Voice) and now Microsoft-Skype.



How Microsoft Could Deploy Skype
How might Microsoft try and use Skype to its competitive advantage?

• Microsoft will integrate Skype’s capabilities into its enterprise products: voice, video, etc.


• Microsoft will bundle Skype into Xbox/Kinect for video calling


• Microsoft will integrate Skype into Windows Phones for video chat and alternative voice calling over high-speed networks


• There’s also speculation that Facebook will get privileged access to Skype courtesy of Microsoft


• There will probably be some interesting integrations with Bing, especially in mobile — and perhaps IE as well

Given the above it’s not irrational for Microsoft to make this acquisition. The price may be inflated but there are solid consumer and enterprise use cases that come immediately to mind. However whether Skype can boost Windows Phones’ popularity and help make Windows Phones more competitive with the iPhone and Android is another question. It’s also quite possible that Skype revenue growth could entirely offset the losses that Microsoft continues to rack up in online services — to the tune of nearly $2 billion annually now.

Like any major acquisition there will be organizational and execution challenges ahead but there is some very interesting potential across several of Microsoft’s product lines. The opportunity just comes at a very high cost.

http://searchengineland.com/microsoft-buys-skype-for-8-5-billion-now-what-76452