Engaging the Web 2.0 generation Jayne Rowley Graduate Prospects 1 st July 2008

If the web was once an enormous library, it is now a vast conversation. Everyone can participate. Young people now communicate more through social networking websites than through . Instead of keeping diaries, they keep blogs; instead of photo albums, they have Flickr. (Gefter 2006) 2008 and beyond…

While older adults go online to find information, the younger generation go online to live. The boundaries between private and public and between offline and online are blurring and there is a widening generation gap between adolescents growing up with social technology and adults who find it foreign and unsettling. Welcome to the Myspace generation. (Gefter 2006) 2008 and beyond…

Warm Up How E R U?

Recruiting the web 2.0 generation Who are they? What are they doing? How are HEIs/Recruiters/CAS engaging? What does this mean for you? Recruiting the web 2.0 generation Engaging the web 2.0 generation

Millennials /Gen Y Those born between 1982 and 2001 Me, me, me Helicopter parents Digital immigrants becoming digital natives empowered Techno-dependent Immediacy of information and feedback – 24/7 Bored by routine/ multi tasking “technology frees us to be judged by what we do, not when” Richard Reeves

TV Star – Paul Redmond

Millennials /Gen Y Those born between 1982 and 2001 Me, me, me Helicopter parents Digital immigrants becoming digital natives empowered Techno-dependent Immediacy of information and feedback – 24/7 Bored by routine/ multi tasking “technology frees us to be judged by what we do, not when” Richard Reeves

Where are they? Online for 6 hours a day Doing Not Viewing Generate 1% Comment 9% View 90% 1/9/90 Rule

What are they doing? 90% read blogs 86% on social networks 80% use YouTube 67% download podcasts facebook

It’s My Space - Not Yours 56% don’t want / think they want to be engaged by you here Big NO to gratuitous “fluffy” banners Contribute / say something real / add value

It’s My Space - Not Yours April % would engage with employers and CAS. But how? 18% subtle branding or advertising 65% specific information regarding applications, vacancies or events 22% group discussions When? 22% first year 36% second year 51% final year June 2008 update - <21s 86% - would join a career-related group 71% would network with employers 64% would ask questions of graduates.

Simple is Best Instant Messenger 54% daily 72% weekly 63% would communicate with you this way RSS 23% use RSS to take regular feeds

How are HEIs engaging? 20% using new media to deliver the curriculum “one lecturer is very close to broadcasting live lectures for us on the web” “podcasts are used regularly and videocasts for some lectures” “course lectured online, with contact time focusing on discussions and problems” “virtual learning portal” “YouTube promo videos and course-related Facebook and MySpace groups and pages” Graduate Prospects

Recruiting the web 2.0 generation Graduate Prospects

Podcasts – 7% Videos – 24% Video profiles – 8% Live Chat – 6% Games – 14% How are Recruiters Engaging?

Tools of the Trade Instant Messaging RSS Blogs Podcasts/Vidcasts Social Networks Virtual Worlds Web 2.0 tools

Tools of the Trade 80% of our respondents use it Lots of free software Controllable Instant Messaging.

Tools of the Trade 80% of our respondents use it Lots of free software Controllable Instant Messaging.

RSS Really Simple Syndication

Blogs Very popular – over 112m weblogs are tracked by blog search engine Technorati A new blog is created somewhere in the world every second 90% of our survey respondents read blogs 36% write or contribute to blogs

Blogs - Pros Fast and Efficient Informal Individual and personal Improve ‘stickiness’ Improve search rankings Customer feedback Image

Blogs - Considerations What have you got to say? Who will do it? Why should students return? How will you be found? The failed Blog graveyard

Blogs - Considerations What have you got to say? Who will do it? Why should candidates return? How will you be found? The failed Blog graveyard

Podcasting/Vidcasting A method of publishing audio and video files to the internet Not just i-pods - websites, mobile devices, blogs, Two thirds of our survey respondents download podcasts – doubled in 9 months Video is huge – Youtube has 108 million unique users per month Our survey showed that 80% use Youtube – 50% at least weekly

Why Podcasting/Videocasting ? Millennials / Gen Y /– they’re ready Widens the audience No geographical restrictions Increases depth of CAS web content Drives increased traffic to CAS site

CAS using Pod/Vidcasting Provide links to existing – e.g. Newcastle University Develop your own - e.g. Warwick Virtual company presentations RSS subscriptions to CAS bulletins e.g. Bristol Employer-led skills sessions – Cambridge.

Podcasting/Vidcasting Some useful tips for making your own See if someone in your service is interested in doing this. Buy an MP3 digital recorder and microphone Get free software called audacity for audio or use Microsoft Movie maker for video. Link back to your website Entitling your podcast/vidcast List on directories like itunes/careers Upload to Youtube/Facebook/Myspace and use tags Make available via Careers Services/Prospects.ac.uk

Social Networking sites Social networking websites are online communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. facebook

The Research YouTube – 10.4m Wikipedia – 9.6m Facebook – 8.5m Blogger – 5.1m MySpace – 5.0m Bebo – 4.1m UK Social Network Unique Users January 2008

Groups on Facebook

Summary Don’t run before you can walk

Summary Shifting sands

Summary Relatively easy and cheap to do: hard part is doing it well

Summary Promotion is King

Summary Join the dots

Engaging the Web 2.0 Generation Questions? Jayne Rowley