10 ways to get the news using social media

If you have ever found yourself wondering how some people seem to know about every new technological development, current event, or even helpful obscure facts, this is how they do it.

The transition from traditional news media to social news media is well underway. Even the 500lb gorillas Tribune Co. and the New York Times are struggling to turn a profit. The Tribune has already filed for Chapter 11 protection and the Times is not far behind. A wave of remorseful nostalgia washes over many loyal readers, but a revolution of news reporting and gathering is happening whether we like it or not.

Despite the short-term turmoil of television, print and radio the revolution of journalism does not mean Armageddon for mainstream media. It is a signal to adapt to the methods already being used widely to obtain information. It is not enough anymore to simply have a news web site that is a reflection of the daily newspaper. Companies and news providers must engage their audiences in unprecedented ways. This is not nearly as difficult as it sounds, but it must be done quickly to stay afloat. Social media is the driving force behind this concept.

Here are 10 easy ways to get the news using social media:

1. Do not stick to one source of news media. Rule #1. CNN, MSNBC, Fox... they are good, but none of them will ever have the whole story or will be able to update you as fast as the following methods all by themselves. This rule applies for any news provider.

2. Use a news aggregator. No joke. Whether you choose to use an RSS feeder or customized homepage, this is must for anyone who uses the Internet. Here is a compiled list of web-based aggregators. If you are not familiar with bloglines or Google Reader, both provide step-by-step instructions on how to get started. Instead of surfing through your favorite online newspapers, blogs and mashup sites, assign them all appear on one homepage. This is one giant step toward maintaining mental sanity amid the inherent chaos of social media sites.

3. Follow news sources on Twitter. I am not just talking about the BBC and CNN. Click here to view a list of news organizations that have Twitter accounts you can follow. If you use TweetDeck, you can have each one you follow only show up in a special column on your screen. Remember that some are automated and others are manually managed.

4. Watch TwitScoop and Tweet clouds. Popular catch phrase terms and hashtags will appear in these tools. The bigger a word becomes in the "scoop" or "cloud," the more people are talking about it. Click on the word, and it will bring you to a site that will list every tweet related to it within the past few hours or days (your choice). Links to sources are often provided in these tweets. This is an unbelievably fast and accurate way to hear about news as it happens.

5. Start using Delicious or Digg. Or both, if you really want to be efficient. Either will provide you with a wealth of news and information you would never find listed on the Wall Street Journal's homepage or hear on NPR. I prefer Delicious. You can view my profile here.

6. Visit Technorati once a week (at least). Simply put, Technorati is an Internet search engine for searching blogs. It is a self-submission directory and web crawler which covers around 112.8 million blogs and more than 250 millions pieces of tagged social media.

7. Read and engage with iReport. iReport is a user-generated news site. This means the stories submitted by users are not edited, fact-checked or screened before they post. Some are tagged for usage by CNN. Obviously, I am not arguing that this is 100% reliable, but no news source on Earth is- let this be one more way to cross-reference what you hear.

8. Comment, retweet, and link to your favorite news and online information. Social media news exists because people are choosing to engage with it on a personal level. Return the favor, and the power of citizen journalism and information sharing will continue to grow at an exponential rate. The goal is to continue creating communities of people sharing data to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness. People will notice what you do and will be inclined to share information with you that you may not have known otherwise.

9. Pay attention to group-generated blogs. There are thousands of sites that are maintained by groups of professionals in their respective industries. This is a reliable way to cut through the bull crap in news reporting and get information from the source. Think of it as cutting out the middle man of translation. Great examples for communications and technology-related fields are AdAge, Mashable and WIRED.

10. Subscribe to text-based updates from your favorite news sources. You can do this either by subscribing to the New York Times (or any other provider) or simply using Twitter. Simple as that. This is especially handy for people who don't want to pay for mobile web-browsing and are frequent travelers.

Get noticed through Facebook

While many students are racing to clean up their Facebook profiles, many are using the social networking site to their professional advantage.

On that note, I am happy to share that the Waggener Edstrom Staffing Facebook page, Careers with Waggener Edstrom, is live. If you are a Facebook member, I encourage you to add this page to your Favorites, become a Fan, and/or share the link with your Facebook PR contacts.

What to expect:

1. A photo album introducing the members of the Staffing Team
2. A listing of upcoming events at which various staffing team members will be in attendance (viewable once you log in)
3. Our WE Connect blog RSS feed, showcasing several of the Waggener Edstrom bloggers
4. Notes listing some of current agency openings
5. A list of agency awards
6. Several quotes from candidates complimenting the Staffing team

Love or hate what you have read, please feel free leave a comment or send me an email at pauljmatson@gmail.com

Who will hire me? GPA vs. Experience

In the field of communications and PR, the value of GPA vs. professional experience has been a hotly contested question for new grads and employers.

To undertake this dubious topic and shed some light on the issue, Waggener Edstrom recruiter Amybeth Hale and I recently administered a short survey to gather the opinions of practitioners and students alike.

From a working professional’s viewpoint, and especially one who works in the field of recruiting, I can tell you that through the years I’ve learned that no one really cares about your GPA, unless you’re studying law or medicine (and I’d agree that good grades are important for success in both those fields!) This is not to say, of course, that you should neglect your studies, but what it means is that employers are more interested in your activities and any experience within your field that you have gained while in school. Balancing experience with a decent GPA shows that you are well rounded and are able to handle multiple things at the same time. Even college professors agree with this; one professor said, “No one cares about GPA & no one asks. What people care about is what will translate directly into the job you'll do.”

Gaining experience, once you’ve graduated, is a bit of a Catch-22 – employers want you to have it before they offer you a job….but how are you supposed to gain it if you’re not offered an opportunity (a job) in which to gain it? As a working professional, I highly recommend pursuing internships and work experience while you’re still in college and these opportunities are relatively easy to come by. Burying yourself in books, cramming to get a perfect GPA, and devoting every waking moment to maintaining a 4.0 unfortunately doesn’t translate well in most employment situations. DO your best to maintain a well-rounded slate of activities. - Amybeth Hale, Waggener Edstrom

In favor of experience, a common argument is that PR and communications, unlike engineering and math or medical-based fields, is much more subjective in nature. Therefore, a strong GPA in these fields is inherently more valuable (if you solve an engineering problem incorrectly, the bridge falls down.)

"It shifts over time, but recent grads need a good GPA. Further into your career, experience matters more. I prefer bridge engineers, architects, and my doctor to have both."
- Jon, a working professional

In PR, innovation, originality and accuracy are king to being successful - there is no substitute for real-world experience. Conversely, a sturdy GPA (for the sake of argument, around a 3.0 and above) reflects strongly on commitment and time management throughout college.

"I could easily have a 4.0 GPA, if I spent all of my time focusing solely on my classes. Instead, I have a 3.5 GPA and a lot of relevant experience. I am active in PRSSA, PR Central (a student-run PR firm), the student government, and work for the university's public relation department 15 hours a week. There is a quote in the student organization center on campus: 'You can go to college and get a degree, or you can get involved and get an education'"
- Rachel, a student at Central Michigan University

Ideally, having both would be ideal. But what about the thousands of students with brilliant minds, plenty of professional experience but a 3.0 or 2.9 GPA? Is the person with one internship and a 3.8 GPA more deserving of that entry-level position?

"Experience has proven to be more valuable to me. GPA is a reflection of the classroom and oftentimes, class work is more of a means to an end. Not to say that I haven't had some great classroom experiences, but at best they acted as complements to what I've learned through my internships."
- Aaron, student at Ohio University

Based on the responses we received, I was very surprised to find that most practitioners value experience far more than an outstanding GPA. From my own perspective, this indicates that employers are able to holistically analyze a new grad's potential within their company. At the end of the day, an A+ in microeconomics and psychology is not the selling point to getting that coveted new job.

"Good grades are not as much an indication of ability in the student's chosen career area as they are of the student's ability to figure out what a teacher wants."
- Nan, a working professional

As more responses were gathered, it became increasingly clear that many employers agree a strong GPA is good, but will not be the sole factor in earning you a first job. Many students, however, often become worried that their GPA may be the first concerning factor in being considered for a position.

"In my opinion, a good GPA and professional experience should go hand-in-hand. Obviously, if you are a good student who works and studies hard, you are more likely to be prepared to take on the challenges of the professional world. A great deal of professional experience can be an asset to your knowledge and understanding of concepts learned in the classroom."
- April, a student at Ohio University

On the other hand...

"Relevant work experience... I believe is the best. You could be the worst student in the world, and yet be the most accurate candidate for a position. It's up to what you can do."
- Guido, a working professional

Students have long struggled over being required to take "irrelevant" classes. I argue in favor of an employer looking at a student's transcript, but paying close attention only to their core coursework and applicable courses. Work samples could also be provided that a student may have completed taking a particular class which could count as a subtle form of experience (especially for younger students looking for internships with little experience).

"Experience. The 'real world' experience from internships and organizations helps in molding a good overall professional."- Chelsea, a working professional

After reviewing this wide variety of opinions, I personally conclude that a strong GPA is valuable, but relevant experience and knowledge in a particular field will always take the cake.

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