Claire Gardiner tells us why, as an experienced journalist, she needed a course on Facebook.
Facebook. One little word (well two, sort of). One giant step for this reluctant hack who, until recently, had successfully fended off all attempts by friends and colleagues to join up.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a technophobe. I’d already signed up – albeit rather belatedly – to Twitter and LinkedIn, happily creating profiles and throwing a few tentative comments ‘out there’ to test the water. After all, if you haven’t got a social media presence these days, you effectively cease to exist.
But Facebook? That was something different. My official line when defending my reluctance to sign up was one of security and privacy – not wanting my personal details available to all and sundry. Perhaps I’m missing that egotistical gene seemingly present in so many others that screams, ‘look at me, I’m an incredibly interesting person doing incredibly interesting things all the time’.
Social Media for Professionals
And when would I find the time? Not that I’m incredibly busy you understand but still, did I really want yet another site to have to monitor and update; another demand in an already demanding life? What was wrong with texting or emailing?
No, what it really boiled down to was plain old-fashioned prejudice. Yes folks, to me Facebook seemed a bit, well, common. Maybe I’ve been watching too much Jeremy Kyle, but my impression was of a world inhabited by self-obsessed people posting inane comments, endlessly changing their status as they worked through relationships at an alarming rate, and posting endless baby photos on their wall. Yawn.
Yes, those people do exist on Facebook. In their droves.
But so do intelligent, respectful, interesting folk with meaningful things to say, ideas to offer and experiences to share. People like me. And you.
A brilliant NUJ course on social media helped me to see the light; to demystify the jargon and recognise the opportunities Facebook presents professionally, particularly on behalf of the two charities for whom I do voluntary publicity work.
I’ll never love Facebook but as a journalist I could no longer ignore the massive power it wields in how we communicate with each other.
But I’d still rather email you…
Claire Gardiner, Journalist