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Formal Research Paper: Social Networking Websites

Prepared for
Elke Leeds
Professor of BISM Communications
Kennesaw State University

Prepared By
Team Onyx
Kennesaw State University

April 20, 2007

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Executive Summary
Social networking websites are utilized by various people and businesses to network and
pool resources. Social networking websites provide an efficient way of associating with
various persons. There has been an immense increase in the use and demand for social
networking websites. Many people seek to find more efficient way to network in today’s
society and technological advances have made it possible for social networking websites
to incorporate the connections made at dinner parties and luncheons with the click of a
mouse. Social networking websites have integrated people from many nations.

Objectives: The topic the group will be researching is “finding jobs through social
networking.” The objective of this research is to reveal the benefits of job searching on
websites such as Craig’s List, CareerBuilder.com, and Monster.com. The research will
be presented through a formal report, web page, and a video presentation.

Mission:
Enable and uplift each other to ensure success. Any mishaps or confrontations will be
handled through mediation; however, if it continues to escalate it will be promptly
brought to the attention of Professor Leeds. Compromise with schedules and recognize
what needs to be done and take initiative. All work will be maintained, up to date, and
ready to turn in all work by April 20th, 2007. Optimistically this will be a constructive
experience as we venture toward the completion of this project.
Our keys to success are:
1. Establishing friendly work environments and maintaining constant contact via the
discussion board, meetings, and in- class gatherings.
2. Encouraging and motivating everyone in Group Onyx to participate.
3. Effectively communicating to make this report a success.
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Letter of Transmittal
To: Professor Leeds
From: Group Onyx
Subject: Formal Report: Social Networking Websites

Enclosed you will find our formal report for BISM Communications entitled Social
Networking Websites due April 20, 2007 at 5pm. From research Onyx finds that Social
Networking Websites have revolutionized communication and that businesses are taking
advantage of the opportunities presented for future business prospects and collaborations
that are global. Social Networking Websites provide a nationwide experience and enables
people to increase their networking capabilities. Social Networking Websites are being
used by businesses for Marketing/ Advertising, businesses linking the workforce/
employees, and companies attempting to unite people.

The purpose of this report is to inform people about social networking websites, its
influence and how it has enhanced society with its incredible network ability. Initially
this report provides a short but concise description of social networking. Our research
findings are presented in a professional way. The report also includes social networking
as well as its problems, the intended audience, and its success and accomplishments.
This report concludes with recommendations for future research and investigation.

After prosperous and succinct research, Group Onyx was able to retrieve the necessary
information to make this report a success. Group Onyx hopes that this report’s
distinguishing characteristics will be noticed and that its content will be utilized.
Enclosure: Final Report (1 Copy)
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Operating Agreement
Team Objective and Mission Statement
As members of this group we pledge to adhere to the following: Enable and uplift each
other to ensure success; Any mishaps or confrontations will be handled through
mediation however, if it continues to escalate it will be promptly be brought to the
attention of Professor Leeds. Compromise with schedules; Recognize what needs to be
done and take initiative; All work will be maintained, up to date, and ready to turn in all
work by April 20th, 2007; Optimistically this will be a constructive experience as we
venture toward the completion of this project.

Purpose
The topic the group will be researching is “finding jobs through social networking.” The
purpose of this research is to reveal the benefits of job searching on websites such as
Craig’s List, CareerBuilder.com, and Monster.com. The research will be presented
through a formal report, web page, and a video presentation.

Decision-making
The team will make all major decisions by way of general consensus. Everyone in the
group will give their input and we will come to a conclusion as a team.

Meeting attendance policy and schedule

Meetings will be planned as a group at least one week ahead of time. We will meet at
Justin’s apartment unless decided differently. Group work on the formal report and web
pages will be completed during the meetings. Each meeting will be at least 45 minutes
long and will end according to how much work we have completed.

Preparation and Quality

All submissions must meet the exact demands of the rubric for the assignment. The
submission should be submitted to the group via WebCT and hard copy. Each
assignment shall be submitted to the group no later than two class periods from the date
that the assignment is due. The team will review all versions of the assignments.

Non-performance and peer-review

If a member fails to perform according to the expectations of the team, points will be
deducted from the member’s final grade. The decision to deduct points will be decided
and discussed by all of the teammates. Every teammate must come to a particular
agreement about deducting points. Also, the group must write with a short statement
stating why they think a particular member of the group deserves point deduction. This
written statement will be signed by each member of the group and given to the particular
group member whose points are being deducted. The points deducted (up to 10) will be
evenly distributed among the rest of the group.
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Also, the group will decide which member performed beyond the expectations of the
team while working on the project. Up to 10 bonus points will be awarded to this group
member.

Outline project requirements and create a schedule of deliverables

Every member of this project is responsible for contributing to this group and working
together in a collective and constructive manner. Not only will each member handle their
own individual part, but they will also help put in their input towards the other parts of
this project.

Below is a schedule of meetings and deliverables due:

• First meeting will take place on the week of March 18th

o Each member will introduce themselves to the group and give a brief
overview of the portion of the project they will be working on
o The research process will begin
• Second meeting will take place on the week of March 25th
o The research process will be completed
• Third meeting will take place on the week of April 1st
o Each member will write their bios and take individual/group pictures for
the webpage
o The outline for the formal report will begin
o The location to film the group presentation will be decided
• Fourth meeting will take place on the week of April 9th
o The team webpage will be completed
o Each member webpage will be completed
o The outline for the formal report will be completed
• Fifth meeting will take place on the week of April 16th
o The formal report will be completed
o Practice for the group video presentation will begin on an individual basis
• Sixth meeting will take place on the week of April 23rd
o The group video presentation will be completed
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary.............................................................................................................2
Letter of Transmittal............................................................................................................3
Operating Agreement...........................................................................................................4
Table of Contents.................................................................................................................6
List of Illustrations...............................................................................................................7
Introduction..........................................................................................................................8
Social Networking Websites: Role in Society.....................................................................8
The Principles......................................................................................................................9
History of Social Networking Websites..............................................................................9
Website Information............................................................................................................9
Job Hunting Made Easier...................................................................................................10
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................11
Future Research and Investigation.....................................................................................11
Charts and Graphs..............................................................................................................12
Reference...........................................................................................................................15
Smith, Justin.(2006). Facebook opens its doors to a slew of companies today; LinkedIn
Co-founder shares thoughts on move. Retrieved April 18, 2007,
from<http://www.insidefacebook.com/?p=7>...............................................................16
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List of Illustrations
Page

Figures

Social Network Diagram…………………………………………………………………12

LinkedIn Homepage ………………………………………………………………..……12

Job Trends Graph Shows Percentage of Jobs Containing “Social Networking”…….......13

Amount of Visitors to Social Networks………………………………………………….14

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Introduction
A common question that is presented is what is social network? “A social network
is a social structure made of nodes (which are generally individuals or organizations) that
are tied by one or more specific types of relations” (Wikipedia, 2005). In today’s
technologically advanced society when someone is seeking employment they would not
search through a newspaper instead they would search online websites because it is more
convenient and efficient. For instance an example is unemployment. An individual can
access monster or careerbuilder and post a resume, look at job postings on Craig list,
create a page/profile on myspace, and search jobs on LinkedIn.com, etc. Presented
within the report is apparent analysis about the veracity of today’s social networking
websites, how society views social networking websites in general, and their
effectiveness in job hunting. Some social networking websites offer a sense of promise
for connections and collaborations and can be engaging. This analysis will provide an
accurate depiction of social networking websites. As we examine and contemplate
society’s perspectives of these sites, we will formulate our own opinions of the reality of
these and come to a conclusion.

Social Networking Websites: Role in Society

Presently, there are many social networking websites such as Craigslist, Myspace,
Live journal, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Social networking websites are tools that people
use to make connections, find jobs, explore opportunity, and share ideas. These alliances
through social networking enable people to expand their horizons and to become more
knowledgeable. “It is better for individual success to have connections through a variety
of networks rather than many connections within a single network. Similarly, individuals
can exercise influence or act as brokers within their social networks by bridging two
networks that are not directly linked (called filling structural holes). Social networks also
play a key role in hiring, in business success, and in job performance” (Wikipedia, 2005).
Social networking is intended to be utilized to solve specific various problems for
individuals. Social networking on websites permits individuals to meet many people
instantly rather than attend parties or go to gatherings. These social networking
connections are essential to be successful in business ventures and can propel
negotiations. Social networking is also accompanied and supported by cell phones, email,
instant messaging, text messaging, faxes, phonebooks, and address books. “The most
popular online technologies among students are instant messaging and networking sites”
(Shea & Wesley, 2006). However, social networking websites are articulating social
networks and facilitating in the advancement of creating relationships and associations
with other people.
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The Principles
For this purpose, social networking integrates people and ideas. Each social
networking website is aimed at different audiences for example Facebook is intended for
college age students, teens, most recently business professionals, and Blackplanet is
geared towards Black individuals looking to build relationships. The audience of the
Social Networking Website depends on the theme and the plot of the website. “Although
you may associate social networks with dating or leisure activities, they are increasingly
used by researchers and businesses as a tool for idea generation and problem-solving”
(Stephens, 2006). According to the data social networking has been quite successful.
Please refer to Fig.1 on pg. 13.

History of Social Networking Websites

Moreover, Social Networking websites have yet to surpass person interactions,
but who is to say the longevity or integrity of social networking sites? “The first social
networking website was Classmates.com, which began in 1995 and used the Old Boy
Network method of social networking. The year 1999 saw the development of two
competing models of social networking, the Circle of Trust developed by Epinions and
utilized by Ciao.com, Dooyoo and ToLuna and the Circle of Friends developed by
Jonathan Bishop, which was utilized on a number of regional UK sites between 1999 and
2001 and flourished with the advent of a website called Friendster in 2002. This is
currently one of the most dominant methods of social networking in virtual communities,
perhaps for the reason that it gives the user control rather than being computer controlled.
Social networking began to be seen as a component of internet strategy at around the
same time. It is estimated that combined there are now over 200 social networking sites
using these existing and emerging social networking models” (Wikipedia, 2005). Social
Networking Websites are the new innovators for mass communication. Therefore social
networking websites are a valid tool for finding jobs. Please refer to Fig. 3 on pg. 14.

Website Information
Craigslist is a private website that was founded in 1995 in San Francisco by Craig
Newmark. The Craigslist staff operates with 23 employees, and it makes its revenue with
paid job ads and paid broker listings in certain cites. “Currently, Craigslist is a centralized
network of online urban communities, featuring free classified advertisements (with jobs,
housing, personals, for sale/barter/wanted, services, community, gigs and resumes
categories) and forums sorted by various topics” (Craigslist, 2007). Craigslist attracts
many different users with various interests, but Craigslist is one of the “top job boards in
the world” (Craigslist, 2007). Their net worth is estimated to be in the millions.
The founder of LinkedIn is Reid Hoffman and the present CEO is Dan Nye. On
the LinkedIn social networking website a person can create a business profile and make
business connections through trusted contacts. You can post and find jobs through this
website. Please refer to Fig.2 on pg. 13. LinkedIn has more than 10 million professional
members. “LinkedIn represents more than 130 industries, while the community
represents 3,200 public companies and 4,400 private businesses” (Armour, 2007). The
LinkedIn website audience is professionals who are interested in expanding their business
connections, and for job lookers. LinkedIn makes their profit through upgraded paid
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accounts and job postings. “At the same time, LinkedIn has 45 employees and it is worth
more than 250 million” (Cashemore, 2006).
Meanwhile, Monster was founded in 1967 and was owned by the world renowned
Olga Kharif Jeff Taylor. The current President and CEO is William Pastore. Monster
allows an individual to post their resumes, receive interviewing tips, career advice,
information on negotiating salaries, and search for unlimited jobs nationwide, and
provides the opportunity for networking associations. Monster is known as "The Worlds
leading career network.” Many different individuals access Monster on a daily basis.
Monster generates revenue through its premium services which include resume writing,
distribution, and job postings. They are an exceeding million dollar prospering and
thriving network.

Job Hunting Made Easier

Because of this recent success, social networking websites are being utilized in
many various businesses and by job seekers. “Survey research showed that job seekers in
the rural areas were significantly more likely to use social networks to look for work”
(Colin, Greig, & McQuaid, 2005). Social networking websites are used in
Marketing/Advertising, businesses linking the workforce, and companies attempting to
unite people. For instance, EBay is an example of the marketing/advertising aspect.
EBay is a website where people buy and sell goods to other people. EBay makes its
commission from people selling the goods or items. This can be seen in EBay’s’
estimated revenue which is over 1.7 billion, and they have had very good year so far and
their success continues to be magnanimous. An example of a business connecting its
employees is Microsoft. Microsoft as a whole has an interface where its employees can
communicate with one another in terms of sharing documents or engaging in other work
related activities. Its estimated revenue is approximately 1.5 billion. An example of a
company uniting people is a social networking website called Facebook. “Facebook
significantly expanded corporate availability to anyone with an email address at one of
hundreds of top companies, including the likes of Google, Yahoo, Oracle and Wachovia”
(Smith, 2006). Facebook was primarily aimed at college age students but has recently
created a space for alumni at corporations to keep in contact and make business ventures.
On Facebook you can make a profile upload photos, send messages, create events, join
groups, and advertise with flyers. Facebook produces revenue by selling public
announcements to students and advertisers. Facebook is flourishing and its estimated
revenue is in the millions and could potentially reach the billions in next to no time.
“Networks are usually free for businesses or at a low cost; this is very beneficial
for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact base. These
networks often act as a customer relationship management tool for companies selling
products and services. Companies can also use social networks for advertising in the form
of banners and text ads. Since businesses are expanding globally, social networks make it
easier to keep in touch with other contacts around the world” (Wikipedia, 2005).
Consequently, some frequent issues of eBay are trust issues such as people
bidding and not paying, people never delivering the good, items getting lost in the mail.
These issues are being dealt with by having a star system and rating about buyers and
customers to ensure an honorable website. Some issues of Craigslist are harassment and
bad humor on discussion boards. To solve these problems Craigslist is coming up with a
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more efficient way of detecting such instances in a more timely fashion. Some issues of
Facebook are the programs it instituted to keep track of friends, Facebook news feed, the
access and willingness of people to post personal information such as addresses,
telephone numbers, current locations, and up to date photos. Facebook is handling these
issues of privacy by giving people the option of only allowing people to see limited
profiles, and is currently working on ways to innovate privacy for individual users.
Monster and Careerbuilder have faced issues with collecting to much personal
information and the distribution. Monster and CareerBuilder are managing these issues
by respecting the rights of the users and implementing a safe network for a memorable
and secure experience.

Conclusion
Social networking websites are a blossoming business prospect and give the
impression of becoming a critical aspect of future networking endeavors. Please refer to
Fig. 4 on pg. 14. There have been many concern and issues that have accumulated, but
they have yet to mount so far as to abolish the utility of these websites however, they
always appear to overcome the issues that plague their progress. Social networking
websites have developed into million dollar networks with sky-scraping capital. Their
growth and advancement has far surpassed onlookers’ expectations. The movements of
the Internet with social networking websites and the extreme capabilities have
revolutionized communication as we know it. “The Internet is definitely “the wave of the
future.” Those who ride the wave successfully will reach their career destination—and
enjoy the journey along the way” (Bruce, 2004).

Future Research and Investigation

A future suggestion for research and investigation is to make sure to utilize all
resources and opportunities available, assign specific tasks to ensure overall contribution
to improve the paper. Exceed the minimum expectations by continuously revising the
paper and asking each team member for their constructive input. Another suggestion is to
begin research early and to make sure to confer with all members of the group. As far as
research and investigation it is recommended that books, more educational resources, and
more creative techniques be implemented and instituted.
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Charts and Graphs

Fig. 1 An example of a social network diagram (Wikipedia).

Fig. 2 An example of a homepage for LinkedIn (LinkedIn).

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Fig. 3 This job trends graph shows the percentage of jobs containing “social networking”
(Indeed)
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Fig. 4 This graphs shows the amount of visitors to social networks (Macmanus)
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Reference
Armour, S. (2007). Networking takes giant strides online. USA Today.

Borzo, J. (2007). Online Social Networks Are Havens for Job Hunters. Retrieved April 18,

2007, from <http://www.careerjournal.com/jobhunting/networking/20040923-

borzo.html>.

Bruce, C., & Black, C. (2004). The Internet: The Indispensable Tool for Job Hunting. 34,

51-54.

Cashemore, P. (2006). LinkedIn Worth $250 Million? December 21, 2006, Retrieved

April 18, 2007, from http://mashable.com/2006/12/21/linkedin-worth-250-

million.

Colin, L., Greig, M., & McQuaid, R. W. (2005). Alternative Job Search Strategies in

Remote Rural and Peri-urban Labour Markets: The Role of Social Networks.

Sociologia Ruralis, 45, 53-70,

Craigslist 2007, Retrieved April 18, 2007, from http://www.answers.com/topic/craigslist.

Encyclopedia, Wikipedia. 2005. Social Network Service, Retrieved April 18, 2007.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networking>.

Indeed. "Social networking" Job Trends, 2007, Retrieved April 18, 2007.

<http://www.indeed.com/jobtrends>.
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LinkedIn. Illustration April 18, 2007.

<http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/img/2005/030205linkedin.jpg>.

LinkedIn. LinkedIn’s Simple Philosophy: Relationships Matter. 2003, Retrieved April 18,

2007. http://www.linkedin.com/static?key=company_info.

MacManus, R. (2006). Social Networks Gaining on Internet Portals. Retrieved April 18,

2007, from

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/social_networks_vs_portals.php

Schmidt, E. How to solve problems with social networks. (2004), Retrieved April 18,

2007, from

http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2004/03/22/how_to_solve_problems_

with_social_networks.html>.

Schuller, S. (2007). Land the Ideal Job Using Social Networks. Retrieved April 18, 2007.

<http://jobsearch.about.com/od/onlinecareernetworking/a/socialnetwork.htm>.

Shea, K., & Wesley, J. (2006). How Social Networking Sites Students, Career Services,

and Employers. NACE Journal, 66, 26-32.

Smith, Justin.(2006). Facebook opens its doors to a slew of companies today; LinkedIn

Co-founder shares thoughts on move. Retrieved April 18, 2007,

from<http://www.insidefacebook.com/?p=7>.

Stephens, M. (2006). Learning spaces: social networks and virtual worlds. Retrieved

April 18, 2007, <http://www.eduscapes.com/hightech/spaces/social/index.htm>.

Whitaker, B. (2006). More jobs being found online, but that doesn't mean it's easy. The

New York Times. Retrieved from <http://web.lexisnexis.com/universe/doclist?

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