Welcome to my three part series on Social Networking and its impact on business, employees and recruiting.

The emergence of social networking sites such as Linkedin and Facebook have changed how people connect and communicate in a fundamental way. Throughout history broad social change has always found its way into how we conduct business. Each generation brings change, however it’s the bubble generations that bring the most change. The Boomers and the introduction of the personal computer changed how business was fundamentally conducted throughout the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. This change took 25 years as business practices adapted to the introduction of the databases, e- mail and most recently the Internet. We are now on the verge of a new era of change as the Baby Boomers (generally those aged 18 to 28) begin to enter the workforce on mass. Just as their parents did the Baby Boomers are bringing with them new attitudes and technologies that will once again re-shape business…this time however it will happen much more quickly and at a scale that is unimaginable…why?

* Boomers are holding on to jobs longer
* Gen X is not large enough to fill the gap when the Boomers finally retire

When the Boomers eventually leave the workforce it will be like a rubber band snapping…Baby Boomer will rush up the corporate ladder as positions are vacated above them (Unfortunately leaping right past Gen-X to become their bosses.) Social networking technology at the core of the Baby Boomers world will rush up the corporate ladder with them. Social networking is by its very nature an exponentially accelerated phenomenon…what took 25 years for the Boomers will take 5 years for their children. Change is about to take place on an unprecedented scale…companies who are not prepared will lose out and will face a significant competitive disadvantage. Likewise, Baby Boomers will have to adapt and learn quickly as huge responsibilities are placed on their shoulders…they will turn to their social/business network and group think to help them cope.

We in the staffing and recruiting industry play a critical role in this realignment. We need to educate our clients, leverage social recruiting techniques and most importantly learn to speak the language of the Baby Boomers and their younger siblings the Millenniums. When the Baby Boomers finally move out on mass things will be get crazy and we need to be prepared!

In part two of this post I’ll write about how companies can prepare for this oncoming tsunami!