Society requests new success

Jessica Giannone
General Assignment Reporter
With new economic growth in soci¬ety, it seems almost inevitable that gen¬erations must adapt. Some people may breeze right through new developments in technology, while others fall behind- either from lack of interest, or just plain ignorance. However, it seems as though in this time, the demand for technologi¬cal skills and social connections through networking is more extreme than ever, especially in the work force. These days, it’s as if the old fashion way of promotion and communication just doesn’t cut it.
Take the field of journalism for example. It’s all about your connections, whether they are sources or potential employers. If you aren’t up to date with everything that’s going on in the world, which everyone else in the profession al¬most certainly follows, you mind as well pack your bags.
The catch is that most of the knowl¬edge passed around through the field involves communication through the Internet. This doesn’t seem that alarm¬ing I suppose, but since when did the guarantee of a position for a newspaper require a Twitter account?
It’s perfectly understandable, yes; but fair, not so much (primarily for those who are challenged in the “connection advancements” spectrum of society).
The bottom line is, with new ad¬vancements come new demands; some of which seem unnecessary to keep up with. But the sad truth is, they are required in most cases.
One of my classes actually had a speaker come in last Thursday to discuss the importance of networking in today’s society regarding workforce expectations. When I say expectations, what I really mean is: Boss: “You’re hired. Now let me see your blog page.” Aspiring employee: “Uh, I don’t…” Boss: “See ya!”
Well, maybe it’s not so literal, but that’s basically what would happen, to put it harshly.
How can anyone expect to be taken seriously if they can’t even keep up with the “norm” lifestyle of communication?
Now, I could go on and on about the matter, posing as some sort of expert observant critic on the subject, but I’m just adjusting to the speedy flow of con¬nections myself. I’m 21 for Christ’s sake (not as justifiable for me as it would be for a 75 year-old woman.) I guess you can call me a hypocrite. To be honest, I have a Twitter account, but I never use it. I’m too caught up in my daily responsibilities to be concerned with the “in” way to communicate. Do I plan on “getting on that?” Yes. Do I see the point in constant¬ly informing the world of every detail of my life? No. But I certainly can’t judge. I see now that it’s way more than just statuses; it’s a whole world of knowledge being shared from person to person that can lead to opportunities one wouldn’t normally think of. It seems pretty crazy.
I came to college, proceeded nor¬mally with my pen and paper at hand and maintained confidence in my “ca¬reer fate.” Then before I knew it, all of these new requirements were thrown right in front of my eyes. The traditional resume isn’t going to fly anymore in this generation. If you don’t have a blog and one million resources through some kind of social networking website, you’re no better than the person sitting next to you (to put it mildly).
That’s unfortunate because your “social technological” advancement has nothing do to with your ability. But the truth is, that’s what society values at this day and age, and no one dare go against that.
At an event I attended last week in my hometown, I spoke to a librarian who had some interesting input. She started talking about how her job posi¬tion is caught in the middle of “the old” and “the new.” She mentioned how the library used to use all paper to get things done, and now everything is done online, as well as on paper.
She continued to predict that in years to come, everything will be online, and there will be no benefit from paper; the use will completely diminish. The world is moving, and falling behind is not a promising option. It’s a little scary to let go of what’s familiar to us, but to society, convenience is a priority.
I guess the one thing that hasn’t changed is the politics of it all. The need to know and please the right people is one thing that will always remain consistent throughout the generations. Whether it involves conforming to social standards through talk or “tweets,” words or Word¬press, face to face or Facebook, we can’t deny the popular advancements that so¬ciety obliviously requests for success.
Regarding a job, the actions are generally the same, but the way we go about them is always changing. We just have to keep up with the pace.