Media in the New Millennium

Posted by Gabe Lee (@gabelee)

Is social networking during work appropriate?  Well now, that depends on what type of job you have.

Here at Metzger Associates our schtick is social media marketing and traditional media relations. We are also allowed, if not highly encouraged, to Tweet during work.  Tweeting for us is a way to communicate among other Metzger peeps, our network of other techies and other communicators, as well as our clients and potential clients.  It’s also a chance for us to join the conversation, keep an eye on industry and news trends and be aware of what’s going on in the Boulder/Denver area. We use Twitter and other social networking platforms to expand our online presence as well as to just keep in touch with the goings on in the world.  We can Tweet about whatever we want (within appropriate limits, of course). For example I will often tweet some fitness tips I have learned over the years or I’ll tweet that I failed to effectively transfer another phone call to @melissaviz AGAIN… Sorry Melissa. These two examples are equally important to establishing my online personality……right?

Needless to say, we have to be able to practice what we preach in order to be true advocates of social media. Our bosses get that, and like I said, they encourage us to be out there in the conversations on Twitter. And besides Doyle’s occasional rants, we all usually keep it classy (and appropriate). That is not always the case with other folks, however….

Jobs where it’s appropriate to tweet during work:

PR agencies (ahem…@MetzgerAssoc)
Newspapers (if there are any left)
TV News Stations (@cbs4denver does a great job)
Government and government figures (except if you are holding a giant knife at the time.. @schwarzenegger)
Pop stars, actors, athletes, other popular figures (Oh, by the way, @mileycyrus, you have almost 2 million followers and we can’t really even make out what the hell you are talking about when you tweet)

Some jobs where it would probably not be such a good idea to tweet while at work:

Loan Shark
@don*** tweets: @mikey*** yous got my money yet? I’ll break your friggen legz.. Twitpic of dismembered  @Joey***.

Insider Trader
Stupid @SEC, couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag, BTW Selling 3mil shares of K-mart in 5 min

911 operator
Just got a call from a hysterical man about to kill himself, LOL I said I would get him some help.. some people?!?  #suicide #Denver #Qwestbldg #30thfloor

Bridge inspector
This bridge is in horrible condition, I wouldn’t drive on it for anything.. LOL but anyways it’s about to fall at any moment… OH Shit I gotta go..

Plastic surgeon
OMG, take a look at these, they are so un-even/ need some serious work! Tweetpic…..

3rd grade School Teacher
These little bastards need to learn some respect, lol anyways I’m just hanging out today who wants to go to the bar for happy hour?

Psychiatrist
Christ almighty these people are nuts I’m gonna have to dip into the ‘ol sample drawer a little later lol

Amish person
I probably shouldn’t be doing this huh?

Pervert (repeatedly retweeting underage popstars)
ROFLOL RT @mileycyrus….

So what do you think? How does your job utilize twitter and are you encouraged to tweet or not to tweet?

Note: I realize that some of these are not full time jobs. Nor are any of these actual tweets.

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