Favour the brave

I'm having one of those days today - thinking thinking thinking - and it seems to me that one (or indeed a collective thereof) must be brave to reap the rewards.

In what appears to be a climate of reticence around social media, creating a brand or using an existing strong brand in a social media space I am concerned that I, and perhaps you are missing out on opportunities?

I think we've all read more than sufficient on social media, and how it is used in 80% or more of all hires in the USA these days - I would love to know how those stats are arrived at - but lets assume it is because people have used social media to connect with someone who subsequently became a hire (ok) - the question I find myself asking (perhaps rhetorically) is - do we know how to use social media to achieve this, and whose responsibility is it?  In the talent space, one would argue it is HR's, in the branding space undoubtedly Marketing types would be putting their hands up to 'own' the social media strategy, and indeed thats not wrong - but in the talent space, is the answer not 'both - HR & Marketing'?

If HR & Marketing are the answer, then how do the two work together to deliver a comprehensive and engaging commercial social media experience that also works as a means to identify potential talent resource and technically able people?

What tools and resources are out there to facilitate this to happen?
Who is leading the charge, who is lagging behind?
What mistakes have been made, and what can the later adopters learn from it?

There is no doubt it (social media) is the next 'big thing' - but the question is, abit like computers or kindle readers or microwaves or photoshop - how do we use it and make it work?  Is it true that those of us who 'got' the computer, the microwave and photoshop when they arrived have never looked back, but those who didn't are still boiling their veg in a pot, still using traditional film and taking that off to the photography counter somewhere, and reading a paper book?

What do you think - do share your thoughts....