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Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod are globally recognized and applauded for their “Shift Happens (Did You Know?)” video series.  An updated 4.0 version was released on September 14, 2009 (see video below).

Just where will all of this focus of time and energy take us and just what role will technology supply for it?  That is the big bet the goys on Sand Hill Road want to know as well.

First a rant and then some help:

I am continually stunned that so many +40 year olds are indifferent, ignorant, or just blase about just how much social media has become an integral part of most everyone else’s life. Recently I have been helping some guys in their job search and when I inform them about how powerful Twitter can be (for example) they don’t believe me. And that is after admitting that they don’t even know what Twitter is nor have they even checked it out!

No wonder so many sub-35 year olds think boomers and older gen-x people are so clueless. Wake up, folks! If you cannot at least speak intelligently about one of the most important and lasting phenomenons of the past five years then why should they take you seriously about anything else you might have to say?

Guys, guys, guys! You don’t know it but to the hiring class you are walking around with a giant #failwhale over your head and you don’t even know it (#look it up). Just last week the WSJ quoted Newell Rubbermaid’s top talent guy about how important twitter is:

“Job boards have “become saturated,” says Mike Rickheim, vice president of global talent acquisition for Newell Rubbermaid Inc., a global manufacturer based in Atlanta.

“With Twitter, we don’t have to go through that huge pile of résumés.” Mr. Rickheim says the company uses Twitter to fill positions that tend to attract tons of applicants on job boards, such as administrative roles, as well as to share company news.”

Now, I have been preaching this very fact for months to these guys only to get blank stares or even hostile ones. What the pho, man?! Don’t get mad at me that the clue train passed you by. Get in the game! It isn’t too late. Even my 93-year old grandmother is on Facebook! Are you going to get shown up by a 93-year old grandmother? Well, so far you are.

Ok, I’ll let my rant subside with some quick advice with three tips:

1) Get on twitter. It is free. Here is the link: http://twitter.com/ Be passionate about what you believe in be it work or play and you’ll start to generate a following. The more real you are here the better. This is not the place to be a poser. And actively help people with links to useful stuff. Oh, and follow those people you like on there and let them know it with a quick tweet. You will be surprised at how quickly most people respond. Once you get some air under those little wings, check out the search function. Little things called hashtags are used to generate a way for people to locate threads and trends of info using the ‘#’ symbol before words or smashed together words and phrases. This is so useful and informative that entire companies have made business models around helping businesses discern what it all means but that is the subject matter for another post.

2) Get on Facebook. It is free (see a trend here?). Don’t go crazy with the beer party photos just camp out some real estate and get, you got it, connected! Facebook as some useful utility in establishing a network. Many think of it as a more fun LinkedIn but I think it is really something else. Think of a more laid back way to connect to those with a different mindset. And btw – most of those signing up for Facebook accounts are in their 50′s. What are you waiting for?

3) Blog! You don’t need to know CSS, HTML, or any code at all. Check out Tumblr, Yola, Ning, and slew of other options out there where you can quickly set up your own blog/website. Why? Personally, I think to make it a heck of a lot easier for people to find you on their own time. Plus, tweets are only 140 characters (about two lines of type max) so if you have more to share, you will have the space to do so here. If you get a bit more ambitious and understand software and computers even a little bit, sign up for a free WordPress blog. It is much more powerful and fun to use. Again, start small and move up. Almost everyone of us out here started that very same way.

The great news is that the road to social media is not well paved yet.  There is room for new voices to be heard.  Yes!  Including yours!  But just like in our careers, it is what you say and how you say it that will help you stand above the crowd or get swallowed up in it.  Your choice.  If you’d like some more free advice on how to channel your new animal, drop me a tweet @marktis.  What?  After all that, did you think I would say call or email me?  That is so 1999…

The following video provides one of the best roadmaps for the next four years in social media and really the social web. Probably about the best six minutes or so you will invest this year.