Spending time on Facebook instead of job hunting may not be a waste of time after all. In fact, it could lead to a job for the president.
The Democratic National Committee is looking for a “social networks manager” to maintain the Democratic Party’s social networking Web sites, including Facebook, Twitter and MySpace accounts, according to the Organizing for America Web site.
The current holder of this job, Mia Cambronero, is stepping down and is looking for someone to replace her immediately.
Like Cambronero, her replacement would not have free reign to say whatever he or she wants when updating the social networking accounts. According to the job listing, the social networks manager “works closely with the rest of the New Media department to execute grassroots campaigns to advance the President’s agenda for change.”
The application calls for candidates who have strong writing and editing skills, as well as the ability to campaign and write inspiring messages. It also warns applicants, “This isn’t a 9-5 sort of job.”
Dale Hample, an associate professor in the university’s communication department, said the job is a sign of evolving politics.
“With the usual media, there’s the real inconvenience of not being able to control the content,” Hample said.
Hample said that now, the administration can shape messages and appeal to a particular demographic, specifically people in their late teens to early 30s, by using online social networks.
“In the last election cycle, the major political parties learned how important these networks are,” Hample said.
Wenfei Zhou, a sophomore English major who follows the State Department on Facebook, said he thinks the hiring of a social networks manager is important and a positive development in U.S. domestic policy.
“By blogging and twittering, you can reach more people,” Zhou said. “It helps with international relations. For example, people in Europe can see what we’re doing.”
Sophomore business major Samantha Pruden also said that the job is a good way for the president to reach out to people.
“It would be better if it was really him, though,” Pruden said.
She said that Obama’s cause would be benefitted if people could hear about what he is really doing from him directly, even though Obama probably would not have the time to do the job of the social networks manager.