More exuberant monkeys or certified social media strategists?

What is the future of social media? As Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest become more popular, businesses and corporations are searching for ways to ‘friend’ their customers. Even the president is using social media! Looking at job postings and internships, more and more listings for bloggers and social media managers and popping up. However, requirements for these jobs vary, as do the duties. The National Institute for Social Media (NISM), located in Apple Valley, MN, is hoping to change that. Never heard of it? Neither had I, until today when I looked at my LinkedIn newsfeed. The NISM provides education and certification for professionals interested in pursuing a career involving social media. Once certified, professionals will be able to call themselves a Certified Social Media Strategist (CSMS). To be eligible for the exam and certification, however, the NISM requires at least 64 academic credits or two years of work experience related to social media. So far, Merced College in California is the only college in the country to have their social media curriculum approved by the NISM. Certification, especially this early in the program, will give professionals an advantage for career advancement. “Earning a NISM certification verifies that your knowledge and skills are at a level that is necessary to be proficient in a variety of situations, but also provides an impartial, third-party endorsement of your knowledge and experience – with the intent to enhance your career opportunities” (NISM, 2012, para. 1). The NISM boasts of the programs transferability and quality assurance. It would seem that standardization of social media education and certification is one of the NISM’s long term goals. Perhaps this is the future of social media and business. What does that mean for people like Andrew Keen, who claim ‘exuberant monkeys’ are ruining our culture? Is this just a way for us to certify our mediocrity? Either way, social media is here and I don’t think it’s going anywhere. Sure, it will evolve, probably constantly, but there is no going back now.

References

National Institute of Social Media. (2012). Benefits of certification. Retrieved from http://nismonline.org/certification/benefits-of-certification/