I have a bold prediction about facebook (or “the facebook” for us old-timers). I am making this prediction based on keen observation, scientific analysis and guessing…..mostly guessing.

I have had a love-hate with facebook from the start, and from the start I mean 2004. Ever since they started with the vanity URLs I have become a bigger fan, and I do not see the facebook momentum in any area slowing down anytime soon with one exception.  My prediction is: within 5 years, college students will start to leave facebook, or at least it will not be their primary social hub.  I know you think I might be crazy, but hear me out.

Facebook is big. If there is a word that embodies a more descriptive meaning than big, then that is the word I need. Perhaps, huge, massive, or gargantuan is a more appropriate term to use when describing facebook.  Yet, according to a recent article on Mashable “…Facebook is valued higher than CBS, Discovery Communications, and Macy’s.” Facebook, which started as a tool for college students to connect, now has over 250 million make that 300 million users worldwide with over 150 million unique logins in everyday.  And I think they are just getting started.

The 2 reasons I am making this prediction:  1) Parents. 2) Corporations.

Facebook’s fastest growing demographic is no longer first-year college students, it is people ages 35 years and up. That means parents, uncles, aunts, or other authority figures that may (depending on your privacy settings) have access to view your activities or photos. You should ask your students the start of every year how many of them have parents on facebook to see if the number increases over the years.  My Aunt that joined facebook last week and she just turned 69.  I think it is cool so I can keep up with her, but her soon to be college grandkids may think differently.  And when my parents joined last week I did not know what to think.

Facebook has had a few major development changes that I think are interesting, but the one that affect this issue is the creation of fan pages. Pages we create for corporations and organizations easily have a presence and advertise on facebook. They were given the first opportunity to create vanity URLs such as facebook.com/vitaminwater before people had the opportunity to create their custom URL. In the current world of marketing, facebook is becoming an essential step in any marketing campaign that can quickly distribute information to a mass audience.

When facebook hit the college campus it was their thing. You had to have a “.edu” email address, while everyone else could go join MySpace or Friendster. College students embraced thefacebook.com and Mark Zuzkerberg, but now it is starting to become a place of commerce. It is like showing up to the mall, or any personal hangout spot, and your parents are hanging out there.  So I ask: when was the last time college students wanted to socially interact in a corporate location with their parents?

It was not that long ago I graduated from college.  Granted current freshman were only 6 years old at the time, but I remember it vividly.  I remember the ensuing job search and the difficulties of finding my first “real world” employment.  People made it sound like I could walk off stage with my diploma in hand, and employers would line up to offer me a job.  The reality was much different.

OrgSync works with many great student leaders, and we want to help them find their first job. Students, given the current economic situation, we understand that times are tough.  So you should be prepared and at your best.  OrgSync will be providing resources for showcasing your skills to future employers including resume writing, co-curricular transcripts, and more.  In the coming weeks, several guest bloggers will be giving their take on career preparation and their insight into conquering the job search.