MySpace lost 10 million users in a month; Close within the year?

The latest statistics suggests that MySpace is on its way out, as one of the longest serving social networks on the web.

comScore figures show that MySpace losts 10 million users last month. As the cornerstone to the younger days of the Generation Y, the site is facing dark days after it had lost nearly 50 million users from over the course of last year.

Since the site moved away from ‘traditional’ social networking to a more music based site, MySpace chief executive Mike Jones conceded defeat to Facebok, arguing that the site is “no longer a social network anymore”, and that it was now a “social entertainment destination”.

Since News Corp. bought the company for $530 million in 2005, MySpace cuts to jobs with over 500 staff worldwide being forced out of a job.

But if MySpace is losing so many in such a short space of time, could the site be offline come the end of the year?

MySpace is supported by a few notably large music groups, like the Arctic Monkeys and Lily Allen. But it’s largely a one way street, with music artists seeing the site as a conduit for either better communication with fans and listeners, or a larger scope for potential sales.

However, if comScore figures are anything to go by - then it will not be long before artists cancel or fail to renew their contracts with the site, once they realise that there are better and more viable alternatives for users to take to.

While Facebook may not be the greatest place for a musician or artist to take to, YouTube is and has been a suitable alternative. With combined music and video, plus an interactive format that is keeping up with its userbase, it is a far more ‘liberal’ atmosphere. Though, granted, YouTube suffers from an excessive flamebait war problem, it is nevertheless an ideal, passive and ‘non-sign-in’ needed place to go to access reliable and interactive content.

News Corp. has failed MySpace by not allowing the site to keep up with the times. Perhaps it was used to access the numbers of users required to boost other sites, in a ‘human shield’ like defence? Either way, I would be surprised if MySpace survives the year.

It would be a shame to let it go, but there’s only so many times one can transplant a new organ to an already dying body.

Last year, Facebook received almost 250,000 résumé applications. To help those applying to the company, IB Times put together a list of five questions

Last year, Facebook received almost 250,000 résumé applications. To help those applying to the company, IB Times put together a list of five questions you should ask yourself to see if you’re ready to work at one of the hottest technology companies:

1. Are you enthusiastic and passionate about Facebook?
2. Do you know anyone who can assess or vouch for your cultural fit?
3. Are you suited to work in a bold and open environment?
4. Can you make a difference?
5. Can you let go of work-life balance (for most of the time, at least)?

How does Facebook’s résumé count compare to other online giants? Well, Facebook is still a relatively small company but it’s very clear that the number is quite large, though definitely not the highest. For example, Google, arguably the largest Web company, receives somewhere around 1 million résumés each year, with the record for one week being 75,000.

Google had some 24,400 employees last year, while Facebook had over 2,000. It’s therefore fairly impressive that a company that is 12 times smaller, and has significantly fewer positions available, received just four times fewer applications last year.

In December 2010, the social network was named the best company to work for in the US. I’d therefore be very surprised if Facebook did not set a new résumé record for itself this year.