Jean Chatzy, one of the financial advisors on The Today Show, has repeatedly recommended that people looking for jobs not only join networks like Linked-In but also Facebook. Really? Facebook?
No longer considered just an Internet toy for nerdy teens and college co-eds, Facebook has grown up to be a legitimate tool in the business world, especially when it comes to looking for a job. Recruiters, human resources executives, managers and business owners openly admit that they scour Facebook looking for prospective employees, or (more importantly) they use it to vet applicants applying for jobs. Either way, Facebook can help or hurt your chances of becoming gainfully employed IF you don’t use it properly. To make sure you fall into the former camp, here are four tips on how to use Facebook to your advantage when looking for a job.
- Get Rid of Incriminating Pictures or Posts
- De-friend Naysayers
- Adjust Your Profile Settings
- Make Sure Your Personal Info is Accurate
- Connect With Companies
- Post Your Job Hunt Status
- “Like” Job Hunting and Career Business Pages
That picture of you dressed in drag at last year’s Halloween party probably won’t help you get the bank management position you just applied for. And the night you won the beer bong races at your twenty-first birthday party? Also not impressive. Delete all those crazy pictures that imply you may not have a whole lot of common sense (even if you do).
We all have that one friend who never has anything nice to say about anything, yet we put up with them because…well, I don’t know why we do, but we do. However, you don’t want their negative rants showing up on your Facebook wall for job recruiters to see. Delete any pessimistic posts and de-friend anyone who might reflect badly on you (i.e., ex-spouses, jilted girlfriends or boyfriends, people with overly zealous, unsolicited political opinions, etc.). If you feel bad about letting them go you can always re-friend them after you get the job.
You may want to change your privacy settings in particular, especially those that have to do with groups or networks to which you belong. People in your networks can see your personal information, even if they’re not your friends, depending on your privacy settings. Also, add a profile picture that looks professional, and don’t write something derogatory as your philosophy or favorite quotation. Save that stuff for your anonymous Twitter account.
Nothing worse than your Facebook personal info conflicting with the info you put in the resume you just submitted to 10 different companies. If you’ve lied on your Facebook page about your birthday, your birthplace, your previous work experience, where you went to college, or anything else that might show up on a job application, then either correct it on your Facebook page or (if you’d rather not share the true info) delete it from Facebook altogether.
Don’t be afraid to “Like” companies for which you want to work. That way when events are posted on the company’s wall (like job openings) then you’ll be notified. Also, it looks good in a job interview when you can say that you’ve been following the company’s progress on Facebook.
Post your upcoming job interviews on your wall, and after the interview post an update as to how you think the interview went. In both cases, be positive even if you’re not sure if they were “wowed” you. Someone from the company at which you interviewed may see your post and be impressed with your upbeat attitude.
If you Google “Facebook job hunting career” a list of Facebook business pages all associated with finding jobs comes up in the search. Check these pages out and “Like” the ones you think will be helpful. Often these pages alert you to job opportunities both locally and nationally, plus people post their job seeking advice and experiences, which could be beneficial to you.
Chances are you opened your Facebook account when you were in high school or college. Back then you were young and defiant and didn’t care who saw what. But now that you’re starting your career, you don’t want your wild past following you around tattling like an annoying little brother. So before you actively begin your job search do a little damage control on your Facebook page. In the long run you’ll be glad you did.
