More Ways to Use Facebook for Your Job Search

More Ways to Use Facebook for Your Job Search

acebook can be the downfall of your job search if you’re not careful.
From posting inappropriate pictures to badmouthing former employers,
hazards lurk around many a corner. Even if you think you’re interacting
only with your friends, always remain professional. Hiring managers may
look at your profile to see if you would be a good fit for their
position.
Earlier this week, blogger Lindsay Olson offered ideas on how to use the power of Facebook for your job hunt. Here are a few ways to take that even further:
Leverage your current network in your job search.
People we friend on Facebook are typically individuals whom we know
well: family members, peers, and former colleagues. Who better to help
you in your job search than people you know well and already have
established a relationship with?


[See 10 Smart Ways to Use Social Media in Your Job Search.]
To use your Facebook network in your job search, update your status
about your job search or personally message people who may be able to
help you. Look at your friends’ current networks, cities, and employment
information to determine whether anyone you know works at a company
that interests you.
Change your profile picture. Because of the social
aspect of Facebook, you might forget that—unless you’ve changed your
privacy settings to not show it—everyone can see your profile picture.
Make sure your picture is an appropriate headshot to ensure you appear
professional in all interactions across the platform.
Create your own Facebook page. If you’re hesitant to make your personal profile public, create a page instead. Start by visiting https://www.facebook.com/pages/
and clicking “Create page.” Here you can display any information you’d
like a potential employer to see. A few things to get started:
• Completely fill in all information, including biography, skills, websites, contact information, and more
• Create custom tabs with iFrames to include additional information, photos, and work samples
• Link to other pages you “like” by clicking “Add to my page’s favorites” on the chosen page
[See How to Pitch Your Dream Company.]

“Like” your ideal companies. Keep up with recent
news and job openings by joining companies’ communities on Facebook.
Participate in conversations by commenting on interesting stories and
posts to increase your visibility with employees at the company.
(Remember, there is a real person behind that company Facebook page!)
Join groups or “like” pages related to your field and interests.
Similar to LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups and pages can introduce you
to a whole community of new contacts and valuable information about
your industry. It also helps potential employers get to know you—and
your interests—by displaying these on your profile.
“Friend” potential colleagues and hiring managers. Making
connections on Facebook can help you make deeper connections with
individuals in your network. Although it may not be best to try and
“friend” every contact in your job search, use your discretion and add
those you know personally or have a relationship with already.
[See 6 Ways to Boost Your Job Search on LinkedIn.]

Pay close attention to privacy settings. Do you post
pictures or status updates that may be deemed inappropriate for hiring
managers or recruiters? While job searching, it’s important to clean up
your account (if it’s public) or change privacy settings to keep
personal information private if it may affect your job search. Go to the
drop-down menu in the right-hand corner called “Account,” and click on
“Privacy Settings.” From there, you can determine who sees what you
post—everyone, friends of friends, friends only, or create a custom set
of privacy settings—to ensure what an employer will view. Photo albums
privacy settings are within each album, so don’t forget to check those,
as well.
How have you leveraged Facebook in your job search?
Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended,
a content marketing consultancy for organizations with products that
target job seekers and employers.

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/04/01/more-ways-to-use-facebook-for-your-job-search