Social Networking and Job Search

The Boom in Social Media

Whether it's Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn or Blogger, everyone today seems to be using technology to connect with friends, family and colleagues.  In this day and age when people are so spread out and we all seem to be running faster and faster, it's great to have more ways to stay connected.

Social media is useful in job search as well.  I wrote a post about using LinkedIn to identify network contacts and my tweets about new posts have definitely increased the number of people checking out my blog.  I recently took a webinar on using social media in job search covering everything from Twitter to LinkedIn and there is no doubt that social media tools can be helpful when one is engaged in a job search.  There is also no doubt that using social media while engaged in job search can be something that comes back to bite you.

WARNING:  Use Sound Judgement When Tweeting

In the 'old days', prior to this explosion in technology, the biggest warning to job seekers was "be mindful about who answers your phone, how it's answered and what the message on your home answering machine sounds like".  We counseled job seekers to coach anyone who might answer the phone about what information to ask for and strongly urged them to record a professional sounding message in their own voice while they were engaged in a search.  It was no time, and still isn't, for cute kid messages or heavy metal music in the background. 

While the message on your cell phone still needs to be crisp and professional, in that most of us carry and answer our own cell phones, we don't need to be concerned about who's answering the phone at home.  I don't list anything but my cell on my current resume.  And, in that cell phones all provide caller ID, we are in a position to choose to either answer a call, or if you're in the middle of a concert, let it go to voicemail. 

Social media is a way for you to check out future employers.  Make no mistake, it is also a way for potential employers to check up on you!  They can google you, check your tweets, and look for silly (or worse) pictures on Facebook.  Is there no such thing as privacy anymore?!  The simple answer is no.

So don't send a tweet about how drunk you got last night.  Don't post pictures or video that show you in racy clothes or dancing on a table.  While this may cramp your style, tweets can be viewed for up to 30 days and today's techno-savvy employer may well check them out.  It would be a shame if one night of revelry displayed with a full spread of pictures on Facebook kills your opportunity to interview for or be offered the perfect job.

CLEAN YOUR ON-LINE HOUSE

So clean your techno house.  Review all of your privacy settings to make sure you are as protected as possible.  Look at your tweets and delete any that might be inappropriate.  Check out the pictures you've posted on Facebook and any you might be tagged in and remove those that get in the way of letting your "professional self" shine.

This is the time to be your 'best you' in every way and every format available to you.  Use social media to your advantage and it can be a very powerful tool.