Facebook is an oft-overlooked tool in your career search. The social network is primarily used for friends and family, and is seen as a safe haven for posting less than professional content. And that is fine??it is exactly what the network is for. It can, however, be used as a powerful tool in your search for a career. Employers crave for an insight into your personality, and Facebook can provide exactly that. The key is in your privacy settings.
Want to make the most out of Facebook for your career search? Follow these tips: –
1) Ensure everything is set to private
Facebook should be limited to friends and family. The best way to do this is to limit your Facebook posts to private. Total lockdown. There is very little reason to let the world see all of your Facebook profile??you should save that information for friends and family only. Total lockdown is the best way to ensure that previously posted nasties remain hidden from view, and you can cultivate your Facebook content proactively from here on in without worry.
2) Share JUST enough
You should, however, take the opportunity to share some content. You want to give potential viewers an insight into what your personality is like. Allow content that showcases your interests to be shared with the general public. Pictures of you playing sport, videos of you travelling, status updates that are insightful and thoughtful. Essentially, you should share anything that is safe for general consumption, and provides great insight into what makes you tick.
In order to share content with the rest of the world after you have made the rest of your profile private, you should: –
1) Click on the arrow next to any post you make.
2) Select public from the dropdown.
Now, when anyone who isnt on your friends list views your profile, they will be able to view the specific posts you have made public.
Take time to cultivate your profile and select the posts you want the world to see. You want to give potential employers some, selected, information.
3) Choose your profile picture wisely
The first thing people will look at is your profile picture. Make yours conservative, but provide a good view of your lovely face. People want to see you!
4) Hide any questionable images from your timeline
Other people sharing pictures of you can also land you in hot water. Make sure that you only tag yourself in pictures that arent likely to get you in trouble. For those upload-happy friends with no sense of the appropriate, ask them not to tag you in anything thats questionable. The best case scenario is that they will not upload the photo at all.
5) Comment wisely
Your comment on other peoples posts also have the potential to land you in trouble. Before letting your typing finger do the talking, ask yourself if the post is a wise one. A good filter is Would your mother be happy reading this post? If the answer is no, then hold your horses, Tonto. You are better safe than sorry.
Employers will use Facebook to gain an insight into your personality. You should aim to manage your posting privacy to such an extent that you provide enough information for employers to see your personality, but not so much so as to damage your prospects. You are better off being on the private side of privacy, but remember, providing some information and content is a good thing.
