Using Facebook In Your Job Search

To use Facebook in your job search, you must first define your Facebook presence and page as personal, professional or both.  Beyond that critical decision, there are several important ways you can use Facebook to advance your job search.

Your Friends, Your Network
If you are using Facebook as a personal social network, your Facebook friends are your inner-circle network. As such, they care about your success and are likely to want to help you.  To use this resource in a respectful way:

• Make contact outside the Facebook environment if possible (via personal email rather than Facebook’s message system). Email is easier to track and forward, and also more professional than typically casual Facebook communication.
• Reach out to your friends individually. Customize your outreach based on how well you know each friend but always be warm, friendly and non-pushy in your approach
• Remind your friend of your brand and value in the market place
• Be specific in asking your friend for help. For example, are you asking for a connection to someone? Do you want your friend to point you in the direction of opportunities at their company? People are more willing to help if they are given direction.
• Meanwhile, you can keep your entire Facebook  network updated on your job search via your status on Facebook. That way when someone in your network sees an opportunity, they are likely to think of you. However:
  • Don’t bring up your employment status too often. You don’t want to seem desperate or whiney
  • Keep your communications positive
  • Don’t relay details of rejections or share negative feelings in such an open forum
  • When pursuing a specific opportunity, look to your Facebook friends for insights into the company and position or connections to the decision makers
  • Thank your friends as they make an effort to help you

Always respect the fact that your primary relationship with Facebook friends is just that: Friendship. Your friends are very likely to want to help you, but don’t be too pushy. Be sure you are giving back in the relationship as well.

Job Listings on Facebook!
Did you know Facebook has job listings? While networking is a more powerful way to propel your job search, there is no harm in checking out the job listings on Facebook. Click on the “Marketplace” tab and explore.

Keeping Good Company
Increasingly companies are developing a presence on Facebook.

• Fan companies of interest
• Use their Facebook page to learn more
• Keep an eye out because some companies are even posting job openings on their Facebook page

Likewise special interest groups are cropping up all the time on Facebook.

• Search out groups related to your career goals and professional expertise
• Use your involvement in the groups as a way of expanding your network
• Share your brand and value by contributing to discussions and answering questions

Be aware that anyone you contact via Facebook may have access to your private Facebook page. Depending on your privacy settings, even replying to an email sent via Facebook may give the sender access to your page. For this reason, it’s important you be clear about the purpose of your Facebook page as you use Facebook in your job search.

Are you using Facebook in your job search? Tell us how!

Related Jobfully blog postings:

Facebook: Personal, professional or both?

Optimizing LinkedIn for your job sea

Tweet your way to a new job