Looking for a job? It’s tough out there, and it’s no secret that potential employers look at your Facebook. You don’t want a potential dream job ruined by a few silly photos or crude humor on your profile, so clean it up! But you don’t have to hide from the world either; your Facebook page can actually work for you.
First of all, make your profile picture of you, and of your face. It may be tempting to post a photo of your baby, dog, or car, but resist. Employers will not only be sure they’re looking at the right page, but take you more seriously if your photo is appropriate.
For that matter, make all pictures on your profile appropriate. Facebook’s privacy settings change too often to be sure that everything you set to private will remain safe and secure. Untagging yourself in a picture or making your photo albums private does not make them invisible. They are out there on the internet; more people may have access to the information you put out there than you may realize.
Limit your contacts. If a friend is always posting crude jokes or incriminating pictures, you may want to rethink having them as a contact on Facebook. Or, consider making two Facebook pages- one for your personal life, and one for your professional life. Don’t use your last name in your personal profile. Also, an excessive number of contacts may make you look irresponsible. Having a lot of friends is great, but once you hit the 1,000 mark, you may want to think about scaling back, unless you’re applying for a job in social media marketing.
Don’t overshare. Update Facebook statuses once a day or less, and only tweet if you really have something to say or are interested in the article you just read. Also, don’t use Foursquare to check in to every place you set foot (unless you’re applying for a job at Foursquare).
Lastly, say what you want in your social media presence. Make sure all the information on your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter is up to date, and that it is at least somewhat obvious that you’re looking for a job. State not only that you’re looking, but what you’re looking for and hope to gain.
Follow these tips to clean up your social media profiles, and start your job hunt with confidence! Everyone who sees your profile will see a serious, bright job-seeker. No offers will be passed on you because of the embarrassing pictures from the last New Year’s Eve party. You’ve already suffered enough for that one.
