Facebook doesn’t necessarily have a great reputation for business networking, but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use it to your full advantage. In many respects it possesses some of the same perks as LinkedIn, at least insofar as it allows you to display all of the qualifications, skills, and experiences that might make you a promising job candidate. The communication options afforded by Facebook are much more casual and relaxed, though, so be sure to read through all of these job tips and pointers:

• Keep in mind that, with Facebook, you have the option of basically telling the whole world everything that happens to you throughout the day—but just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Be discerning, especially if you intend to use Facebook for business networking. (Facebook, in particular, is a social media platform that invites having separate business and personal accounts.) At the very least, check out your privacy settings and make sure that any embarrassing or incriminating photos are set to “None of my Networks” visibility.
• Just like with LikedIn, make sure your Facebook information is accurate and up to date. Also make sure to use keywords that recruiters might be searching for. Again, it’s all about maximizing your odds of being found via search.
• Be careful about the settings on your Wall. This is a great tool for casual communication with friends and business associates alike, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the things people write on your Wall need to be seen by prospective employers. Be careful about who you permit to write on and read your Wall.
• Take the time to set up different networks for personal and professional contacts—and after that, it will be easy to add all new Facebook friends to the appropriate network.
• Not all recruiters are going to use Facebook’s internal search capacities—some of them might search Facebook by using outside search engines, like Google. To ensure that they can find your page, make sure you check “Public Search Listing” under your privacy settings.

Download the Social Media Guide free to find even more tips to help you know what a potential employer is discovering about you—both online and off. The Social Media Guide is packed with useful advice and helpful hints to create the most effective and employer-friendly online profiles possible.

Effective use of social media can give you a tremendous advantage in your job search—in fact, it may be just what you need to find the position you truly want. While traditional job search tactics (such as responding to jobs posted online or in the newspaper) can certainly bring success, building a network—and knowing how to tap into that network—is truly your best bet.

Create a LinkedIn profile—LinkedIn is by far one of the best online websites for professional social networking. Recruiters often use this site to find prospective employees, so developing your profile should be one of your top priorities. It’s free to use and it’s pretty simple to get started: just create a profile, fill out your personal and professional information and then build your network. You can receive recommendations from colleagues, supervisors or friends that will be displayed on your profile.

Follow and tweet on Twitter—don’t be intimidated by this fantastic tool. Many employers use Twitter to recruit new employees, so it is to your advantage to “follow” employers of interest, to communicate with them and to fine tune your own Twitter page (you can even link it to your LinkedIn profile so that recruiters will know exactly how to reach you).

Start a professional blog—this will allow employers and recruiters to really get a sense of who you are (and you can showcase your portfolio, if applicable). Focus your blog on topics that are in line with the kind of job you are seeking. Subscribing to other professional blogs and posting comments will help you to build a large network and could lead to job opportunities.

Be sure to remember if you have a personal Facebook, Linkedin, or any other online profile, be sure to keep all of your information private. Recruiters often look at personal profiles to get an inside look at a prospective employee’s personality. Checking into applicant’s social media and online presence is rapidly becoming a part of business’s background screening program. So be sure to represent yourself well and clean up any pictures or blogs that may hinder your chances at finding a job.

Download the Social Media Guide free to find even more tips to help you know what a potential employer is discovering about you—both online and off. The Social Media Guide is packed with useful advice and helpful hints to create the most effective and employer-friendly online profiles possible.

If you're looking for a job, you probably know that your reputation can precede you. Contacts and networking are great tools to get your foot in the door for an interview, but any positive marks on your side can quickly be negated by inappropriate content posted on social media websites. Take into consideration the fact that over 70% of employers are now running Internet searches on candidates, and 35% have said that they have passed someone over because of the contents of their social media profiles. It's obvious that what you post online can have a big impact on your ability to find a job.

So, what is and isn't acceptable when it comes to social media and your job search?

Explicit photographs are obviously out, but so are photos that border on explicit and "okay." That picture of you in a bikini? You might want to save it for the fridge. Drunken college photos are popular to post online, but employers aren't going to be laughing. Keep them in an album commemorating your college life, and pull them out to remember old times when your college buddies come over. There's no need for the world to know about your bad decisions.

Remember that a recruiter can see what you post online, so if you're going to tell them one thing and list another on your social media profile, you're in trouble. Planning to pretend you're currently employed in hopes that it'll boost your chances of getting hired? A potential employer will see through your scheme as soon as they see you boast of your free time on your profile.

Using excessive profanity or making jokes that include racial slurs are not going to gain you any points, either. You might come off as a polished professional in the interview, but if your social media profile shows you as uncouth, you can probably say goodbye to the position.

Think changing your privacy settings is a ticket to saying whatever you want online? Think again: first of all, everything on the Internet is recorded, and second, you don't know if someone on your "friends" list might be connected to a potential employer.

If you want a heads up to see what recruiters see when they search for you online, search for yourself. Make an effort to keep your private life private, and maintain your social media profiles by keeping inappropriate material out, including in comments made by friends.

When used in a responsible manner, social media can help you get a job, allowing employers to see your positive qualities and letting you network.

You can find even more tips to assist you in finding your new job by downloading our free Ultimate Job Seeker’s Guide from http://www.mybackgroundcheck.com/jobseekerguide/. The Ultimate Job Seeker’s Guide is packed with help from cover letters to growing you professional network. It’s a great tool for job seekers in any field.