The age of online social networking has arrived and will be here for some time to come. Whether or not it is a truly helpful tool, especially when looking for a job, is a question that needs to be addressed.
The current big three of social networking, Facebook, Myspace and Twitter, each serve their own purpose, sort of. Facebook and Myspace are constantly competing with each other to unite old and current classmates and colleagues. Facebook has the more professional interface though. Many companies have taken to these sites as well, utilizing them as a marketing tool. Twitter is still being experimented with by many folks who haven't yet figured out its best purpose. It's fun and easy to add hundreds and thousands of followers on Twitter, but at the end of the day, are these "followers" going to be benefit you? One of the criteria for effectiveness on Twitter is that you add appropriate followers, those interested in your updates.
Other social networking sites that have popped up in recent years include LinkedIn, a professional network of past and current colleagues. If you are in the job market, I would highly recommend setting up a LinkedIn account, as recruiters and employers may look you up as a preliminary background screening. Plaxo is one site I haven't quite figured out yet. They look to be as professional as LinkedIn, however. Actually, they're more of a cross between LinkedIn and Facebook. Then there's Classmates which if you join with a Gold membership, you have just spent money you didn't need to. It's a great site for reconnecting with folks from school but its two biggest competitors are Facebook and Myspace.
If you are in the job market, it makes sense to set up professional networking accounts, as opposed to social networking accounts. So forget Myspace and Facebook, as you don't want your words on someone's wall getting misconstrued by the discerning recruiter. There is enough talent out there that makes it easy to skip to the next candidate, so do not give them a reason. If you already have a Myspace or Facebook account under your real name, then hide the profile or temporarily disable the account. Even if you think your pages are "clean," this is always a subjective point of view. With Twitter, folks don't generally use their real name. If you did do this, however, make your updates private.
I am not denouncing social networking by any means. However, for the purposes of seeking a job, it's more in your best interest to seek out the professional networking sites, as mentioned above.
What do you think?
The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success
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