Facebookers Beware

I joined Facebook in 2007 after going to a wedding in Greece where the most camera-happy guest posted all of her photos on her page and I had to join to view and download.  Who knew it would turn out to be the cultural phenomenon it's become?

The benefits of social networking are enormous:  connectivity, access, communication.  But researchers at the University of Illinois have found that too much information isn't always a good thing.  Your Facebook profile may also be preventing you from getting a job - so, is it worth it?

A recent CareerBuilder survey shows 45% of employers research candidates on social network.  Of the hiring managers who chose to view applicants Facebook profiles, 50% were less likely to hire the obviously qualified candidate.  This "dilution effect"of having too much information is an unexpected conflict -- rather than helping make a decision, it actually distracts from the facts and leads to hiring errors.

So if you're in the job hunt, your first step is to privatize your profile.  Even if you leave it live, you should make sure to 'scrub' it to delete anything potentially embarrassing or misrepresentative, make certain no one can post to your wall without your permission, and limit your postings and photos to the bare minimum.  Use your network to find a job - not to find out what vampire they like or other time-wasters that might send the wrong signal.

Instead, put your energy into your LinkedIn profile to help you make contacts and boost your job hunt.

Best,
Coni

www.bloom-svc.com
www.edencommunicates.com
coni.eden@gmail.com