If you only use Facebook to socialize, you could be missing out on a great job.

In the video below, I tell you who's on Facebook that you're missing out on, and how to take advantage of this enormous networking resource.

Read my entire blog article about this:  Fastest Way to Find a Job - Tip 4 -- Facebook.  It's part of the Fastest Way to Find a Job Series - 25 Tips for a Super-Fast Job Search.

Job Search Tip

Facebook

Do you think that LinkedIn is for business and Facebook is for friends?  You’re partly right; but the line between the two is very, very fuzzy when it comes to job searching.  I found some stats on Mashable that says as of December 2011, over 18 million people have gotten jobs through Facebook.  18 million.

Even with that many success stories, a lot of people are afraid to talk about their job search on Facebook. I talk to candidates all the time who shy away from posting that they’re looking for a job.  They have all kinds of reasons:  they don’t want to worry their families, they don’t want to look “needy,” or whatever crazy idea they have. And it is crazy.  The majority of jobs are landed through networking, and Facebook is the biggest network on the planet.  It’s that simple.  If you don’t take advantage of it, you’re just shooting yourself in the foot.

Everyone finds themselves in the job search at some point in their careers.  It’s not embarrassing.  It’s a transition.  Wouldn’t you want to know if you had a friend who was looking?  Wouldn’t you want to try to help them?  Think about how many times you’ve heard about a job opening that you weren’t a fit for and you tried to think of someone you knew so you could tell them.  Other people are hearing about open jobs, too.  Maybe one of them is a good fit for you.

If you’re serious about your job search, you’ve got to pull out all the stops.  Use all your resources.  Facebook is too big to be missed.

Facebook has more avenues to a job than just your friends:

1. Facebook has groups like LinkedIn does where people have discussions and get to know each other.  The more people in your industry circle who know who you are, the better…and groups can be great sources of information.
2. Recruiters search for candidates on Facebook AND they post when they have a job opening to fill. I have used Facebook often to say, “Hey, I have a job in this location, is anyone interested?”  Find the recruiters who specialize in your field and friend them.  A recruiter’s business is people.  I can almost guarantee you that they will be interested in connecting with you on Facebook.
3. Companies maintain Facebook pages where they talk about what’s going on with them, and what jobs are available with them.  You can “Like” those companies, or “Friend” those companies, however they handle that, and then you’ll be one of the first to find out when they have something open up.
4. Don’t forget about Facebook Applications.  Check out Branchout, BeKnown, and Facebook Marketplace for job-specific information.

Here’s my Facebook warning for you:  Make absolutely sure your Facebook profile is cleaned up, polished, and professional-looking.  If a company or recruiter checks you out and sees the party picture with a beer in your hand, or you holding the sign calling for the overthrow of the government, it will scare them away and you’ll miss your chance.  It’s not just the photos you post; it’s also the ones your friends post that you’re tagged in.  So, carefully and regularly monitor all photos that tag you.  Anything unflattering or unprofessional in any way needs to come off.  At the very least, untag yourself.  A better idea is to contact your friend and ask them to remove the photo.

Fastest Way to Find a Job - List

Tips 1- 25 Click to expand

Can I Interest You In A Bribe?

This information is so important I'm willing to 'bribe' you in order to get you to attend. Of course it's an ethical bribe. In fact I am willing to bribe you three times. You NEED to get this information if you are in a job search.

Sign Up - Get a Gift

Show Up - Get a Gift

Stay to the End - Get a Gift

Not getting our newsletter yet? Sign up below to get Peggy’s best tips.

There's an ugly job search trend in town...employers are asking job seekers for their Facebook passwords.

Is your Facebook password safe in the job interview?

Picture this: your interviewer turns to her computer, opens up your Facebook page, and says, "What's your password?  I want to see your profile."  What do you do?

It's happening more and more.  Employers see it as just another way to vet you...like references and background checks.  They already Google you and check out your LinkedIn profile, Tweets, and Facebook page.  Now they want in to see the "real" you.

If it were me, I'd say, "Thanks, but no thanks."  (Actually, I'd say "I'll give you my password if you give me yours."  I'd love to see the reaction.)

A company who would invade my privacy like that is not a company I'd want to work for.  That behavior does not predict good things for me in my employment with them.  If they want to get in my business like that now, just imagine what they'd want to do later.  It's not their business or their right to invade my private life like that.  It's the same as if they opened my mail...that's a federal crime.  This practice isn't illegal yet, but it should be.  It's illegal for employers to ask questions about your religion or age, but that's the same kind of personal detail they'd see on your profile.  Some people think this behavior is just asking for a lawsuit (Dear Potential Employer, Please Access My Social Network), and I agree.

I've always advocated using Facebook as a tool in your job search (which means setting up your profile to sell yourself as a candidate and using the networking possibilities of Facebook), but if you choose not to, or if you choose privacy settings that keep some things out of public view, that's your right.  And it should be respected.

You might say, "I can't afford to miss a chance for a job" and feel like you have to give up your password.  But I say if you need a good job, you need a good employer.  If you think there aren't enough jobs out there to give you the luxury of turning one down, come check out my Hidden Job Market Strategy Tips and learn how to find jobs you didn't know were there.  Then you'll know you don't have to roll over and give up your private information.

I think the whole thing is intrusive.  What do you think?  Has this happened to you?  What did you do?

Sometime soon, your Facebook profile is getting switched over to the Timeline format, whether you like it or not.  Lots of people (not all 800 million of them, but a lot) are upset about it, but it's only going to harm your job search if you ignore it.

More than 90% of recruiters and hiring managers use social media to screen candidates.  It's important to understand that and make it work for you.

With Timeline, the posts that readers used to have to dig to get to (and therefore probably didn't) are now going to be much easier to see.  So if you have posts from way back when that wouldn't necessarily represent you well as a candidate, you've got to do something about them.  Pictures, too.  Delete, delete, delete--if necessary.

Facebook has always been great for your job search, but if you think about it, the Timeline feature turns it into more of a digital resume than ever before.  Because, you know, it's a sequential history of your life.   (If your potential boss is really into it, he could compare the posts on your Timeline to dates on your resume.)

So what can you do (besides cleaning up past posts and checking your privacy settings) to make Facebook Timeline work for you in your job search?

• Pick a really good cover photo--it's going to be splashed across the front of your timeline.
• Take advantage of the "Milestones and Experiences" section to add things like "I learned French" or "got an award for top performance"
• Use your ability to expand the information YOU think is important rather than letting Facebook do it for you.
• Add things from before you joined Facebook, with the correct date--like past jobs that were impressive.

You have the power to turn your Timeline into something that's very attractive and appealing to potential employers.

Get Timeline questions answered here: 28 Essential Facebook Timeline Resources

Are you stumped for what to give the job seeker in your life?

gift ideas for the job seeker

Here are 3 ideas for things they will really appreciate...and the bonus is, you won't have to go to a single store and you'll be done in the next 5 minutes.

LinkedIn Profile Tutorial  - 

You just can't run a full-scale job search without being on LinkedIn, and your profile is the first key to your success.  Give your job seeker the gift that keeps on giving in the form of hiring managers knocking on his (virtual) door by setting him up with a profile that attracts their attention.  If you know they're already on LinkedIn, but they're not talking about getting contacted by hiring managers or recruiters, they need a profile makeover.  This is the easiest and most effective way to get it.

Facebook Profile Tutorial  - 

Chances are, they're already on Facebook (who isn't, these days?)  but they are not utilizing it for the job search.  Big mistake.  Facebook is a great source for job leads.  Recruiters search Facebook, too.  Plus, your Facebook contacts are almost always a lot more varied than your LinkedIn contacts...which means a wider pool of possibility that someone knows someone who's looking to hire.

Extreme Resume Makeover Kit  -

If you're not consistently going on interviews, you almost certainly need a better resume.  It's the foundation of a great job search, but it's tricky.  The Extreme Resume Makeover Kit answers every resume question--from how long it should be to what grabs the attention of hiring managers and makes them call you for an interview.  It's a comprehensive kit that walks you through creating a resume that markets you as a candidate.

Your Facebook photos say a lot about you.   But what about pictures of you that your friends post?

Watch this quick tip about how to manage your Facebook photos if you're in the job search:

Did you know...if you handle it right, Facebook can boost your job search success?

Check out our

Facebook Profile Tutorial!

Are you posting about your job search on Facebook?  If not, why not?

Are you trying to keep your job search a secret?  Do you think that there's no point because LinkedIn is the only place you need to be?  (Some people think Facebook isn't a threat to LinkedIn, and so they don't need it, but they are cutting themselves off from some major networking juice.)  Have you been scared off by the Facebook horror stories you've heard?

It doesn't matter--if you're still trying to keep your Facebook life separate from your job search, you are missing out.

In the video below, I'll tell you why you really need to use Facebook as a part of your search.

Get a Facebook Profile that will help you get a job

You know Facebook can get you fired--but did you know Facebook can get you hired?

If you approach Facebook the right way, with a great Facebook profile and a few key strategies, you can set yourself up for job search success.

Watch the video, and I'll tell you how to get started: