How to network on Facebook

Facebook can be a valuable networking tool for someone who's looking for work. Today, everyone is on the social media site in some way or another. Being able to harness its great powers for career opportunities can be a struggle, but if well-prepared, Facebook can help pave an individual's career path and grow a personal brand.

While people who use the social media site for personal use heavily monitor their privacy settings to exclude anonymous visitors, a professional looking to utilize Facebook for networking should do the opposite. Making all information available to the public promotes transparency and helps people of interest view information through Facebook or an organic web search.

The social media site usually revolves around a user's pictures, but for aspiring professionals, the most important aspect of a Facebook page is the bio and professional experiences. The two fields are pretty similar to a resume and cover letter, but are meant to be shorter and more to the point. Creating a bio that accurately depicts who you are, your goals and what you're looking for in a career opportunity can be great insight for a potential employer. Past experiences such as education and job history are great ways to establish a credible reputation, which can generate greater interest from hiring managers.

Facebook is easy to use, and finding groups of people interested in the same things as you is as simple as a basic keyword search. Building an online network before it is fully needed can help during unemployment. Having an outlet to directly communicate with people in the same career field can give you job advice that's not readily accessible to the greater public

Honesty, in many ways, is still the best policy. When requesting friendships on Facebook, include a personalized message that lays out why you have asked to join a user's online network and give a little insight into your career goals. With all the spam that circulates online, adding a message can help an individual differentiate your profile from a virus or advertisement.

After networking and participating in discussions on Facebook, you'll begin to create relationships with employees of companies you are interested in working for. Although you should act respectfully, do not shy away from asking about career opportunities. The best way to glean valuable insight into how to begin a profession at a company is by talking to people who work there. Find out who to contact for a position, what they look for in a candidate and how to proactively promote your personal brand to the right people at the right moment.