Apply the same rules to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter that you would apply to face-to-face meetings.
New to social-networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter?
Well, the same rules apply as in face-to-face networking. Be courteous and respectful of people’s time, and don’t overdo the self-promtion. There’s a line between taking and giving; in networking, think of others before yourself and you will reap the benefits, according to the article “Social Netiquette: Mind Your Manners.”
According to social-networking experts, everything you need to succeed in the medium you learned in kindergarten.
“They’re the same social rules as anywhere else,” said Lindsay Olson, a partner and recruiter at Paradigm Staffing, who uses social networking to identify potential recruits and vet candidates once their names have come up. “There’s a very thin line between keeping in touch and blatant self-promotion. Stepping over that line will really turn people off.”
The key is to keep the other person in mind and go out of your way to be both polite and helpful – before you need help yourself, said Paul Gillin, a social-networking consultant at Paul Gillin Communications and author of “The New Influencers” and “Secrets of Social Media Marketing.”
Other advice says not to be pushy, but don’t be shy about asking for, say, a recommendation on LinkedIn — a powerful and rapid way for recruiters to have a quick view into your profile. It can be a way for them to see who has liked your work and why they liked it. The article also suggests you become an active participant on these sites. Caveat: Always keep your interactions as professional as possible, particularly when you are reaching out to someone you’ve never met but have researched. Make sure to tell him where you found the information and why you are contacting him.
“Adopt a professional manner; it’s a business contact, and you’re reaching out in a business sense,” according to Gillin. “Don’t make it overly personal. That eliminates a lot of the ‘creep factor.’ ”
(Social Network by fimoculous via Flickr, CC3.0)
For advice more on social networking and your job search:
- Social Networking: Painless and Powerful
- Can You Facebook Your Way to a New Job?
- Around the Web: Job-Hunting Tools
Also definitely, definitely make sure that you do not have any embarrassing photos or conversations on your Facebook profile or wall, because they WILL be seen by your prospective employers and professional contacts.