Facebook just came out with its “Professional Profile” application allow FB fans to upload a resume, import their LinkedIn content, hang out a “seeking employment” sign and connect with a professional network. With my background in Career Services this naturally inspired me to check it out. If you go to your account and click on “application settings”, you will see an application called “Professional Profile”. Clicking on this application will bring you to a page that will give you three tabs or options. They are: Professional Network, Resume and For Hire.
Uploading the resume is as simple as uploading a MS Word document. However I opted to have FB pull information from my LinkedIn profile. This too was simple and looks GREAT! It even pulls in your recommendations and lists them at the end of your resume.
With a simple click you can post a resume badge to your profile.
Everything is as slick as can be until I try to use the network feature. First, a series of errors, this of course is all gobbled junk to me so I scroll down.
Scrolling down I see the people on my FB friend’s list and have the option to “Add to your Network”. I see one of our beloved Admissions Advisor’s Belinda and click “Add to your Network” to add her. Crash. The computer freezes up and does nothing. I have to close out of Facebook and log-in again. I am sure FB will work out these bugs and a report out from Belinda indicates that she did not receive an invite from me. I will try again tomorrow.
The last feature is “Add to for Hire”. Now, if you are looking for a job this is great, click it! However if you are not looking for a job and just putting your information out there to network, do not click it. You don’t want your employer or fellow employees to see you on the “hey I am looking for a job” FB page so please be cautious about using this feature.
This then brings me to using FB as a tool to job search. Facebook will not be an effective tool for your job search if your profile is not professional. I recommend reading “My Two Faces (book)” to learn more about separating your personal Facebook self from your professional Facebook self.
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Amy Chastek is the System Director of Alumni and Community Relations, Herzing Inc. and a former Director of Career Services in the higher education field. Amy manages the blog at http://herzingonline.wordpress.com/. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Chastek |
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