Facebook: A job seeker’s friend, or frenemy?

While there are countless stories about the magic of using Facebook to network, those on the career hunt should still use social media tools with care and caution. While they can be incredibly useful for mining information about prospective employers, social media is a two way street where employers can do just as much research on you.

Most people underestimate the amount of digging an employer is willing to do on an employee, especially in the finance industry where reputation is everything. If you’re in any phase of job searching, view your information with a magnifying glass because that’s exactly what employers are doing.

It’s also not as simple as removing obvious photos detailing debauchery. Companies are becoming clever at finding information about candidates, which means they’re also looking at friends, groups, and what people post on your wall.

An easy fix to ensure your privacy is to edit your account settings, but even that’s not a total safeguard. Networks, especially social networks, can be more far reaching than you might imagine. Companies are so interested in information that they might send moles to friend you or even use existing friends to view your profile. Some may even ask candidates to log in on at the interview.

While this may seem like a breach of privacy, information has always been valued at a premium. Because personality and politics are such a big part of success within finance, finding the right fit is paramount. While boosting your privacy settings is a good safeguard, don’t let anything appear online that you would be embarrassed to have your grandmother (or your next boss) to see. That way, should you ever be seen online, you won’t be overexposed.

When building your professional profile online, don’t try to stuff it with too much information. Like any good resume or cover letter, an online profile should succinctly showcase your talents, abilities, and interests. Choose a select few industrial groups to participate in and list a handful of your best qualities and accomplishments. If you have a blog, update it regularly.

With a little common sense and invested time, Facebook and other social media sites can become more friend than foe. While social media can be purely social, managing them as an extension of your personal brand will help you market yourself in the best way possible.