Is your Facebook profile helping or hurting your job search?

It's no secret Facebook, Twitter, and other social media giants have taken over the internet. LinkedIn is also growing, proving to be a great place to display professional content and expand career networks. Twitter provides us with a news arena, while Pinterest dazzles viewers with art. So what social media outlet do employers go to when examining a job applicant?

Facebook has become one of the primary targets for businesses looking to hire a new team member. Whether it's being used as a follow-up to an application or interview, search tool for finding the best fit, or as an investigative and research platform, hiring managers are using Facebook to learn more about applicants. This makes the idea of using Facebook as a social media resume quite intriguing. Let's dive deeper into how to build a resume on Facebook.

Career experience and education

Much like LinkedIn, Facebook offers users the ability to list career information and use the platform as a social media resume. This platform helps connect applicants with more businesses through tagging. When you list your company's name, it automatically connects you to that company's page, allowing future employers to see who you've worked for in a new light.

Treat each job and position as you would on a resume. Don't place silly descriptions or rude comments. Instead, display your notable contributions and key achievements. Additionally, take advantage of the projects tool. Use this tool to list each notable contribution and key project you worked on. Limit the number of projects to five or six. You don't want to prevent hiring managers from seeing your other accomplishments.

Here's another piece of resume help: If you have large gaps in your work history, do not include dates. This could tell the hiring manager you aren't willing to commit. Omit the dates, and focus more on skills and activities.

Education tools on Facebook are similar to those of the employment section. It connects you to the school and university's page. List all universities, colleges, and schools where you received a degree or diploma. Don't list every single one attended. This can insinuate you give up too easily.

Skills section

This is one of the most overlooked aspects of Facebook. The skills area, located slightly below the education section, is used to list skills. These skills are automatically tagged in Facebook's search engine. Meaning, if you list dog walking as a skill and potential employers search for dog walkers on Facebook, bingo, your name appears.

Be careful though; Facebook limits the number of skills you can list. Only list the most important and relevant skills. Don't list transferable skills, and avoid bland terms. This list should be specific. Facebook will try to help you by listing words it thinks you mean. Take advantage of this resume help feature because those are the terms most searched for online.

Conclusion

Facebook is more than a social media and communication tool. It is useful in job searches and networking with other professionals. It can even be used as a sort of social media resume. Hiring managers and supervisors are increasingly requiring applicants to list their Facebook account. Those managers use your profile to determine if you are a good fit or not. Following these basic tips not only will help you get the job, they will also prevent embarrassing moments. To recap on how to build a resume using Facebook:

  • Use your resume as the basis for the “Work and Education” section of the “About” tab.

  • Fill out your Timeline with vital information that paints a rich and robust picture of your professional life.

  • Consider adding life events that convey interesting and relevant information.

  • Add photographs or other illustrations that show the evolution of your career and academic trail.

  • Employ your feed or “Status Updates” in a way that communicates your professional and personal interests.

  • Strive for cohesion and consistency in your content.

  • Avoid information that distracts or destructs.

  • Don't post topics or photos you wouldn't want your mother or mentor to see.

Need help with your resume? Our TopResume writers can help!

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