The fuzzy line between social and professional networking

Most of us know (or quickly figured out); Facebook and business do not mix.  An electronic diary of sorts, Facebook is probably sharing more than you are aware of.  If you’re in search of career opportunities, having your personal and social lives blaring about to the entire world can muddy the waters of landing your dream job.

A majority of us witnessed the viral up-rising of Facebook while in college; we latched on and never looked back. We wake up in the morning, grab a cup of coffee, and connect to the world-wide web.  Facebook, email, instant messengers, and other social networking sites keep us connected twenty-four hours a day.
When was the last time you did not connect to the web? I bet you can’t remember. Nearly 266 million people access the internet in North America alone (as cited in “Internet Usage,” 2010). That’s nearly 78% of the entire population [North America].

Depending on your career aspirations or your business’s vertical, Facebook can be an effective way to network professionally.  According to Neal Schaffer (2010), companies are spending almost 20% of their total marketing budgets on social media. 

What does this mean for you as a career professional? It means there is an increased likelihood of potential employers and businesses seeing your social networking profiles.
Unless you want your future boss to see a photo of the night you decided to moonlight as a karaoke professional after one-too-many margaritas, I’d keep the social networking for your eyes (and your friend’s) only.
Tips for maintaining a “clean” social networking profile:

• Use social sites such as Facebook only to build relationships with your friends
• Limit the amount of images/photos you and your friends post
• Examine your profile carefully and decide what you want potential employers and business contacts to see

If you need assistance and information on up-and-coming professional networking sites, SmallBizBee.com (2010) recommends the following 40 top social networking sites for small businesses and career professionals (here’s the top 5):

1. LinkedIn
2. Meet the Boss
3. PartnerUp
4. Qupacity
5. Ryze

 I contributed this article to a professional network: WDM New View 
Internet usage statistics; the internet big picture. (2010, June 30). Retrieved on May 18, 2011, from http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

Schaffer, Neal. (2010, December 14). LinkedIn vs. Facebook for business in 2011-The battle begins. Retrieved on May 18, 2011, from http://socialmediatoday.com/nealschaffer/252062/linkedin-vs-facebook-business-2011-battle-begins

The ultimate list: 40 social networking sites specifically for small business, entrepreneurs, and startups. (2010, February 2). Retrieved on May 18, 2011, from http://smallbizbee.com/index/2010/02/02/ultimate-list-40-social-networking/