Job Searching and YOU: How to Use Facebook’s New Graph Search
Move over LinkedIn, Facebook has joined the job search arena! How? Facebook has rolled out a new tool: graph search!
So what is graph search? Think of it in terms of an in-depth search feature. Previously on Facebook you were simply able to search for information by name, and now that graph search has rolled out you are allowed to search for things by “relational” theme. For example you can now search “friends who work for XYZ Company” or “people with connections to John Doe.” Below are three ways Facebook’s graph search can help you in your job search:
1. Search like never before! As you likely know, making connections is vital in your job search. Facebook’s graph search makes it super easy to search by your connections. For example, if you are re-locating to a new city and are wondering if you have any friends of friends who live close by, graph search can be a perfect tool. Are you looking for an “in” with a certain company you are interviewing with? Great! Use Facebook to narrow your search! Now you can search for “friends who work at XYZ Company” or “friends of friends who work at XYZ Company.” Looking to make a new business connection? Graph search is perfect for searching for shared interests! Simply search “friends interested in HVAC” and see all your connections (and friends of connections) who have ties to professions in the field.
2. Your Privacy Settings MATTER: Graph search is intuitive, however many Facebook users have insisted that it infringes upon their privacy. Graph search allows other Facebook users to search for content that involves YOU. This is good news if you are job searching, but BAD news if you have liked any inappropriate material and are job searching. Why? Because it shows up, and things like that matter to potential employers. During your job search it is vital to overhaul your privacy settings to protect you and your online persona. So who can see your stuff? The important part to remember here is that YOU control who sees what and who can find what. The selection “only me” prevents any one else from finding it in a search. The selection “friends” means that it is only public to YOUR friends, while “public” means anyone can find that info if they search for it. The good news is that graph searches allow you to search for information like never before, and makes the whole Facebook community a great deal more relevant to you. The bad news is, if you haven’t reviewed your privacy policies, posts, photos and pages you have in time past, will show up.
3. Review your likes and other content: What you like and what you are connected to online matters to a potential employer. Why? Because what is tied to you may inevitably be tied to that employer should they make the decision to hire you. That being said, it is time to review your ‘likes’ on your Facebook page! It is understandable that what you ‘like’ now is undoubtedly different than what you ‘liked’ two years ago. However, these likes will still show up! A potential employer can see any questionable items that you may have liked, no matter when it was. How do you edit your likes? Easy! Click on the “About” section of your profile and edit the pages or topics you have liked. Be choosy here! If it seems iffy, unlike it.
