Leveraging Your Online Social Networks

Facebook has emerged as a household name and now has more than 60 million active users. Facebook is the 4th most trafficked website in the world and the most trafficked social media site in the world. Over 55,000 regional, work related, collegiate, and high school networks. More than half of Facebook users are outside of college.

MySpace is the largest Social Network in North America maintaining a dominant position as a media site primarily aimed at youth. MySpace has more than 110 million monthly active users around the globe.

While online social networks are useful in terms of helping you make connections, developing a great "brand" identity and maintaining a good online reputation is of critical importance. This article will provide strategies for creating online social networking that will help you build your reputation and leverage your contacts.

1. Be Selective. It's not who you know, it is "who knows you back." Connect only with friends and colleagues who will speak favorably of you, and who you will recommend to others.

2. Be Polite and Cautious. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it all. Remember that adding comments (lewd and vulgar language) to blogs and uploading risque pictures can leave a permanent trail and written record. Posting information online is like sending a postcard -- anyone can see it, and it could get in the hand of the wrong person. A good takeaway: A recent study by the executive search firm ExecuNet found that 77% of recruiters run searches of candidates on the Web to screen applicants; 35% of these same recruiters say they've eliminated a candidate based on the information they uncovered.

3. Be Vigilant. Many employers search the Web prior to making interview invitations or employment offers (reinforces previous paragraph). Be careful how you share personal information. For example, never Twitter (a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows it's users to send and read other user's updates by answering a single question, "What are you doing right now?") about a job offer until you've accepted, or Tweet about a resignation. Negative comments can spread like a nasty pandemic. A general rule of thumb: if your mom would be embarrassed, publish under a nickname if you must. Set up a Google News Alert to monitor information about you that is available on the web -- and request removal of negative comments or inaccurate information.

4. Be Transparent. Share information about your career, your interests, and what's important to you. Update your info regularly with care. The more your contacts know of your interests, the more they can be of help to you.

Summary: When looking for a job, especially in these tougher economic times, the trick is to cast as wide a net as possible. Start networking today!