Identification

• Facebook can cost you a job interview, especially if you have embarrassing pictures of yourself online, such as of you getting drunk at a bar. An employer may also pass you over for a promotion in the future because of a provocative Facebook page. In the 2009 CareerBuilder survey, Facebook was the most widely researched social media site and 35 percent of employers said they did not hire a candidate because of information or pictures on the applicant's profile. The most commonly cited reasons for not hiring an applicant because of Facebook include inappropriate photos, posts related to drugs and alcohol or insulting previous coworkers and employers.
  
  

Benefits

• You may be able to improve your chances at obtaining a job interview by interacting with a company's presence on Facebook. Sean Gregory of Time magazine suggests liking a company on Facebook. You can also review the company's Facebook page to determine the hierarchy of company executives and become knowledgeable about the company's recent successes. If you have a professional-looking professional, the company may feel your Facebook presence supports your qualifications.
  
  

Damage Control

• Before you apply for a job, review photos on your Facebook page for anything that might appear controversial. As a rule of thumb, if you wouldn't want your parents to see it, take it down. If you have a grudge against or anyone or a company, do not post about it. Review everyone on your friends list because the employer may make informal decisions about the people with whom you associate, especially if a person on your friends list is a known criminal. Consider blocking comments on your page or making your profile private. If you are currently employed, do not talk about your job search, because you current employer may assume you are ready to quit or potential employer might consider this an insult to your former employer.
  
  

Tip

• Do not add the interviewer as a friend on Facebook, even when you feel a strong connection after a meeting. Adding someone on Facebook forces yourself into his social circle and might make you appear needy. If you appear high-maintenance before becoming an employee, the employer may not want someone around like that in the workplace. Instead, follow the interviewer on Twitter or any other information in the public sphere, such as a newspaper.