As of the First Quarter in 2013, Facebook has 1.11 billion users and is by far the largest social media platform. Since 2004, there has proven to be many advantages for its use, but can job searching be one of them? Absolutely. Although LinkedIn is considered to be the “grown up” at the social media table (due to its professional nature), jobseekers haven’t really considered Facebook to be a viable jobhunt method. But that mentality is shifting. So what does an optimized profile look like on a traditionally non-professional channel? And how can you utilize Facebook in your job search? Here are some quick tips:

1. First, take a good look at your profile. I’d suggest choosing a simple headshot for your profile picture and cleaning up any questionable posts. If your profile needs a thorough scrubbing, step aside some time to reread your feed and hide inappropriate updates or use an app like SimpleWash (aka FaceWash), which will search your updates and likes by keywords. Use the first 140 characters in the “About” section to describe who you are professionally and promote your core abilities. Use targeted, industry-based keywords as a headline that draws positive attention. Of course, you need make sure that your “About” section is visible to the public.

2. “Like” employers, and friend or follow leaders in your industry. Employers use Facebook not only to promote their product or service, but to showcase available positions (with apps like the Careers Tab by SmartRecruiters). Look on their page for an app that says “Careers” or “Now Hiring.” There has also been an increase in recruiters using Facebook to find talent. Get the newsfeeds of companies you want to work for and subscribe to the content of industry leaders you are interested in. You’re more likely to receive information on job openings sooner as well as being current on topics and issues.

3. Use #hashtags. Hashtags? Yes. In case you haven’t heard, Facebook officially jumped on the hashtag bandwagon earlier this month. A hashtag is a hash mark (#) used to identify a keyword or topic of interest to facilitate a search. This is an effective research technique that can open up new resources, users, companies, apps, etc. you may not have otherwise known about. Combining this feature with Facebook’s revamped Graph Search definitely creates a powerful tool. General hashtags can include #jobsearch, #hiring, #careers, #helpwanted, etc. Or use industry-based hashtags as well.

4. Research apps. Go to the Facebook App Center and click “All Apps” from the drop-down. If you search “career”, “jobhunt” or “jobs”, an auto-populated list appears. However, be cautious with apps. Two key things I look for are the number of monthly users and its rating. As with any app, it will request access to parts (or all) of your profile. There are lots of good apps, and 3 of my favorite Facebook jobseeker apps are Glassdoor, BranchOut, & BeKnown.*

Your Facebook profile can either work for you or against you. It can give a positive snapshot of your best skills or be a detriment to your employability. It all depends on your content. Knowing that 1 out of 3 employers reject applicants based on Facebook posts, it’s always good to have a “Think twice, post once” mentality.

David Nicola (@Capt_Careerist) has over 15 years of experience in the Human Services field. He currently serves as the Career Services Director at Laurus College, providing jobsearch information and resources to college students of all ages.

*SmartRecruiters, the hiring platform, partners with GlassDoor & Monster (maker of BeKnown). BranchOut, like SmartRecruiters, received venture capital from the Mayfield Fund.

One of the first things that stand out is the LinkedIn profile picture. Leaving your profile photo blank is not a good idea. According to LinkedIn, your profile is 7 times more likely to be viewed if you have a photo. What kind of photo? A simple head shot will do – but make it professional, not personal. There’s no need for a goofy pic of you with your pet, OR you on the hood of your 1982 Pontiac Trans Am OR making kissy faces in front of your bathroom mirror. Remember this is a professional photo. Don’t follow in these folks:

2. Contact Info and URL

How can folks get in touch with you if you don’t give them basic contact info? LinkedIn has several options to choose from. Users can list their email address, IM, physical address and contact number as well as up to 3 websites including a direct Twitter profile link. I’d also recommend taking advantage of the personalized URL option. Make it as colloquial and visually friendly to the business card as possible (example right). Instead of being stuck with the generic user ID number, customize the URL by simply making it your name such as linkedin.com/in/davidnicola.

To do this, you must first be in “edit mode.” Click on “edit” next to your existing LinkedIn link in the contact section.

On the right hand side of the next page, click on “Customize your public profile URL.” Doing so will open a new small window to edit your direct link. Lop off the existing user numbers and click “Set Custom URL”. Once saved, you can now cut and paste this link into your resume, making it convenient for potential employers to learn more information about you.

3. Skills

LinkedIn has a very large auto-fill library of skills to choose from. This section allows up to 50, but don’t think you need to have 50. Identify and target your core set of skills to best fit your industry and/or experience. When thinking about your proficient traits, consider different skill categories:

Hard Skills – These are the types of specific skills you’ve acquired that are industry-based and can be taught, learned or trained. They represent the minimum amount of essential abilities needed to successfully function in a job. These are often the first set of identifiers that employers use to screen candidates.

Soft Skills – These describe your professional set of core values and interpersonal abilities. They can include characteristics such as honesty, integrity, flexibility, positive attitude, creativity and most importantly, communication – both written and verbal. If a skill you have is not listed on LinkedIn, you can always add it yourself.

Lastly, I believe LinkedIn should not replace your resume but can rather act as a supplement to it, providing an online resource of your skills and experience. There are other profile sections to explore and complete if you choose to do so (Summary, Experience, Education, Volunteer Work, Honors & Awards, etc.). And with anything else, the more time spent learning LinkedIn, the more comfortable you’ll be navigating its other features.

Happy exploring!

David Nicola has over 15 years of experience in various Human Services fields. He currently serves as the Career Services Director at Laurus College. You can also follow him on Twitter and connect on Google+. 

SmartRecruiters is the hiring platform, everything you need to source talent, manage candidates and make the right hires.