Facebook: The Untapped Job Board

Most of what you hear about Facebook while looking for a job involves keeping your information as private as possible from potential employers.  While this is good advice, Facebook can also be a valuable tool in your job search, as many smaller companies post their job ads on their Facebook pages.

If you are looking for work at a smaller local company, “liking” their Facebook page can often be a great place to start.  Open jobs are sometimes posted there before they make it onto the company’s regular Web site.  Additionally, Facebook sites will often include pictures from previous events the company has held.  Viewing these gives you a sense of the corporate culture at the organization.  Are the people wearing suits or are they dressed in business casual?  Are the upper level managers all in their 60s, or is there room for someone younger to move up through the ranks?

Provided (again) that your Facebook profile is work appropriate, you can also use a business’s Facebook page to get your name in front of them.  Just as you might use LinkedIn to send a relevant article to a specific contact, you can post a link on the Facebook page of a company if you think fans of that company might be interested.  If the company posts its community events on Facebook, it may offer you the opportunity to show up at one and meet someone face to face.  You may also find that some of your other Facebook friends are fans of a company, and who knows, maybe they personally know someone who works there.

Many people feel uncomfortable using Facebook in a professional context, and it’s OK if you’re one of them.  However, with many businesses creating their own pages on the site, it’s worth at least investigating whether the company has any information that you can use when sending them your resume.