How the lack of facebook might affect your employability

tentai · 10-12-2009, 06:15 PM

I heard that it's very important to have friends at Uni so that they'll make reference so u can have a job. If u don't make friends is does ur chance decrease substantially of getting a job, even at U of M?...or is there enough alumni base that would be willing to hire u just because u graduated from the same school?

Also if your would-be-employer searches ur name on Facebook n sees that u don't have one, would he/she think 'this person must not like to socialize, I don't want to hire boring people, let's not pick this person'

...or do they think 'this person must be very special not wasting time on Facebook' and so not having a Facebook could be a plus?

Japher · 10-13-2009, 10:46 AM

Facebook has been known to get people in trouble. Someone without a Facebook page, like myself, just send a message that we enjoy our personal life enough that a) we don't need to talk about it all the time, b) recognize that it's personal and keep it that way, and c) know that we have some friends that can do some stupid things now and again and don't want their antics to jeopardize my career stability.

With that said, get a LinkedIN account. It's more professional and keeps you and your friends from incriminating yourself. LinkIN with your friends.

TheDad · 10-13-2009, 06:14 PM

I don't think not having a Facebook account would pose a problem but not spelling out "you" or "your" in even a semi-professional context, such as asking for advice in an on-line forum, might get you dismissed from being considered serious. Cf., not wearing flip-flops and shorts to a job interview. Context is everything.

Treetopleaf · 10-13-2009, 06:15 PM

You can have a facebook and prevent people from finding you via search. So not being able to find a 'stranger' on facebook does not mean that person does not have a Facebook.

fyl · 10-13-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDad

I don't think not having a Facebook account would pose a problem but not spelling out "you" or "your" in even a semi-professional context, such as asking for advice in an on-line forum, might get you dismissed from being considered serious. Cf., not wearing flip-flops and shorts to a job interview. Context is everything.

>implying internet forums are semi-professional

laughingelfman.jpg

u ur u ur u ur u ur u ur u ur u ur u ur u ur u ur u ur u ur

BCEagle91 · 10-14-2009, 10:30 AM

You're in an interview and the interviewer asks you if you have a Facebook account. You say yes. Then the interviewer asks to take a look at the account. What do you do?

tentai · 10-14-2009, 10:32 AM

^does that actually happen at interviews?

sax · 10-14-2009, 10:53 AM

It could be beneficial to set up a separate professional facebook account that is more like a resume. Certainly solves the problem.

BCEagle91 · 10-14-2009, 11:13 AM

> does that actually happen at interviews?

I read about this in an article about interviewing in jobs.

tentai · 10-14-2009, 11:24 AM

In the Original Post I meant UMich by U of M.

tenebrousfire · 10-14-2009, 11:26 AM

i know some firms have alumni probe facebook profiles of the people they can see (my cousin used to do this for a certain top-tier bank to prepare for interviewing)

you can have multiple facebook accounts, sure - but if you're making one that's like a resume, why not just create a linkedin? saves all your friends a headache with tagging, too

TheDad · 10-14-2009, 09:48 PM

Well, fyl, if CC isn't at least a semi-professional venue for getting advice, then there's no point in paying attention to any of it, is there? In essence, students *are* asking for professional advice. Now, they could do that in a corner bar, I suppose, but the average quality of information is a lot higher here.

But to each their own. And may you find what you deserve according to your style.