Potential Employers and MySpace: Use Your Social Networking Site to Gain Employment

Background checks, credit checks, references, and interviews-potential employers certainly utilize these tools when researching you as a candidate for coveted positions at their companies. Most job seekers also know that potential employers do public profile searches on MySpace, the internet's most popular social networking site.

With careful attention, you can use this knowledge to your advantage by using your MySpace as a tool to present a positive view of yourself. It's as simple as using reverse psychology on a child.

Treat your MySpace page as a personal, informal extension of your resume. Ask yourself how you would decorate your new cubicle if you received a job from a potential employer.

Include some benign, non-controversial, generic hobbies that don't relate to your professional life, such as scrapbooking, interior decorating, sports, or working on cars. These hobbies will demonstrate that you have additional skills and interests which make you personable and well-rounded.

Don't include anything that could be held against you. Obviously, inappropriate photos, lewd language, drug or alcohol references, or music with profanity would not attract an employer.

Think also about what to exclude in your MySpace basic information section. For example, if you're a business woman, it might not be prudent to mention that you hope to have children because a potential employer will see that as possible maternity leave. Alternately, if you are applying for preschool teacher positions, you might include information about how you love your children and list some creative activities that you do with your family.

Think carefully about whether to include more than your name and gender-and that means photos, too. Employers cannot use race, age, or religion to discriminate against employment, but on most MySpace pages, users display that information proudly and readily.

If at any point you question whether you should include something, it is best to leave it out.