I found an interesting discussion thread on TechRepublic surrounding an article by Toni Bowers called Hiring manager: Step away from the Facebook! about a job candidate who was sent a friend request for Facebook from the corporate recruiter with whom they had just interviewed.
I don’t really care one way or another about the recruiter’s motivation. Either they were brilliant and it was a great test to see what the candidate has on their Facebook page, or to see how the candidate would react, or the recruiter was just plain silly. There is general outrage on the article’s thread about how these social networks should remain social. Only a few clear heads touted the "that’s life in the here and now" mantra.
My response was typical:
This is a good opportunity to take advantage of the situation. If this person is that anonymous on social media networks then it’s surprising they got an interview in the first place. Accept the invitation and start a Facebook page that paints you in the best possible light. Ditto with LinkedIn, etc. These sites can be a great addition to your resume if you do it right. It’s just a fact of life that these are the places recruiters go for candidates, right or wrong. So be proactive, take control of your personal brand online, stuff those sites with appropriate keywords, and let the jobs come to you." -CF
Toni Bowers
