A lot of job seekers today are using social media to help in their search. But have you ever considered the pros and cons of social media job searching?

While it’s true that the pros outweigh the cons in most situations, it’s still important to look at both sides and decide whether or not you should be using social media as a job searching tool. At the very least, considering the points below will help you avoid potential pitfalls while job searching on social media sites.

Pros of social media job searching:

• You have access to millions of employers. There are tons of companies using social media these days, and that’s not even counting all of the friends in your online network who may be able to recommend you for a position.
• You can easily connect with companies you want to work for. It’s easy to find companies you like, or their employees, and connect with them by liking them or friending them on Facebook, following them on Twitter, connecting with them on LinkedIn, or adding them to your circles on Google+.
• You can easily engage with the people you want to work for. Once you’re connected, you can spend your time engaging with the companies you want to work for – whether through mentions or direct messages on Twitter, InMail on LinkedIn, or comments on Facebook or Google+ – which is a great chance to show off your skills and your intelligence.
• You can showcase yourself. Some sites, such as LinkedIn and apps on Facebook, let you show off your education, skills, work history, and praise – all of which can help you get noticed by potential employers.

Cons of social media job searching:

• You have to monitor what you say on your social networks. That’s because certain things – such as complaints about your job, political views, or inappropriate language – can be offputting to a potential employer. Essentially, you shouldn’t say anything on social media that you wouldn’t want your mother or grandmother to read.
• You have to be careful who you’re friends with. You know what I’m talking about here. We all have that one friend who acts obnoxious on social media – adding inappropriate comments to your posts, tagging you in pictures you don’t want everyone to see, and generally making you look bad. You don’t want to be friends with anyone who could paint you in a bad light to a potential employer.
• You have to be private in a somewhat public space. This is only a concern if you currently have a job and are trying to be low-key about the fact that you’re thinking about leaving. While you’re social media privacy settings may help a little, any comments on other company’s posts are probably public, which could end up getting you in trouble.
• Not everyone is on social media yet. It’s true that most big companies, as well as most savvy small companies, are using social media in this day and age. However, there are still plenty of companies that don’t know how to use social media properly or worse, don’t use it at all. That means there’s a small chance you might not even be able to connect with the people you want to online.

Writer and content creator specializing in everything from ATS and job hunting to social media and tech.