So you're desperate for a job, eh? Maybe you have a job, but it's a job that you absolutely, positively hate, and you're wanting something else. Perhaps your parents have asked you way too many times to move out of the basement. Maybe your parents don't know you're in the basement, and it's getting much too risky to stay there. Don't worry. We get it.

In that case, welcome to the modern age of career networking! It's a wonderful world where you can find a white collar job in the same place you'll find Grumpy Cat - that is, the Internet. In fact, you can actually use Facebook to find a job. Check out some of our tips below.

Ask Your Friends

use facebook to find a job

I originally didn't know if I should include this because it is so obvious, but my friends, you are using a social network. The first thing you should be doing on Facebook is interacting with people! There's no shame in posting a simple, polite, professional status asking if anyone knows of a place that is hiring. You may even want to be a more specific about your prospects and ask if anyone knows of an open position in your field of expertise.

Chances are that at least one person knows about a potential job opportunity. Even better, you may have someone ask for an interview right then and there!

Clean Up Your Profile

find a job on facebook

Moving right along, do yourself a favor and clean up your profile before you go out looking for a career. I actually say this not for the usual reason of "potential employers are going to check". If you're using Facebook as a means to find a job, this means everyone who knows you are looking for a job is going to look at your profile. Sure, it's one thing if the head of a company looks at your profile, but what about other employees of the company?

It would be awful to get a bad recommendation from someone just because of what they saw on your profile. Even if you have certain features set to where only your friends can see them, it's possible that even people who you are already connected to will be forwarding information to your desired workplace. Don't get too paranoid, though. Let your Facebook profile still represent who you are.

For an easier way to clean up your profile, take a look at Reppler. Alternatively, if you want to learn a few new ways to adjust your Facebook privacy settings, take a look at our Facebook privacy guide.

Update On The Go

find a job on facebook

One of the perks of Facebook is its mobile app. Why? It allows for you to instantly update your information wherever you are. Rather than posting pictures of your lunch or corny jokes you just heard as your status, you could easily be using the mobile app to your professional advantage.

If you are currently doing freelance design but are looking for something a bit more stable, post pictures of your latest work as it is presented in the real world. Are you a writer in need of another paycheck? Link people to your articles as soon as they are published. With the Facebook app, you can update your profile wherever you are so future employers never see outdated information.

find a job on facebook

If you're like me, you might be picky about where you work. (Note to my editors: I love you all.)  If you use Graph Search, you might be able to find connections in your various networks that are tied to companies that you desire to work at. For instance, you could search for "friends who work at MakeUseOf", and you'll be able to see every single person on your friends list who works there.

This could easily be a way to get your foot in the door or build connections. However, I wouldn't recommend messaging anyone that you do not know that well. Doing that would likely prevent you from getting in where you want to be.

Scour The Facebook Marketplace & Use Social Jobs

socialjobs

Facebook's Marketplace is much more than a place to sell your secondhand underwear. It's a place to actually find jobs, too! The details for each opportunity are thorough, clean, and easy-to-understand. Furthermore, they will link you to the proper job applications. Consider the Marketplace to be Classified Ads 3.0. (Craigslist is the 2.0 version - also, if you have to explain a joke, it's probably not very funny. Sorry.)

Similarly, Facebook offers a little app called Social Jobs [Broken URL Removed] that connects you to open positions wherever you are. It's a powerful tool that lets you search for what you want, and then - more often than not - it finds what you want. Go ahead. Try it out.

Participate In Discussions

use facebook to find a job

Another way to show that you are qualified for your dream job is by showing your intelligence, knowledge, and passion through discussion. If your choice of company has a public Facebook page which posts prompts for topics or open-ended questions, take advantage of that opportunity! Don't look pretentious, but don't be afraid to show your expertise either.

By interacting with a company on this front, you can build a connection with its employees and management. Even here at MakeUseOf we know who are regular commenters are. That just goes to show you how connected the world currently is.

Conclusion

Above are just a few tips that I recommend for trying to use Facebook to find a job. Other ideas may be to list your LinkedIn profile, website URL, and email address on your About Me. Just a thought.

What other ways have you used to find Facebook to find a job? Have you used any of the methods listed above?

Image Credits: Karen Eliot, Daniel Morristwicepix, Moyan_Brenn