Is Facebook the Fast Lane to a New Job?

In case you weren't already aware of LinkedIn's power as a professional networking tool, the company's spectacular May IPO cemented its reputation as a powerhouse in the space. Recruiters and job seekers alike include LinkedIn in their toolkits when searching for candidates and opportunities, respectively.

But what about the biggest social-networking tool of them all: Facebook? According to a Wall Street Journal article, talent-acquisition pros are looking in increasing numbers to Facebook for potential candidates to approach, eschewing both LinkedIn and traditional job boards, such as Monster.

Take Waste Management Inc. of Houston, which told WSJ reporter Joe Light that most of its social-media traffic comes from Facebook, beating out LinkedIn. "The Houston-based environmental services company is currently trying to fill 1,500 positions--from software developers to garbage truck drivers," Light reports. "In addition to posting jobs and videos of current employees on its Facebook page, the company has recruiters and other employees find user groups and join discussions."

Whether you want to leverage Facebook as a professional networking tool or keep your work and private lives separate (as a LinkedIn representative counters in the Journal story), it's imperative that you assert command over your online presence. That means knowing what's on the Web about you, and where.

Here's a package of pointers my team pulled together on cleaning up your Web trail, deciding what to make available to professional contacts and what to leave private, and checking up on your own reputation online.

Bottom line: Facebook will be at the top of most Americans' social-media list for the foreseeable future -- and that includes the people who'll approach you for your next job. Harnessing its networking power can render significant benefits to the savvy job seeker.