SOCIAL MEDIA CAN KILL YOUR CAREER

(CareerBuilder.com Social media have become the norm, both as a part of everyday life and as a part of your success or failure during your job search. You hear all the time about how to use social media in your job search or about social media as one of the many ways you can get fired -- or not hired. Usually when we talk about social media in terms of getting fired or losing your chance to get hired, it's in the context of your digital footprint: not posting inappropriate photos, racial slurs or nasty comments about your boss and colleagues, for example. But now there's a new piece of the puzzle to consider: If an employer sees that you're overly active on social media, your professional commitment might be questioned. Here are six tips to avoid social media overkill and manage your online presence effectively:

Add to the conversation
"Use LinkedIn to post your resume online. Contribute to industry and occupation-specific discussions," Neece says.

Have more than one account
Have two social media accounts, Sperber says. "One that is geared toward your desired industry so employers can see that you're attempting to be active and another one for personal use." Be sure to protect your profiles so they aren't accessible to the public.

Score face time
"Use online resources to get face-to-face or voice-to-voice with another person. Each of us is most memorable and most influential in person," Neece says.

Just say no
If your social media profiles are protected and a potential employer requests to follow you, don't feel obligated to accept, Sperber says. "That's what your other 'professional' account is for."

Stay positive
"Don't badmouth any of the companies that you're applying to, especially if you feel the interview didn't go well," Sperber says. If qyou put something on the Internet, it's out there for anyone to see.

Keep things to yourself
Don't publicize that you're going to an interview or just finished an interview at a company. Some companies do not like to have their recruiting process -- or that they're even having one -- publicized, Sperber says.

Topic: As a boss, have you ever not hired someone because of what you saw on their Facebook page? Topic: A lot of high security/government jobs are now asking for Facebook passwords as a prerequisite to being hired. Would you allow a potential employer to have your password? Topic: Do you regret having something on your Facebook page because it may have prevented you from being hired?