Three tips to help you avoid making online social networking mistakes

When I first grasped the concept of networking to help my career, the gods of technology threw a wrench in my best laid plans by coming out with something called LinkedIn, and Facebook followed a mere ten months later. So just as I was honing my in-person networking techniques, I had to start learning how to use online social networks to my advantage in my job search.

To be completely honest with you, I haven’t totally mastered the art of online social networking, but if there’s one area that I would consider myself a consummate expert in the online social networking world, it would be in making mistakes.

I started out by signing up for both of the aforementioned sites and assuming that I would be connected to a network of thousands of people within a matter of days (that’s actually possible—you just have to have the right friends). I further assumed that the majority of those in my network (which in a matter of days had blossomed to a healthy 8 individuals) would be a strong source for job leads. And while that has turned out to be somewhat true, I thwarted many of my initial attempts to develop good job leads through online social networking by making a good number of beginner’s mistakes.

Just as you can open yourself up to a world of career possibilities through online social networking, you can also close the door to many if you fall prey to the many opportunities for social networking faux pas. As a goodhearted, experienced, moderate-to-expert online social networker, I offer you the following three tips to help you make your way through the wonderful world of online social networking and employ it as a job seeking tool:

• Learn and understand site rules and online culture. Just like most social venues have different rules for approaching individuals, social networking sites have their own set of customs and rules. Before you jump in and contact the friends of your friends who work in the positions of influence at the companies for which you want to work, get to know the site's culture. Emailing or instant messaging anyone beyond one degree of separation might work well on one social networking site, but may be unacceptable at another.

• Keep your profile up to date and professional. If you don’t keep your profile up to date and targeted towards the industry and position in which you want to work, the chances that you will make the connections you need to position yourself for that coveted job are slim to none. And because social networking spots devoted to fun over work can also lead to career connections, you need to make sure your profile doesn't include anything you wouldn't want a would-be boss to see. Tailor your profiles to what you would want your potential employer to see, because, potential employers may find your online profile and make judgment calls based on what they find.

• Be persistent, but not pushy. Remember that the main difference between online and in person social networking is the venue. Being pushy in person turns off prospective contacts and can damage your reputation. In an online social networking setting, the same applies. Be sensitive to the networks of your peers and don’t be overly aggressive or annoying as you try to 'get in' with someone's network.