Social networking sites like Friendster provide young web users with a venue for self-expression and social interaction. The site’s influence among today’s web users can be seen in its inclusion among the Top 20 Most popular sites in the Philippines.

Originally envisioned by its creator, Jonathan Abrams, as an online dating service that mimics how introductions to potential dates are done: by being referred to each other by mutual friends. The process involves creating a profile – answering several questions such as basic information (gender, location, etc.) and personality indicators (favorite movies, favorite books, interests, etc.) and adding “Friends” or profiles of people you know to your “Friends List.” You can then view their profiles and that of their friends in your extended network.

However, as with other public spaces on the Internet, there is no way to guarantee that the persons viewing your profile are the persons you want to see it.

Jobseeker Marie shares her experience: “I was looking forward to working with this company. I reached the second interview – the one with the hiring manager – and everything seemed fine. Then, I didn't receive any call to come back for the final interview. My friend in the company said it might be because the hiring manager saw some stuff on my Friendster profile that turned her off. Should companies spy on future employees on Friendster? Isn't that supposed to be just for social networking and not to be mixed with our professional lives?”

In this week’s Career Coach discussions, our experts caution jobseekers on what information they make available in their online profiles.

“Reconsider what is in your Friendster account,” says Bong Austero of PNB. “You have to remove the stuff that you don't want your parents to see, or those that imply you consider work as evil. It is not called "spying" because Friendster accounts, like blogs, are not private – they are public spaces. Anyone can have access to them and use the data for their own purposes. There is no such thing as separation between "personal" and "professional" anymore.”

“It is still the prerogative of the hiring manager to conduct reference and background checks on the applicant in whatever means or ways that is available and accessible,” says Beth Miranda of Sandstone Technology. “Browsing through the Friendster’s member profile is okay as long as it matches the preliminary attitudinal evaluation on the applicant’s character because I think anyone reading those profiles should not automatically believe on what he or she was reading. Unless he or she personally met the person – it is like the profile only validates the preliminary evaluation on the person’s character or if the person fits the company culture and environment.”

Jobseekers, always remember that the impression your Friendster profile generates depends on the context of the viewer’s relationship with you. A picture of you looking intoxicated in a party may seem cool to a friend but irresponsible to a potential employer. Minimize the chances of that happening by removing content which you would not want any potential employer from accessing.