Job hunting is a subtle sport. Candidates need to carefully control the image they’re projecting at all times. Of course you know that posting Facebook photos of yourself partying isn’t a great idea, but that’s only the broadest example. I urge you to be a bit circumspect about your use of other social media, like Twitter or LinkedIn.

Candidates, in their eagerness to show they’re adept at social media or in their quest for either camaraderie or fame, can easily overdo their social media presence. When I see people tweeting sadly about looking for “the light at the end of this dark tunnel,” or that they’re “sitting on their deck, watching the grass grow while everyone’s working,” I feel sorry for them but I wouldn’t really want to hire them, would you? A candidate who uses LinkedIn to let us all know that he's “interviewing tomorrow – wish me luck” repeatedly over the course of several months, is simply pointing out that he hasn’t yet gotten hired. And, possibly worst of all is the candidate who tweets out nuggets of self-help inspirations (“the greatest crime in the world is not developing your potential”) every hour (every SINGLE hour) – she just sounds like a nut.

Go easy. Every single time you post something, you’re contributing to your professional reputation. Make sure your posts reflect the polished, capable person you are.