Face Time on Facebook

Tweet

I don't know what is going on and this is just one woman's story. But in recent weeks, it seems everyone and their brother is contacting me via Facebook. I've heard from old childhood friends and long lost colleagues that I haven't seen or worked with in ten years. It's wonderful to reconnect with both, of course!

That being said...

Confession: I set up a Facebook account well over a year ago and until recently virtually ignored it.

I also have a LinkedIn account, as well.

I personally like to do my online professional networking through LinkedIn and my personal life networking through Facebook.

While LinkedIn doesn't really lend itself to auld lang syne moments with long lost college friends, Facebook does. Facebook also lends itself to professional networking, as well.

This puts me in a squirmy spot. I really don't want to mix the two worlds. Maybe it's a generational thing. I earned my corporate stripes in a more button-downed era when you didn't mix resumes and recipes together.

There is a real danger, I think, of giving TMI (too much information) to business colleagues. Facebook is increasingly designed to address two very different audiences. Sure, I love sharing with old friends what I'm currently reading, my favorite hobbies, goofy pictures of myself. But, it doesn't feel very professional when I think of .. oh say.. you looking at it (and now you surely will.. oh well!).

I would offer a word of caution to think about who might look at your Facebook page before you post (like your boss, or someone interviewing you for a job, or a client, etc.).

Other reporters love to write stories about Facebook versus LinkedIn, as if one will kill off the other. I don't think that's the case. I think there's a case for both and I believe I've made it today.

By the way, I like long walks on the beach, golf, historical fiction and Lenny Kravitz turned way up high when I'm in a good mood.

Right now, Renee is blogging for Inc Mag's technology resource center in her pajamas.

Did you really need to know that? Didn't think so.

Renee Oricchio

Renee Oricchio is a technology writer and former supervising news producer for CNN Financial News. She has been covering the computer industry since 1987.