What’s Facebook?” He didn’t just say that did he? Oh yes, he did. Can you believe there are some people out there who still haven’t heard about Facebook? Unless you’ve been living in a social vacuum without access to the Internet, chances are you know the social media site well and probably have your own account to show for it. But did you know that social media sites are fast becoming the way to make new contacts and network these days?

Some enterprising individuals are already using the likes of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Bebo not just to track down old friends and say “Hi” to new ones, but to showcase their talents to potential employers, organisations and anyone else that might be able to help them get a leg up on the career ladder. This is particularly true for journalists, who have appeared to hijack Twitter for their own source-sniffing, news-gathering, audience-recruiting needs. Twitter is swarming with news hacks and media organisations from newspaper editors to correspondents based around the world. Pretty much anyone who understands the value of engaging with the public and with his/her peers is on the social networking site.

With the advent of the Internet country borders are no longer what they used to be; where else can you travel the globe freely without a passport or visa but online? In the past, having an impressive address book was a vital networking element and, it still is, but we no longer need to wait on mummy and daddy or the neighbour’s son’s best-man to get the ball rolling. Of course, knowing how to look is as important as knowing where to look, but the Web’s potential as a personal address/contacts book should not be underestimated.

Thanks to the Internet, networking is no longer necessarily about wining and dining people (or the reverse) in a bid to carry out your personal PR crusade. Instead, all that’s needed is a computer, an internet connection and an element of shameless self-marketing. Don’t see yourself indulging in such behaviour? Scared to blow your own trumpet? Think of it this way: there’s always a computer screen to hide behind. It’s a luxury, but one that has become the norm as doing things on the Web allows for a sense of anonymity and protection that perhaps makes the thought of virtual rejection easier to handle than in the “real” world.

Think of your social media account(s) as your virtual CV. If you’re up to something interesting then let your contacts know. When you achieve something, whether in the work place or academically, make sure you mention it and don’t forget to add any links to other sites or upload any photographs or documents as proof. Even recreational activities – such as paragliding or a weekend’s cookery course – can make you come across as an appealing and interesting individual and – who knows? – you may even catch the eye of a would-be employer who shares similar interests!

We all know the value of marketing in the traditional sense, but increasingly, self-promotion is becoming an essential career booster and the Internet is the easiest way to go about doing this. Imagine you’re up for a job say, as a fashion designer; it’s down to you and one other candidate and, on paper and in person, you’re both equally as good as each other. Who would get the job? Now imagine you are that aspiring fashion designer with a difference – either you have a Facebook account with details of all the fashion-related work you have engaged in, or better still, your own site – this would all speak volumes on your behalf, especially if you were able to demonstrate that you already had a strong following of fans on Facebook or Twitter. The job would be yours for the taking. Of course, this is simplifying matters, besides, I guess anyone going for a fashion post would have a portfolio of designs and other material to do the showcasing for them, but you get the idea.

Branding yourself in the digital world is about figuring out who you want to be and how you want to come across to others. It’s about establishing a sense of identity and using this to improve your professional prospects in what is an extremely competitive marketplace. The future of networking is already online. Are you?

A Running in Heels guide to online social etiquette for professionals

1. If you already have a Facebook account which chronicles your escapades and other misdemeanours, you may wish to think twice about mixing business with pleasure. If so, set yourself up with a new account and make it strictly-work related.

2. Choose your brand name – remember you are the most unique brand there is, feel free to use your own name, but whatever you decide on, stick to it. Facebook, for instance, is now offering users a chance to use their usernames in the web address for their account making it easier to find and connect with people. But you’ll have to hurry – unique names are on a first-come-first-served basis and journalists were among the first to get their mitts on them! Luckily for me, there isn’t much demand for @SorayaKishtwari on Facebook, Twitter or anywhere else for that matter – see what I did there?

3. Choose your contacts carefully. If you do decide to accept friends and/or family on your contacts list, make sure they understand the purpose of your account.

4. Your professional social media account is a way to showcase your talents. Exploit this avenue as much as you can.

5. Always be polite. Remember: although there is a tendency to cutback on formalities when talking to others via the Web and you may well find yourself engaging in some witty banter with a potential employer, you are not talking to a friend. Keep it clean.

6. Watch what you say. Like 5, resist the urge to get carried away, especially when the temptation to criticise another becomes too strong. Once it’s out there it’s very difficult to take back and could well come back to haunt you years later. That goes for being too overly positive too, say, about one particular company. If an appealing job comes up elsewhere you may have blown your chances.

7. For those of you using social networking in your current professional capacity, ask your boss to follow you on these sites, if you haven’t done so already. That way, you’re covering your tracks by making sure there’s as much accountability as possible. Your bosses will thank you later.