By now, if you’re going to be on Facebook, you probably already have an account. So we’ll skip the intro stuff.
Let’s talk instead about how Facebook can be useful to you as a law student.
Curating a Useful News Feed with Facebook Pages
As you’re probably aware, many different organizations have Facebook Pages, where they post content, answer questions, and more. As a law student, you can “like” relevant Pages, thereby curating a personal stream of useful information — whether it’s about how to succeed in law school, how to find a job, or just to keep up-to-date on the law or on an industry.
How Can You Figure Out Which Pages to Like?
As with many things, the first step is usually the hardest. You can use Facebook’s built-in search functionality (which, frankly, is pretty bad) to find a starting point — a relevant Page to like. (You can also find links to an organization’s Facebook Page in its website, generally speaking.)
Once you’ve found one Page, finding related pages becomes a lot easier. Why? Because you can see who this Page likes, and see if you’d like to follow them as well.
How? Just scroll down to the “Likes” box and click “See All.” You’ll get something like this, which shows you everyone this Page follows:
Then you can simply select the people or organizations you’d also like to follow.
Should You Create Your Own Page?
Although it’s a bit counterintuitive, there may be advantages to creating your own Facebook Page, even though you’ve already got a personal account. Why?
- Because then your Page can like other Pages! If you’re sensitive about your privacy, this can be a good option.
- Also, you can use Facebook as your Page, which allows you to collect all of your “professional” content in one news feed, making it easier to scroll through. (As in, it won’t be cluttered with photos of your great uncle’s birthday party, or your friend’s new baby.)
If you want a Page, just create one. Think of it as your personal brand! You can add content, or just use it to follow other Pages.
How to Use Your New Facebook Page
Once your Page has been created, you’ll see it in the left-hand toolbar when you log into your personal account:
Click the link to go to your new Page and you can switch your identity, so you’ll be operating as “the Page” rather than as yourself. To do that, look for the “Edit Page” box, which has a link to switch to your Page:
Once you’ve switched identities, you’ll notice the name changes in the upper right corner of the screen, and — if you click the Facebook logo — your news feed will be from organizations and people your Page has liked:
(To “like” a Page as your Page, just switch identities to the Page, and start liking stuff.)
When you want to switch back, go to your Page (by clicking the link in the top left or top right), and reverse the process. When you select “Edit Page” this time, you’ll see a link to switch back to your personal account:
Easy!
Two Final Notes on Facebook
A couple of final points about Facebook:
- Pay attention to privacy issues. It’s no secret that Facebook wants to encourage you to share things more publicly. As a law student and aspiring lawyer, odds are you don’t actually want to share more broadly. So, you’ll want to keep an eye out for news about privacy changes Facebook is making (odds are they’re not going to make your account more private) and lock things down accordingly.
- Don’t “friend” people you don’t know. When you like a Page, you’ll be able to ask questions and get information from the organization or person. That can make you feel like you know the person behind the account, which can lead to you wanting a closer relationship. You know, to be Facebook friends! In general, sending a friend request to someone you follow isn’t the best plan. If you want to reach out, try LinkedIn. You can say in your initial message that you’re a fan on Facebook and would love to connect. Not everyone will say yes, still, but the odds are better than on Facebook, which many people still think of as a way to connect with their real-life friends and loved ones.
More Facebook Resources
Want to connect with us on Facebook?
Some other useful stuff:
- How To Job Search on Facebook (GlassDoor)
Looking for more social media strategies?
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