My former internship employer just friended me on Facebook MONTHS after my internship. Should I be reading into this in anyway (aka are they maybe thinking about me for a job?) and even though I worked in a very casual environment, should I make anything on my Facebook private, even if it’s already pretty safe from anything too incriminating?
Our minds have the tendency to jump to the outcome of things very quickly, so it is no surprise that you are questioning why this person has contacted you. Get clear on what you thought of the internship and whether this is a company you want to work for. In this economy it’s easy to be desperate, but it’s more important to be authentic. They may be building a relationship with you for networking purposes or they may be considering you for a potential job opportunity. There is no way to know that so it’s best to be yourself and let the best aspects of your personality shine on your Facebook page.
It’s true that employers do look at your Facebook page to get a sense of what kind of person you are and to see how responsibly you conduct yourself in your private life. The company may be casual, but you should be cautious about what you display on your page. Pictures or any other references that involve partying or interests that may seem extreme in the workplace should be removed from your site if you are friending potential employers. By friending them you have made your Facebook profile more of a networking tool so presenting yourself as you would at a work event is the safest bet.