Facebook – useful for procrastinating during finals but potentially harmful for those seeking jobs after graduation.

Facebook is infamous for being a networking service for students but it is also possible for employers to view members’ profiles.

“The online community is only intended for use by those with a University e-mail address, but recruiting employers often use recent alumni to assist in their employee searches,” Grady College career consultants Marian Wells Higgins and Tracey Dowling wrote in an e-mail. Facebook accounts with alumni status can easily access potential employees’ profiles and report unprofessional material to hiring managers, they said.

“University faculty look at Facebook profiles before writing student recommendations,” said Terry career consultant Nicole Lechene in an e-mail.

She warns her students that their profiles as well as what others post about them could inhibit their career searches.

Over 1,000 University students have joined the group “Class Gets in the Way of College.” Nearly as many joined “George W Bush Is a Tool.” Taken out of context, these assertions could lead to a negative first impression and offend a potential employer.

“Using Facebook as a method of background-checking is certainly not what Facebook was designed to be used for,” said Facebook spokesperson Chris Hughes, “but there’s not much we can do about it.”

Any Facebook user can view profiles unless privacy preferences are set.

If users do not want others to see their profile, all they have to do is go to the “My Privacy” section and change their settings.

“Users have complete control over who can see what,” Hughes said.

Potential University employees don’t have to be concerned about Facebook when applying for a job.

“As far as UGA’s policy is concerned, if we do background checks we go through legal agencies for criminal background,” said Associate Director of Human Resources Sige Burden. “Any other kind of checks we use resumes, references or contact the person’s last place of employment. We don’t use Web sites.”

- Contributing: Natalie Turner