Facebook recently unveiled a new feature which will allow businesses to post job listings on their Facebook page. With the new tool, businesses can create a job post on Facebook, track applications, and communicate directly with applicants. Many companies already post jobs to their Facebook pages, and for Facebook, this is a way to keep people on its site while they post and search for jobs.

The new tool, which is available in the US and Canada, will put Facebook in competition with Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and other job-posting sites. Facebook is aiming it at small businesses, which make up a large portion of the social media platform's advertisers. This tool is free, but like other posts, it can be targeted and promoted for a fee. There's also a new "Jobs" bookmark in addition to jobs popping up on your news feed and on the business's own page.

So how should job seekers navigate this new option for submitting applications? If you're going to use Facebook to apply for jobs, keep in mind these best practices so you're presenting yourself in a rosy light to prospective employers.

• Cover and profile photo: First things first, since pictures are worth 1,000 bullet points on your résumé. The cover photo and profile photo should be flattering, appealing, and appropriate, but also true to who you are.
• Profile: At first glance, is your profile clean, polished, and free of profanity? Take a look at your privacy settings and use the "view as" feature to see exactly what you're presenting to the world. You can add a 101-character bio in the intro, and don't forget about the featured photos where you can select up to five photos (that will be public) that highlight your personality.
• Photos and albums: This is another opportunity to become familiar with Facebook's privacy settings — if you have some, uh, slightly less professional photos or albums, there's no need to delete them, simply adjust audience settings.
• What do you "like"? It's time to go through the pages you "like" with a fine-tooth comb. What once resonated with you years ago probably wouldn't even warrant a second glance now, so take care to manage the "pages you like" in the "about" section. They should be appropriate (and age-appropriate) and reflect your actual interests.
• Groups: Here's where networking in the social media age can be fun. Search Facebook for groups that pertain to your industry or interests and hone in on ones your like-minded friends have joined. Just like networking in real life, you could post an ice-breaker question (or post a fascinating industry-related article) to generate some dialogue with members.
• Direct contact: Again with the upside of social networks being actual networks — while it's intimidating to approach human beings IRL, you may be able to bypass the networking jitters by reaching out online to people who can answer questions or foster new introductions.