Java Programmer

Facebook updates profile page with 'snapshot' and LinkedIn-style features

Facebook has just begun rolling out an update to the Facebook profile page, its main focal point for finding more information, photos and commenting on the walls of your friends. Your profile now features a 'snapshot' of your life right at the top of the page, essentially summarizing key details with two lines of bullet points and a string of five photos. The bullet point descriptors are taken from your profile information and feature your current relationship status, your place of education, your home town, date of birth and current job -- in essence, all the information that Facebook thinks is required to define you in one quick glance. The string of photos are pulled from recently tagged photos, but you can click a little 'X' to hide an image from your profile page -- phew!

If you happen to have very few pieces of information in your profile, the snapshot can be a little lacking, but that's not the only thing Facebook has put some work into. The Education and Work section of your profile has also been beefed up, taking on a much more LinkedIn-style of job titles, recent projects, colleagues you worked with and so forth. You can add more of your work or education history as well, documenting your learned skills and featuring certain achievements. With employers using Facebook to vet potential job candidates, perhaps it could be helpful to get your skills up there to counteract the hideous drunken photos from your mate's stag party last year.

Of course it's not all work, work, work on Facebook -- the other information features of your profile also having been given a make over, with 'experiences' being the buzz word and pictures featuring heavily. Under 'Arts and Entertainment' you can choose to feature artists, books, TV programs and films that you particularly like in an album art-type display, with each item taking you to a fan page for that film, program, artist or book. Activities and Sports also got a major overhaul, becoming a much bigger part of your profile in a similar way to your work information. You can choose to feature certain activities you're interested in or sports you play, add a little description and tag people who you play with. Drag-and-drop organization has also been implemented, which means you can order your featured interests according to your preferences. Now you can show you're a die-hard supporter of your local third division football team.