Facebook for OT - another Social Networking opportunity?

I'm sitting at my computer trying to write a presentation for a conference later this week but struggling to keep focused. Why? Its because I've been introduced to another social-networking site - this time its [facebook](http://facebook.com). I figured that instead of wasting work time on it I would turn it into a reflective piece for meta-ot - so enjoy!

Now I had heard of it for ages - but largely I thought that the majority of contributors were students and I simply figured it was another myspace - full of unending tedious messages from friend to friend and random media that would have no interest in anyone other than the intended audience*. But recently I was introduced by an old school friend and on a bored Saturday afternoon I signed up. For about a week I became obsessed - I have had the amazing pleasure of "bumping" into old friends and stalking old workmates. Put simply its what [friends reunited](http://friendsreunited.co.uk) was meant to be. So then why am I writing about it on this site? Well typing in "occupational therapy" brings up a staggering 83 groups - some not actively written on but that's beside the point. And the most interesting thing is this: they aren't all (so it seems) students using them. But what are the discussions? Lets take a quick look at a few:

* "Bored Of Fluffy Occupational Therapy" (55 members)
* "Collaborating & Sharing Ideas With Other Occupational Therapists" (71 members)
* "I'm tired of having to explain what Occupational Therapy is!" (2108 members)
* "I wish i didn't choose Occupational Therapy as a career" (20 members) (has the amusing address of 77 Kielhofner way)
This one has, somewhat ironically, the BAOT logo as the groups logo.
* "Yes, I am a Occupational Therapist and no we don't wipe bums!!" (366 members)
* "British OT's" (83 members)
* "LOOKING FOR A MAJOR? NOT SURE WHAT TO DO? O.T. is the way to go!!" (15 members)
* "My OT professor wants me to do what....?!?" (57 members)
* "Booze Drinking Occupational Therapy Students (B-DOTS)" (89 members)
* "OTs are hot" (260 members)
* "Why do physio's think they are god's gift (applies to vast majority)" (126 members)

And a whole load of "OT's [some-college] [some-year]" which are usually specific to a particular college/university and graduation year.

Now some thoughts.
If I was a recruiter I could just as easily use it for work reasons as well as social reasons and look up a potential candidate. Would a candidate who has joined "I wish i didn't choose OT as a career" be a potentially wise choice for a post? This potential danger is [not unheard of](http://news.com.com/From+googling+to+firing/2010-1022_3-6187344.html) - anyone can google your name and come up with a posting from 5 years ago where you may have belittled a previous boss - but facebook makes the whole process a little easier - and, by its nature of being one of the largest social networking social sites - entirely likely that your candidate is on the site.

It is this general concern that someone I recently spoke to stated as to why they didn't want to contribute to putting things online in such a public way. I would argue this fact shouldn't scare OTs away from joining in with discussion. Lets put it another way, in comparison to my above recruitment problem: would someone who has posted to "Bored of fluffy Occupational Therapy" and trying to change the profession actually strengthen their position for a post?

Purely because your view may not be the same as others is not a reason to not join in with debate. For example, reflection - in whatever form you decide to use it, may involve discussing difficulties of working with colleagues, or dare I say it - clients. But in the same way that you were trying to talk to your boss about a potential working-relationship problem you would (I hope) try to be professional. Its in your own interest, and ultimately the professions (remember these groups are public! Imagine you are a potential client and find out that your OT doesn't believe in what they are doing? what kind of image does that give?). Although I realise, more than anyone, that there are times that you just want to go "aarrgh I hate this!" doing it so publicly may be a tad dangerous. Just be careful - that's all.

Conversley, facebook - along with blogging etc, is a easy way of getting to know your online peers. Facebook is, by its very nature, good at finding others who have your same interests and background. It can be a little stalkerish in a way - but I would be interested to see how it develops as a social-networking cum-working tool.

\* myspace suffers somewhat from multiple-design-failure which doesn't help my hatred for the service.