Lately, it seems everyone is looking for black and white rules when it comes to students and recent graduates trying to use social media in the job search. As such, a ton of advice is being thrown around online, both good and bad. I’m not going to link to any specific post, but I think you’ve probably read articles that fall in these criteria.

There are some who believe you should never post about your personal life. There are some that use social media exclusively for their personal life. There are some who don’t use foul language. There are some who won’t tweet about personal interests, like Harry Potter (I”ll never be one of those people). The list can continue, and it seems more and more restrictions are emerging. So how do you know the best way to use it?

My thought is there is no best way in using social media for your job search, but I recommend a hybrid of personal posts and professional posts, especially if you are looking to break in the public relations field.

From my own experience working in digital media, I’ve found it’s not only acceptable to use social media for personal things, but it’s encouraged. Think of it this way: Public relations practitioners, like Ari Adler, often used to work in the newsroom as a journalist and because of that, they are much more skilled in media relations. Journalists know and understand pitching best practices, so if he would join the PR field, he would be able to bring a unique skill to the company. It’s the same for using digital media. If you are a blogger and are all too familiar with bad pitches and have a strong network, you will be much more valuable to your company.

Having an online network is key in this emerging era of public relations. That means not everyone is going to read post after post of articles on trends and career advice if that’s all you’re sharing. I’m even starting to balance out my Google Reader with more blogs about my personal interests and less career-focused blogs. In general, people are personable and want to get to know each other, so make sure that you are leveraging social media to network and understand the community you’re in.

Why is it inappropriate to talk about going to the bar to grab a drink with some friends if you are of legal age? Is in a bad idea to tweet about waking up late for work? That said, there is a fine line between networking and being ridiculous. It’s still important to be aware that what’s online is accessible to everyone, so talking about your recent intervention probably won’t be a good idea.

The truth is there are no black and white rules. What one employer finds appalling and unacceptable another will find it to be great. If you can take away one thing, know that you might have to answer a question in an interview about your social media use, so be ready and be aware of why you’re using social media.

Photo by rachelvoorhees on Flickr.