Q: Can you tell me how to set up the chat function on my Facebook page so that I can answer career transition questions?

A: If you are hoping to create some open live chat forum at a certain time where you invite a bunch of people to participate, you can't use Facebook chat because that now supports only 1x1 IM conversations. Facebook currently isn't developing multi-party IM chat and doesn't appear to support the few third-party chat apps that have tried to accommodate Facebook (search this and this and you'll see how few there are).

The only one I've found that works on Facebook and have successfully installed is GroupBoard. This multi-user chat app can be installed on the Boxes tab of your FB profile. It comes from this company (click the Live Demo link if you want to preview before installing). It also allows for collaborative drawing. The only deficit is that it doesn't let you save the chat text, though oddly, you can save the drawings.

If you want something that will archive text (i.e., be able to persistently display the questions and answers in order to benefit others who may have the same question later) and not require people to install a separate Facebook app, you have two options:

1) Simply use the regular Wall (we do not recommend the enhanced versions like SuperWall, which tend to get out of control). See Facebook help about Wall if you need to. It lets people post questions and you (and others) can post replies. The only problem is that Wall content tends to get cluttered with high volume from many sources, so you'd have to go into your account settings to block out updates from your friends which may have nothing to do your desired Q&A.

2) So I think the best answer is Facebook notes. It's default functionality within Facebook. Many people use it like a blog, since you can post something and then it allows anyone to comment. It will only display the posts you create, though there is a separate page for friends' notes mentioning you. So you should encourage people to submit their questions to you via email or whatever ways you like, then post the question you want to answer as a Note, and then answer it within that same note, and encourage others to respond using the comments feature. You can also add comments in the same Notes thread to respond to the commenters.

Learn much more about Facebook for Recruiters from the search, networking, branding and marketing perspectives with our new DVD recording of the recent webinar on the subject by Shally and me.

P.S.  If you have a question about sourcing or social network recruiting that you'd like answered, please post it on Ask a Cybersleuth and we will get you answers from experts.