When people talk about jobs and social media, they may touch on the fact that one inappropriate Facebook picture can prevent someone from being hired, or how a controversial tweet can lead to a pink slip. However, while it is easy for some to misuse their social media accounts, these online platforms can also open the door to opportunity for many jobseekers.

MBA Online recently used data from CNN, LinkedIn, Jobvite and JobSearch to create an infographic on the ways in which social media is changing people’s approach to finding work. As individuals around the world are online at all hours of the day, social media has become a job fair that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Based on the infographic, one in six workers used social media to get hired, while 54 percent of jobseekers turn to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to help them find opportunities for employment. Of these three platforms, Facebook was found to be the most popular, as 18.4 million U.S. workers reported that the social networking website led them to their current job. Meanwhile, 10.2 million and 8 million Americans said the same of LinkedIn and Twitter, respectively.

The success many jobseekers are achieving on social media websites may be due to the fact that recruiters are also heading to the web to find new workers. Mashable, a social media news blog, recently shared an infographic that was created by Career Enlightenment and shed some light on businesses’ social recruiting methods.

According to the Career Enlightenment infographic, 89 percent of companies reported that they would incorporate social media networks into their 2011 recruiting strategies. Meanwhile, 65 percent of companies said they have successfully hired new employees through social media.

Even if employers do not hire anybody using social media, these websites still play a role in many companies’ recruiting decisions. For instance, the Career Enlightenment infographic revealed that 79 percent of hiring managers and recruiters review the information candidates share about themselves online. At the same time, 56 percent of human resources professionals source potential employees using social media.

Of the popular social media platforms, 80 percent of companies turned to LinkedIn to locate talent, while 50 percent and 45 percent of organizations used Facebook and Twitter, respectively.

Despite the success others have had in landing jobs through these websites, some social media users may be confused as to how platforms like Facebook can be used for more than just status updates and picture sharing. MBA Online provided advice for users of each of the big three social media websites.

For instance, the news source suggested that Facebook users post notes, rather than status updates, to describe what they are looking for in a job. This is due to the fact that notes tend to stay in people’s news feeds longer than other posts. On Twitter, people may want to follow job feeds and companies they wish to work for. In addition, these individuals can reach out to those who currently hold jobs at these businesses and see if they know of any openings.

The news outlet recommended that LinkedIn users upload the same photo to their profile that they use on other social media websites. This helps them look more consistent in the eyes of prospective employers, and, as a result, more memorable.

Jobseekers may want to pay attention to the fact that Career Enlightenment’s infographic stated that 86 percent of companies feel candidates’ online profiles should be more employer-friendly.

Whether or not social media helps individuals in their job search, having a LinkedIn profile, like taking a career test, may make the hunt for work a little easier.