Effective social climbing, the Facebook way

This article is from the February issue of Radar Magazine. For a risk-free issue, click here

Networking used to require communication skills and an actual personality. These days, upwardly mobile strivers merely need access to a Facebook account. Learn the rules of the game, and you could soon find yourself partying on some rich guy's yacht—or at least slaving away on the launch of his next start-up. Radar offers a few tips to help facilitate your ascent up the online social ladder.

1. PLAY IT COOL
Let's say it's 2:14 a.m., and you're just getting home from Les Deux in L.A., where you met a bunch of junior development execs from Paramount (they had bottle service!). Check their profiles, but do not add them as friends just yet. Only losers send out friend requests to people they've met that night. Are you a loser? Perhaps, but you have a script to sell. Best wait at least one and a half business days before friending them.

2. MESSAGE GAME
An e-mail can be interpreted a dozen ways. Sending a member of the opposite sex a Facebook message, on the other hand, can only be interpreted as a clear sign that you want to have intercourse. Resist the urge to send a poke or use the gift application. He or she will just think you're sorta gay.

3. MONITOR YOUR SETTINGS
It's imperative to manage your news feeds, as they are often the first things others will read when they log on. "Neel has added Garden State to his favorite movies" should never be public knowledge, so either delete the feed or tweak your privacy controls. Conversely, "Neel has joined the group 'Beamer Owners Under 25'" is precisely the type of tidbit you want disseminated.

4. MIND YOUR STATUS
Never update your status more than twice a day. Browsers should know that at 10:35 a.m., "Neel is trying to regain his dignity after too many shots of Patron at Bungalow 8, London," but that by 5:03 p.m., "Neel is psyched the IPO went well and is so ready to get his drink on." You're a work hard/play hard kind of person. Right?

5. BE SINGLE
Even if you're in a relationship, you're better off leaving this field blank. If your boo insists on doing the "Neel is in a relationship with Jenn" thing, at least make sure to splash the breakup across your news feed when the time comes. You'll get lots of profile clicks and wall love.