Think you don't have to pay attention to your online reputation? Think again. According to a recent CNN report, 43% of employers keep tabs on employees by visiting social networking sites and using search engines. There's a good chance your boss is doing a Google search on you right now-do you know what he'll find in the results?
Many of us build our profiles on Facebook, MySpace, and other social networking sites without considering that someone other than our close friends will see information about us. But those embarrassing college pictures of you could cost you a job opportunity. Here are five ways you can ensure your online reputation doesn't come back to haunt you.
Search for your name regularly. Once a week or so, type your name into Google and see what comes up. Don't just look at the first page of results-dig into the second, third, or even fourth pages. If you don't see anything damaging, that doesn't mean there's nothing out there-it just means there's nothing out there right now. Keep an eye on the search engines regularly, and you'll be more likely to spot something damaging before your boss or recruiters do.
Clean up your personal profile. Have a personal profile on MySpace, Facebook, or another social networking site? If so, look through it and remove pictures and content that might compromise your professionalism. This doesn't mean you have to remove all vestiges of your personality; if your interests include rock climbing or gardening, there's no reason not to keep pictures of your last climb or your prizewinning herb garden up for all to see. But take down that picture of you dancing around with a lampshade on your head at your last New Year's party.
Sign up for Google Alerts. Google Alerts is a program that will send you email notifications whenever search results change for keywords you specify, such as your name. This will help you keep track of who's talking about you and what they're saying.
Send a letter. If you find something damaging on someone else's site, it may be more difficult to remove. But you won't know until you ask. Send a polite letter to the site's administrator explaining the situation. Take a deep breath before you do this and whatever you do, don't come off as angry or confrontational. This isn't likely to get you the results you want. Legally, you may not be able to force anyone to take down pictures of you-although if they're publishing untrue information, you may have a case for libel.
Bury the bad under the good. You may not be able to get rid of some of the damaging material about you. If you can't, start a campaign to saturate the market with positive information. Build a professional-looking website showcasing your career skills, experience, and resume. Start a professional blog. Write articles in your industry and submit them to article directories. In your author's information box, include a link back to your own website or blog, using your name as anchor text. This will help your own site rise through the ranks of results for that keyword.
Your online reputation could be damaging your career without your knowledge. It's vital that you keep on top of online rumors about you-and if you find them, do the best you can to clean them up. Take these steps, and you can minimize or eliminate the damage.
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