One of the first things potential employers do when considering a stack of resumes is Google the individuals the think have potential. Check out this post in The New York Times about cleaning up your online profile.
Do you know what Google says about you?
I certainly do. When I Google my name I find links to my professional blog, my LinkedIn account, my Twitter account, and my profiles on the Society of Professional Journalists and my current employer’s website.
If I go to the second page of Google results, which potential employers rarely do, I find a couple of links for another person with my name and more of the same things above. Fortunately, this other Kenna also tends to list her middle initial, which differs from mine. And, honestly, she seems pretty harmless, although she apparently really likes Justin Bieber.
Potential employers are looking, so you should keep track of what is being attached to your name online.
Aside from googling yourself to see what’s already “out there,” the best way to monitor your online reputation is to create a Google alert on your name.
To create a Google alert:
- Log in at www.google.com/alerts
- Enter the search terms you want the alert to seek. For example, your name.
- Select what type of information you are seeking. I would choose “everything.”
- Determine how often you want to receive notifications. My advice is to do this once a day or even once a week. If you choose “as it happens,” you may get a steady stream of things that aren’t too helpful, depending on how active you are online.
- Volume is up to you. You can always go back and get fewer alerts if you’re getting too many irrelevant things.
- Then enter the email where you want the alert sent.
- Click “create alert” to complete the process.
It really is that simple to know what people are saying about you online.
To manage what people already have attached to your name and information attached in the future, you have the following options and then some:
- Ask the creator to remove material that you don’t want associated with your name. They may refuse, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
- Think twice about the information you choose to associate with your name online.
- Create new positive associations by commenting on articles posted by news organizations or professional blogs, becoming part of professional organizations or create a LinkedIn account. What you’re doing here is attempting to move less desirable information off of the first page, where most potential employers will stop looking.
In the 21st century, it’s critical for you to manage your online reputation.
Check out this related post from the archive, 10 tips for student journalists, recent grads.
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