Have you ever Googled yourself to see what results come up?
A good online reputation is becoming more and more important as employers increasingly use internet searches as part of the hiring process. These searches let them gather information about candidates that might not come out during the job interview, for example. So it’s more important than ever to take control of how you’re perceived online, and avoid jeopardising your chances of being hired.
StepStone has put together some tips on managing your online reputation that will help you protect your digital identity – and get it working for you.
Check on a regular basis what’s being said about you
Don’t forget to also check the images that come up when you type your name into Google. You’ll be able to see who’s tagged you on Facebook with an open profile, for example. And if you don’t want to miss anything that gets referenced on Google, you can set up Google Alerts for free.
Be careful what you say on social media
Use good judgment and common sense when managing your social media profiles. If you just can’t help posting certain type of photos or comments, make sure they’re visible to a private audience only. And don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t say face to face.
Beef up your privacy settings
If you mention references, rely on someone you know in a professional context – and ask that person first if you can include them on your CV.
Protect access to your account
Use a safe password and don’t share it with anyone. And before accepting a contact request, make sure it’s from someone you know.
Register your name
To protect your name, start by registering with the main social networks. This will prevent anyone else using your personal details in an inappropriate way.
Make the most of your social media profiles and activity
Use the social media platforms you’re registered on to showcase your skills and achievements, share your professional interests, and write articles. For example, you could create an infographic CV, upload a video CV to YouTube, or even post your latest video work on Vimeo.
Clean up your online reputation
If you discover some information about yourself that you want to remove, check whether you can deleteit yourself. Otherwise, ask the person responsible for it to untag you, or contact the owner of the website.
If you don’t get a response, or your request is refused, try setting up some more social media accounts, to get them higher up in the Google ranking than the unwanted information. There are also specialist agencies – e reputation cleaners – that can be useful to call on if you can’t do your own clean-up on the web.
Set up your own website or blog
Creating your own website or blog is another way of burying “the bad” by promoting “the good”. On top of that, with your own website or blog, you’ll have the ideal platform on which to highlight your skills and talent, and come across as even more professional.
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