A good way to get a snapshot of how your online identity may be perceived is to Google your name. The results could paint a picture of anything from a carefully crafted professional reputation, to an unfortunate jigsaw puzzle of unedited personal flotsam and jetsam worthy of JibJab. You probably cannot control everything that appears in search results, but you can be proactive about influencing them. If you aren’t already doing it, start now.
The action you can take comes down to 3 steps:
1. STOP THE BLEEDING: Think twice when creating any new content that can be tied to your real identity. You may want to use a made-up screen name or alter ego to use if you write reviews, comment on blogs, Tweet – unless those activities are work-related and important to your professional brand. Ensure that you have appropriately restrictive security settings on social networking sites.
2. CREATE MORE CONTENT YOU CAN CONTROL: Create a web site, a blog, and profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and/or Google that present you to the world in a positive light. These are sites that will show up prominently in Google results, and your content will push the other stuff further down the list where it is less noticeable.
3. CONTACT WEBMASTERS TO REQUEST REMOVAL OF UNFLATTERING CONTENT: This may not always be possible, but it’s worth a try. Google cannot do this for you. They don’t create the content – they just index it and provide a search mechanism.
Keep in mind that most prospective employers today not only review your resume and check your references; they also see if you have a trail on the internet that gives them further insight into your history. Don’t give them an unintended glimpse into activities that would be incompatible with how you want to position yourself professionally.
17 January 2010
Are You Purposefully Positioning Your Online Identity?
A good way to get a snapshot of how your online identity may be perceived is to Google your name. The results could paint a picture of anything from a carefully crafted professional reputation, to an unfortunate jigsaw puzzle of unedited personal flotsam and jetsam worthy of JibJab. You probably cannot control everything that appears in search results, but you can be proactive about influencing them. If you aren’t already doing it, start now.
The action you can take comes down to 3 steps:
1. STOP THE BLEEDING: Think twice when creating any new content that can be tied to your real identity. You may want to use a made-up screen name or alter ego to use if you write reviews, comment on blogs, Tweet – unless those activities are work-related and important to your professional brand. Ensure that you have appropriately restrictive security settings on social networking sites.
2. CREATE MORE CONTENT YOU CAN CONTROL: Create a web site, a blog, and profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and/or Google that present you to the world in a positive light. These are sites that will show up prominently in Google results, and your content will push the other stuff further down the list where it is less noticeable.
3. CONTACT WEBMASTERS TO REQUEST REMOVAL OF UNFLATTERING CONTENT: This may not always be possible, but it’s worth a try. Google cannot do this for you. They don’t create the content – they just index it and provide a search mechanism.
Keep in mind that most prospective employers today not only review your resume and check your references; they also see if you have a trail on the internet that gives them further insight into your history. Don’t give them an unintended glimpse into activities that would be incompatible with how you want to position yourself professionally.
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