Google Yourself

By: Kandice Thorn

Many employers these days like to do a Google search of candidates to look for red flags, so it is very important for you to manage your internet image.  

Before I launch into the "how to" of protecting your internet image, I have a confession to make. In preparing to write this article, I decided to Google myself, and I was surprised to find out that my Facebook privacy settings were not quite as strong as I thought they were. Someone searching my name on the internet would be able to tell quite easily the following: (a) I have good taste in music and books, (b) I have questionable taste in movies and television, (c) my political and social views are left-leaning, (d) I have a small child. While none of these things would necessarily exclude me from a job, someone might make various assumptions about me based on this information, and I was a bit alarmed to discover that it was so readily available. I went into my Facebook account and discovered that a privacy setting called "Public Search" was the culprit. This setting allowed anyone to see a "preview" of my Facebook account. Ultimately, given that I am not in the job market and the information is relatively benign, I decided to leave the setting as-is, but it is important that I be in control of the information. 

To improve your internet image, here are some steps you should take:

1. Google yourself. Do a Google search of yourself and see what pops up. Be sure to use a friend's computer or a browser that does not have your information stored. Knowing what others see when they search your name will help you clean up your profile.   
2. Check your Facebook (and other social media) privacy settings very carefully. Review each option and make sure you understand what information is available to whom. Delete old social media accounts that you don't use anymore.  
3. If you are on LinkedIn or another professional networking site, be sure to maintain that site carefully. "Professional" networking sites should be more publicly accessible than "social" networking sites--after all, the point of a professional networking site is to build your professional network, so it does you no good to hide. But this means you must also maintain this site very carefully. Treat this site as you would treat your resume because that's essentially what it is. Review and revise it carefully and make sure there is nothing on there that you wouldn't want to share with a potential employer. Include a photo and make sure it is professional (for examples of what not to do, read this: http://www.stacyzapar.com/2011/06/oh-no-they-didnt-linkedin-avatars-gone.html).
4. Set up a Google alert for your name. This way you can keep track of anything new that comes up. Go to http://www.google.com/alerts to set it up.