A recent graduate of a small upper Midwest university was only a few weeks into her first post-graduation job when the boss called her into his office. He had discovered the young woman’s personal blog, where she had been writing in detail about how miserable she was in her new position. She soon became a former employee. A student at a school in the Southeastern US was being courted by a small business owner for a key position – that was until the owner saw the student’s Facebook profile, which featured explicit photos and stories about the student’s drinking.
A chemical engineering student at a university in the Northeast was eliminated from consideration for a job opening after a company recruiter Googled the student’s name, discovering, among other things, that he like to blow things up.
Source: Keep Your E-Image Clean by Peter Vogt, Monster.com
If you're like me, you probably laugh at these stories and say, "Oh, but that would never be me!" Even so, it's important to think about how potential employers will react to your online presence. Have you Googled yourself lately? Checked out the latest privacy settings on Facebook? Think about how you're marketing yourself through various social media platforms. Is the info "grandma-appropriate?" (You may share everything with your grandma, but how about someone else's grandmother?) Hopefully, you get the point.
For help getting started, check out this job-seeker's self-audit: Job-seeker self-audit
Want more? The Student Branding Blog has a lot of great information about social media and marketing yourself online, including:
10 Reasons Why YOU Should Care about Personal Branding
Building a Consistent Personal Brand
7 Personal Branding Predictions for 2011
