Do you ever enter your name and search for the results that appear on Google or any other search engine you use? The ease of finding information online has made me a small stalker of people: people I know, don’t know, or have heard of. When someone new is being hired into our company, I Google that person’s name immediately. When I’m curious about what my old classmates or colleagues are up to, I Google their names. When I get a request from new clients, I Google their names or company to find out their background. If I’m doing it, I’m sure other people are as well.
As a business professional, or anyone who is trying to get a job, it’s important to make sure that your online image is as clean and as complimentary as possible. You’ve heard it many times: Make sure to set up your privacy settings on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, so nothing embarrassing shows up in the search engines. When you get a chance, do a test-search of your name to see what pops up and what needs to go. A clean record will benefit your job-hunt efforts and even help you build a better reputation.
Everyone can be a stalker now because information is everywhere, so be aware of what you put onto the internet and make sure that nothing will negatively affect your goals.
Their Words. Your Voice. 