Monster.com and Online Reputation Management

We noticed this great article from Monster.com today. In it they detail some of the pitfalls that job hunters run into on the internet. Quoting from the page:

No one knows how many job candidates worry about how their online reputation can affect their job prospects, but anecdotal evidence suggests that more people are realizing that what they do online — and what others say about them online — can play a role in determining whether they get hired or fired. Post a video, and it may be online forever — no matter how stupid it makes you look. The same goes for blog posts, forum discussions, photo albums and even emails you send to friends. (You never know what will spread from the private sphere to the public realm.) The point is painfully obvious: You need to be thoughtful and deliberate when conducting your life online.

As the article points out, it is especially difficult to delete person information from the Internet. Essentially, when you want to defend your reputation online your two options are to obfuscate (i.e., bury the information amongst the myriad of other search results) or to request removal from the individual sites hosting the information you’d rather others didn’t see.

Both strategies require unique approaches and the outcome is never certain. Each individual should assess their situation as quickly and as thoroughly as possible, outlining a strategy based upon what they find. Sometimes a quick and easy play is acceptable, other times a more in-depth and drawn out campaign will be necessary.

It is clear that Online Identity Management is important for both established professionals looking to change jobs and recent graduates seeking entry into the job market. Professional Online Reputation Management is quickly becoming as important to job hunters as polishing thier resumes and acing the interview.

Tweet This Post