Everything You Say Online Can Be Used Against You

Like many of your peers right now, you find yourself unemployed, and having a hard time making ends meet. You’ve looked online over and over again for a job, but you’re getting no leads – not even any interest in what you can do. You’re utilizing every avenue you can find: Monster, Craig’s list, and even turning to social media outlets, like Facebook and Twitter. But throughout it all, you keep getting turned away.

You have looked over your resume time and time again, looking at everything it has telling about you and offering your amazing skills to the world. You’ve talked about the awards and accolades you’ve earned, the achievements you’ve made throughout your career, and you are even attaching examples of your work to show what you are capable of. You have investigated every reason why you wouldn’t be getting a job…except for your online presence.

At the top of your resume are your name, contact information, and e-mail address. Guess what employers are doing with that information now? They are taking your name and e-mail address, and running them through Google. Try it for yourself sometime – you would be surprised what one search engine will dig up on you…especially that information on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace you thought was for your friends only.

Employers are now running “pre-background” checks with information you are volunteering for all of cyberspace to see. Those pictures of you having too much fun with friends at the bar that are posted on your best friend’s Facebook come straight back to you – and not in an entertaining way. What you post (or what is posted about you) online is a direct correlation to your judgment skills in the real world. And if you have offensive, racy, and questionable pictures or content on your networking pages online, employers are going to think twice before considering you as a viable candidate for their openings.

The good news is that this can be corrected with less than an evening’s working. First off, go through everything you have on yourself online: load up Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, and look through what you have posted. Would your grandmother be proud of the content you have there? If not, you need to remove it – because your future boss won’t like it, either. Secondly, make sure everything shows off the best qualities you have. If you have heavy skills in IT, use your social networking skills to show off what you can do with a simple profile. If you are in sales, use your tweets to sell yourself, and your sales skills.

For those of you even further technologically skilled, make friends with professional networking items, including LinkedIn and Google Profiles. LinkedIn serves as the MySpace for professionals – allowing you to present your resume online, as well as examples of what you do, and what you are currently working on. Plus, you can connect with your colleagues, friends, and experts in a completely professional manner. Google Profiles give you the chance to sell yourself when your next employer comes to call – why not have them see who you are on Google, instead of everything else about you? Simply search the term “Me” in Google, and follow the instructions.

In the job search, everything you say or do online can be held against you. By knowing and controlling the information out there, you will be better able to sell yourself as a professional in your community, as well as in your private life.

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