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12.07 - 01.08

Take Control of Your Online Profile

By John R. Platt

The last time I hired an intern, I started by reading a pile of résumés, conducted a few interviews, and then spent a couple of hours on Google looking for more information about my applicants.

Turns out I wasn't alone. According to a survey released last year by CareerBuilder.com, 26 percent of hiring managers admitted to using search engines like Google to research their potential employees. You can be sure that percentage has increased since then.

You never know what you're going to find out about a person online: their favorite bands, their political persuasions, how they act at parties, what they think about their current employers, what drives them mad on message boards... The amount of online information we create about ourselves is astounding, and it presents a picture of you as clear as — if not clearer than — any résumé or job interview.

With that in mind, and knowing that a potential employer or customer will most likely look you up before they meet you, it's important for you to get a picture of your own online profile first — and to take steps to control it.

Step 1: Search, Search, Search (and Search Again)

You know that potential employers are going to Google you, so it's time to beat them to the punch. Google yourself. See what pops up. Knowing what you will find is your first step toward controlling your online profile. According to a new report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 47 percent of Americans have looked themselves up online, up from 22 percent in 2002 [Digital Footprints: Online identity management and search in the age of transparency]. So, you're not alone.

Don't just rely on simple searches. A lot more information is probably out there, and you might need to dig a little bit further to make sure you find it. Think beyond "Bob Smith" (especially if you have a common name like John). Use the advanced search feature to search for your exact name; variations of your name; your name plus your hometown, employer or school; your e-mail address; and other distinguishing facts about yourself.

Also, don't just rely on Google. Try other search engines, such as Yahoo or Ask.com. Include blog-search sites such as Technorati. Each search site uses a slightly different criteria and algorithm to come up with its results, so expanding your search will get you a broader range of results.

Finally, search a few times on different days, maybe a few weeks apart. Search results can vary from day to day, depending on the fluid nature of content on the Internet, so don't assume you'll find everything on your first time out.

Step 2: Clean Up Your Act

Once you know what's out there, it's time to start shaping your online profile. Consider setting your MySpace page or blog to be "friends only." Ask your friends to remove any incriminating photos. Remove or hide any incriminating blog posts. Take down any Web sites that no longer reflect who you are. And don't wait until the last minute to do it — it could take weeks for these old pages to disappear from search results and Google caches.

(Don't worry, you don't have to remove everything fun or interesting. We'll get to that in a minute.)

Step 3: Shape Your Profile

Now it's time to make your online profile even better — or at least more attractive.

Start by joining professional networking sites such as LinkedIn. These often get higher rankings from search engines, so they will be a good thing for potential employers to see.

Next, you might want to consider blogging about your own industry — not necessarily to criticize it, but to show your insight into the market forces or technologies that drive it. This will help to show your ability to communicate, your experience and your passion. It could also help to establish you as an expert in your field.

You can also spend some time commenting on other peoples' blogs, again offering your insight. You will be amazed how often these blog comments show up in search results.

Finally, think about building a Web page about yourself, and purchasing a domain such as bob-smith.com. Your own page gives you a place to create a real profile that reflects everything you want to show, without being restricted by the formats or fields of existing professional networking sites.

You can improve the ranking of your own site in search engines by commenting on blogs and including a link back to your site, or by finding other places to link to it. In essence, you are creating your own online network that grows and feeds off of itself. Your site, blog posts, comments, etc. will all refer back to each other, creating a solid online profile that leaves little room for other sites to get in the way.

Once you have your own online presence, go ahead and put that link on your résumé and in the signature of your e-mails. If an employer has a definite place to go online to look for information about you, they might decide they don't need to do any further searching.

Step 4: Yes, You're Still Allowed to Have Fun Online

But wait, you ask, isn't the Internet all about having fun? Of course it is, and you should still be allowed to have some. There's no reason not to have your own MySpace page or Facebook profile, or to comment on message boards, or to post photos, or to rant on blogs, or to be a fan of your favorite TV show. But it is still a very good idea to separate your professional and personal lives — including the ways that they are represented online.

Sometimes, the best way to compartmentalize your two lives is to use online pseudonyms or privacy settings. Or you can always just do your own thing, while also maintaining a professional presence online. If anyone asks, you can always say "that's what I do for myself. I also do this professional work," and point to the sites that reflect that.

Oh, and Step 5: Two Can Play This Game

Yes, employers can Google you. But did you know that you can Google them, too?

Before you go in to an interview, do some research. Find out what you can not just about the company but about the people with whom you'll be interviewing. Research their past achievements, their likes and dislikes, their work history. Heck, you might even get an idea about what they'd be like as a boss. The information you find could give something extra to talk about during the interview — maybe even give you an edge over other applicants.

Remember, the world lives online, and your career is going to be reflected there one way or another. So give it some shape. It may as well reflect the way you want to be seen.

John Platt is a marketing consultant and journalist living in Maine. He can be found online at www.john-platt.com. Comments may be submitted to todaysengineer@ieee.org. Opinions expressed are the author's.