What would a potential employer think reading this?
It’s a fact today, your online reputation will effect your future. From teens applying to colleges to filling out job applications; to adults interviewing for career changes or leasing an apartment or even dating online — someone at sometime will put your name through the Google rinse cycle.
What does your social personality say about you?
Are you someone that overshares your life? Are you a humble-bragger? Like to comment on everyone’s post? Are you a one-upper or maybe a Debbie-downer? Are you obsessed with selfies? Maybe your #hashtag happy (hyper).
More and more we are learning that universities are talking to their students about their virtual landscape before they head out to their career future. They are recognizing that it’s not only their diploma that matters – your online reputation can literally cost you a position or possibly get you a job.
Nancy Rothbard, Wharton management professor recently was quoted:
“The idea of curating your digital footprint is right on target because it gets to the heart of the matter, which is that this is a new aspect of our reputation that we have to work at. We can’t just assume that it’s good, and we can’t assume that we’re vigilant enough. We have to think about that carefully.”
Let’s look at the positive.
We often look at what people are posting to eliminate them from being hired, but what could you post to actually get you employed?
According to a Career Builders Survey, about one-third (32%) of employers found information that caused them to hire a candidate, including:
- Candidate’s background information supported job qualifications –42%
- Candidate’s personality came across as good fit with company culture – 38%
- Candidate’s site conveyed a professional image – 38%
- Candidate had great communication skills – 37%
- Candidate was creative – 36%
Microsoft Safer Online has an educational site for kids and teens on digital safety as well as a great library of videos (Post Remorse and Post Regrets) to help remind us that our online reputation is a priority today.
Join them on Facebook and follow them in Twitter to stay up-to-date with today’s social trends.
