Improving Your Online Reputation as a Job Seeker
Searching for a new job has always been nerve-wracking, but the information age brings another obstacle — your digital footprint. Before deciding whether to invite you for an interview, hiring managers will conduct an extensive online search to learn more about you.
If any disparaging information is found, you’ll probably be eliminated from the running, so you need to know what you’re working with. Prior to kicking off your job search, assess your online reputation and take measures to improve it. Follow these tips to create a presence sure to impress even the toughest hiring manager.
Carefully Guard Your Social Media Pages
Revealing too much about your personal life on public social media sites puts you at risk for offending the employer. Unless you’re using a Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram page exclusively for business, enable privacy settings that put the content on lockdown. Potential bosses do not need to see photos from your birthday party or your commentary on the latest “Game of Thrones” episode.
Establish a Presence on Authoritative Sites
If you don’t have a presence on social sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, consider changing that. Search engines view these sites as authoritative, so they get extra pull in the rankings. This is a great opportunity to turn your unused social media real estate into a platform that showcases your passion for the industry. If you’re not interested, at least claim your name, complete the profiles, and link them together to show the search engine they’re all connected to you.
Create a Website, Blog or Both
Personal websites and blogs also rank highly in search engines, so purchase a domain that includes your name and start writing. Having an online portfolio that highlights your skills, accomplishments, and professional background is also sure to impress employers. If you included a way to contact you through the site, you might even get some inquiries from interested companies.
Scroll Through Several Pages of Search Results
The first page of search results for your name might come up clear, but don’t stop there. Search several pages back to make sure all content presents a glowing picture of you. Older entries — such as those from your college days — might be pushed to the second of third page, so be thorough with your investigation to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Try to Get Negative Content Removed
If you do find content that could discourage a potential employer from hiring you, don’t panic. When possible, contact the site administrator and politely ask them to remove it. Of course, they’re under no obligation to adhere to your request, so if you’re unable to get your name off the page, push it down with other results. In this case, establishing a presence for yourself on all the major social media networks, creating a personal website and starting blog isn’t just a good idea, it’s a necessity.
Finding a great new job can be a challenge, even for talented candidates like you. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you find your next behavioral health position, contact us today at (513) 651-9500 or by email at info@psychpros.com.