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Your online profile: could it harm your job prospects?

Most employers search prospective candidates online before offering them a job – but could your search results put them off?

We’ve all searched our own name online (come on, admit it), but how many of us have really checked out our search results thoroughly? And how many of us might be more vigilant if we thought a potential employer was doing exactly the same thing?

We spoke to online profile management experts Veribo to find out how to look after your reputation online and what employers will notice.



They explained: “It’s imperative that everybody protects their name, or at least understands what is returned in search results and how they can control their online reputation.”

So we asked:

What are the typical things about people's online presence that puts employers off?
 
Obviously pictures that are inappropriate or explicit, and any derogatory, offensive or even illegal comments you’ve made.

Also if you’ve been involved in anything that’s made the news, be aware of any reports that paint you in a bad light.


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Are there subtler things to watch out for?
 
Less obviously, being a fan or liking inappropriate groups that you may have thought were relevant or funny years ago can be a problem. You may have forgotten them but they could still be linked to your social media profiles and have been known to be taken into consideration.

Also, talking negatively about previous employers can be extremely damaging, especially if it is private information you are likely to be contractually obliged not to disclose.


 
Growing up with social media – can your privacy wall really hide your modesty?
 
It used to be that photos and diary posts were personal information that the owner had complete control over.

For young people now, there are electronic devices, laptops, phones, tablets and digital cameras everywhere and in conjunction with the growth of social media, this has meant that people are able to upload their personal photos across a range of social media websites for the world to see.

Crucially, people can upload posts and photos about you without your permission or your knowledge that can often be harmful. Ensuring your social media profiles are private will protect you to an extent, but often and unfortunately, content may have been posted on websites you cannot directly edit nor control.

Veribo's advice is to refrain from engaging with the author of unwanted, harmful or misleading content beyond asking them privately to take it down.


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How do you use your online presence to your advantage professionally?
 
Having a blog is a good way to promote yourself and your interests. It can show employers what makes you different and what unique qualities you can offer them as an employee and what insights you have into your chosen industry.

Similarly, for a broad spectrum of jobs, using social media and, for instance, discussing topical news relevant to your chosen sector or linking to interesting articles you might have read will show your employer that you have a genuine interest in the industry. If you use social media effectively, it can give the employer a feel for your thoughts and opinions and how well you can present them.
 
Should you be looking harder than just searching yourself and looking at the first page of search results? How far should you go?

 
More than 90 per cent of us don’t bother looking beyond page one of search results, but an employer searching for information on you might be more inclined to, so it is worth searching through the first three to five pages of your search results to ensure that there is no content you weren't aware of.


 
How much can be done in retrospect to clean up your online presence?
 
Simple techniques such as removing entire social media profiles, past posts and pictures you no longer deem appropriate can help, and change privacy settings on social media as you see fit.

But you can't always control everything online using these methods and if you need a more robust approach you might have to call in the experts.

Veribo create relevant, search-engine friendly content and in turn promote this material so that it ranks highly on search engines. Online reputation management doesn't always have to be about countering negative reviews that come up in search results.