If you read Digital Tattoos blog it should come as no shock that employers regularly Google job candidates before deciding who to hire. Naturally you want to avoid having negative information appear in search results however, having no footprint at all can have a negative impact as it looks like you have “something to hide”. Creating a positive online identity can seem daunting at first. After all, it takes vigilance to correctly use the privacy functions on social media why work to intentionally create a footprint. There are a few reasons why you may wish to create a positive social media footprint. Perhaps you have a not so positive part of your life that was aired online that you wish to move to the second page of links or perhaps you have no footprint at all and you wish to show off the best parts of your resume. Either way working to create a positive online identity is equal parts proactive and protective. In the spirit of a new school year, we here at Digital Tattoo want to share three quick and easy suggestions to beef up your positive online footprint.
1- LinkedIn
Everyone should have an professional up to date LinkedIn profile. Think of it as a free way to show off your resume an additional time. Thanks to Google search algorithm of ranking pages by other pages which link to them, LinkedIn often is the first or second hit on a Google search of an employee. LinkedIn is the new standard for job searchers and employers.
2- A Personal webpage
Making a personal webpage is a great boon to job seekers as it shows off both your technical and professional skills. Organizations like Reclaim Hosting work to give free personal domain names to student to help them take control of their digital brand. But what if you don’t know how to code? What if you want to build a positive online presence as quick as possible? If time is of the essence you aren’t out of luck! There are many websites that help you build a personal page in a few clicks. One of the best examples of this is Vizify.com. Vizify helps you build a graphic representation of your presence online which you can tweak to include your choice of social networks. You can even chose to make cute mini-infographics about yourself.
Want to see an example of Visify? Click here to see mine.
3- Coursework
As you complete your degree your coursework will leave a mark on the internet. Prezis, wikis, class blogs and conference attendance can all be tracked online. When interacting with your classmates and professors use a consistent version of your full name. These products will often show up in a Google search and will flesh out your resume with work samples. When you use a consistent name, all work you create will be added to your online portfolio.
After University, when most of us step out into the “real world” for the first time, it’s easy to pretend like you have a blank slate. Employers know better any will Google you in an attempt to learn about your history in work and school. Why not put your best foot forward by displaying your academic course work in the best possible light?
How do you cultivate your digital identity online? Do you feel that you need to?
This comment is posted for the purpose of assignment completion.
In order to pass a social media check when applying fo a job, one should abstain from posting anything controversial. It can vary from expressing any political thoughts to posting pictures from Friday nights on Instagram.