What does your online reputation say about you?

As technology advances, virtually anyone can review or alter your online presence. And it changes at warp speed, so you have to stay current regarding what’s being posted. How can you best protect yourself, especially if you’re a job seeker?

Share Productive Content

Focus on shining when you’re portrayed online. Post information, photos, videos and other items that reflect well on you and enhance the general nature of your communities.

• Write the best possible profiles. Showcase your strongest qualities – those that most matter to you and that you’d like others to acknowledge.
• Say good things about others. Share content that is complimentary, helpful and considerate. Take responsibility for whatever you post. Your friends and followers expect this, just as you should expect it of them.

Think Before You Click

Before you act, consider the effect that even a simple status update might have on your long-term reputation. Ask yourself: “How would I feel if my boss (or prospective employer, parents or spouse) saw this?” Because chances are, they will.

• If you’re feeling negative, step away. Don’t post anything till you feel more upbeat, positive and balanced. Remember, once it goes live, it can’t easily be retracted.
• Take the high road. Even if others are deliberatively provocative, don’t stoop to that level. Never flame anyone or respond to flamers. It’s almost always about them and you only feed their egos while harming your image.

Know Your Privacy Settings

Ensure that only friends and connections with whom you don’t mind sharing your information have access to it.

• If you don’t want your boss or coworkers to see your profile, change your privacy settings. Only close personal friends who can be trusted enough not to share your personal details should be entitled to them.
• Frequently monitor your website and blog, especially if you allow visitor comments. Remove anything offensive or inappropriate as soon as possible. Always prefer the approve-before-publication feature. Cut off those who simply want to gossip.
• Respond positively to constructive criticism. This ensures openness and shows your willingness to defend what truly matters to you.

Search for Yourself

For starters, be sure you have an online presence. Otherwise, you could be perceived as out of touch, especially when it comes to employment options. Once you’ve established this, be continually aware of what’s coming back on you right now.

• Use Alerts to bring up anything with your name connected to it. If you have a common name, include other identifying factors unique to you, such as your hometown, business name or job title.
• Focus on the platforms where you’re most active. For instance, check your Twitter reputation or search blogs for your name.
• Is damage control needed? It may be as simple as deleting a profile or messages from specific sites and waiting out the time for search engines to stop returning them. In other cases, you may need professional assistance to discontinue negative returns.

The recruiting experts at Contemporary Personnel Staffing & Professionals Incorporated pride themselves on getting to know your unique career needs and challenges. To learn more about how we can advance your professional goals, contact us today at jobs@cpsprofessionals.com or (315) 457-2500.