Personal Internet Presence

There is a growing trend in the number of employers who are Googling candidates when screening potential employees, and it has spilled over to Internet social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. College students seeking co-op/internships or entry level positions upon graduation should avoid anything that might cause a recruiter concern when they find you on the Web.

 

Use this self-audit to learn what kind of image you are projecting on the Internet and how to make changes if are you not comfortable with your Internet image.

Job Seeker Self-Audit

E-mail

Make sure the e-mail you use on your resume is permanent.  Your e-mail should project a professional self-image towards employers.

Google Yourself

Regularly search for your name on Google and explore the results. Make sure that you are comfortable with what you find. If there are items that you are not comfortable with, take steps to change what is found, or contact someone who can change it for you.

Social Networking Sites

If you belong to a social networking site (Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, etc.) make sure that you would be comfortable with employers looking at your:

  • profile
  • wall comments
  • pictures
  • groups
  • friends' comments
  • friends' profiles

If you don't feel comfortable with how an employer might view your social networking site, take the appropriate steps to change it (change profile, change privacy settings, etc.).

Posted Resumes

If you have your resume posted on a website (Stout CareerLink, CareerBuilder, Monster, etc.), make sure that it is current. Make sure that you are comfortable with the site's privacy policy. If your resume is posted on the Internet by your academic department or student organization, know when your resume will be removed. Ensure that your contact information is included when posting your resume on these sites.

What They Know About You on the Web

If you maintain your own website or blog, make sure that you would be comfortable with a potential employer reading its content. Never discuss a company, interview, job, etc. on your website/blog. Also, make sure that you follow the "if you wouldn’t want to read it in the front page of the newspaper, don’t put it in an e-mail” rule.

(Adapted from the Purdue Center for Career Opportunities • www.cco.purdue.edu)