Keep your online ID squeaky clean during your job search

Some call it your "digital footprint," others refer to your online personal brand.
No matter what kind of online activity in which you are engaged, be mindful about what you post. Employers are watching carefully. And they are making fast and furious judgements about what kind of company you keep on the net and whether you demonstrate "online etiquette." The rationale about this is that employers are trying to investigate what your psychological behaviour is on the internet. After all, social media is, as one pundit phrased it, "the psychology of people."

In relation to your online "behaviour," I have a sobering statistic to pass onto job seekers. Recently, Microsoft just held its 4th annual data privacy day. In a survey involving Americans, 70% reportedly said that they would disqualify a candidate, based on his/her online information."  Unfortunately, the salient information that related to employers' disqualifications were not made public. How ironic.

Watch for Microscoft to announce the launch of a software called Social Connector. The purpose of the software, which is an add-on feature, apparently allows someone to see the online communication (s) from individuals who have sent you email messages. This allows you, in turn, to see your email recipients' social activities, as well as the lists of contacts in your social network.  (Sounds a bit like Big Brother to me. The predictions in George Orwell's famed book 1984 appear to be alive and well. In fact, over one hundred of Orwell's predictions came true). The lesson here is that it is going to become increasingly difficult to filter strategically your online communications in the future.

Have you checked whether your online ID is squeaky clean? There is a free tool called http://www.onlineIDcalculator.com/ If the results reveal that you should exercise caution, be careful. One wrongful move such as a careless communication, unsavoury email or questionable picture on Facebook could be the ruin of your job search. And it is very difficult, although possible, to erase compromising online data.

Melissa Martin, bilingual social media specialist and ebook author, How to use social media in your job search
http://www.careercoachingbyphone.com/
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