Job Seekers Its Time to Conduct a Google Self-Check

Job Seekers Its Time to Conduct a Google Self-Check Its no secret that most job seekers dont fully understand how involved a job search really is. Its far more in-depth than simply looking for a job, sending in an application and resume and waiting for an interview callback. For instance, did you know that, according to an ExecuNet survey, 77 percent of recruiters use search engines to learn about candidates? This means, its up to you to ensure recruiters and employers who look up your name in search engines are happy with what they see. The only way to get this done is by conducting your own Google self-check! Why Googling Your Name Is Important The Internet has evolved considerably since its humble beginnings in the ’90s. Now, just about any and every piece of information you hope to find can be located online. Unfortunately, that information could include photos of your drunken escapades while at college or your rant about a previous employer on a blog. Now that youre in the midst of a job search, its critical that your image is 100% professional so that any company decision makers who find your name can associate it with only top qualities. By searching your full name in Google and other search engines, you can gauge what type of information about you is out there. How to Create Your Professional Image Once youve conducted your self-check, if youve found that there is either not enough information about you, or not enough good information about you, here are a few steps you can take to make your online image more professional: *Create professional profiles: To ensure employers find clean professional information about you online, start by setting up professional profiles on LinkedIn, Google Plus, Twitter, and even Facebook. These sites all receive top rankings in the search engines, meaning anyone who searches for you will see your professional profiles at the top of the listings. *Make social profiles disappear: If you have social profiles on Facebook, Twitter, or other sites, its important that you either change your settings so that your profiles cannot be found when your name is searched in search engines, or you set your pages to private so if you are found, no one can view the information on your page without being a friend or connection. *Brand yourself: Another important aspect of creating your professional image online is branding yourself. By creating professional profiles, youve already won half the battle. Now its time to give yourself a professional title that suits your career path or previous positions. Also, purchase a domain in your name that features a professional blog or field-related information. It may seem that checking your name in Google is not a big deal, but anything that employers feel is important has to become important to you as a prospective employee. So while youre online, take a moment to Google yourself. And if you dont like what you see, start making changes ASAP! It’s important to remember to brand your resume before applying to each new position for more information on branding check out my recent article 5 Key Areas to Target When Branding Your Resume. You can also get additional job search and career related advice by checking out our blog or following us on Twitter @GreatResume.