What Do Employers See When They Google You?

Job seekers engage in standard practices when they look for work, such as heading to the Google search bar and typing in a company name to research a potential employer. The reverse is also true. Many employers find your online brand and gather information regarding your personality from what they discover.

Prospective employers may examine many things when they perform a Google search on your name. Social media accounts, former residences, photo streams, blog posts and even legal cases could show up when human resources managers try to locate aspects of your personality online. When you control your online presence, companies should find many more positives than negatives as they determine your eligibility for a job.

When conducting a Google search, recruiters can find things that work in your favor, such as community involvement information and your complete LinkedIn profile. Some companies even mention the names of outstanding employees in press releases and online articles. If possible, use this to your advantage. For instance, if a photo opportunity at a neighborhood cleanup leads to a caption mention through a local news agency, the information linking your name to that picture shows up in a Google search eventually. If you post that same picture to your Twitter page or Facebook account, the chance of someone seeing that picture increases. Use similar verbiage from the news story on your LinkedIn profile to create a viable online brand for managers to discover.

Companies may also link you to negative comments and images when conducting an online search. A fun spring break trip during your senior year may turn into a personal PR disaster if photos emerge online showing you in an awkward situation. Also, if you use online platforms to complain, rant or disparage individuals, your potential manager may view you in a bad light and eliminate you as a candidate.

Help mitigate any negativity by performing a Google search on your name. More than three-quarters of employers say they find information about candidates online before an interview, and only one-third of potential employees bother to check on their own name before submitting an application. While you may not be able to quickly or easily remove negative Internet content containing your name or image, you can at least prepare for questions that may come up about the content and be willing to admit your mistakes.

A lack of Internet presence may hurt your standing just as much as negative reviews. If you don't have any social media accounts or professional blog entries, you're wasting a golden opportunity to impress potential employers. Create a consistent stream of engaging, professional content on your Twitter and Facebook pages, and link these posts to your LinkedIn profile.

A Google search performed by a hiring manager can make or break your reputation or hiring status. Build up the positive information about you on the Internet, and reduce the negatives as much as possible to enhance your chances of receiving a call for an interview or promotion.

Photo courtesy of Yahoo at Flickr.com