Preserving your Online Job Seeker Credibility

Preserving your credibility on the Internet is of utmost importance when looking for a new job. Web two point zero (Web 2.0) has brought about the great new generation of the internet. User generated content, blogging, bookmarking, social networking; the jargon is enough to stupefy anyone. With such advancements, it is important that Job Seekers protect their online credibility or 'Net Cred'. Your 'Net-Cred' refers to your Internet credibility - almost like street cred, but in a virtual environment (hence the net part).

 

It is important to protect your online reputation due to the fact that what goes up on the internet is

there for the world to see. Searching for personal details in an online environment may raise ethical

questions for about one in two people. Googling personal information may raise moral

questions for others but if this information is readily available, why not? Based on privacy settings,

you should always protect your professional reputation online.

 

Recruiters and possible future employers want to learn as much as they can about you before having

you sign on the dotted line which means they are going to dig. It is therefore vital to keep in mind

the kind of information you are allowing recruiters access to on the Internet.

 

After briefly learning about what your 'Net-Cred' is, it is now a good time to learn how to protect it. As popularly practiced by most 'Net-Cred' worthy Internet users; practice the following ways to protect your job seeker credibility on the Internet.

 

Net-Cred Names.

When attempting to maintain a credible online reputation remember the importance of a name. Name your email addresses appropriately along with your user names.

Never use anything other than your name and surname when setting up a credible contact address. No one wants to e-mail KrustyTheClown1234 @gmail.com, let alone hire them. Also, remember to mix up your screen name or username's accordingly. While your old school mates might remember you as 'Camilla Gorilla', employers won't be impressed with such a name. Keep your personal life separate to your professional one. Sometimes these may overlap and here you should still maintain an element of professionalism and maturity.

 

Investigate your own 'Net Cred'.

Ego surfing has been referred to as being as shallow as humping yourself in a mirror. While this may be so, PR is PR. Google your name and surname and see what comes up. The only justifiable reason to do so is to see what potential employers will see. Google results reveal virtual clues about your online reputation. Hence, your internet credibility lies in the hands of the search engines. Assess what results are found when a search query is run and prepare to remedy any negative information.

 

Be Aware of Cyber Vetting.

Cyber vetting is literally where people examine intimate personal information available about you online. Cyber vetting is sometimes viewed as being an invasion of privacy. It is not uncommon for employers and Recruiters to Google candidates to see what comes up. When making an important hiring decision, Recruiters are always on the lookout of information that may influence their final decision. If Recruiters 'stumble upon' fraudulent information or compromising information, you can kiss any chance of an interview goodbye. Be sure that those who have access to your private information; you trust and can rely on to protect your anonymity and online reputation.

 

Nothing to be found.

Searches, searches everywhere but nothing to be found! As with credit ratings, in order to get a positive credit rating you need to manage your debt astutely. In order to do so you need to be awarded it first. So which comes first, the chicken of or the egg? Such an anomaly is thankfully not up to us to answer. All that we can do is manage and protect indexed information and ensure that this information successfully builds our online reputation.

 

Ways to Improve Your Net Credibility.

 

• Use your name and surname as your web domain and blog spot;

For example, www.camillapatten.com. The smartest way to be found on the internet is using your name as a keyword. While you aren't the only person in the world with your name, try to optimise your name so that when someone Google's you, they can find you with ease.

 

• Network with industry peers and like-minded people online.

It is up to you to make a conscious decision to keep your personal life separate to your professional one. Don't let your business associates mingle with your mates. Never compromise business contacts by exposing them to inappropriate personal information that you or your friends have posted online.

 

• Optimise everything that pertains to your 'Net Cred'.

Search engine optimisation is not something reserved for techies and developers. If you know how to read and write and are contributing to online content, your content should be optimised. SEO is the 'Pandora's Box' of the internet. Once opened, the true power of the internet is unleashed. By optimising the content you contribute online makes it easier for people to find relevant search results of a credible nature.

 

• Comment on blogs and contribute to forums.

By leaving your comments on blogs and raising relevant questions where applicable, improves your internet credibility. The more you contribute to blogs and forums, the more you will improve your 'Net Cred'. When people stumble upon intelligent comments that you have left, they will easily assess your aptitude and be impressed by appropriate responses. As a result of Web two (Web 2.0), your opinion is now just as valuable as anyone else's. Let it be known that you have a brain of your very own and are not afraid of voicing your professional opinions.

• Make Yourself Available to be contacted.

 

Experts always advise website owners to openly advertise contact details of their company.

The same applies to you when raising the bar on your online credibility. By displaying your contact details means that you have nothing to hide. Openly advertise your particulars, as well as contactable references, the more transparent you are the better.

 

• Use online references and testimonials to their fullest advantage.

You personal website is the best place to advertise testimonials and reference information of people prepared to endorse you. Ask your professional networks to provide you with testimonials or endorsements as an attempt to display your online Job Seeker credibility. Recruiters are looking for unbiased information regarding your application. The easier it is for them to review, the better these will serve you. Take full advantage of positive testimonials and employment references in order to improve and protect your online credibility.

 

• Refresh your online content.

By continuously updating the content on your personal website will ensure that your website is indexed more frequently. The more that Google Bots (search engine robots/spiders) are called back to your website in order to index relevant content, the better. By re-indexing your site's content, based on the relevancy of the information will determine your ranking and where your results are listed in search results. The closer to the number one position in the search results the better chances of getting found and the more credible you are.

 

• Always stay true to yourself.

Recruiters are like blood hounds; they sniff out a 'faux fox' from a mile away. Always be yourself. Don't pretend to be someone who you are not. A Recruiter is looking for valid information regarding your values, morals and your personality. To make an honest and certain opinion about a candidate, Recruiters will seek the most valid and relevant information about you. If any inconsistency is identified, your chances will be blown.

 

Protect your online credibility by being consistent and true to your personality.