Online information not private
Posted 03/31/2010 8:40 AM
More and more employers are searching online for information about their candidates. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google searches are all being utilized to create a more complete picture of job applicants, and LinkedIn is the only one most candidates use to present a professional image.
A new study commissioned by Microsoft discovered that 79 percent of employers will search online when making hiring decisions, and 70 percent of employers in the United States have used information they found to reject candidates.
What kind of information? "Inappropriate" comments by the candidate; "unsuitable" photos and videos; criticisms of previous employers, co-workers, or clients; and even inappropriate comments by friends and relatives, according to the survey report, titled "Online Reputation in a Connected World."
To combat this, job seekers are increasing the restrictions in their privacy settings, changing their online names, and removing incriminating photos and other information.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/29/facebook.job-seekers/index.html?hpt=C1
It is recommended that students and alumni fill out their LinkedIn profiles to 100% completeness. A 100% complete LinkedIn profile is much more likely to be found in a Google search than a 99% complete profile, and you want employers to find the information that you control. http://www.linkedin.com/
For more information about creating a professional image online and branding yourself for maximum job search success, contact the MSOE Career Placement Office.
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| Erik Oswald | Mary Spencer | Cathlyn Ferraro |