Online Reputation Management for Recent Grads

With the Web at their fingertips, Millennials constantly plug in and post updates, videos, and photos to their social media accounts. However, with 93% of Millennials using the Internet, you need to stop and think about whether you are using the Internet smartly. It is a brand new world and employers don’t hire the same way that they did when your parents got their first job. In fact, employers don’t hire the same way they did less than a decade ago.

While social media profiles originally started off as a great way to keep in touch with friends, they are key players in the job search process today. Around this time of the year, recent college graduates are looking to enter the workforce and are applying and interviewing for jobs. Along with polishing up your resume, it is essential for grads to be aware of what potential employers will find when researching them online.

More than 40% of hiring managers who research job candidates via social media said they have found information that has caused them not to hire a candidate. And it’s not just jobs that can be at jeopardy. Students have lost scholarships, been kicked off sports teams and even expelled just because of something they posted online.

Here are some tips on online reputation management for recent grads:

1. Be proactive not reactive. Prospective employers will likely Google your name and see what comes up. Cleaning up your online reputation begins with seeing if it needs to be cleaned up in the first place.

2. This might seem obvious, but don’t post anything you don’t want others to see. Delete or un-tag any embarrassing or inappropriate pictures and posts. The last thing you would want is a drunken night from years ago costing you a chance to land your first job.

3. On that note, remember the number one rule of Internet use: Nothing ever posted to the Web ever truly goes away. Once you post something on your profile, it’s in the public sphere where other people can manipulate it into something negative.

4. Make sure to privatize your social media accounts. Privacy settings aren’t foolproof, but they’re important. You should know exactly what others can see of your profile and posts.

5. Even after you land your first job out of college, you shouldn’t forget about your online reputation. And now that you have your first job, it’s even more important to look professional online.

Remember, be smart and think about everything you post online before you do it. The Internet has a long memory.