Read the passage below and check your comprehension by answering the following questions. Then “submit” your work.
Savvy job applicants prepare for a job interview by doing an internet search to learn about potential employers, from benefits to corporate culture. But inexperienced job hunters often fail to realize that those searches go both ways. As easily as you Google a company name, a potential employer does a search on you. You might have a fantastic résumé and the most professional suit for your first interview, but what you have posted on social media, discussion board blogs, or web pages might very well be the most important factor in shaping the first impression you make on a potential employer. Research suggests that more than three-quarters of employers Google candidates’ names when seeking to fill positions (Levit, 2010).
Consider one president of a small company looking to hire a summer intern. When he came across a promising candidate, he did a quick online check that included his Facebook page. There, the candidate described his interests in marijuana use, shooting people, and obsessive sex. That the student was clearly exaggerating did not matter: his lack of judgment regarding what to say about himself publicly took him out of the running for the position (Finder, 2006). Prevent potential employer access to negative information by Googling yourself. One man doing this found an essay he had posted on a student website a few years prior, called “Lying Your Way to the Top.” Only after he had it removed did he begin getting calls (Finder, 2006).
In addition to cleaning up whatever indiscretions may exist online, savvy candidates will take advantage of the internet to cultivate an impression that is professional and impressive. Create a profile on professional sites like LinkedIn and CareerRocket and post relevant comments on highly read blogs with links back to your own professional sites. As you develop your online presence more thoroughly, it can be helpful to make use of search engine optimization tools that will improve your Google ranking (Levit, 2010). By eliminating content you do not want employers to see, and creating content that you do want them to see, you can ensure your online presence is as impressive as your résumé.