Your professional reputation, which you have spent your entire career cultivating, is defined by what people say about you when you’re not in the room.
Whether it’s preparing to “wow” the hiring manager at your dream company, pitching a new client, or collaborating with colleagues on an important project, you’re committed to making the right impression to the right people at the right time.
Despite your best efforts, you may be at risk of making a critical misstep in a hiring climate where a simple online search by a recruiter may mean the difference between landing that coveted interview or being passed over entirely.
In these situations, your professional reputation is what someone learns about you when they enter your name into an online search engine.
Fortunately, it’s never too late to apply strategies that strengthen your online reputation. For those who have a minimal online presence – or none at all – now is the perfect time to start. An absence of online information might raise suspicions or be looked at as a “red flag” and prompt questions.
Burnish Your Online Brand
In today’s interconnected digital business climate, your online brand helps you gain access to the people, organizations, and ideas that will help you achieve your personal and professional goals. This applies to anyone who wants to:
Elevate or advance their career.
Position themselves as a thought leader.
Build a stronger, more effective professional network.
Connect with colleagues or industry leaders.
Share thoughts, ideas, and insights.
Google-Proof Yourself
You may be asking, “Why is this necessary?” Your standing, skills, and background have always been sufficient to achieving your career goals. The simple answer is Google.
For HR professionals, search engines in general (and Google, in particular) are invaluable tools for conducting employee searches. Quite often, it’s the first step in determining whether a candidate is worthy of an interview.
Before worrying about whether an errant photo or comment on your preferred social media platform could lead to your undoing – more on that in a bit – try focusing on the fact that a well-developed online reputation will open additional doors of opportunity.
Focus on your positives…just as you would at an in-person networking event. Here’s how:
Build Up Your LinkedIn Profile
The first listing that often that appears during a recruiter’s online search is a candidate’s LinkedIn page. This represents a tremendous opportunity to pack your profile with professional accolades and success stories that highlight how you stand apart from the pack.
LinkedIn, when used effectively, can often tip the scales in your favor when it comes to getting your foot in the door or, more aptly, the interview room where your professional reputation, skills and talents will be the focal point.
Search for Yourself Online
Envision yourself as an HR specialist who just received a compelling cover letter and resume from a candidate (again, yourself). But before Googling yourself, be sure to log out from the browser and clear your cache and search history. Now, enter your name and see what comes up.
Better yet, enter several different variations of your name. Did you once use your middle name but not any longer? Do you go by “Victoria” at the office and “Vikki” when among friends? Notice how these differences change your search results.
What’s in a Name? Consistency!
It’s far more efficient to manage one name/one brand. Do we use our middle initials? Include nicknames? There’s no wrong answer. However, once you’ve decided on your “professional name,” make sure to apply it consistently across the spectrum. This includes your resume, LinkedIn, professional associations, and any online platforms you may use to leverage your professional reputation.
Go Domain Shopping
Buy your professional name as a domain – www.wilmanachsin.com, for example. This will help you control what people (and recruiters) see when they Google your name. Don’t worry, there’s no need to build a functioning website, unless you want to. Instead, use it to guide visitors to your LinkedIn profile or some other platform that highlights your impressive background and accomplishments.
Maximize Social Media Privacy Settings
Don’t let an unflattering photo or comment damage your online reputation. Keep your privacy settings locked down tightly on any social media platform that does not play a role in your professional branding.
If there are digital skeletons you’re potentially concerned about, remove them if you are able. If not, politely ask those who can for help – friends or acquaintances on whose pages the undesired content is posted, for example.
Meanwhile, un-tag yourself from photos you prefer people not see and delete any comments that might not be understood without proper context.
Realize Your Promise
The sum of your social media and online presence constitutes what many career experts today call your “online reputation.” Make sure you take the time – and do the proper research – to find out what your online reputation is.
Many employers rely on online searches to conduct initial free background checks. Professionals seeking an edge in today’s career marketplace need to make sure they take the necessary steps to control their online presence.
Carefully managing your online reputation can expand your professional opportunities by helping you get found with the right information, by the right person, at the right time.
Look as impressive in writing as you really are.
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