Got Digital Dirt?

Have you ever Googled yourself or a family member? It’s interesting what can show up. The term is narcisurfing or a vanity search - and for some people this can be a rude awakening. With today’s growing popularity of blogs and networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, there is a lot of personal information available with a few simple clicks.

So what potential implications can this have on you? Well, if you are in today’s competitive job market, it can cost you your dream job. Whether you are working with an executive search firm or with a corporate recruiter, everyone has access to the Internet and is capable of doing their own version of reference checks. If you think this isn’t being done, think again! It is easier than ever to dig up some ‘digital dirt’ on candidates. Digital dirt is simply the information about you available on the Internet. 

If you or someone you know is looking for new opportunities, then ensure the search isn’t doomed from the beginning. This isn’t just limited to people looking for new opportunities as employees at Google, Starbucks, Delta Airlines, Friendster and others have found out. The term dooced has been coined for people that have been fired because of information on their personal blogs. 

Got your attention yet? It’s important to know what your online profile says about you and make sure it is the image you want to portray. If you need to clean up your online profile there are steps you can take to have images or information taken off a website. If you utilize social networking sites, control who has access to your profile by keeping it private.

So go ahead, pull up a search engine and dig up some digital dirt!

Andy Gross, Project Coordinator
The SearchLogix Group