WHO ARE YOU ONLINE?

Tips for cleaning up your public profile

Now more than ever, employers use the internet to research candidates for hiring or admission.  Do what you can to make the most of your public image.

1.  Search Yourself!
See what others see about you online by running your own search.  Before running your search, log out of your browser and clear you cache and search history, so search engines pick up the same information a new searcher will see.  Search fo your name on major web browser and social networks.  View  your social media profile as "public" to see what people who are not friends or followers would see.

2.  Clean up what you can.
If you find photos, posts and personal information in your social media accounts that you'd prefer not to share with the world, delete them or check your privacy settings to ensure they're not visible to anyone outside your social network.  If you find photos or other content on websites where you don't have any control, contact the website's administrator and ask them to remove the content.

3.  Make the most of your online presence with new content.
New content ranks higher on search engines, plus it gives you the opportunity to update your social media with things you want prospective employers to see.  Update your profile on career sites, build a personal resume site or start a new blog to show off your professional smarts!

4.  Ditch the data brokers!
There are companies who scan the internet for personal information and offer the data they find to the public for free or for a fee.  If there "people search" sites come up when you search for your name, visit their sites and opt out to keep your information private.