What Does Google Say About You?

• 

“In a(n)… ExecuNet survey about reputation management and Internet presence, 86 percent of executive recruiters say they routinely scour online sources for information that goes beyond a candidate’s resume. Nearly 7-in-10 search firm consultants say that executive job candidates’ prospects improve when positive information is found online.” (2008 Executive Job Market Intelligence Report from ExecuNet)

A logical place for recruiters to search for information online about candidates is Google. Google is one of the largest search engines on the Internet.

When recruiters search for you, what will they see?

Nothing!

If you are not present on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, recruiters will never see you at all. And that means you could miss out on job opportunities as a result. According to MSNBC, “These days, small and midsize companies aren’t even posting jobs, instead going to sites like LinkedIn in search of their ideal candidate.” (“Using LinkedIn to Maximize Your Job Search,” MSNBC.com, March 12, 2009)

A Google search will show results for your name from these different social media sites, but of course if you haven’t completed a profile, you are invisible to recruiters.

Negative Press

You may be present on different social media sites, but if the information there is negative, you are in a worse position than if there were no information at all. A sloppy profile filled with typos is negative press for you. And if you have responded with a comment to a video or article from a periodical with profanity or other negative information, this can show up on Google as well and hurt your professional image.

Great Press

If you have been intentional about your online presence, what Google says about you can give recruiters a reason to take a second look at you.

Here are some pointers on what you can do to enhance your online presence:

• Google yourself to see what comes up. You need to see what recruiters will see when they search for you. That way you can make any needed adjustments to your online presence. 
• Take charge of your ZoomInfo profile. ZoomInfo is a site that automatically collects data about people online from different sources on the Internet. Sometimes there will be erroneous information on ZoomInfo under your name because the site confused you with someone else with the same name. Also, there may be information that is omitted about you that should be included. You can go to ZoomInfo for free and claim your name and correct any mistakes there may be. You can also post your picture to your profile if you choose to.
• Create profiles on social media sites for visibility. LinkedIn is the most popular site for professionals, and there are hundreds of thousands of recruiters on LinkedIn searching for candidates. Make sure your profile is complete and it represents you well.

If you follow these tips you will have Google singing your praises.

Google search image from Shutterstock

• 

Related Posts

• 

  Poll: When Do You Take Your Vacation?
  Poll: When Do You Take Your Vacation?
• 

  10 Ways To Make Sure You Won’t Get The Job
  10 Ways To Make Sure You Won’t Get The Job
• 

  How To Use Word Of Mouth To Boost Your Job Search
  How To Use Word Of Mouth To Boost Your Job Search
• 

  Top 5 Barriers To Job Or Contact Referrals In A Job Search
  Top 5 Barriers To Job Or Contact Referrals In A Job Search

One Comment

1. 

   Bruce Hurwitz

   February 7, 2012 at 9:50 AM

   Cheryl,

   You raise some important points, but you have one error. If you do not use social media, you can most certainly appear in a Google search. For example, if you search for me you will find hundreds of references to articles in which I am quoted, and to different episodes of my radio show, but I don’t believe you’ll find any references to Facebook or Twitter (except for the fact that I actually have those accounts). You will find two references to LinkedIn, both linking to my profile. (Of course, my profile means nothing since I’m the one who posted it. For a recruiter or employer, as long as there is no contradiction between a LinkedIn profile and a candidate’s resume, it’s irrelevant, except as an on-line business card – which, I believe, is your point.)

   For example, if a candidate received an award, authored a public document (a book, article or report), was quoted in the press, was mentioned as a participant in an event, all these things will appear in a Google search. Blog postings will also appear. (Case in point, in a few hours, I will get an e-mail from Google Alerts mentioning this post.) Many positives will appear on a Google search which have nothing to do with social media.

   Of course, negatives will also appear. I’m not referring here to the obvious, if a candidate was involved in a scandal. Anyone can write anything they want on their website or a blog about a candidate. It may raise a question or two during an interview, so candidates must be aware of their Internet presence. This means, first and foremost, removing anything foolish that they have posted on the Internet themselves, cleaning up, as you noted, typos from their LinkedIn profile, and other sites (removing inappropriate photos from Facebook and silly Tweets from Twitter). But they must be aware of negative things that others have posted about them so as to be able to explain and dismiss them.

   If someone has criticized a candidate, the candidate should not be too concerned. If you do something in public (write a blog posting), you have to be prepared for someone to criticize you in public. It’s called “paying your dues.” It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. In fact, it’s a compliment. Someone thought that your posting was worth commenting on. If someone just doesn’t like you, and chooses to attack you for not apparent reason, that can be a badge of honor, if you know how to present it in an interview.

   Reply