ReputationChanger.com Highlights ORM for Job-Seekers

According to the online reputation management team at ReputationChanger.com, online reputation is hardly just a concern for businesses and brands. Individuals need to think critically and carefully about this most precious and elusive currency. Online reputation denotes all of the information people find about you on the Internet. This is of paramount importance for anyone and everyone who is seeking new employment.

Yes, for job-seekers, online reputation management is of the essence. Yet, it is surprising how few job-seekers take their online portrayals seriously. As more and more employers and recruiters turn to online search as an avenue for separating good candidates from undesirable ones, learning about ORM is paramount.

Why ORM Matters for Job-Seekers

Before addressing the best strategies, the dos and don’ts of online reputation management, we might first consider why it is so important for those in the job market. You should care about your online reputation for one simple reason. That reason is this: Employers and recruiters care about it.

To elaborate: These days, employers are getting slammed with dozens, if not hundreds of applications for every single open position. That’s a lot of applications to sort through, and a lot of resumes to read! It comes as no great surprise, then, that HR teams and recruiters have sought ways for weeding out the unworthy or worrisome job applicants.

This means scoping out candidates on LinkedIn and on Facebook, without a doubt. More than that, though, it means using Google to obtain quick information about individuals who apply for work. Close to 85 percent of employers now use search engines to research applicants. According to ReputationChanger.com, then, an individual’s online reputation stands to make or break his/her career prospects.

How the Internet Can Hurt You

Do not take for granted that your online reputation is a clean one. Have you taken the time to really look at what Google and Bing have to say about you? Have you thought through the various ways in which your online reputation could incur damage? You might find it surprising just how hazardous the online world is.

Some examples of potential threats to an individual’s online reputation include:

• DUI mugshots, arrest reports, or any other criminal records that make their way onto the Internet.
• Slovenly, drunk photos posted to Facebook or to a friend’s blog—or any other unfortunate souvenir from “that one wild night in college.”
• Complaints, negative reviews, or adverse mentions from previous clients, customers, or employers.
• Infamous doppelgangers, i.e., people of ill repute with whom you share a name.
• Personal blogs or websites that include coarse language, off-color humor, or offensive political and religious statements.

A Lack of Branding

According to ReputationChanger.com, however, there is an even bigger and more common problem that affects job-seekers. That problem is that, when your name is Googled, nothing comes up. The Internet yields no evidence that you have ever done, achieved, or accomplished anything. This makes it seem as though your entire life was spent twiddling your thumbs. A lack of a strong personal brand can utterly wreck your career chances.

Solutions for Job-Seekers

The good news is that, by identifying the problem, individuals who are seeking employment can work toward a solution. If a lack of a clear, strong personal brand is hurting you, the answer is obvious. You need to develop a strong, personal online brand. You need to work to portray yourself as authoritative and qualified in the eyes of potential employers.

According to ReputationChanger.com, there are several ways for doing this. One of the quickest and most effective is to make strategic use of social media. There are two specific social networks that are highly useful for job-seekers interested in branding themselves:

• First, there is LinkedIn. This is a well-known site among professionals, because of the untold possibilities it offers for those seeking to network. It is also useful for reputation management and personal brand enhancement. Putting your resume on the Web ensures that, when a potential employer Googles you, he or she finds at least one listing that speaks to your achievements.
• Speaking of achievements, there is no better way to broadcast your achievements than to set up a fully-optimized profile on Completed.com. Completed.com will allow you to list every accomplishment in your professional life—and personal achievements, as well. As such, the site is a great tool for offering recruiters and employers a big-picture view of your worth as an employee.

ReputationChanger.com Reveals Further Tips for Job-Seekers

There are still further strategies and techniques that individuals might seek to implement. In addition to LinkedIn and Completed.com, some other noteworthy strategies and tools include:

• Buying up all of the domains associated with your name. By visiting GoDaddy.com, you can obtain the rights to YourName.com, org, and .net. Doing so is a cheap and easy way to prevent against the “infamous doppelganger” issue.
• Starting a blog is another powerful way to build a personal brand. Make sure to blog regularly about issues shaping your professional field. Also make sure that the domain and title of your blog include your name.
• Even activity on Facebook and Google+ can help you to brand yourself. “Like” Facebook pages that reflect your professional interests and affiliations, and share content that is related to your work life.
• Speaking of social media sites, make sure you know what your privacy settings are. Also note that, on the Internet, nothing is ever 100 percent guaranteed to remain private forever! Keep really personal information offline.
• There is no time like the present to delete any potentially damaging or embarrassing online photos or blog entries. However, ReputationChanger.com notes that it is not possible to guarantee that anything is fully deleted from the Web.
• Finally, remember that a professional online reputation management firm can connect you with brand-enhancing resources that can seriously turn you into a job applicant of choice.

ORM is Not Just for Celebrities

The most important takeaway message from ReputationChanger.com is simply that online reputation is just not a subject of concern for celebrities and politicians, nor for businesses and brands. Lay people and private citizens have online reputations, as well. Your online reputation will either help or harm you as you seek a new job, a promotion, or a raise. As such, ReputationChanger.com encourages individuals to get serious about ORM and about personal, online branding.