Read this article on digital information at
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/10/12/cb.digital.trail.job.search/index.html?iref=werecommend
Follow the article’s instructions to see what you turn up about yourself on the Internet. When I do this, my personal blog and this blog, my book on Amazon, and my Linked-In spot come up, along with the other thousands of Erica Hansons in the world, most of whom seem fairly respectable.
While you do not have to tell us what exactly you found or provide links to those embarrassing photos, do write about your reaction to both the article and what you found when you searched your name on the Internet (if anything).
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I was surprised to see some things that came up when I researched my name. I did not even remember making some of it. One thing I found was an account on Bebo. I created it when I was 13. I logged on and deleted it. I had a bunch of Volleyball stats and articles from high school. There two other Katie Rothering that I found and she is active on the internet.
ReplyDeleteIn my search of myself on the internet I found more than I had originally expected. However, I wouldn’t have a problem with a potential employer looking at any of the content. Some things I found were my face book page, an article about a 5k run I ran in, and a few sports articles from high school that had mentioned my name. The only stuff that I would be concerned about in what I found would maybe be my face book profile, but just recently I have gone through it and cleaned it up to be appropriate. I do agree that everyone should have an online presence and that it is up to us as individuals to make sure that it is a respectable one. Now that employers can find you on the web they can see the real you. So, in the future, it will be harder to hide yourself behind your well written resumes and cover letters because the truth is coming out.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at how many people came up on my search named Nancy Olsen. Usually the "en" spelling knocks the numbers down. My facebook page came up which is okay for a prospective employer to see. Other than that, I didn't find anything. It was somewhat of a red flag that I don't have enough of an online presence. I have an e-folio, but after going through about 20 pages, I got tired of looking. An old MySpace page came up, but I don't use that anymore.
ReplyDeleteAs Brad said, the truth will come out. Everyone you work with, including your boss or future boss, will be able to find information about you on the Internet. Sorry to say it but, big brother is watching.
I know there are a lot of employers that are now using the internet to check up on potential employees. I found multiple pages that refered to me and my name isn't very common so I didn't expect to find a whole lot that didn't refer to me as a person. I did find a few other references with my last name but they had different first names. I believe that employers shouldn't be able to look in on your facebook or myspace because that is an invasion of privacy. But, at the same time you should have nothing to hide.
ReplyDeleteI knew that it is becoming more common for employers to check out their employees or potentional employees on the internet. Three months ago it was brought to my attention at work that thru the corporate office and the higher administration at my job were checking out some of the employees. One thing that was being done was, if an employee had a myspace page or facebook and it was not approprate that person was brought in to managements office and questioned. The unit managers informed us of this and suggested that if our page was not professional to either change it or make it private.
ReplyDeleteThru the website, Intelius, I searched my name and 165 results came back. This website, while searching had a message that informed me that utility bills, county and court reacords along with a few other documents were being searched to find results. At another webpage it was required that you pay to look more into the results.
I'm finding out more about employers using the internet to find out more about potential employees.
ReplyDeleteI find it a little scarey that anyone has the ability of the internet to find out a lot of information about a person by only knowing a name.
I am on facebook, but have only used it maybe twice. I don't completely know all the ins and outs about it so I don't use it.
I searched my name and the most results I could find were 3 other than me. There were other webpages, but they required you to pay to get more information.
My thoughts are that I think it's ridiculous that companies are using the internet to find out numerous facts about potential employees. I understand that it's important to hire the best possible candidate but I feel it's almost an invasion of privacy if companies are looking on your facebook page, and other webpages. Thankfully for myself when I did a google search I didn't find much. My facebook profile didn't even show up because I have my privacy settings high on there. It had me a little concerned that nothing really showed up so I don't have much of an online presence, but at the same time I felt comfortable knowing that.
ReplyDeleteI am fully aware that employers are looking on the web to research you as a candidate for employment. When I was starting my internship two years ago, my instructor warned us that employers are doing this and to clean up our social networking pages. This was one of the first things I did.
ReplyDeleteWhen I searched my name on the different search engines, I came across my Facebook page, my employer's website, and an article from the leader telegram when I was interviewed. There are a few others with my name and they appear to be active online and respectable.
A few months ago, at my present employment, I was asked to assist in the hiring process to build my department. I actually went online and researched the candidates. I do realize this is not uncommon, however, I do have mixed feelings about it. I am dedicated and a hard working person at work and a goofball around my family and friends. I do feel if I post a picture of me doing something goofy this should not affect my changes as a candidate for a position. I know some people would not care for my humor and some love my humor. I will continue to be careful regarding what I post and upload for photos just to play it safe.
I can understand why employers looking people on the internet. It’s a great way to get a head start on the person that will be interviewed. I searched Google first the only things that came up were a couple a business with my first name included in it. A lot pictures came up but none of them were mine and there were no videos. I also searched yahoo and the same things came. All and all I was not surprised that nothing came up about me. I don't have much of e-mail presence. I only have a couple of e-mails and Facebook. I was not to worry I find any of my Facebook stuff because of the privacy settings I have.
ReplyDeleteWhen I searched my name all I found where my senior pictures but where on the photographers page. All the other stuff was from different Kayla Burkes.
ReplyDeleteI do believe it is going to be harder for some people to hid behind their resumes and cover letters with what is on the internet about them.
Apparently my name is a lot more common than I thought it would be. It was kind of tough to find myself. Really the only thing that I found were pictures of me and my family from my facebook page. I also did find an article from when I was in high school swimming, but that really took some digging.
ReplyDeleteAll in all I have no problem with employers using the internet to check on potential employees. I just hope they do it after the interview so they at least have a face to put with the name, so they don't confuse me with someone else.
When I searched my name on the internet my myspace page came up and then I was in a benefit walk this year for The Making Strides Walk, and that came up as well. There was nothing that came up that I would't want a future employer to see though. Its a good idea to always check and see what is actually out there under your name because there was alot of Shannon Lynch's out there that weren't me. That wouldn't be good if my boss thought someone else was me, so it would be a good idea for people to meet with you first before going on the internet and finding things out about you.
ReplyDeleteWhen i googled my name I comes up with a few different site that im a part of. Top of the list thought is classmates.com With my name not being common and the many times it has been misspelt I know that if an employer were to look me up... and personally I feel that wrong and shouldnt be done, I know what what they may find. Looking people up on the internet because your bored, or what not is one stupid and two wrong. How would u know that the person your looking up is truely the person you are looking for. You may not have the right person and see something you dont like and form and bad and mislead opinion of that person, without that person ever knowing. The internet is useful in many ways but it is alway misleading an mistaken for the truth. Personal information should be private and ONLY released to employers if that information deals with that job that person is apply for
ReplyDeleteI did not find my exact name. I think because it is hyphenated. I found people with parts of my name. I also thing it not right that employers can Google you to see if they find anything. The only thing i agree with is the criminal records. Other than that i think them logging in to see your profiles for your personal accounts is wrong. If its done on your own time outside of work then i don't think it matters.
ReplyDeleteI found one one page that in the U.S. there are about 92 David Hofers, none of which were me. I did however, find where my grandpa David G. Hofer lives. I used to find information about me for livestock judging for FFA, but even that has been covered up with all of the other David Hofers. I can see where bad or negitive information on someone can lead to negitive concequences, especially when one may be trying to get a job.
ReplyDeleteI was not to surprised when I googled my name. I have done this before and like last time the only thing that comes up is my facebook account; other than that it is just articles with parts of my name in it that is not about me. I know there are things on facebook that I could edit to make myself more professional.
ReplyDeleteI thought the article was pretty informative. It gave a lot of good tips that I may have to use in the future, so it is something good to remember. When I googled my name I was surprised on how many things popped up. I really didn't think I had that many things. I was expecting just my facebook, and my youtube videos. I found a lot of different links to different things, such as skateboarding contests. However, there wasn't really any bad information about me that popped up. I also have my facebook settings on high, just in case there is a picture or comment a professional job might not like, I have it set so they can't see anything unless they are my friend first.
ReplyDeleteI checked the internet for information about me, and all I could come up with is my age and I live in Wisconsin and some of my relatives were listed. To find out anymore information I would have to pay a fee.
ReplyDeleteI am really surprised to find out that employers use the internet as much as they do, to research their potential employees. I was also surprised that thirty-five percent of all employers do not hire their applicants because of what they found out about the person on the internet. I feel employers should also check with the person's references and their previous employers before using the internet.
I have searched my name before and I find it funny what comes up because it hardly, if ever, comes up with the real me. I don't really have anything online that I need to worry about because I don't do much of anything online that I need to worry about because I don't do much of anything except look for some of the movies my mom wants and doing homework.
ReplyDeleteWhen I googled my name, I had a lot of people with the same name come up, it was a little difficult to find me, unless I wanted to pay for it. I did find my face book which I just started a few months ago. As for employers wanting to find out more about me, they can I really don't have anything to hide, they will end up doing a background check on me anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe article was very good. If we must have our information out there, I think the article recommends great guidelines to follow. I think sometimes we forget our information is out there. We need to be careful of what we have in cyberspace about us, even if we are not searching for a job. There are countless ways people can use your information to harm you or ruin your reputation.
ReplyDeleteMy search did not turn up much. I found there are many people named Aaron Black. The only thing I could find was my name showing I was on Facebook and telephone directory information. I do not engage in any blogs or anything else to put my name out there.
I find it interesting that today employers are actually looking people up on facebook or myspace and search engines. I do find it to be invading, but to be on the safe side that is why you shouldn't put things too crazy on any of these. When I searched my name I was very surprised that I even found my name! I found my name for facebook and myspace. I also found something about imeem a site for music and it showed the top one's I chose. There were also many more Villalpando's on the page. I was quite shocked at how many Villalpando's are acutally out there!
ReplyDeleteThe internet is an amazing thing. I found so many different things about my name. Half of them weren't about me at all. I never thought my last name was actually popular, but turns out it is in Florida, Illinois, and Alaska. There were some personal things on there for myself. My senior picyures, high school sports articles, facebook, and my traffic tickets. It was just interesting to find out how many Melissa Litke's there were. Actually kind of scary too.
ReplyDeleteLike most, I was surprised to see more items than I had expected. Nothing is of embarrassing content or things that employers would frown upon. In fact most items would help me out. My research paper that I did from UWEC that appeared in an exercise publication was listed, along with many charity races that I have run. Past soccer accomplishments that have run in the paper were also listed. It brought back a lot of memories to see those articles. It is also nice to know that they can still be found.
ReplyDeleteWhen I looked up my name I didn't find a whole lot. I did find some articles from high school sports, and a couple awards I recieved working the ambulance. The one crazy thing I did find under my name is a serial killer, she was found guilty on 5 counts of murder in the first degree. After I read that about her I wondered what companies looking up my name would think, would they think it was me or maybe wonder if I has some relation to her.
ReplyDeleteSix months ago, you would have found absolutely nothing on me in Google. However, since I left my job at Menards and started school again, I have found myself using the internet to stay informed and vent my frustrations. First, my Facebook profile comes up. Although you can block what the general public sees of your profile, I didn’t know that my status was coming up unblocked. There are things that I have put on my status that probably should not be seen by people who do not know me well (inside jokes and such). Next is my profile on the Huffington Post. I often respond to blogs and articles pertaining to the more controversial subjects in the news like health care and Glenn Beck (of whom I often speak of in a controversial manner).
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with using social networking to spy on or judge a prospective employee. I loathe the idea of being passed up for a job because of statements made by friends or family in confidence behind the walls of a social networking website. Also, my political opinions can be asked about face to face. If I am to lose a job because of my personal feelings, I would rather be asked point-blank about it in a respectful way. I see that this is going to be a trend in companies all over the world. However, I have no interest in working for someone that displays such a lack of integrity and respect as to look into my personal life without speaking directly to me. It is the same issue if an employer were to hire a private investigator. Information on a person can be obtained in many ways, but it is the methods used that is the difference between professionalism and deception.
When I looked my name up on the internet, I wasn't surprised to what i found. Mostly it was just about facebook and my old myspace page. It is really werid to look yourself up on the computer and find things. I dont have anything bad about myself, which is good if somebody looks on the computer for me. But Iplan to keep that up because i dont want that to be the reason I dont get a job.
ReplyDeleteI goggled my name and found some very interesting things. The conference trip with Phi Beta Lambda to Chula Vista came up as being in the newspaper. There were a lot of people with the same name, which is very surprising. One of them had a photo stream site where he/she manages photos. The Author of the article mentioned not having anything available about you on line, also is bad. I am going to open a LinkedIn account, where I can put my cover letter, resume, and references online.
ReplyDeleteI Googled my name I did not find anything except in the sites where you have to pay to get information. I did not even find Myspace or my Facebook page. I'm not sure if that is a bad or good thing. I am hoping that it is good. It is really amazing the things you can look up on the computer now.
ReplyDelete