It may sound a bit vain, but do you monitor your online reputation? More often than not, the “first impression” we now get of someone is what we read about them online.
I have Google Alerts set to send me an email anytime my name appears anywhere on the Internet. They also recently release Me on the Web. Even if you don’t continually monitor what’s said about you online, every couple of months, you should search for yourself to see what comes up.
Social media is a large part of someone’s online reputation. Many of us are “friends” or “connected” with someone online and we’ve never met them in person. When you read their posts, what’s the impression you have of them? Are they a party animal? Business professional? Dedicated volunteer? Sports fanatic? Someone you’d like to get to know in the “real” world?
People use social media for a variety of reasons—sometimes just for fun, sometimes for business, sometimes a combination. However, everyone needs to keep in mind what someone will think of them based on their posts.
This may seem a bit silly…and in a way, it is. However, how many of you have searched online for information about someone before an initial meeting with them, whether for fun or business? Anytime I’m meeting a potential new business associate, I first look to see if they have a LinkedIn profile, then I look on Facebook, then I Google them. I’m not being nosy; I just want to know more about them and maybe find similarities that will give us something to talk about. After all, we work with people we know and like and we can get some of that information online.
I’ve observed that some people exaggerate in their posts. Did they really speak to an audience of hundreds…or was it just a handful of people, but they want to impress their followers? Often, people write their posts to give the “illusion” that what they did was bigger/better than it really was. They also use words to describe their feats that they wouldn’t use if they were talking with someone face-to-face.
My current favorites are those who refer to themselves as social media “experts”. There are hundreds of social media sites that are constantly changing, along with new ones coming along almost daily. How on earth could someone—even if they dedicated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—keep up on everything? While not impossible, it’s difficult for anyone to truly be an expert even on just one or two social media platforms. I’ve found that those who proclaim themselves to be experts often aren’t—and those who are don’t use that word, letting their work speak for itself.
Having a stellar online reputation is especially critical for someone looking for a new job. A study by Microsoft found that 70% of recruiters have rejected candidates based on online information!
I recently wrote a post about personal vs. professional use of social media. There is a fine line—if any—between the two. I have a friend who applied to be a presenter at a major conference. The conference organizer went to her Facebook page, discovered they had mutual friends and asked them for their opinions about her. It’s a good thing that she’s always very conscious about her online image and she was accepted to speak.
I’d love to get your thoughts on this. Have you made the decision to associate with—or not associate with—someone based just on what you read about them online?
People seem to have a hard time believing that they are being judged by what they write and post. I suppose when they are rejected for their ‘dream job’ because of it, maybe then they will understand. Of course, the question is, how do they know they’ve been rejected because of their posts? Most employers don’t even bother with ‘rejection letters’ any more, much less letting someone know why they were not hired….
Unfortunately, many don’t even know they were rejected because the online review was the first step in the process. Because so many people are now applying for open positions, HR staff and recruiters do the search first. They are looking for ways to exclude someone, rather than include them. So you’re right, they don’t even get a “thanks but no thanks” notification and they have no idea why. That’s why it’s critical to know what someone’s online reputation is, and fix it where possible. I once saw a cover letter for a job application that actually stated: “If you search my name online, you’ll find that [my name] has a felony record. That’s not me!”
After I read your blog, I went to my Facebook to see what I typically post and how people might view me. I am definitely the “sports fanatic”! One area I try to be most cautious of is my language. I have removed Facebook “friends” or hidden them because of their fowl or explicit language. Besides language, another area that is most annoying for me is when people constantly post to my wall or theirs, the games that they are playing. That’s fine if they choose to play these games and such all day but do you really want everyone to know this, especially if you’re at your workplace! To be quite honest, I think it is a generation thing. I think quite a few of the younger people really don’t care how others “view” them. Once they mature a little, I’m sure they will feel a whole lot different about what they post!
Christina – your posts are great! They also show that you’re a dedicated Mom. Always a good thing, in my view. I’m like you – bad language as a habit and they’re gone. The games also bother me. I block them all from appearing on my wall, but I do have to wonder what the impression is when it’s clear that someone is playing them for more than about 5 minutes when they are clearly supposed to be at work. You’re definitely right about the younger generation…we were that way, too! I’m always impressed when I’m connected with someone in their 20’s who clearly understands that we oldsters are watching and they post appropriately.