We recently encountered an interesting hiring situation. Our candidate, Bob*, was near the end of the hiring process, with an offer contingent upon the background check. Bob was the ideal candidate: experienced, smart, motivated, polished-but an unfortunate experience some 20 odd years ago came up near the end of the process, with an offer contingent upon the background check.
But what if the trouble is not with your background check, but with the new "background check," the internet search. But I don't have any troubling criminal, civil, or credit woes marring my past, you say. Perhaps not--but there is that picture of you your friend Bill from college tagged on his Facebook page. You know the one: Spring Break 2001, Mazatlan, Mexico. Need I say more? What seemed like a harmless college prank could be hindering your job prospects as we speak.
Hiring is a tricky, sometimes sticky, business. And the internet these days can be your biggest friend, or in the case of your beer guzzling photo, your biggest foe. SFGate.com recently ran an article discussing the potentially damaging effects of a negative internet profile, one you may not even be aware you have. Below we list some practical steps to ensure your life on the internet is not adversely affecting your life out in the real world:
1. Google yourself. If something comes up that you don't want linked to yourself, see if it is something you can change. If your friend has posted some not so nice photos of you on his Facebook page, ask him to take them down.
2. Create a positive identity. If you can't change negative postings, boost yourself above those listings by placing or updating your profile on such websites as LinkedIn. This will give you a professional presence on the web and tends to be one of the first items to show up in the organic search pages on Google and other search engines.
3. Beware of social networking. Ensure your presence on all social network sites is appropriate material for potential employers. Save the party pics for your next get together.
Following these simple steps will help you to take control of your job search and help you to land that perfect job.
*name has been changed for privacy
Jill Vived is the co-owner of a search firm specializing in Denver finance recruiting. If you are looking for a finance recruiter in Denver, contact Vivalta, Inc. Vivalta, Inc. works with small and large companies, recruiting for positions including a CFO, VP of Finance, Senior Accountant, and other position within accounting departments.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jill_Vived
But what if the trouble is not with your background check, but with the new "background check," the internet search. But I don't have any troubling criminal, civil, or credit woes marring my past, you say. Perhaps not--but there is that picture of you your friend Bill from college tagged on his Facebook page. You know the one: Spring Break 2001, Mazatlan, Mexico. Need I say more? What seemed like a harmless college prank could be hindering your job prospects as we speak.
Hiring is a tricky, sometimes sticky, business. And the internet these days can be your biggest friend, or in the case of your beer guzzling photo, your biggest foe. SFGate.com recently ran an article discussing the potentially damaging effects of a negative internet profile, one you may not even be aware you have. Below we list some practical steps to ensure your life on the internet is not adversely affecting your life out in the real world:
1. Google yourself. If something comes up that you don't want linked to yourself, see if it is something you can change. If your friend has posted some not so nice photos of you on his Facebook page, ask him to take them down.
2. Create a positive identity. If you can't change negative postings, boost yourself above those listings by placing or updating your profile on such websites as LinkedIn. This will give you a professional presence on the web and tends to be one of the first items to show up in the organic search pages on Google and other search engines.
3. Beware of social networking. Ensure your presence on all social network sites is appropriate material for potential employers. Save the party pics for your next get together.
Following these simple steps will help you to take control of your job search and help you to land that perfect job.
*name has been changed for privacy
Jill Vived is the co-owner of a search firm specializing in Denver finance recruiting. If you are looking for a finance recruiter in Denver, contact Vivalta, Inc. Vivalta, Inc. works with small and large companies, recruiting for positions including a CFO, VP of Finance, Senior Accountant, and other position within accounting departments.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jill_Vived