This list is adapted from an article that originally appeared at online training.org.
- A Picture is Worth a Thousand Mistakes – Everyone likes to have a good time, yet just one picture of too good a time can keep you from landing a job. Whether out for a drink with a few buddies or even sharing a kiss with your spouse, pictures only capture a fraction of a second and are left open to interpretation.
- To Blog or Not to Blog? – A professional blog that showcases knowledge can help you land a job. But a blog can also cause you to lose a job — or not get one. Exercise caution when blogging about your present, former, or prospective employer — or your job search.
- Facebook = Firedbook? – A helpful feature of Facebook is privacy controls that allow you to restrict full access to your profile to only your friends. However, some information is still publicly available. Facebook can also be a problem if you friend people who can cause you trouble.
- Twitter is Quicker – Unlike Facebook, a Twitter account can be seen by anyone. Because tweets are so easy to post and so short, a prospective boss can skim through feeds in no time and find any mistakes you’ve made that may keep you from landing a job.
- Lies Are Harder to Cover Up – Have you embellished your resume? Did you say you worked at a company you never truly did work for? The Internet may make it much easier for a prospective employer to track down someone there who will deny you ever worked there.
- Check Yourself – Before someone else keeps you from landing a job, investigate yourself online. An identity theft, or just about anyone can post anything using your name. If you find something unflattering, contact the webmaster to have it removed. However, if your name is something like John Smith, you can face a whole new set of challenges, due to the likelihood someone else with your name may make you look bad.
- Beat Them to the Punch – What to do if your name is John Smith or you are unable to remove something unwanted? The most effective way is to establish your domain name and develop your own personal website.
