Online Reputations Affect Employability

The FT has today ran an interesting article - Careless Talk Online Can Cost Candidates Jobs.  Well I would say it's interesting as I'm quoted in it.  It raises a good point though, we often Google candidates to see what's said about them online.  I also run searches on My Space and PR Week to see what pops up and now with networking services like Linked In and Viadeo you can virtually get potential candidates CVs online at the click of a mouse.

In fact, if anyone a bit more geeky than me can tell me how to add widgets to my blog to link to my Linked In and Viadeo profiles I'd be very grateful.  I've been trying to work it out for days and it's getting the better of me.

Your online reputation can work both for and against you as far as job hunting is concerned.  Certainly it can raise your personal profile - I know of one blogger who is always being recommended to me for roles, but I'll keep his name to myself until I can persuade him to move jobs.

We take recommendations, on Linked In for example, very seriously.  Those sorts of social networks are a great place to pick a few brains and find out who is rated as the best amongst their peers.  You are much more likely to be headhunted for your dream role if you make your presence known online. 

I'd be careful about putting anything about your wife-swapping, drug taking days on your blog or profile though, you never know when your next potential employer may Google you.