Why Your Online Reputation Matters

Social media can seem easy when celebrities reach 60 million people with a single sentence. The truth is, garnering a strong following isn’t something that happens overnight. Your online reputation matters when you are looking for work, and it has become an integral part of networking.

If you can make it work for you, the work will start looking for you and you will find yourself in a great situation.

If not, you might find yourself getting left behind…

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Here are some reasons why you need to make sure to manage your online reputation:

Nothing Ever Goes Away

Once you put something online there is little chance that you’ll be able to get it offline. Ask all the celebrities that were the victims of a data breach and had their personal photos leaked.

Make sure that you are protecting your information online and avoiding scams. Study up on good security habits. Get great tools such as a security suite and a Virtual Private Network (which will mask your IP address and keep hackers out). Just make sure that you be extremely careful about what information you decide to post online and who you share details with.

Social Media Is Part of the Corporate Environment Now

Many companies are increasingly relying on social media and other online platforms in order to generate traffic and awareness. Considering how companies are spending 23 billion in ads on social media in 2015, social media is clearly a big game-changer for business.

With information as readily available as it is, it’s a no-brainer that what you represent can influence what the company represents. And while the trend is certainly stronger in the US than abroad, social media is a corporate research tool both to gain a following and to research new leads. This could include you.

Companies Want to Know Everything About You

When looking for work, social media is a great place to start and can even be a place where you can be discovered. Even if that’s not the case, potential employers may search for you to see how you conduct yourself online. Do you seem like a professional person who will fit well into the environment of the company? Are there any secrets in your past that might come back to haunt you? You need to control what image you have online so that you have the right answer to these questions.

You Can Help Influence Opinions

Social media, when done well, can give you the kind of awareness that makes companies seek you out rather than the other way around. If you master the art of marketing yourself, employers will notice that skill in itself. People who can influence others are always in demand, and if you can display that through your online persona then you will be that much closer to finding work.

Whether you’re looking for work or a veteran of the workplace with a new Instagram account, keep these tips in mind for being careful about your online presence. If you are careful, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

Do you have any other thoughts about your online reputation? Do you believe that you will have any difficulties finding work because of the above factors?

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