Dress Well For The Online Interview

The plain and simple Google search is a boon for everybody. And it is what we call in India, "cheap and the best." Especially for recruiters, who can get your background information in a few clicks. Thanks to Social Networking sites and blogs, they have all the background information on you that they need to, possibly including your character and social skills, before they call you for an interview.

So watch your trail. Even your Facebook profile! People losing their jobs due to their Facebook status is almost a sort of urban legend in these recession times. You might think you are not that foolish but the recruiters dig still deeper.

Simply Google your full name, what you see is what your employer will find in your background search. Most likely that the first 2 results will be either of Facebook account or LinkedIn account. What they find here matters. Anything remotely questionable should make your chances of getting the job go a few notches down. It simply means if you don't care for your image, you are unlikely to care for the company's image.

FACEBOOK: What does Facebook or any other SNS site have to do with your job search? Your cool display pic may give wrong impression to your potential employer. It is best to use the Privacy Settings. This also applies if you are already employed. Your funny status updates, racial slur, swearing, anything that may hurt somebody's religious sentiments should be strict no no, considering many of your colleagues may be on your friends' list.

LINKEDIN: This profile should be seen as a networking tool or a CV displayer. Do not make buddy buddy comments. If a colleague has been helpful write a reccommendation. Learn from others' profile, compare what they do if they are from your field and find out if it interests you, could be software relevant to your field or a course. Use it for professional networking only.

BLOGGING: This might seem like the easy one because you have clearly stated that they are your ramblings/musings and yawwwn. But if you don't how to handle you might end up screwing it. Trust me, "Notes To Myself" is already in print and even lost a little value, so give up on the hope of being the next Hugh Prather. Especially if you are aiming for a career in writing. If you give a link to your blog in your resume, or want recruiters to stumble upon on your blog, still make it very professional keep the content strictly within your area of interest.

Twitter: Basically works on the same line as Facebook. If your Twitter account appears on a Google search, and if you already have a pile of (professionally) unflattering tweets, consider deleting your account completly and creating a new one. You can also just as easily change the privacy settings and make it search deficient. Better still you can just change your profile details to make one account private for your friends and create an entirely new account, unlinked with your previous account, fashioned to suit the kind of work you are looking for. There are just as many stories about SNS job-clutchers as there are job-losers. NOTE: Even if you are currently employed, tweeting too much could mean you are working too less.

In fact we recommend that you fill in all the work and education-related details carefully, startups rely a lot on these sites too for their recruitment. Albiet with a touch of casualness to avoid making you look like a freak in the eyes of your friends! Basically you can use the net to your advantage or also just as easily dig a hole for yourself. Turn it to your advantage.

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