It’s no secret that today’s job market is tough, especially for recent grads says Peter Decaprio. A few years ago, when my oldest daughter was graduating college and looking for a corporate job in the health industry, I spent months writing her cover letters, polishing her resume and sending them to contacts I had made over location and company. By the time she got her first interview, I felt like I had been to job interviews with her a dozen times and we both knew what questions they were going to ask before we walked in the door.
She ended up getting four job offers and choosing one that has given her great experiences and an incredible salary. The key to getting all of those options? Building a digital reputation.
What is your online reputation?
Your digital reputation is how people perceive you when they find your name or image online. Online images can be create by what you write on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook (positive or negative), comments others leave about you (positive or negative) and what other bloggers say about you (good or bad).
Your digital reputation is also influence by what your current and previous employers say about you. Once people perceive you as a “star performer” or a “lousy employee”, they will continue to think that way even if it isn’t true explains Peter Decaprio. If the majority of the feedback is negative, it can be tough for you to change their minds.
Here’s how to build (and rebuild) your company’s digital reputation:
1 – Think before you tweet/type/post.
As we all know, social media sites like Twitter and Facebook don’t always show our best side. Before you tweet, type or post anything on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, ask yourself:
Is this something I want my future boss reading?
If you decided “no”, don’t post it! It’s better to have nothing out there if you are not sure what will be said.
2 – Be prepared.
If you are worry about how you’re current or previous bosses view you, the best thing to do is prepare for an interview with them. While some companies shy away from bringing up anything negative in an interview, others explore all aspects of your employment with them. One of my daughter’s first interviews was conduct by her former manager and she brought up some issues that had occur during her time at the company. My daughter explained what had happened, why it happened and discussed ways she would handle those types of situations today if they came up again.
Of course, it would have been better if those issues had never occurred in the first place, but by taking charge of the interview and owning what happened (and learning from it), my daughter feels like she got through some potential “negative” questions with flying colors.
3 – Look for opportunities to improve your company’s online reputation.
If you are happy with how your current or previous employers view you but want to help improve your company’s digital reputation, take a look at the design of your company’s website. If it looks like it was design by an amateur, you can bet that is how people are viewing the company itself.
Since companies rely heavily on repeat business and referrals from happy clients, a professional looking site will help improve their reputations as well as show others they take their websites seriously says Peter Decaprio. By improving someone else’s digital reputation, you may end up improving yours as well!
FAQs:
What can and can’t be included on a digital reputation?
Things like personal information (age, date of birth, marital status); criminal history or issues with family members should not be include. Issues such as professional qualifications, skills and abilities will help make up your online reputation score.
How do I know if what others are saying about me is true?
Just because something is being about you does not mean it is true! And just because it isn’t being said doesn’t mean it isn’t true either. The best way to handle any feedback that may impact your online reputation score. To address the issue head on with a professional response that has a positive tone.
Conclusion:
70% of employers use social media sites to find out more about a candidate explains Peter Decaprio. Rather than fretting over what others are saying about you, take control of your online reputation. And show potential employers how committed you are to maintaining a healthy online presence!
