eric tatro dot com

I’m aware of job recruiters Googling perspective employees’ names to learn more about them. I’m also aware of plenty of embarrassing material that can be found out there on the Web - MySpace spring break photos, I’m looking at you.

It’s no wonder that some enterprising individuals have started a company, ReputationDefender dedicated to seeking out and getting rid of the aforementioned material. From Wired News:

Using both site-scraping robots and good old-fashioned human detective
skills, ReputationDefender promises to scour the internet –
particularly social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Xanga and
Flickr — for materials that could threaten the author’s employability
once he reaches the professional world and its army of Google-savvy
hiring managers.

…

(Michael) Fertik draws an analogy between ReputationDefender and consumer credit
reports. "It’s useful to have your credit monitored and to be on top of
your credit score before there’s ever a problem," he says. "It’s the
same way with personal reputation. In the internet era, everyone needs
to know what’s being said about him or her — or his or her child –
before it’s too late."

This is an interesting idea. Large organizations can defend themselves online to some extent with a sound public relations strategy, but individuals don’t have that luxury.

Instead of hiring a company to find embarrassing photos and information, however, students can do a great deal to help themselves by not posting it in the first place! I’d also recommend that students turn the "Google" factor in their favor by carving out a place for themselves on the Web. Write a blog about the profession you’re interested in or place your portfolio online and you’ll have a distinct advantage over those candidates with harmful information or no information online.