“There is such a thing as bad publicity.”  – Joyce Brothers

Well, unfortunately you can’t “delete” your brand or image. Yes, you can start deleting files or closing down sites you are affiliated with but the unfortunate truth is that there are no guarantees, that all of these things you do not want seen on the internet will not be seen. You will require diligence to search for content related to you, so that you can contact those sites individually telling them you do not give them permission to use any pictures you do not want shown.

Tip! To track “keywords” on the internet as they get posted, Google® has created a program called, “Google® Alerts” which is a tool that you can subscribe to for free, and that will email you alerts for subjects you are looking for. You can set your own name as an alert and then anytime your name is used on a Google® website you will be emailed a notification.  This is useful to track potential negative feedback about yourself on the internet.

However, there are things you can do to “create” and even modify on the net that you will want to do right away. Let’s first start with controlling the NEGATIVE information and situations that you possibly might have! Negative feedback such as unruly pictures or off-colored comments from or about you can affect your professional image adversely.

As mentioned social networking sites can be detrimental to your image if you let them be.

Step 1: Turn The Bad Publicity Faucet Off! (Bad=Public)

• Review ALL the free social networking sites you are affiliated with and make them “private.” This includes, but is not limited to Facebook®, Myspace®, and Flickr®
• Search your email addresses that you use on Google®, MSN®, and Yahoo® Search and see if you have made any public forum postings that can be “controversial.” If so, try and delete that comment, but if not possible, go to Step 2.
• If you have a Facebook® or Myspace® page that has MORE “fake friends” than real friends then DELETE your page. Who can you trust?
• Note! It is okay to have these sites but you want the “conservative you” to be on there publicly. If you want to live an “alternative” life (anonymous), then make sure there is NO WAY for employers to associate these types of sites with any details that they can find. (Primarily your email address, but also address, phone, first and last name, etc.)

Step 2: Get A New Email Address To Use For Your Recruiting if…

• Your email address has been used to sign up accounts for social networking sites that represent your autonomous and uninhibited self.
• Your email address does NOT have your full name in the email address. You must use a professional email address.

Note! Email Address Rules:

1. If your name is Tom Jones your email address needs to have the words “tom” and “jones” included. (i.e. tomjones@gmail.com numbers are okay too (but not recommended) so tomjones72@gmail.com would be okay.
2. Always use your personal email address for resumes and cover letters.
3. If you purchased a .info account you can give yourself any email address you want such as tom@tomjones.info

Step 3: Friend or Foe?

The risk of social networking sites (and the benefit) is that your information is “viral” and “friends” seem to spring up everywhere. Social networking sites (to some people) turn into a circus where everyone’s a friend and all kinds of unrelated conversations, pictures, and videos are being posted to your page that you CAN’T control!

The difficulty lies if you have no control over what is being said or posted on your site. Remember the employer’s mindset? “Birds of a feather flock together!” Some random “friend” out there with no regard to his or herself could seriously tarnish not only your professional image, but your personal one too (with your real friends), by posting inappropriate details on your pages. This is why it is important to take good inventory of your pages and who may post as a “friend.”

So, if you are using your Facebook® or Myspace® (or similar social networking site) as an “anonymous” (alter ego) site, or if there is politically incorrect information on there, and you are using the email address associated with your professional communications (such as on a resume), you will need to change the email address associated with the site with something untraceable, or delete the account and put something more conservative online just in case a employer sees it.