Applying for jobs? Be ready to be Googled

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com
HOUSTON, TX — Looking for a job has always meant doing some networking, which can mean joining a trade association, getting to know people in other departments and accepting every business-related social engagement you receive. But how about cleaning up your electronic profile?

Before turning in your job application, go to sites with pages you control and remove any potentially damaging photos and comments. Chances are a prospective employer is also checking you out through Google or My Space.com. And it’s not too good if he finds those drinking contest photos of your vacation in Cabo.
Martin Yate, author of The Ultimate Job Search Guide: Knock ’em Dead, said the last time he checked, 23 percent of people reported using Google to check someone out before a meeting. ”That number can only go up,” said Yate. Those revealing photos and caustic comments meant for friends can come back to haunt someone on the job search, said John Challenger, CEO of the Chicago-based outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Article abridged from Houston Chronicle and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!