The Searchable You. Part 3. Balancing and curating your searchable life online.

We don’t want every personal or embarrassing detail about us to be revealed online. We fear that could hurt us.

Yet, ironically modern society will penalize us for not being found online. A lack of a social profile or online presence can create more concerns than having one.

I as well as others would likely raise an eyebrow at anyone in their 20s to 40s that doesn’t have a LinkedIn profile. I’m not alone.

Over 47% of employers have said they wouldn’t call a person for an interview if they couldn’t find them online. Meanwhile, 20% say they expect candidates to have an online presence.

So you need to be findable. Just not all of you.

As you post and share things to watch out for that doesn’t come back to haunt you in an employer search.

• Posting provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos or information. Might want to hold off on that picture of you fake sodomizing a lawn gnome
• Posting information about drinking or using drugs. Even if you’re legal or in a state where some drugs are legal, an employer may not know the context or may simply assume stereotypes related to drug use.
• Posting discriminatory comments. Posts related to race, gender and religion. There is a whole site/tumblr blog called “Racists Getting Fired.” People who love to out people saying hateful things to their employers.

Links or content connecting you to criminal behavior.

Duh. Yet I’m sure you can link to tons of stories where this has happened besides this one.

Speak and share as if you were on stage at The Met.

Not that you should have stage fright, but talk, speak and act as if everything will be heard by a huge audience. And once you said it, you can’t take it back. And though you can delete it. Minds don’t delete. And screenshots are good at helping others remember and show others.

Remembering that can be humbling.