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AIBU?

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Original poster

To remind people to google yourselves and manage your online image!!

303 replies

MoanaMum · 09/08/2018 14:18

I am currently recruiting for two high profile posts in our company. I've had some great CVs and applications through, but if candidates think we won't google people and check social media they are a bit naive, and unfortunately it can really change the impression a potential employer is left with. So if you are looking for jobs, take a moment to go through what your FB page looks like from an outsider, your twitter, etc and do google your name!! Just come across one which, well, just wow!!

OP posts:
OliviaStabler · 09/08/2018 15:25

The advice I was given is look at the first 4 pages of Google when you look at your own name. You can think you are careful with Social Media but others might tag you in photos that you are unaware of.

OliviaStabler · 09/08/2018 15:26

@scaryteacher LinkedIn is a valuable tool in a job search these days so well worth setting a profile up

SideOrderofSprouts · 09/08/2018 15:26

Just searched myself. Can’t find a thing

Kerantli · 09/08/2018 15:29

Is no-one else on 192.com, I think it is from the electrol role

I was showing up on 192 from when I lived with my parents, nothing since then
DP is showing up on 192 as well, but nowhere else

Bestseller · 09/08/2018 15:30

And joint email addresses with an OH OftenHangry - that's a particular bugbear of my boss

LEELULUMPKIN · 09/08/2018 15:31

I don't exist either.

BishopBrennansArse · 09/08/2018 15:34

Just a few perfectly innocuous public FB posts that I knew were public and my Guardian and Independent front pages which I'm not ashamed of.

Buildalegohouse · 09/08/2018 15:35

@Blostma how were you able to Google the name of an applicant your DD was looking at recruiting?

scaryteacher · 09/08/2018 15:35

Olivia My dh is on it, but as I am effectively starting from scratch having been abroad for the past 13 years, I'm not sure it will help me much! I'll be looking for a small admin job in and around the area we are moving back to.

Mhw02 · 09/08/2018 15:40

Oh dear. I just googled my (I thought unusual) name and there is nothing about me at all, but the second hit is a newspaper article about a woman with the exact same name as me, who lives not five miles from me, being arrested with her partner whilst drunk.

Don't suppose there's much I can do about my name doppelganger being a bit dodgy, but what if someone thinks it's me?!?!

OliviaStabler · 09/08/2018 15:44

@scaryteacher It's worth doing a profile. Does not take that long and recruiters do look for candidates on Linkedin rather than through recruitment agencies as they have to pay an agency if they take you on.

hooochycoo · 09/08/2018 15:44

If I search myself I pages of articles and records of the things i’ve Done. But luckily i’m an artist and it’s all about the exhibitions and projects i’ve Been involved in. Nothing unrelated.

I regularly google myself to see what people are writing about my work. I like it!

foxtiger · 09/08/2018 15:44

Hmm. I'm applying for jobs at the moment, so I just checked and the only hits that are actually me are for my Facebook page, where I have security reasonably tight and nothing that would be embarrassing for an employer to find. But there are two other "mes" - one is an author about crafting, who sounds great and clearly isn't me as it wouldn't match up with my CV. The other one is on Twitter and sounds like a very soppy teenage girl who communicates entirely in textspeak with lots of kisses and smilies. I hope she's not ruining my chances!

Also, I go by a short form of my name but put the long version on application forms. Everything I wrote above relates to the short version. There are a couple of hits for the long version but one is a lawyer who clearly isn't me, and one died in 1927. Do you think potential employers check under all the likely short forms of a name that has several? (Maybe I should be checking all the others as well - I've never ever been called by the most common one, so I've never thought of looking at that!)

SaltyPeanut · 09/08/2018 15:46

If you Google my real name, you'll find some serious accolades both in educational and career accomplishments.

It's not me.

The name, age and area appear correct, even looks kind of similar, still, it's not me.

I think one needs to be careful and certain it's them if you are making life altering decisions.

You are right though, some people are there own worst enemy on this issue. You wonder what the hell some of them were thinking the day they posted their exploits online for all to see.

Deadringer · 09/08/2018 15:47

I just googled myself and I don't come up at all. I share a name with a black American sports woman (I am white and Irish), my Facebook name includes my maiden name which I don't use irl, and I wrote a book but I spelled my name slightly differently for it. Also I am not on Twitter so I think I am pretty anonymous actually. Good heads up though.

HaveSomeGrace · 09/08/2018 15:49

Well if you were to google my name you wouldn’t find me as I’m not on any social media platform. But also at the same time, you’d get my FIL because he was on one of the big shows on itv last summer.

eyycarumba · 09/08/2018 15:50

I've just googled my name/town (just my name brings up an olympian) and all that's come up is a few address listing sites for my old house with a particularly shitty ex Hmm. Gross.

LadyFlumpalot · 09/08/2018 15:51

I'd be interested to know if any recruiters have ever made an error and assumed something based off the wrong Facebook profile (although I suppose you'd never know as you'd never meet them). I have an extremely common name and the only hit that comes up with actual me is googling my shortened name, current employer and county. That brings up my LinkedIn. Facebook is locked down and set to not appear to search engines.

Which is preferable? A barely there internet presence or a visible but mild one?

saymyusername · 09/08/2018 15:52

People should realise that once they are employed they do in some way represent the company.

Unless you’re a CEO-type or in some way your name is synonymous with the company (eg., Steve Jobs), fuck that.

madamginger · 09/08/2018 15:53

I have the same name as an American actress so I never come up as you have to scroll through 168361904 pages to find me.

duckling84 · 09/08/2018 15:54

Just googled myself - rather boring. My LinkedIn profile which just stated my uni, my Pinterest page which is about 50 pins about minimalism, my goodreads profile which has 4 books linked (3 novels and 1 degree text book), but most surprising was my etsy profile which included all my favourite items and shops. Nothing I'm ashamed or embarrassed about, just surprised to see it so visable.
Oh and about a dozen photos of middle-aged balding men. I'm not middle aged, or balding, or male.
Very interesting exercise

Sallystyle · 09/08/2018 15:54

Nothing about me and if you aren't my friend on FB you can't see anything except for my profile and cover picture.

I share my name with two very high profile it seems.

DGRossetti · 09/08/2018 15:55

I'd be interested to know if any recruiters have ever made an error and assumed something based off the wrong Facebook profile

How would you know ? If it's not recorded somewhere as the reason.

Haven't read any for a while, but going back, there were stories about applicants who were "required" to give their social media passwords to prospective employers (precisely so they could see what had been hidden). More a US thing, but as we know, what happens there, happens here ....

spanishwife · 09/08/2018 15:58

@scaryteacher not having social media won't hinder you at all - but having a Linkedin can be great for job hunting. It's more like an online CV

flamingofridays · 09/08/2018 15:58

cant see a thing except my facebook profile which is private so you can only see my profile pictures