Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Fruitbatdancer · 09/08/2018 17:30

Yanbu. I do a lot of hiring. I always do a quick google. One had multiple pictures of her pole dancing & lap dancing career. As a rule not an issue, but non declared on her CV, and the pics were not ‘appropriate’. Another gent had reems of pics and you tube videos of his knife/ sword hobby and his thrill at ‘cutting people’ and the best was a guy who had listed all manner of Facebook updates about his interview process with us, his favourite (or not) members of the interview panel, and how he’d inflated his current salary.... just, wow.

Fruitbatdancer · 09/08/2018 17:31

My brother also does hiring, and none of my social media crazy beats the bloke he interviewed who arrived with a machete tucked in his sock...Confused

Tiredspice2 · 09/08/2018 17:43

Those people who don’t put their settings on private? Why? Because of this it’s so much easier to snoop on people than ever before!

Flyme21 · 09/08/2018 17:45

Luckily for me there are a couple of quite famous people with the same name as me who come pages before me in searches. I have a shortened version of my name that I use for some writing that I do, some films I've appeared in and other things, that does show a lot of hits, but thankfully nothing I'm worried about!

ClaryFray · 09/08/2018 17:46

My name is so common theres thousands of me. Google away.

AFistfulofDolores1 · 09/08/2018 17:49

A namesake of mine in the same town runs a brothel. Luckily I already have a job, or I might have some explaining to do ...

Frogletmamma · 09/08/2018 17:52

Just googled DH. He has the same name as a famous person. 100's of pages. None of them about him,

Anniegetyourgun · 09/08/2018 18:01

I googled all the DC. Two of them have loads of famous namesakes and lots of photos, none of which are of them or even very much like them. One has only a few matches, all startlingly clever people, inventors and the like. Poor DS3, though, seems to be mostly dead people. I do hope this is not an omen Sad

redlittlesquirrel · 09/08/2018 18:07

I just found one which very much promoted Britain first type activities - given the type of job we are recruiting for, this is NOT a positive trait!!

Surely that's not a positive trait whatever job you're recruiting for?!

Secretsquirrel101 · 09/08/2018 18:13

A couple of articles about my 'outstanding' GCSE results 8 years ago and a public Facebook post selling a festival ticket 3 years ago. I've a very uncommon name.
My instagram is completely open but not under my full name, and I figure there's only a little you can discover from landscapes, photos of my dog and the occasional selfie Grin

PixieMiss · 09/08/2018 18:14

It isn't just your name results you should be aware of. Your email address ones too!

ScreamingValenta · 09/08/2018 18:16

I'm not on any social media, and fortunately the few people with the same name as me seem completely innocuous.

A Just Giving page came up which, if mistaken for mine, would make me seem far more altruistic than I really am Grin.

BinG0wings123 · 09/08/2018 18:16

This is why I never use my real name online.
Always a nickname.
You don’t find a thing if you google my real name
Or even email address/phone number into Facebook.

BinG0wings123 · 09/08/2018 18:17

Plus it’s all on private settings.

QueenOfIce · 09/08/2018 18:20

Nothing online about me, my fb settings are such that I am not found via a search engine..Google didn't find me.

RayRayBidet · 09/08/2018 18:29

I am a famous and beautiful French actress. Also I am in a video for the world's most boring TV interview (think boring and finally.... Type item on regional news for most boring region of the UK)
Guess which one is me?

GoddamnCars · 09/08/2018 18:30

Ha. I just googled my name and found out someone in the same town, with the same name, was arrested for stealing stuff from various shops. She’s one year younger than me, too. Good job I’m unlikely to be Googled if applying for jobs in the future.

LemonysSnicket · 09/08/2018 18:34

My name is so common that my socials never come up :)

LongSummerDays · 09/08/2018 18:37

I googled myself and the only mention of me is in the parish magazine (where I have my name and number for the local social club that I am secretary of) fb is locked down so my pictures of ds's cat, our geese and random local wildlife are hidden from public view Grin

Janni01 · 09/08/2018 18:47

I'm an NBA basketball player apparently, wish I had that money Grin

Lepetitpiggy · 09/08/2018 18:54

Hmm, well most of what I found out about me was positive - including the fact that some of my writing is in an American democratic magazine/1 (why did I never get paid Grin) Unfortunately the first thing that comes up is an article about me in the Daily Mail :

Deadringer · 09/08/2018 18:54

Why Janni what a coincidence, so I am!

Janni01 · 09/08/2018 18:57

@Deadringer. What team, maybe we play together Grin

Janni01 · 09/08/2018 18:58

Ooh I've retired actually silly me how could I forget Grin

glintandglide · 09/08/2018 19:11

I find it quite mind blowing that anyone has their Facebook, Twitter or Instagram open to the public. Unless you’ve consciously marketed these for business purposes how dim must you be?

Although I guess maybe some people are used to working in places where no one cares or bothers to check and don’t realise large companies do this?