Get Hired By Improving Your Online Reputation
You might recall that we've already warned you how your online behavior can hurt your chances of getting hired. A recent Microsoft study revealed that 77% recruiting managers in the U.S. say they review candidates' "online reputation" all or most of the time -- and inappropriate comments and photos on social networking sites are the most common torpedoes that can sink your job ship.
But not so fast: There's a whole 'nother component to online reputations. It turns out that you can actively improve your chances of getting hired by developing a positive online reputation.
As PC World recently pointed out, that same Microsoft study shows that hiring managers are positively influenced by good online reputations as well. Specifically, good things can happen when "they read thoughtful comments that reveal strong skills, good business and technical judgment, and desirable attitudes." This often comes in the form of personal blogs, which are a powerful way to develop a positive online reputation without needing to make jackrabbit posts at a slew of disconnected social networking sites all over the Web.
The study shows that a staggering 86% of HR professionals stated that a positive online reputation influences the candidate's application to "some extent," and almost half stated that it does so to a "great extent."
Read the whole thing, either as a PDF or a PowerPoint deck, at the Microsoft Privacy Day site. It might just motivate you to start blogging.
