Just Go Google Yourself - Part I

I am willing to admit here, publicly for all the world to see, that yes, I when I am alone sometimes I Google myself. In fact Googling yourself, or “ego-surfing” as it is sometimes referred to, can be more than just a harmless narcissistic pastime. It can be an important step in building your personal brand. For those haven't engaged in this harmless, yet self-indulgent pastime, you start by going to Google (or let me Google that for you) and entering in your name and perhaps your primary email and then look at the results. You might be surprised by the amount of information that is readily available about you with just a few keystrokes. Do you remember that heated debate in the comments of a blog that you participated in a few years ago, or that product review you added to Amazon? Google does. And don't worry, it is probably still there, available to anyone who cares to search for it. Although, if you have a very common name, like John Smith, you may be disappointed to find that you don't even show up in the search results.

The first time I Googled myself, the results came back with links to a few of my personal blogs, my Netflix movie reviews and even my Amazon wish list. Luckily, I have a very common name, and it would be difficult to determine which result was actually me without knowing ahead of time, but still this is information that I wouldn't necessarily want a prospective employer to be privy to. Not that I am afraid that my career options would be limited due to my future boss learning that my favorite movies are Airplane and Anne of Green Gables. And I am not ashamed that, not only have read every romance novel Nora Roberts has written, (and there are hundreds) but I have listed and rated them all on GoodReads. It is just because I prefer to keep my business life and personal life separate.

Make the assumption that they are going to do the search. Taking the time to do the search before they do can give you time to take down any embarrassing photos, remove any questionable products from your online Wishlists and begin to think about what things you want an employer to know about you. If you have a common name, (or even if you don't) you can make Google Profile to ensure that anyone searching for you can find your own personal advertisement. By using Google Profile, you can create a page that is similar in content to a Facebook page. Be sure to add links to any blogs you may have, your LinkedIn profile, Twitter feed and any other social networks you have profiles on. The great thing about using Google Profile is that your profile page will typically come up first in the search results, and in effect help bury any unflattering information that you can't remove further down the search result list.

Taking control of the information that is out there is an important part of managing your brand. You are your own publicity agent, and you owe it to yourself to make sure that you are presenting your best image.

Find out more about ego surfing and how one man used vanity to get a job, next time.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a freelance writer and regular contributor to several websites and other publications, a volunteer, a full time mom and an active job seeker.