Digital Tattoo
Published 20 January 2010 by Adam
Have you ever asked someone if they have a tattoo? If they would get one? Have they asked the same of you? Well, I know your answer. If you have ever sent an email, logged on to facebook, joined and online group or basically surfed the internet, you have already have one. Your digital tattoo is basically the impression you leave behind you on the web. It is everything from your facebook profile to your email address. If you want to get a quick idea of what’s available, start by googling/binging yourself...be vain! Click through and see what comes up!
How do you protect yourself? Start with your email address. If it says anything like spankylikesbeer@hotmail.com or sexmachine@yahoo.com, you should consider changing it to something more professional. After that, consider the privacy settings on your facebook or myspace pages. This will allow you to control who can get access to your profile. In a recent survey done in the UK, almost 80% of employers said they would do an internet search of potential candidates. Of that group, 35% said they may make their decision based on what they found. If you are on twitter, try to have a social account and then have a professional one. Many users have different accounts so they can utilise all the fun aspects of twitter without jeopardising their professional integrity.
These are just a few tips to get you on your way to controlling what people get to see about you. It will take some effort and some diligence but rest assured, cleaning up your digital tattoo can save you from the chopping block when getting down to the shortlist for jobs. To learn more, click here.