
In today’s competitive employment market our online reputation is just as important as our offline one. Potential employers are no longer settling for the pristine resume, stellar references and sharp business suits (although these do play an integral role in the hiring process). In a recent report conducted by Microsoft, in 2010, they found that 79 per cent of hiring managers vigilantly screened the online reputations of potential employees looking for a job; and of those 79 per cent , 70 per cent rejected job applicants based on the results populated mainly through Google search. What is even more illuminating about this new type of “reference check” is the fact that employer’s final hiring decisions were determined through (personal photos posted, video clips, and inappropriate comments left on social media profiles, such as personal blogs, Twitter, and YouTube). Moreover, in 2011, the Consumers Council of Canada researched and surveyed the negative effects of a job seekers online reputation in contributing to the final stages of the hiring process. They concluded that an individual’s online reputation does matter, and plays a significant role influencing whether you are successfully hired for the position, due to hiring manager’s prejudgment of you before you even have a chance to clarify or explain the content or material in question. Yes, this is a reality of job hunting in the 21st century and how we present ourselves offline is just as important … [Read more...]











