Saying Nothing Speaks Volumes

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An old adage has it that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. But with the advent of the Internet that’s no longer the case, and business students can see their careers derailed even before they get started because of bad publicity on the Net.

What’s worse is that these students may be the ones responsible for tarnishing their own reputations.

When deciding on someone to fill a position, HR directors are increasingly turning to the Internet to track down information about applicants, googling you without your knowledge.

And what do these searches reveal? Many HR directors privately admit that they turn down many otherwise qualified candidates for internships and paid positions as a result of something disturbing they read on an applicant’s MySpace page, for instance. Though these HR directors will never tell you the job went to someone else because of something they found objectionable about you on a site like MySpace or Facebook, you can expect to be turned down for one job after another simply because hiring managers feel that you are a bad influence, a disruptive force, a personal of questionable character, or someone who might spend more time surfing the Net than working.

Is It Legal?

Is it proper–or even legal–for a company to decide to hire you or even fire you because of something you do on your own time? The law has yet to catch up with the technology on this point. Nevertheless, more and more companies are making hiring decisions based on information on the Web, especially if you put that information out there yourself. With the Internet right at their fingertips, these HR directors check you out on the Net and see if you “fit in” with the company’s corporate culture.

So you have to guard your reputation online as if you were going to make a run for political office. At one time, it was only political science students and law students who were mindful of their reputations. But now business students need to zealously monitor their personal information online, too.

One way to safeguard what’s on the Net about you is not to set up personal pages that disclose a range of information, including your likes and dislikes, political persuasion, and even your social calendar. What might seem like a cute story on a social networking site could be misinterpreted and might get you turned down for a job. Something you write in a blog in an unguarded moment may be seen by a prospective employer as a sign that you’re not “corporate material.” One comment you make in bad taste may hang around on the Net for years and may keep coming back to haunt you.

Less Is More

The consensus among HR directors is that when it comes to personal information on the Net, the less said the better. It’s never too early to safeguard your reputation, since you only get one chance to make a good first impression. What comes up on an Internet search is now becoming part of your credentials–regardless of whether you feel that’s right or wrong. So make sure that what’s said about you can never be viewed in the wrong light. It’s hard enough to get that first big break without negative information about you floating around in cyberspace.

Though it may seem impossible in today’s wired world, you do have to maintain some privacy. Think before you post. Is this something you want to live with for the rest of your life? A good rule of thumb: If it’s nobody’s business, it doesn’t belong on the Net.