Your online presence can hinder your chances in landing a career opportunity. Recruiters are doing it, HR personnel, college admissions office personnel and hiring managers are doing it… They are using Google to find out about you prior to extending an offer of employment or a letter/offer of admission to you.

When an employer or someone else searches online to find out more about you – they are hoping to get the “big picture” of who you are, what your interests are and who your friends are. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace and other similar sites can contain insightful information about who you are at work and at home. Are you someone who will represent their organization in a favorable light?

Some of the things they would look for would be:

• Photos/videos of you that would be considered unsuitable
• Profanity
• Criticism of former employers or co-workers
• Signs of excessive drinking/partying (especially if you are underage)
• Smoking
• Drug use
• Overt sexual references
• Racist or homophobic comments
• Outside interests/activities
• Organizations you are affiliated with

While at work online activity may also be monitored. You are at work and are being paid to work – not to play on the internet. Remember – you are using their equipment and their internet connection – they have a right to see what you are doing. There have been numerous reports of people being fired for playing games or posting onto their Facebook or Twitter accounts during the work day.

Keep in mind it’s not just what you post on your profile – your friends can post photos of you and “tag” you, or make comments on your Facebook page. So, before you upload the photo of you where you are passed out on the floor surrounded by beer bottles, or a seductive photo of you scantily clad… think twice. Potential/current employers may be watching!