The Memory of Snow & Your Digital Footprint

I lead a double life: I live in Manhattan, but I try to spend at least one month a year in Northern New England. I was raised in South Carolina, but “GB” (my late grandmother) instilled a love of New Hampshire summers and a tolerance for winters. There are few things I enjoy more than a walk in the woods on a crisp day or cooking with fresh rhubarb in the summer. 

I’ve been blessed to spend the last ten days working in the country, and—as always—I’ve been captivated by the memory that snow holds. For a week, there were tracks of turkey in the backyard and tracks of deer in the side yard. On Sunday night, we got enough snow to cover them up. So I shoveled a path to the front door before another three inches or so fell. And now I see the memory of a foot path that needs to be shoveled yet again.

My work with my Big Foot shovel reminds me of my professional life. For much of the last two years, I’ve been learning—and writing and speaking—about the importance of monitoring one’s online digital footprint. According to the latest stats from ExecuNet, 86% of recruiters conduct background research on candidates as part of the hiring process and—an estimated 44% have discounted potential hires based on what they found online.

The tracks you make through your online activities are similar to the ones in the snow—if you make a big imprint or leave a trace of yourself on a popular site—it’s harder to make it go away. (Picture the remains of a snowman or an ice sculpture; there’s a lump that remains sometimes even after everything else has disappeared and the grass is visible again.)

Last week, my colleague and friend Donna Sweidan (@careerfolk) came to visit for a few days and we marveled at the snow tracks and the close parallel between “digital dirt.” She shared with me five of her favorite tips for reputation clean-up which I pass on to you.

1. Establish a Google Alert on your own name. This way, you will get notified when someone else has tagged or mentioned you, and you can clean up what is found. To set-up, visit: www.google.com/alerts


2. Fix your bio—if you’ve got one already that isn’t known to you. ZoomInfo.com aggregates information found about you online and creates an online profile. Claim your profile, review it, and fix it if it is wrong.


3. Find out what people are saying. Visit www.Pipl.com and type in your own name to view search results and see how others talk about you. Find something you don’t like? If it’s a friend, acquaintance or mis-representation, e-mail the person and ask them to take it down.
   
   Share your name with someone else? Use a middle initial or your profession after your name—then use the same name on your resume, e-mail signature, and across social media platforms.


4. Develop a strong presence on LinkedIn.com and customize your own URL to add to your e-mail signature (see settings for Public Profile to create URL). LinkedIn has a high rank with search engines and will help your professional profile stay high in your list of Google search results. Bonus points: Create additional profiles on Plaxo or VisualCV.com.
   
   Feel like there’s more work to do? Comment on websites, articles, and blog postings with high traffic—and spell check your responses! A response on high traffic sites like the New York Times website or the Huffington Post can go a long way in burying other items…
   
   


5. Maintain your privacy. Sites like whois.com are searchable by the public—and can tell users a great deal about you. Want to maintain your privacy? Donna Sweidan suggests creating an e-mail account that isn’t associated with your name for personal use with private accounts.

If you’re ready to erase your footprint, or create one that is more in line with your job search and career goals, these strategies will help you get a running start towards leaving a positive trail behind you.

Thanks for the tips, Donna! Have any additional suggestions? Please share. Cross-posted at Career Hub.