You’re looking like a pro in your life right now; otherwise known as, “killin’ it.” You have a steady work history, or are at least on your way to establishing it. You drive a nice car, and have a style others want to emulate.
Then why are you sweating bullets?
Worried that some stupid thing you did a few years ago — i.e. that pic of you passed out in the back seat of your friend’s car after an epic party — is going to show up in a Google search?
If a potential or current employer finds inappropriate pictures of you, you are likely to get passed over for your dream job. Let’s talk about what you can do to help yourself out a bit.
While you can’t rid your memory of these disconcerting events, you can do some things to hide them from others.
Create more content
Some images and posts on the Internet will just be there forever, so accept it.
That said, we can make those items much more difficult for others to find. We can do this by creating content, lots of content!
I’m not just talking about one or two new things. I’m talking several new things (or more, depending how deep you want to go)! You’ll need to create profiles and new social mediums, in addition to updating your current accounts.
The more current content you create, the less likely others will get to see those old skeletons.
First, make sure you have all the go-to social media accounts, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Pinterest. Since you want to look your best, clean up these accounts and get rid of any inappropriate pics and posts. If you don’t do this, those skeletons just might rear their ugly heads.
The first website to add to your public image is called About Me. Here, you can create a free profile that fits the look and tone you’re trying to portray. You can create a short bio, a pic of yourself, and links to other sites you want others to visit (more on links later).
Next, try creating a blog that pertains to your particular business or personal interests. Blogger is a good, free site to try, as you can create content to fit into your specific niche, whether business or personal. Remember, you don’t want to look like a robot. Employers want to know that you have a personality and outside interests.
The last thing you should have is a website. Try Wix for starters to see what you can do with their free format.
Create a chain
Have you ever tried to untangle a necklace chain that is twisted and tied? It sometimes seems impossible to do. I have given up this task more times than I care to admit.
This is what you’re going to do with your public information! You’re going to send people through twists and turns, only to get them to the place you want them to end up. You’re not misleading them, you’re simply guiding them to the information that’s important today.
After you’ve created more profiles, you’re going to point each of these profiles to one another. This is a bit time consuming at first, but once these links are set up, they’re set up for good. Put links for each of your social networks on everything.
Your website should have links and icons for each of the other sites. You can also go into the settings and create “Meta tags” which will allow your page to show up in many different searches.
Now, you should have a fairly succinct image out there, and those skeletons should be well hidden. Try opening your private browser and search your name to see what comes up.
If you’re still seeing something you don’t want, keep on creating and linking. Before you know it, those skeletons will be history, only to be found by historians long after you’re gone.
Contact Lorna Sheehan at lorna@bigbroadmedia.com or follow her on Twitter @lorna_sheehan.
