Manage Your Online Reputation For Job Search Success

Stacked with personal pictures and LOL worthy quotes, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter house enough dirt on many of us to make our mothers cringe.

Before you upload your resume on MotorcycleIndustryJobs.comconduct a quick online audit to ensure potential employers can’t see that pic of you doing a keg stand at your cousin Marty’s wedding — while it was surely impressive at the time, it won’t impress your potential employer.

Start by locking down the privacy setting on all of your social networks. Click here for a guide to managing your Facebook privacy setting courtesy of Lifehacker and click here for the 411 on Twitter privacy.

Once you’ve got your privacy settings locked down, enter your name into Google and see what comes up. Blog posts and comments, forum activity and other online interactions can tell a detailed story on who you are and what you believe. Delete anything you’re not comfortable with a potential employer seeing, and if you don’t have the power to delete the content yourself, contact the blog or website owner to see if they’ll help you out.

Managing your online reputation isn’t just about putting your name under lockdown.

Having an up-to-date LinkedIn profile is a must for any job seeker. Join relevant groups including the Powersports Industry Network and Motorcycle Industry Professionals. Take part in the conversation or start a thread of your own to establish yourself as an expert in your field.

Another great opportunity to insert your professional opinion and stay abreast of industry news is via the industry media including Motorcycle & Powersports News, Powersports Business and Dealernews. If you aren’t getting their newsletters, sign up for them now, the same goes for following their social media channels and those of other relevant industry OEMs and manufacturers.

All three of the abovementioned media outlets have article commenting features on their sites. Sign up for the forums with your real name, and you’ll get credit for your smart industry commentary when you future boss Googles you, and that’s a heck of a lot better than that picture of you at the bar last weekend!