My Google Search “Footprint” is MASSIVE
Recently a friend wrote me and asked me not to feature her on my Natural Nuances series as previously planned. When I asked why, she let me know that she had apparently been passed over for a job because of a post she did on her personal blog about IVF and faith.
Wowsers!
Now I’m not ignorant, I know that employers Google job applicants all the time, but this is the first time I’ve personally known someone who had this happen to them, specifically with a negative outcome. The irony is that the position she applied for was not topically related to infertility, IVF and/or faith … but the company expressed that they do not want applicants to promote putting personal information online and that is why she was not offered the job.
Again wow.
I’ve been online for over a decade and, with a Google Search footprint akin to Godzilla smashing Tokyo, I could never imagine having such a thing happen to me, nor would I see myself getting a job with a company that does not want me to have an online presence at all.
Either way, I did learn through all of this that you can submit for content to be removed from Google. I did not know that.
Have you, or anyone you know, ever been affected on your job due to Google Search results?
• • •
photo credit: glamazini
Retweet 5 Like 1 Google +1 0 StumbleUpon 0
Google Friend Connect Is Being Retired
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Hmmm…..that’s interesting. Makes me wonder if that’s why I haven’t received many offers. But I just Googled myself and there are other people with my name, people who I’m associated with and other random crap that I know aren’t associated with me. So I wonder, for an employer who doesn’t know what I look like and knows nothing but my name and work history, would they pass me over if I’m truly qualified. This makes me sad
And yes, Roshini, your footprint is HUGE! I can’t remember exactly what I Googled one day (I’m sure it was related to hair) and half of the pics on each page were yours. LOL
Yeah, my grill is all over the interwebs &, thus far, it has not affected my job prospects to my knowledge. I can’t imagine a position where it would, but it would definitely break my heart if it were a job I truly wanted.
Nope because my internet footprint is minimal and when I do blog I use my nickname. My hubby works in the IT field and was told when he started over a decade ago to keep your footprint down because you never know. So we do not have facebook, twitter, linkedin,youtube, etc etc. That is good and bad because when going through gov’t clearances they are like “you literally have no internet footprint” and then they can’t figure it out if that is good or bad…sigh..
You mean your real name isn’t Big Tickles?! :O Ironically I was just sharing with friends that I’ve always worked for private companies, never for the government. Interesting.
Yeah, I guess it depends on you career goals. If you think your path might lead to work for agencies that use letter acronyms for their name, it maybe suggested (required) that you have no internet footprint for security reasons. It just depends on your professional ambitions. Before employers would just call our references listed on our application to assess who we are. Now, because of technology, they have easier access to our lives.
Right, nowadays you can be your own reference.
Can’t say whether it has impacted me or not because I don’t know for the places that I was passed up on but I do have a job now that I got after you could “google” me and find stuff. I will say though that if I am ever job hunting again, I will be removing … just in case
I wonder how long it would take me to attempt to remove myself? Could you imagine?
I’m not at all surprised by this, there have been news reports about people checking facebook profiles and such. I think if you have an online presence where you express personal opinions, aspects of your personal life etc. Someone is apt to judge. But then again depending on how it’s handled, having an online presence has helped some people in their career or helped them venture in new directions. Since this is new territory, I wonder how companies will handle things in coming years.
I pray I can eventually make my living online so having a online footprint will be a plus or a non-issue.
No, but I’ve pretty much transitioned into exclusively using my married name because I didn’t like some of the results I got when using my maiden name including a profanity-laden youtube video and a mug shot photo that is obviously not me.
Wow on the YT video. My name is so unique that it’s probably me although the majority if things are super benign in my opinion. I guess you never know though.
I went on a job interview once and I was a bit shock that they had googled me, and half the interview one the managers was asking me question about my blog and online business. I remember thinking WTH ask me something related to the position for Christ sake!! I didn’t get the job, I don’t know if my online presence had nothing to do with it, but it was kinda creepy considering my blog have absolutely nothing to do with what I do.
Anyway I dont’ think NOT having an online presence is the solution, it’s more about using wisdom knowing what can be damaging to your personality not only your career.
I’ve never had that happen, but I have been @ work & heard a coworker watching one of my Youtube videos @ their desk lol! I was like “ma’am? o_o”
Ugh @ the googling and Facebook searching prospective job employees. I wonder how companies would feel if applicants started turning the tables on these companies and run down all the good, bad and indifferent of their prospective employer, like their financial health, their promotion or (lack of) to diversity in the workplace, if they’ve every been in trouble with their respective regulating agency (e.g. SEC, FCC, etc).
Searching is so invasive and just gives employers another reason to be prejudiced and discriminatory in their hiring practice.
Good point on table turning, but I suppose it works both ways in that prospects can reject a company with a negative Google search footprint also.
Actually, you probably should be doing that kind of check before sitting for an interview, if you have knowledge of who the hiring manager is. In so much as you can determine whether your future manager’s managing style will allow you to make the career progress you’re looking for, it’s in your best interest to research as much about the company, department, and manager you’ll be working for before getting stuck in an incompatable job. Imagine if you could’ve avoided working for someone who has a history of sexual harassment, for example, just by googling…
Good point! I’ve never Googled the hiring manager, but I have the company. Great idea, I’ll definitely be turning the tables and do this in the future.
Aw man… I think my comment got eaten by the internet monster. Hopefully this doesn’t post twice, but what I said was:
I know the company I work for actually has a policy (don’t remember how extensive) about side hustles/second jobs, boards you sit on, politics you’re involved in, etc. I think the concern for some companies is that by hiring you as an employee, they indirectly make you a representative of the company’s brand. It could pose a problem/conflict if an employee’s footprint exposes beliefs or comments that oppose the company’s mission if anything was to hit the fan. Big business has made it a fine line to walk that delineates where individuality ends and affiliation to the company begins.
Wowsers. I wonder how/why I have not been inhibited by this type of policy to date. Interesting indeed.
To answer the question, no, I don’t think I’ve ever been denied employment because of a Google search run on my name. I got a job as a government contractor a couple years ago and didn’t have any issues then either.
A different perspective: as a recruiter for an large tech company for almost 5 years, I’ve *never* Googled anyone (unless I was simply personally intrigued by something they put on their resume). I’m not an EEOC expert, but from what I’ve learned on the job, nixing someone from consideration because of what they do in their personal life is a huge no-no. It can open up all sorts of legal issues — denying someone employment because of race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. This is especially true for big companies who have government contracts. If a company, such as the one I work for, breaks EEOC laws, and they are audited, they lose federal contracts. We’re talking about millions of dollars lost.
See that’s what I thought too.