Reclaim Your Good Name on the Web
Searches can churn up hits that make you blush -- or cost you a job.
A careless comment in your blog (or in someone else's). An embarrassing incident recounted in your local newspaper. A racy photo on MySpace. Any of these can sully your virtual reputation.
A recent survey by ExecuNet, a networking organization for business leaders, found that 83% of executives and corporate recruiters research job candidates online, and 43% have eliminated a candidate based on search results. Even if you're not in the market for a new job, it's a good idea to take the opportunity to clean skeletons out of your digital closet.
Row 0 - Cell 0 | Recession Proof Careers |
Row 1 - Cell 0 | Why Networking Is Overrated |
Row 2 - Cell 0 | More Career Advice |
Do it yourself. First, search for yourself on Google to pinpoint any negative hits you'd like to remove. You may not be able to destroy them, but you can at least bump them down the list. Check other search engines.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Your goal is to highlight positives about yourself. Set up accounts at networking Web sites, such as MySpace and Linked-In, or create a blog in which you write about something uplifting -- say, your exotic-bird-watching hobby. On each site you create, include links to the others. That will push them higher on Google's results list. "To Google, links are like votes," says Ben Padnos, of Done SEO, which helps clients optimize for search engines. "It's a popularity contest."
Still stuck in the virtual muck? To dig yourself out, you may have to get a pro to create new Web pages that accentuate your positives. Figure that it will cost at least $1,000 to bump all the negative hits off your first three search-results pages. But prices vary according to the number of hits and how difficult they are to move, so shop aggressively. Start your search at DefendMyName.com and Internet-Reputation-Management.com.
Keep tabs on your reputation by setting up a Google alert for your name. You'll receive an e-mail with a link whenever your name pops up on a new page.
For a more powerful search, Reputation Defender offers a $10-per-month service that captures pages on sites that don't get picked up by Google, such as Facebook and tiny, low-traffic sites. Founder Michael Fertik says the service is a hit. "People consider it their new credit report."
-
Use An iPhone? You May Be Hearing From A Class-Action Lawsuit Group
A handful of suits against the iPhone maker seek to crack down on everything from app store purchases to messaging.
By Keerthi Vedantam Published
-
Capital One/Discover: What's In Their Wallet For You?
Push back on Capital One's planned merger with Discover is growing with one group of consumer advocates calling for a public hearing.
By Keerthi Vedantam Published
-
403(b) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute more to a 403(b) retirement plan in 2024 than they could in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up for 2024. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Best Foreclosure Sites for Finding Properties
Making Your Money Last Wondering how to find foreclosed homes for sale for your next residence or to flip for a profit? These websites will guide you to foreclosures and real estate-owned properties to buy.
By Bob Niedt Last updated
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
By Miriam Cross Published
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel Procrastinator? No matter. You can pull off a fun and memorable getaway on a moment's notice — without breaking the bank.
By Vaishali Varu Last updated
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
insurance Instead of relying on rules of thumb, you’re better off taking a systematic approach to figuring your life-insurance needs.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime In 2023 Amazon had two Prime Day events — one in July and another, called Big Deal Days, in October. We expect 2024 to follow the same schedule.
By Bob Niedt Last updated
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Steps
insurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
By Kaitlin Pitsker Published