Life After Ombudsman | Managing Your Online Reputation

What this mean for you as a student or recent graduate?

Potentially, it could mean a great deal to you and to your future.

Your good judgment can help you make a great first impression. On the other hand, having a bad online reputation can make a poor first impression. For example, it could hurt your chances when applying for a job. In a two-minute Facebook search, a potential employer could find something that takes you out of the running without you ever knowing about it or having the chance to explain.

It means that anyone who wants to learn more about you can quickly and easily do so by performing a general Internet search or looking up your social media profiles.

How to Effectively Manage Your Online Reputation
The best way to manage your online reputation is to be proactive about it. A great rule of thumb to help you do this is to “think before you post.” Not just think, but think about how you would be affected if your status update, photo, video or tweet were on a billboard for all the world to see. Your parents, your teachers, your boss. You get the idea.

Here are more proactive things you can do and guidelines to help you manage your online reputation:

• Don’t post offensive material or comments.
• Never post videos of youth violence.
• If a friend publishes a questionable photo of you, ask him or her to remove it.
• Regularly “Google” your own name and your social media usernames.
• Set a Google Alert for your name.
• Be aware of and use the privacy settings for social networks you join (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+, etc.).
• Create a professional email address for use in corresponding with potential employers or professors. Examples: FirstnameLastname@gmail.com or FirstinitialLastname@gmail.com
• While not online, remember that texts can be forwarded to anyone.

Resources and articles:

• How to set up Google Alerts
• Facebook Safety Center Tools
• Facebook Teen Safety Center
• Twitter Help Center: About Public and Protected Tweets
• YouTube Teen Safety Center
• Mashable: Protecting Your Online Reputation: 4 Things You Need to Know [INFOGRAPHIC]
• Education Week: Bad Online Behavior Jeopardizes Students’ College Plans

Image credit: Mashable, KBSD Digital Marketing