Tips on Making Yourself Presentable to Internet Savvy Employers

More than ever, employers are turning to technology to help them screen qualified applicants. There is more to this than just posting job openings online and allowing applicants to e-mail resumes though. Nowadays, employers are viewing Myspace and Facebook profiles as a way to determine the best candidates. College students are especially advised to keep in mind what kind of impression they give off through their profiles.

Some Facebook and Myspace profiles are especially explicit. Users put references to drugs and alcohol in their interests section, allow friends to post comments recalling racy details of the night before, or post provocative photographs.

They may argue that these sites are for their own personal use and think of them as private. However, some recruiters don't feel the same. What they see can take an applicant out of the running, even if they have a strong resume. In a New York Times article, Ana Homayoun, a manager of an educational consulting firm in San Francisco, recalled researching a promising job candidate online.

She had been planning to interview her at a Duke University alumni weekend event, but quickly changed her mind when she saw photographs of her out drinking and smoking pot. She had also written about her nights out and friends laughed along with the memories. Homayoun formed a different opinion of her and decided to cancel the interview.

In a New York magazine article, job hunter Leslie Miller went through something similar. As soon as she walked in to an interview, the interviewer teased her about her love for musician Duncan Shiek and interpretive dancing. When she asked how he knew so much, he said he had looked her up on the networking site Friendster.

Not every employer is on board though. Some only believe that professional behavior in an office is important; rather than what an applicant does on his or her personal time. Over 40 employers said they have never used these networking sites to look up more information on an applicant.

If you're going to be on the job market soon, clean up your online image should an employer decide to search for you. Here's what you can do to avoid any unjust disqualification:

Google yourself: Even if you didn't post something on the Internet, you may be surprised to know what's out there. If someone posted malicious or untrue material, petition them to remove it.

If it would offend your mother and grandmother, don't post it. This goes for any pictures of you getting drunk, making out with a stranger, or wearing next to no clothing.

Take down any blogs that may be offensive. One applicant had posted a satirical essay on a college website and wasn't getting many job offers. Once he took it down, the offers started coming in.

To some employers, the job hunt is no longer just impressing them in a face to face interview. You must now clean up your personal life in order to have a chance at more of them being interested in you. Remember: Big Brother is watching you.