Scrubbing your online life

CNN, on what must be a slow news day, posts an article about young job seekers hiding their Facebook pages.

Even so, the Michigan State University junior recently changed his Facebook display name to “Dustin Jawel” to keep his personal life from potential employers while applying for summer internships.

Although Gawel ditched his rhyming alias after two weeks when he realized Facebook users also can be searched by e-mail address, school and network, he is not alone in his efforts to scrub his online résumé. Many students and recent graduates say they are changing their names on Facebook or tightening privacy settings to hide photos and wall posts from potential employers.

And with good reason.

A recent survey commissioned by Microsoft found that 70 percent of recruiters and hiring managers in the United States have rejected an applicant based on information they found online.

What kind of information? “Inappropriate” comments by the candidate; “unsuitable” photos and videos; criticisms of previous employers, co-workers, or clients; and even inappropriate comments by friends and relatives, according to the survey report, titled “Online Reputation in a Connected World.”

Such prying into his online life makes Gawel uncomfortable.

“I understand that when [employers look] at someone’s Facebook page, they’re just trying to paint a bigger picture of the people they’re hiring — so they’re not just a name on a résumé,” he said. “But that doesn’t demonstrate whether they can do the job. It shouldn’t matter what someone does when they’re not in the office.”

Gawel said he’s not sure that employers would object to the information on his Facebook page. For him, it’s more about personal privacy.

First, I’m surprised when I hear people don’t know how to keep their Facebook profile private.   Second, what you do outside the office can matter, and if it might and you’re worried about it, change your behavior, or don’t publish it.

I’m pretty sure a picture of you in college with a beer bong isn’t going to disqualify you, but anything indicating you are not honest on your resume, or anything in your character that would reflect poorly on your employer might.

So just be smart about what you put online.