Comments on: Looking for a Job? Make Sure You Have a Web Identity!

By: Trace Cohen

Trace Cohen — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:56:35 +0000

Buying yourname.com is a great way to start creating your brand. This will help control what comes up in Google when someone is looking for you. Also it is a good idea to sign up for a lot of social networks so you can control what information is out there on you and make sure that it is consistent. And yes it is a good idea to clean up anything incriminating out there that could potentially cost you getting the job offer. At xxxxxxx.com we aim to establish a student’s personal brand early so they can get the job of their dreams and love what they do. By establishing an online presence to control what comes up in Google while staying true to their brand, they should have no problem getting the job they want and deserve.

[edited]

By: How to Become a Better Blogger 5: Your Online Presence « one cool site: wordpress blogging tips

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:30:53 +0000

[...] Beal’s four good tips on Building your online professional presence: Buy your domain name. Even if you don’t [...]

By: Reluctant Blogger » A Reluctant Blogger

Reluctant Blogger » A Reluctant Blogger — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 07:22:20 +0000

[...] Largely overlooked in the discussion of the Kathy Sierra incident this week, was an interesting juxtaposition with some other articles. In particular ComputerWorld’s “Web anonymity can sink your job search” and Wired’s already infamous issue on “Radical Transparency” and attendant discussion – all with basically the same message: you’d better start exposing yourself in public, online, stat if you want to participate in the business world (or get a job) anymore. Wired also helpfully included an attractive model in a removable Mylar dress with the header “Get Naked” just in case anyone was still missing the point. [...]

By: Is your web identity a help or a hindrance to your employability? « //engtech

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 05:27:51 +0000

[...] They go on to list some tips like starting a blog, joining open source communities, building a web page, creating web profiles. Andy pads it out with some more helpful suggestions like getting a domain name, tips for getting the number one spot for your name and controlling what appears in search results for your name. [...]

By: Daily itzbig Links 2007-03-28 - The itzBig Blog - Serving the Unserved â€“ Recruiters, Job Seekers, Quiet Working Professionals

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 16:01:56 +0000

[...] Marketing Pilgrim: Looking for a Job? Make Sure You Have a Web Identity! “While weâ€™ve probably all tried ‘Googling’ a date or famous celebrity, employers are using the search engines to ‘check you out’ before they schedule a meeting with you.” [...]

By: Greg Scowen

Greg Scowen — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 12:35:15 +0000

I always do web searches on prospective employees. Sometimes they are fruitless, and other times you hit gold. It does factor in to the decision of whether an interview is coming their way or not.

Thanks for the link to your beginners guide to online reputation monitoring and management Andy. I missed that one last year. Glad to add it to my arsenal now.

By: Simon Heseltine

Simon Heseltine — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:52:23 +0000

While I may have the pain of mispronunciation on my surname, at least I only have to contend with one other Simon Heseltine in the world

As for the article, I do have to confess that I have done searches on potential, and current, employees. Better I find out what’s out there than a customer / potential customer…

By: Mark Barrera

Mark Barrera — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:05:53 +0000

Mike – You could also do like Andy suggested but attach your industry or job title. mikemillermarketing.com or plumbermikemiller.com or something similar.

It really isn’t that hard to brand yourself online. I had the same fear (my name is shared by a world famous Mexican boxer and my last name is very common) but was surprised how I began to dominate keywords around my name after some time.

By: Andy Beal

Andy Beal — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 14:54:27 +0000

You could always register mikemiller(city or state).com or mikemillerguru.com – something that still gets your name in there.

By: WebProNews Video Blog » Blog Archive » Jason Calacanis may backtrack, Kathy Sierra cancels appearance at e-Tech, ComputerWorld tips on domain names

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 14:42:28 +0000

[...] If you need a job, you need an identity on the Web. ComputerWorld cited a pair of surveys where many recruiters and hiring managers use search engines to find out more about job candidates. Some also use social networking sites to screen people too. Marketing pro Andy Beal suggested people should buy their domain name, know what’s on Google about their names, and own their personal brands as much as possible. [...]

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 14:37:51 +0000

I am so mad at my parents for naming me Mike Miller. How am I supposed to brand that? When I got married, we talked briefly about me using my wife’s last name instead of mine just to have a little more unique of a name but never went through with it.

By: kelvin newman

kelvin newman — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 11:40:30 +0000

Damn MP I was thinking my article I wrote a couple of months ago about ’stopping myspace ruining your job prospects’ was pretty inventive…
http://www.sitevisibility.co.uk/2006/11/5-ways-to-stop-myspace-ruining -your.html

By: Mike Mothner

Mike Mothner — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 23:58:01 +0000

I completely agree; I have multiple friends that have attained terrific new job opportunities purely through their interaction in the blogosphere, commenting on blogs and getting in communication with others out there with similar interests and related business ventures.

To be honest, you can get a lot more insight about somebody from a well authored blog than you can from a strategically crafted resume any day.

Mike

By: Global Nerdy » Blog Archive » No Web Presence? It Might Hurt Your Job Prospects!

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 20:38:02 +0000

[...] Andy Beal added another four tips to the list: [...]

By: Brian Chappell

Brian Chappell — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:37:56 +0000

Heh I was stunned to find my name avail. the other month. I snatched it up rather quick.

I would agree with Mark. Probably the best tactic. I imagine potential employees like it when they google you to find any relevant info on you to find you own your own name.com

By: Mark Barrera

Mark Barrera — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:29:42 +0000

I think your number 1 tip can be the best one to use if you aren’t using the other tips.

I also suggest that people see if the domain of their name is available and buy it. This gives them the ability to have an email address like mine (mark(at)markbarrera.com), which looks better on your resume. Most people will then go in and take a look at what is on that domain, so make sure to have a blog or site up for them to check out.

It is usually pretty easy to get rankings for your name if you have it in the domain name.

By: Michael Jensen (SoloSEO)

Michael Jensen (SoloSEO) — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:11:12 +0000

What about those of us with super common names…there were 8 “Michael Jensen’s” at my University during my undergraduate! I still get emails from students of a professor with my same name.

Funny enough, for my name in google one of my blog posts shows up, the one where I revealed a flaw in MyBlogLog (that got on TechCrunch, TechMeme, etc). That’s the power of links though…most everyone linked with my name as the anchor text.

Great post Andy, keep up the great work!

By: Michael Goldberg

Michael Goldberg — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:04:08 +0000

Linkedin is pretty cool. I got an account with them back in Octoberish and never checked it out or anything, but about 2 weeks ago I noticed that a lot of people were trying to contact me, mostly my current employer, but a few CEO’s I have spoke to in the past as well. Great article Andy