You may not have to deal with photo shopped pictures of yourself on the internet like Sarah Palin, but your own "brand" is just as important as any politicians. With social networks and blogs abound, an employer simply needs your name to potentially view all of your activity on line. This can be particularly dire for young professionals as they transition from student life to that of a working adult. Embarrassing photos or generally unsavory information will turn off an employer, no matter how well the interview went. The best solution for this problem is to avoid it altogether.
Individuals that are particularly web savvy can take this situation and make it an asset by creating a blog or some other online content the positively reflects them in the eyes of employers. For instance, an aspiring music critic might start a blog about popular music with album reviews and industry news. This approach can also work wonders for entrepreneurs. A photographer blogging about photos they have taken has potential exposure to millions of possible clients on line compared to paying for ad space and reaching only a few thousand pairs of eyes.
This week on At Work, Emory Mulling fields questions about how to go about developing positive PR for yourself in the job market. Tune in to GPB on Friday at 3PM. Leave your questions for Emory here in the comments section and he'll answer them live on air.
