Setting yourself apart on the Internet for your job search is more important than ever. In fact, a recent Jobvite survey shows that 92 percent of companies use or plan to begin using social media for recruiting and 86 percent of recruiters actively look at Internet profiles when making hiring decisions. 
Keeping your social media profiles clean and professional is not new advice for job seekers, though. By now it’s common knowledge that you need to be aware of how your Facebook and Twitter profiles make you appear to future employers. But what job seekers sometimes fail to consider is that employers may search other areas of the Internet to gain more insight about who you are.
Think they aren’t going to find out about that fender bender you got in last week? Wrong! A quick Google search could easily come up with this information if it made a local newspaper. Minor offenses like these may not really be worrisome to you or your future employer, but if there is something bigger to be found floating on the interwebs that could harm your professional reputation, you need to do some damage control.
In fact, even if you personally have nothing to hide, but a search of your name comes up with some less than praiseworthy information about someone who shares your name, consider signing up for BrandYourself.
What is it?
One of the co-founders of BrandYourself shares a name with a drug dealer and was having trouble landing a job because when employers Googled his name they associated him with the drug dealer. So he and his co-founders decided to do something to help others with similar problems. Thus, BrandYouself, a free product that allows you to take control of your online reputation, was born. Essentially, the service provides SEO to boost the most positive links relevant to you to the top of the Google search page.
How does it work?
You start by submitting content about yourself from around the web that you’d like displayed in the search results. If you don’t have much, don’t worry. BrandYourself will show you places around the web where you can start building positive content.
Once you enter the links into BrandYourself’s software, you a provided an easy step-by-step guide to optimizing the links for better search engine exposure. Then, you are able to track this progress and receive alerts significant happens in your search results.
To further enhance your experience, you can create a BrandYourself profile, which helps you rank high in search engines and strengthen your personal brand. Additionally you’ll be notified when you’ve been searched.
What sets it apart?
BrandYourself is the only service of its kind designed specifically for people, not businesses. Similar services use the same techniques for businesses as they do for real people, which is almost ineffective as the two have very different needs.
Also, as mentioned it’s free and you can largely do it yourself. No need to pay an agency an outrageous fee to do it for you!
What are the flaws?
Unfortunately, negative search results won’t be completely erased and it may take a few weeks for improved results. The more in-depth SEO services BrandYourself provides require a paid membership.
Would you consider using BrandYourself to help manage your online reputation?
