The internet has revolutionized the job hunting process in some really great, and some not-so-great, ways. A prime example of the double-edged nature of internet-enabled capabilities is the internet name search. Many experts strongly advise active job seekers to ensure that if a prospective employer were to search their name, most search engines will return their most relevant resume information. But what happens after the job offer is accepted? How many of us remember which websites we posted our profiles and resumes on, let alone return to them to deactivate our accounts?
Those mysterious and now out-of-date profiles are not just cluttering the spam box of your email with new alerts; they may actually be impacting your online presence, or digital footprint. Long after the job search ends, your digital footprint is continuing to speak for you to a wide variety of audiences including current and prospective colleagues, fellow conference attendees, potential clients, and even funding sources.
In her article, Ten Ways Your LinkedIn Profile is Hurting Your Credibility, Forbes contributor Liz Ryan lists simple things to do that will keep the popular networking website from becoming problematic. The first, and biggest, piece of advice: Keep your profile current! Review and update your professional activities every few months while they are still fresh in your mind. An updated profile can also make networking at events much easier. As Liz points out in the article, "it only takes a moment to grab someone’s business card when you meet them, and to ask them, 'May I send you a LinkedIn connection request?'"