Be smart about your online profile

By Candice Choi

updated 6:49 p.m. ET Jan. 7, 2009

NEW YORK - Someone is trying to sabotage your career. It's your online persona.

With smaller budgets and less staff to conduct interviews, companies are increasingly using social networking sites as a way to screen prospective hires.

That's why Lauren Miller, who was laid off in October, is so vigilant over her Facebook profile. She watches for any photos friends might post showing her holding a drink. Off-color comments by anyone are immediately deleted.

"You never know how things will be perceived," said Miller, a resident of Hoboken, N.J., who worked in corporate communications.

At times, she wonders if a recruiter needs to know that she's 36, single and Jewish before she walks in the door for an interview.

Social networking sites typically let you post as much information about yourself as you like, including your education, work history and favorite music and books. You can join countless fan groups or causes. Status updates, which tell how you're feeling at any moment, offer yet more clues about you.

How much you should reveal varies depending on your situation, of course.

In some creative fields, showcasing a quirky sense of humor might score you points. Your love of marathons might even get you in the door with certain hiring managers.

The bottom line is that if you're looking to land (or keep) a job, you need treat your online profile like a resume — keep it scrubbed and up to date. A few points to remember.

Who can see my profile?
One of the first steps in staying on top of your online profile is being aware of the privacy settings.

Facebook, for instance, lets you join networks that tie users with a common bond, whether it's a company, school or where you live. You need a valid e-mail address to join the first two types of networks, but anyone can join a regional network.

The default setting on the site lets friends and everyone in your network see your profile.

If you're not comfortable with this setup, you can tweak settings to control who sees what. You can even cherry pick which friends can see select photos.

"If you have your privacy set properly, you really are controlling every aspect of how your profile is viewed," said Brandee Barker, a Facebook spokeswoman.

That said, it's always safer to assume anything you post online can become public. After all, Facebook has more than 140 million registered users, although the company doesn't disclose what percentage of that is in the U.S.

Miller has her settings so only friends can view her profile, but she maintains her page as though anyone can see it.

"I'm always cognizant of the fact that this is a public domain," she said.

Besides, if a recruiter finds your profile and sends you a friend request, would you turn it down?

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