Googling Yourself
http://goo.gl/rHf0q9
In today's day and age it is becoming increasingly important to be self-conscious of not only our personal presence in our communities but also our presence in the global community found on the internet.
This is why I would encourage many people to do what some call a "vanity search". A vanity search is the act of going into a search engine (Google, Bing, Ask, etc.) and typing in your full name and perhaps the town or city you are located in. (ex. John Doe Boston MA) A vanity search allows to learn who you are online to strangers and employers alike.
Unfortunately, when we use a search engine to try and search ourselves Google or Bing will give us localized results, which might not be what an employer would see then they search you. There is however a way to get yourself a generalized search that most people will see!
If you have a Google account (which you do if you have a YouTube handle, a Blogger, a Gmail, a Google drive, or you happen to have a Google+), you can find it deep within the settings.
Once you are logged into your google account you will want to click on your icon and bring up the drop down menu
Then select "Account" to get your account details.
Now that you are in your account menu, click on "Data Tools"
Now we can finally click on "Me on the web"
If we click the link on the left we will be taken to a general search of ourselves as an employer would see it, If we click on the right link we can subscribe to emails that will alert us when we receive news about our online presence.
It is absolutely vital for us as citizens of the internet to track our digital footprint. We are all celebrities on the interwebs; our Twitter feeds, Facebook profiles, and our Reddit posts are open for the world to see. Making ourselves look like the best part of ourselves and making a positive impression on our future employers is as easy as typing our name into Google.com.
by Siddharth Mangalik 2014
