building a positive online reputation
DESCRIPTION
How to build up a strong online reputation is being discussed in some detail. The necessity of having a positive cyber world image is a must these days. How to do it,how to get useful feedback from the various internet based services etc are the concerns a man face when he thinks in these lines.TRANSCRIPT
Building a Positive Online Reputation
Using the Web to Enhance Your Career
Babu Appat
What's Your Online Reputation?
Quite obviously, a bad reputation can wreck your career.
Search the WWW
And, nowadays, your reputation includes what clients, colleagues, and hiring managers can read about you
on the Web.
In this Session
We look at how you can
manage your online reputation
Think about how you can make a good first impression in person
Enjoy this session
Please Imagine that:
You've just applied for a new job, and that you're feeling confident about it.
Let’s think that:
You have all of the skills and education needed for the role,
and your first interview went well.
2nd Round
So you're disappointed when you hear that the hiring manager won't
be calling you in for a second interview.
Why?
When you ask why, she tells you that she was put off by flippant
comments that you'd made about your colleagues on a social
networking site.
Image in the Cyber world
Despite having the right experience and qualifications, your online
reputation has taken you out of the running for the role
Reputation management
Is an essential part of career management, and your reputation
now includes what people can find out about you online.
Help / Haunt
Photos, tweets, and comments - even those posted years ago - can easily be found online, and
they can come back to haunt you
Positive Online Reputation
In this session we'll look at why it's so important to maintain a positive online reputation. We'll then outline how you can use the Web to present yourself
in the best light.
The Importance of a Positive Online Reputation
Your online reputation is now just as important as your offline one. In fact, it
can be more important, because content on the Web is, for the most
part, there indefinitely.
Recruiters, clients and employers routinely search the Web to
uncover the "real life" of applicants, business partners, and employees. If people don't like what they find, your reputation could be seriously
damaged
Tweets and Posts
Employees at all levels are affected. For example, the CEO of a global
company posted online images of his elephant-hunting trip in Africa.
Your Holiday Snaps
The images were graphic, and upset thousands of the company's clients
when they were circulated online. The company lost clients as a result, and the CEO's reputation was tarnished.
It opens up avenues
On the flip side, a positive online reputation can enhance your career, and can open doors that you might never have opened on your own.
It promotes you up
For example, intelligent comments or thoughtful blog posts can lead to promotions, new clients, and new opportunities in your current role
Conversing Positively
For instance, one woman was promoted after her employer
discovered that she had sent out encouraging tweets to potential
recruits.
Note:
Keep in mind that your company may have policies covering the use of
social media.
Usage Restrictions
Some organizations specify how employees should use social media when at work. Others have rules in
place for personal social media use, as well.
Never Post anything in Haste
In some circumstances, your job can even be terminated if you make inappropriate comments online.
Check your organization's policies carefully
Enhancing Your Online Reputation
The thought of checking every online entry about yourself can seem
overwhelming, especially because you can't control what others say
about you
Tools available freely
The good news is that there are plenty of tools - most of them free - that can
help you manage your reputation online. Let's look at how to get started
Survey Your Current Reputation
Start by simply searching for your name online, looking at both the image and
website results generated.
Keywords
Put your name in quotation marks, and include other keywords, such as your
employer's name or the city where you live
Self Search
Self-searching is also an easy way to uncover any comments, blog posts,
videos, or pictures that you may have forgotten about.
Search Social Media
Do internal site searches if you use social media sites such
as Facebook®, Instagram®, Flickr®, Twitter®, LinkedIn®,
or Google+®, as parts of these sites can be inaccessible to a general
online search
Google Alert
Next, set up a Google Alert for your name.
Google Feedback
Once you have signed up for this free service, Google will email you when new content is posted that includes
your name.
What’s Published in Web
This will help you to monitor what's being published about you as soon as
it's live
Limit Damage
It's important to go through these results and think carefully about
whether they present you in the best light.
Say it aloud
If you wouldn't say something out loud at work, then it's not something
that you should say online.
Embarrassing content
And if you would be embarrassed to have your boss or potential employer
see content about you, it's best to take it down
What can you do then?
So, what do you do if you uncover an embarrassing picture, comment, or testimonial that you want to take off
the Web?
Get it removed
If you don't control the site in question - for example, if it appears on someone else's Facebook page - you'll need to contact the owner or webmaster and
ask them to remove it.
If only it’s against the rules
In some cases, Google will remove content or images at your request. However, this only happens when
certain laws are being broken.
Report Violation
If you suspect that inaccurate or confidential information about you is
being displayed on the Web, you can report the violation and ask for
the content to be removed.
Removal of Unwanted content
Other search engines offer similar services.
Negative V Positive
You can also manage negative personal content online by uploading
more positive content.
Google Ranking
Google ranks content according to relevancy, so newer content, or
content that many other sites have linked to, shows up higher in search
rankings.
So, how can you generate positive content about yourself?
Future-Proof Your Reputation
Think about how you'd like clients, managers, and future recruiters to view you online. You can build that positive online reputation in several
ways
Your Content
First, consider starting a blog. There are numerous free blogging sites, and
many allow you to personalize the appearance of your blog, so that it reflects the content that you plan to
post
Industry Focused
You could focus on your industry or area of expertise, or you could write
informative articles that teach others a useful skill.
Blog
A blog will not only show off your communication and branding skills,
but it will also strengthen your reputation as an expert.
It’s for others to see
And, of course, you're publishing content that you want others - current
or future employers - to see
Write, Contribute, Publish, Comment
If you don't have the time to maintain your own blog, consider becoming a
guest contributor for established blogs and websites, or think about
commenting on content on social media sites such as LinkedIn
Tip:
• It can be tempting to slip into an informal or humorous communication style when using social media.
However, bear in mind that humor or a light-hearted response may not be appropriate in a professional setting, especially if people could misunderstand you.
When posting online, treat others as you wish to be treated, and take the time to think about your responses fully. This is especially important if you're discussing sensitive or controversial issues - here, you might want to use a pseudonym.
Maintain Privacy
You're probably connected to family, friends, and work colleagues through
social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Who sees What
This can make it difficult to keep your personal and professional lives
separate. However, most sites have options that allow you to limit who
sees what
To limit who can see a wall post, go to your privacy settings page and select the "Public," "Friends," or "Custom"
button. The Custom button allows you to select the individuals who can see
a particular post or image
On Twitter, you have the option to make your tweets public or private.
Public tweets are visible to everyone and can show up in search engines. Private (or "protected") tweets are
visible only to users whom you have approved. These tweets cannot be
retweeted
Protect my Tweets
To protect your tweets, select the "Settings" option from the dropdown
menu at the top right of the page. Scroll down to the "Tweet Privacy" button, and check the box next to
"Protect My Tweets." Then click the "Save" button at the bottom of the
page
If you link your Pinterest account to other social media such as Facebook and Twitter, others will be able to find
your account faster.
Change Settings
To avoid this, go to the "Settings" page, and switch the "Search Privacy" option to "Yes." Next, click "Save
Settings." This will tell search engines to ignore your profile, although the changed settings can take several
weeks to be processed.
LinkedIn is generally considered to be "safe" social media because it's a
professional social network. However, its privacy settings can still affect your
reputation.
Shows up in Web Search
For instance, your Twitter feed can show up on your LinkedIn profile
page, and your professional history can show up in a Web search.
Managing Accounts
LinkedIn has many options that let you control how much others can see in
your profile. Visit the "Managing account settings" page for a full list of options for controlling the privacy of
your profile
Key Points
It's just as important to manage your online reputation as it is to manage
your offline one.
Reputation- Online/Offline
Negative online content can turn up years after it was posted, affecting how clients, colleagues, and hiring
managers view you.
Positive- Opens Up
Such content could even cost you your job. On the other hand, a positive
online reputation can open doors and lead to new opportunities
Get notified
To manage your online reputation, set up a Google Alert that notifies you whenever someone mentions your
name online.
Careful Screening of Content
Carefully screen content that you've posted in the past on Facebook, Twitter, online forums, or other
websites.
Modify or Delete Unwanted
If you'd be embarrassed to have your boss or colleagues see this content,
try to take it down
Post Positive Content
Last, manage what people see by posting positive content about
yourself. Create a blog, and write tweets or status updates that
demonstrate your expertise and willingness to help others
A Final Note
When you present yourself in the best possible light, you open doors that you may not even have realized
existed. These could include finding new clients, opening up new
opportunities, and building better working relationships
Thus
Carefully build up your online and offline reputation
Have a successful career
www.youtube.com/TheTrainingclasses