How to Repair a Digital Identity

So the internet seems to prefer the somewhat scandalous you to the professional you, who might be the object of scrutiny. And you've reached the point where you want to do something to remove some, uh, interesting material. Here's a quick guide to some basic strategies. Using these as starting points, you might be able to gradually control what appears when you google yourself.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• The Internet
• Professional mindset
• Professional, intelligent things to say about yourself
• A quick read of http://www.employmentdigest.net/2006/06/online-remark-can-now-sink-job-candidate/ (republished from the <em>New York Times</em>, in case you need more convincing of the possible pitfal

1. Google your name, and likely nicknames by which people might know you. Also try your e-mail address, and common usernames you might post under on community-oriented websites. Go a few pages into the results. Look for direct references to you that are not all that flattering.
   
   If you have a fairly common name, it's possible there is safety in numbers. "John Smiths" of the world might get a break there, but people with common names face other challenges if they want to make themselves *findable* in the masses of like-named people. These steps will help in that area, too.

2. If Google can pinpoint results with your name, count how many times your name is mentioned directly, that people might try to read if they're researching you. Make a note of the website, and if you want it to appear in the results for your name.

3. If you have a MySpace profile or Facebook profile, go see how easy it is to find you using your name (or nicknames). Would a potential employer or reference want to see your MySpace or Facebook page? Delete questionable content, and remove compromising photos. Check your spelling and grammar, too, and remove and swearing, unprofessional slang or information that could be easily misconstrued.

4. Go to ZoomInfo and similar websites (Ryze, Tribe.net, Biznik) and see if your name is already listed. Note what appears if -- if anything -- as well as things you'd want to change. If it does not appear, add it, and customize the page to fit what you want.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have seriously questionable content in the results for your name, hosted by websites that you don't control, you can write and ask those websites to remove the offending page.
• This is just a cursory list of things you can do. It is by no means exhaustive, or even guaranteed to produce results.